Overview of Red Blend

Red wines come in a variety of hues and fragrances. You can often tell the age of a red wine by the darkness or lightness of its color. Red wine is made from dark-colored (black) grape varieties, such as the Zinfandel (AKA Primitivo), used to make Zinfandel wine. Typically mature red wine will take on a brighter red hue whereas older red wines will almost look brown, though it would more accurately be described as a deep murky red.

One well known varietal red wine grape is Petit Verdot, primarily used in many Bourdeaux classic blends. Unfortunately for this wine grape, its tendency to ripen slower than the other varieties offered in Bordeaux caused it to become largely unpopular in its home region.

Nero d'Avoloa is another popular red wine grape. In fact, it's known as "the most important red wine grape in Sicily". This statement cannot be refuted, as it's the most important indigenous red grapes in Italy. Nero d'Avoloa has a peppery or plum flavor.

Touriga Nacional is praised as Portugal's finest variety of red wine grape. Smaller in size and producing lower yields as a result, it's still a popular blend for many of Portugal's table wines. Brunello di Montalcino, an Italian red produced in the Tuscany wine region.

Top Regions where Red Blend is Produced

Of course, some of the world's finest red wines are produced from these red varietals, such as Chianti Classico Riserva, produced by only the finest Sangiovese grapes.

There are a number of notable wineries and wine regions around the world that proudly produce red wine such as Napa Valley's Robert Mondavi Winery. Right next door to Napa Valley is Sonoma County, a massive wine region that's home to 400 wineries and a producer or red grapes. One such Sonoma County winery is La Crema, located in a region, the Russian River Valley, that's important to the production of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. In the state of Washington, you can find the Columbia Crest winery, an establishment that commits to innovation, quality, and heritage in winemaking and grape growing. Also in Washington state is the Columbia Valley wine region.

Today, red wine is as popular as ever. You can pair light red wines with dark leafy green dishes. More savory reds, such as Pinot Noir, will pair better with a dish that has a more earthy taste.