Give Lighter Style Red Wines to Try

Many people only think of full-bodied, tannic wines when red wines come to mind. Many of the wines they have in mind are commonly paired with strongly flavored dishes.  When a person thinks of a big juicy steak or slice after slice of leg of lamb the Cabernets Bordeauxs and Zinfandels are what naturally spring to mind.

Red wines come in a much broader variety and pair with a quite extensive array of foods.  There are also a few that are especially appropriate not only for lighter dishes but also for introducing avowed white wine drinkers to the marvels of red wine in a way that will get them hooked for the rest of their wine drinking lives.

Two of the very lightest red wines are the Italian Vino Novello and the French Beaujolais Nouveau, and of course their New World counterparts.  These are released every November, roughly six weeks after the harvest with no aging time and are intended to be enjoyed immediately.  These are wonderful “starter” red wines for those who think red wines are typically too strong for them.  They are great when served alongside poultry and are becoming increasingly popular as an accompaniment to Thanksgiving dinner.  This is due not only to the way they pair with poultry, but also with their early November release.

Burgundies and Pinot Noirs are stronger and aged significantly longer than either of the youthful fall releases.  In addition to being a varietal that is virtually always processed as 100% Burgundy or Pinot Noir, unusual compared to many other reds, it is also a notoriously difficult grape to grow.  But the results when it is grown in soil and climate conditions that it loves are spectacular.  Food blends extremely well with these wines.  All but the strongest of meats taste good with it, many poultry dishes work wonderfully, and it is also fabulous with pork and high oil content fish such as tuna and salmon.

A wonderful medium-bodied Italian red wine to pair with lighter dishes is Dolcetto.  Despite the implied sweetness of the name, the wine is actually dry in style but does have a lot of fruit in the nose.  It pairs beautifully with most pizzas, pastas and lighter meats.  This is also one of the few red wines that actually makes for a good sipping wine without any food.  While not intended to be consumed as quickly as Vino Novello or Beaujolais Nouveau the wines are best enjoyed while young so are ideal for buying and drinking immediately.

To find other wines on VinoList - The Wine Database - click here

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