Top Red Wine Varietals

Cabernet Sauvignon - The most important red grape grown in the world, it yield many of the great wines of Bordeaux and California. Typically has a distinctive black currant flavor with a hint of mint and cedar and makes medium- to big-bodied wines that tend to age very well.

Cabernet Franc - This red grape is most well known as a blending grape in the Bordeaux region of France.

Carménère - This red wine grape variety produces deep colored, full-bodied wines. Today, this varietal is experiencing a revival in Chile.

Dolcetto - Early ripening red wine grape variety widely grown in the Piedmont region of Northwestern Italy. It produces a soft, fruity wine that is normally a deep purple color and is intended to be drunk when young.

Garnacha/Grenache - This red grape is grown in Spain and the Rhône Valley region of France.

Malbec - This red grape is used as a blending grape in the Bordeaux region of France, and as a varietal grape in the main wine of Argentina.

Merlot - The red grape grown primarily in the Bordeaux region of France, as well as in California and Chile. It is often used as a blending grape to soften Cabernet Sauvignon in Bordeaux-style blends, but can also stand alone as a single varietal bottling.

Nebbiolo - This red grape is grown in Piedmont, Italy which produces some of the finest Italian wine such as Barolo and Barbaresco.

Pinot Noir - This fragile red grape is difficult to grow. Nearly all red French Burgundy wines are made from 100% Pinot Noir.

Petit Verdot - This red grape is used as a blending grape in the Bordeaux region of France.

Sangiovese - This red grape is grown primarily in Tuscany, Italy and the base for Tuscan wines.

Shiraz/Syrah - This red grape was grown originally in France, but which has also gained prominence in Australia.

Tempranillo - This red grape is grown primarily in Spain.

Zinfandel - This red grape is grown in California and is known for producing big, fruit-forward wines.