Red Wine and its Varieties

Australia is the fourth largest wine producing country in the world and boasts of great quality wines from major producers like Foster Group, Constellation wines and so on. The red grapes of Australia are their greatest asset and the most cherished wine is Shiraz. With the abundance of sunshine in Australia, the grapes ripen perfectly to give that special taste to the Australian wine. It is believed, the warmer the wine region, the better the red wine. But, the cooler areas are also well suited for the lighter and delicate red wine. There are several mild climate regions that are home to Australian specialty of sparkling red wine popularly known as “Shiraz”.

Shiraz: Shiraz produced from the same grapes as Syrah in France’s Rhone Valley were imported in Australia in 1832. It prospered in the Australian turf and became a great source of high quality wines for those who prefer to buy fine wine online and other stores. The versatility it displays to transform depended on the region and its growth is something special. There are several elegant styles that have emerged because of the climate, like the elegant peppery cool climate style in Heathcote, Victoria to cull out intense flavors with a spicy style of Coonawarra and Margaret River, the powerful minty one from Clare Valley, sweet and chocolaty one of McLaren Vale and muscular ripe fruited of Barossa. There is no other variety, which can match the mulberry, spicy, slightly wild flavor of Australia’s Shiraz wine.

Music, Food, Red Wine and You

A romantic and musical dinner cuisine is never complete without rich and sparkling wine bottle. And it is all the more better, if it’s sipping with lustrous red wine. The fabulous red wine is very popular in Western and European countries. The rich red color comes from grape skin.

The heavenly taste of quality red wines increases with time, albeit you have to store it very carefully, to improve the taste. Usually red wine is made with red, purple or black grapes. The color quality depends on the fermentation procedure. Red wine is generally served in warm climatic condition, in a mild cooled form. Red wines are more costly than other kind of wines. Red wines are often classified according to its tannin nature and astringent taste.

How to Decant Wine

Decanting wine is the process of pouring the wine from its original bottle into another container. That could be any carafe, a fancy crystal decanter, or even a mason jar if you’re down-home country. But what is the purpose of this?

Far back in history, decanting wine was a method of pouring only the clear wine out, leaving the naturally-occurring sediment behind in the bottle. This was an issue because wine was sold unfiltered. You might still encounter the occasional unfiltered bottle, for instance in the case of full-body reds that are aged more than ten years, or in vintage ports that have some sediment as a natural side effect.

The second purpose, which remains relevant today, is to let the wine breathe. Now, too much oxygen is bad for wine; there’s a reason so much care is taken with sealing the bottle. But a little air exposure helps to soften and mellow the flavor. This is especially the case with high-tannin wines and heavy wines. Decanting doesn’t do as much for delicate reds like Pinot Noir, or zesty whites like Riesling or Sauvignon Blanc, but it does benefit fuller bodied reds and whites, especially those with oaky tones.

In short, you should consider decanting for: Cabernet Sauvignons, Zinfandels, Barolos, Bordeauxs, Chardonnays, and Shiraz. It serves much the same function as swirling the wine around in a glass does; it opens up the wine and allows it to attain its peak potential taste and nose.