Sweet Versus Dry Red Wines

When enjoying a meal, a red wine is often chosen to go with it. These wines will be chosen based on their attributes, such as whether they are dry or sweet, fruity of spicy. Sweet red wines usually do not have as high an alcohol concentration to them since what makes them sweet is the sugar that remains in the wine after the fermenting process. For people who want to know something about New Zealand wine, you can check online with network support for information on wine NZ.

The grapes that are used have a higher sugar level to them and the sugar is not all consumed in the fermenting process, leaving them sweeter than others and good to use with white meats and pastas. The dry red wines are those in which the sugar is almost all consumed in the fermenting process. The residual sugar level is usually only a little over one percent in these wines which is what gives them that ‘dry’ taste.

Full bodied, dry red wines are usually used with red meat dishes and with pastas that have a tomato based sauce to them. These wines have a very full flavor to them in most cases and can also have a spice to them which is a great complement to these types of dishes which are flavorful in themselves. There are several types of dry red wines that can be used according to the meal that is being eaten. The Cabernet Sauvignon is a dry red wine that is often used with red meat dishes that are prepared very simply, such as steaks. It is a very full bodied wine and often has a hint of vanilla to it from the way it is treated with oak.

Another choice in dry red wine is the Merlot. The Merlot is usually a smoother dry red wine. Although it is still classified as dry, it is not as dry in most cases as the Cabernet Sauvignon is and can go with a wider variety of dishes. The Merlot also tends to have a fruity taste to it which is easier to palate for beginning red wine drinkers. The Zinfandel is another choice in dry red wines that is often more palatable to the newer red wine drinker and is made in California. This wine also has a berry type of a flavor to it but also has undertones of pepper as well. It is a great wine to use with different pizza and pasta dishes as well as meats that have been prepared barbecue style or on the grill.