🍷 Red wine

Red wine is wine made from dark grapes, fermented with their skins, which give it its colour. Red wine is made from dark grapes. In most varieties the pulp is almost colourless, and the colour sits in the skins. So the juice ferments together with the skins for several days or weeks, and the wine takes on its colour.

Tannins also pass into the wine from the skins and seeds. They cause the slight drying grip you feel on the tongue. The longer the skin contact, the darker and fuller the wine. Red wine usually has 12–15% alcohol.

Styles vary a lot. Pinot Noir and Gamay give light, pale wines, while Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Saperavi give dark, full-bodied ones. Many reds are aged in oak barrels, and some grow softer over the years.

If the skins are removed quickly, the same dark grapes give rosé wine. Red wine is usually served at 16–18 °C: when it is warmer, the alcohol stands out more.