About Red Wines

Imagine having a set table with red flickering lights, roses, red wine, and a jazz music background. How would such a moment transpire, especially on a date? Probably, being drunk on red wine would epitomize a romantic night.

People favor red wine over other wines because they view red as the color of love. The drink displays a rich flavor, with balanced notes of sweetness and sourness. Some may say that this drink is bitter, but that bitterness balances equitably with foods like steak or pasta. The bitter taste also enhances your mood. Red wines also have health benefits.

Winemakers produce red wine from the fermentation of black grapes. These berries are pondered and crashed to produce a must fermented with the grape's skin and berries. At that point, that is where the difference between red and white comes. Winemakers prepare white wine without the grapes, skins, and seeds.

After fermentation of red wine, you get a rich red liquid with a tannin sour taste. The tannin taste comes from the grape's skin retained in processing the wine. These grapes, skins, and seeds also contribute to a higher alcohol volume in red wine. Typically, the alcohol volume of red wine is around 13-16% ABV (Alcohol by Volume).

Characteristics of a red wine

Are you new to red wine and wondering which aspects qualify a good quality red wine? A suitable red wine should possess the following traits.

1.      Body

Red wine has a higher density and viscosity, which gives it a fuller body. However, you may find other brands being light or medium.

2.      Flavor

Some flavors in red wine brands neutralize its bitter taste. There is a variety of flavors on this drink which includes: 

Fruits:

Fruit flavors are further classified into black, stone, and red fruits.

• Black fruits include blackberry, blueberry, cassis, and plum.
• Red fruits are cherries, raspberry, strawberries, and other red berries
• Stone fruits include cherry and plum

Other flavors include vegetable flavor (pepper), herbs and spices, barrel flavor (oak, vanilla), and earth additives (cedar, pine).

3.      Acidity

Red wine has a lower acidity level than white wine with high acidity. The range of red wine acidity is 3.5 to 3.8. Hence, this less acidic beverage tastes smoother.

4.      Aroma

It is how a wine smells. Most red wines smell according to the flavors or spices added or naturally imparted by terroir. Fruitiness is inescapable considering grapes are fruits themselves.

5.      Tannins

Red wines are rich in Tannins due to fermentation with grape skins. Tannins give the red wines a sour taste, a pleasing feature especially when paired with sweet foods.

Factors to Consider When Buying a Red Wine in Kenya

1.      Know how to taste a wine

If you are unsure about the wine to buy, a vender may give you samples to taste. It would be disturbing if you don’t know how to compare the taste of the drinks. However, don't mind; use the following testing ways.

Look

Check the color of the wine by focusing on its redness. If a beverage is dark red, it has a rich character and is probably higher in alcohol concentration. You can also notice an aged wine that appears light red after its color has mellowed over time.

Swirl and sniff

Sniff to capture the wine's aroma. If you don't smell anything, swirl the drink until some aromas accumulate in the wine glass. Undoubtedly, you will smell two aromas of vanilla spice from the barrel or the floral scent from grapes. This technique will also help you notice an expired drink when it smells stale.

Sip

Use your tongue to confirm what you have smelt. If you smelt stale wine, you may taste sour vinegar taste. You can also confirm the taste of flavors and spices you smelt.

Use the right Glassware

A tulip-shaped wine glass with a wide bottom and a relatively narrow top are the best to drink red wine with. It allows you to properly swirl your wine and then concentrate aromas at the narrow top for you to smell.

2.      Recognize the brands and types of red wine

There are hundreds of wine brands; hence choosing the best red wine in Kenya can be hectic. Classifying red wines can be based on style or grapes. The style includes light-bodied wines, medium-bodied reds, and full-bodied wines. The level of sweetness also can classify red wines into sweet red wines, semi-sweet red wines, and red dry wines. The popular classification of red wines is by grapes.

Here are the popular types of red wines in Kenya:

• Cabernet Sauvignon
• Merlot
• Malbec
• Shiraz
• Pinotage
• Pinot Noir
• Cabernet Franc

There are many other red wine types including red blends. Red blends are wines made from more than one grape type.

3.      Compare the value of red wine

Red wine prices in Kenya differ from one online liquor store to another. There are both cheap and expensive red wines in Kenya. It all depends on your budget and how badly you need exceptional quality red wine.

On that note, buy red wine online at Thirsty Oak, the best wine shop in Karen that deliver wine to your door. We have the best red wines brands and prices in Kenya.