VINSIGHTS

A staff training infographic worth 1,000 words

by MARNIE OLD

Red wines may be less diverse in body and flavor intensity than whites , but they do range more widely in aromatic character . This is because most grape flavor compounds are found in the peel , and only red wines are fermented with their skins . This can make red wines harder to categorize in some ways , but there are still helpful patterns that can be observed when we take a step back and look at red wines as a group .

The most obvious pattern centers on grape ripeness , which in turn leads winemakers to dial variables like tannin extraction or new oak flavor up or down . But some variations reflect relationships between specific varietals , as with the predictable family resemblance patterns found among genetically related varieties . •

Marnie Old is one of the country ’ s leading wine educators . Formerly the director of wine studies for Manhattan ’ s French Culinary Institute , she is best known for her visually engaging books published by DK – such as Wine : A Tasting Course . Marnie currently serves as director of vinlightenment for Boisset Collection .

THE MAIN RED WINE PATTERN : RIPENESS CAN TRUMP GRAPE VARIETY Sunshine and warmth drive the development of both flavor and color compounds in grape skins during ripening . Since these skins play such a strong role in shaping red wine styles , this allows us to make educated guesses about how a given wine will taste and smell regardless of their grape variety , as long as we have a clue to its ripeness level . Luckily , alcohol content is a reliable proxy for ripeness in red wines . Most follow reasonably consistent patterns in “ big picture ” traits like color saturation , body , acidity , flavor intensity and tannin . The type of scents and flavors encountered will also shift predictably with ripeness as illustrated here .

LOWER RIPENESS

ASSOCIATED WITH : Alcohol content below 13.5 %

Cooler wine regions Traditional European wines

RANGE OF AROMAS & FLAVORS

OFTEN OCCUR ALONGSIDE :

Paler color High levels of acidity Pronounced dryness Low levels of new oak Harsh “ green ” tannins

ASSOCIATED WITH : Alcohol content over 14.5 % Warmer wine regions Modern “ New World ” wines

OFTEN OCCUR ALONGSIDE : Darker color Lower levels of acidity Less than total dryness High levels of new oak Velvety “ soft ” tannins

HIGHER RIPENESS

P I N O T N O I R S Y R AH

UNEVEN RIPENESS ACROSS DISTINCT VARIETIES Bear in mind that not all grapes ripen alike . For example , even at their very ripest , cool-climate varieties like pinot noir rarely achieve the levels of alcohol , color or flavor development routinely reached in warm-climate grapes like syrah . Meanwhile , syrah can taste green and under-ripe in conditions that would yield hyper-ripeness in a pinot noir .

C AB E R N E T S AU V I G N O N

M E R L O T

C AB E R N E T F R AN C

RIPENESS QUIRKS IN RELATED VARIETIES Closely related grapes from the same region can match up more closely in ripening range , but will often be harder to distinguish from each other at low degrees of ripeness than at higher levels . For example , wines from these three red Bordeaux varieties – cabernet sauvignon , merlot and cabernet franc – tend to share a leafy , vegetal family resemblance in cold zones and wet vintages . However , it becomes easier to tell them apart with more sunshine and ripeness . www . beveragedynamics . com Spring 2025 • Beverage Dynamics 9