Dry wine lovers are almost certain to love most red wines. Though there are some sweet red wines, this variety is more likely to be on the dry side. This is partly due to the types of grapes typically used to make red wine. Grapes like Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Zinfandel typically have less residual sugar.
However, a big part of why red wines tend to be drier than white wines is that they are usually aged longer. Aging a wine mellows the tannins, making the wines less astringent. Aging also mellows the fruit flavors so that the wine loses some of its sweetness, and so that some of the undertone flavors, like spices, tobacco and smoke flavors are more noticeable. All of these aging properties serve to make aged red wines less sweet to the palate.
Some of the most popular red wine varietals that can usually be counted on to produce dry red wine include:
- Cabernet Sauvignon – This is probably the most recognizable red wine varietal, and is a very common dry red wine. Cabernet Sauvignon is best when aged, so it will get drier over time.
- Barbera – This is one of the driest of all red wines. Barberas are generally produced in Italy, and are usually quite heavy. There are some nice Barbera wines coming out of California now, too.
- Merlot – Though Merlot can be fruity and sweet when young, it mellows to a nice dryness that is also quite rich.
- Zinfandel – Zinfandel is a dark and complex grape. Though it is quite sweet when processed as a white wine (White Zinfandel), it is fairly dry when produced as a red wine. It doesn’t really need to be aged, and most people will argue that a Zinfandel is best during its first five to eight years.
- Tempranillo – This is the first grape that comes to mind when you think Spanish wines. Tempranillo produces a lovely dry red wine.
- Shiraz/Syrah- A Syrah from France will usually be quite dry and often earthy. An Australian Shiraz comes from the same grape, but because it is processed differently, will be fruitier, and sometimes slightly sweeter.
- Cabernet Franc- A cousin of the Cabernet Sauvignon, a Cabernet Franc also produces a very nice dry red wine that pairs well with food.
- Pinot Noir- This is a classic French wine that is a bit lighter than most reds. It is complex and smooth. Pinot Noir varies more from bottle to bottle than most other red wines.
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