Personally, I’m a red wine drinker. But apparently some of you struggle with the taste of it. Maybe you should think about growing up.
I jest, I jest. I’m literally a vegetarian so can’t talk about forcing yourself to eat and drink shit that you don’t want to.
But, much like tomatoes and olives, red wine can be an acquired taste that may take a little bit of time to get into.
If you want to join your friends over a bottle of shiraz at your local (it’s truly one of the greatest things in life), or know what to pick out for your bestie when you’re standing in the red wine section of BWS, you’re in luck.
We spoke with Kelly Handsaker, a sommelier who’s been working in the prestigious wine region of the Hunter Valley for six years, about how to dive into the world of red wine-drinking.
Know the basics
Firstly, we asked what the difference is between red and white wine (aside from the colour). Because it may seem obvious but could you new wine aficionados answer the question at pub trivia? Perhaps not.
To keep it simple, Kelly said, “Red wine includes the skin of the red grapes. White wines are just the juice of the grapes.”
Okay, I didn’t know that.
“Both then go through fermentation, digesting the sugars into precious alcohol.”
We’re off to a good start, people.
“Red wines generally have a higher alcohol percentage, so they can bring some heat. Tannins (the thing that leaves a dry texture in your mouth that’s also present in tea and coffee) are another reason why red wines may taste stronger than white.”
What’s your flavour?
If you’re reading this article you’d probably personally prefer it if you didn’t have to drink red wine at all. But we love personal growth here.
“Red wine is an acquired taste. You can certainly enjoy it with age, food and time. Baby steps.”
Kelly is also an optimist and notes that “A good wine is a wine you like.” No wine-shaming here! If you want to start off slowly, however, Kelly recommends reaching for pinot noir, sangiovese, or tempranillo.
“Naturally those grape varieties produce lighter wines, meaning they’re lower in alcohol, have less tannins, less body and less intensity,” says Kelly.
“Typically they’re a safer bet than a cabernet or a big South Australian shiraz.”
Train your palate
Like anything in life, you’re not going to be a master of red wine as soon as you pick it up off the bottle-o shelf. Kelly notes that temperature may help you to adjust to the new flavours.
“Try chilling the wine for an hour or so in the fridge. I find that for lots of people who can’t pinpoint why they don’t gel with red, it’s usually because they’re served at room temperature.”
“You can also try red wine with food. If you’re headed to a restaurant for date night and you’re indulging in a rich beef ragu, ask for a wine recommendation that’s relatively light. The sommelier is there to help so never worry that you’ll be judged or made to feel silly.”
Know your lingo
So, you’ve got your red wine, have chilled it in the fridge and are learning which food pairs well with a cabernet. But what are some wine words that could impress your red-wine-loving mates?
Kelly spills the goods.
Length: This describes how long you can continue to taste the wine even after you’ve swallowed it.
Tannins: The dry, astringent texture left in your mouth.
Body: Typically that can be reflective of length and tannins and alcohol (which is usually the heat you feel when you’ve finished the sip of wine).
While Kelly has shared some great tips, she notes that drinking wine should be fun. Not a competition of flavour or type. Drink what you like, while also broadening your palate horizons.
“Try not to be intimidated by wine, I promise if you asked the sommelier in a restaurant for a suggestion with loose gibberish on what you think you like, they won’t judge you.” On that point, if you’re spiralling in the aisles of a BWS over what to bring to a dinner party, don’t be afraid to ask the friendly staff for recommendations too.
“At the end of the day, wine is an expression of creativity and it should be fun and enjoyable. Get yourself to a wine region and taste some wines to get a better picture of what you might like.”
See ya in the red wine section, folks.