The world's best-loved wine category
Red Wine
Red wine is made by fermenting grapes with their skins, which impart colour and the grippy tannins that define the style. It spans everything from feather-light Pinot Noir to dense, age-worthy Cabernet and Syrah.
How it's made
Red grapes are crushed and fermented on their skins, macerating to extract colour, flavour and tannin. Many reds are then aged in oak, which adds spice, roundness and structure before bottling.
At a glance
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Serving temperature | 15–18°C (cool room temperature) |
| Key regions | Bordeaux, Burgundy, Barossa Valley, Napa Valley, Mendoza |
| Food pairings | Grilled meats, roasts, pasta with rich sauces, hard cheese, stews |
Signature grapes
Cabernet Sauvignon
Cabernet Sauvignon is the world's most famous red grape, the backbone of Bordeaux's great blended wines and th…
Pinot Noir
Pinot Noir is Burgundy's great gift to the wine world — light in colour yet profound in flavour, haunting in i…
Merlot
Merlot is France's most planted red grape and the plush partner to Cabernet in Bordeaux blends, especially on …
Syrah / Shiraz
Syrah (known as Shiraz in Australia) is one of the world's great black grapes, capable of extraordinary power …
Tempranillo
Tempranillo is Spain's greatest red grape, the soul of Rioja and Ribera del Duero. Named for 'temprano' (early…
Malbec
Malbec is Argentina's signature grape and the country's greatest wine success story — elevated from a minor bl…