Red Wine: A Complete Guide to Understanding, Enjoying, and Storing

Red wine has long been enjoyed at meals, celebrations, and quiet nights. From bold Cabernets to light Pinots, red wine offers a wide range of tastes, smells, and styles. This guide promises to equip you with the knowledge to choose confidently, store wisely, and speak knowledgeably about red wine. We'll cover everything from how red wine is made to the best ways to store it at home.

What is Red Wine and How is it Made?

Red wine is made from red or black grapes. The defining characteristic that separates red wine from white isn't just the grape colour, it's the production process, particularly the contact between grape juice and grape skins.

The winemaking process begins with harvest, which is when grapes are picked at their best ripeness. After crushing the grapes, the resulting mixture, known as 'must,' includes juice, skins, seeds, and sometimes stems. The must ferments with the skins in a period called 'maceration.' To make it relatable, think of maceration like steeping tea leaves in hot water; as the skins soak in the juice, they release colour, tannins, which are natural substances that give texture or dryness, and flavours. The longer the maceration, the deeper the wine's colour and the stronger its tannins.

During fermentation, yeast, which are tiny, naturally occurring organisms, turn the sugar in grape juice into alcohol. Red wines usually ferment at warmer temperatures (20-30°C, or 68-86°F) than white wines. These warmer conditions help draw more colour and flavour from the skins. To better understand this, try a simple experiment at home: take two glasses of room temperature water, one warmed to about 30°C and the other cooled to around 10°C. Feel the difference in temperature with your hands. Notice how the warmer water feels more active, opening up your senses. This is similar to how warmer fermentation conditions enhance red wine's flavours and aromas. Fermentation can last a few days or up to several weeks, depending on the desired wine style.

After fermentation, many red wines undergo malolactic conversion, a secondary fermentation where tart malic acid transforms into softer lactic acid, giving the wine a smoother, creamier texture. The wine is then aged in a variety of vessels, including oak barrels, stainless steel tanks, or concrete, before being bottled. Imagine tasting the same wine aged in stainless steel and then in oak. The stainless steel version would display crisp, fresh fruit flavours, maintaining the wine's bright character. In contrast, oak ageing adds layers of complexity, imparting vanilla notes and a rounder mouthfeel, while also softening the tannins. This contrast can vividly illustrate how the ageing vessel impacts the wine’s final taste and texture.

Red Wine Types

The red wine category encompasses a remarkable variety. Here are the major types you'll encounter:

• Cabernet Sauvignon stands as one of the most planted red varieties worldwide. Originating in Bordeaux, France, this full-bodied wine shows flavours of blackcurrant, cedar, and dark chocolate. The gravelly soils of Bordeaux play a significant role in shaping its robust character, allowing for excellent drainage and encouraging the vines to develop deep roots. This terroir contributes to the wine's high tannins and good acidity, making it ideal for ageing and pairing with rich meats.
  
• Merlot offers a softer, more approachable profile than Cabernet. With plum, black cherry, and chocolate notes, Merlot provides a medium to full body with smoother tannins. It's often blended with Cabernet but shines beautifully on its own.
  
• Pinot Noir produces some of the world's most elegant wines. Lighter in colour and body, Pinot Noir reveals red fruit flavours like cherry and raspberry, alongside earthy, mushroom, and floral notes. One might recall a summer evening in Oregon where a glass of Pinot Noir filled the air with the scent of fresh raspberries and damp earth, truly bringing its delicate nature to life. Burgundy remains its spiritual home, though New Zealand, Oregon, and California craft outstanding examples.
  
• Shiraz (Syrah) delivers bold, spicy wines with dark fruit, pepper, and sometimes smoky characteristics. Australian Shiraz tends toward ripe, fruit-forward styles, whilst French Syrah from the Rhône Valley shows more savoury, meaty complexity. To experience these regional style differences firsthand, consider opening an Australian Shiraz and a Rhône Syrah side-by-side. This two-bottle comparison can guide you through the subtleties of each, enhancing your understanding and appreciation of regional nuances in red wine.
  
• Tempranillo forms the backbone of Spanish red wines, particularly in Rioja. Medium-bodied with flavours of cherry, leather, and tobacco, Tempranillo offers excellent value and food-pairing versatility.
  
• Malbec found its true calling in Argentina, though it originated in France. These wines burst with dark fruit, especially plum and blackberry, and feature velvety tannins with a medium to full body.
  
• Sangiovese reigns in Tuscany, forming the base of Chianti and Brunello. Bright cherry flavours mingle with herbs, earth, and firm acidity, making these wines superb with Italian cuisine.
  
• Grenache (Garnacha) produces fruity, medium-bodied wines with raspberry and spice notes. Often blended in southern France and Spain, it creates approachable, food-friendly wines.

Beyond single varieties, many exceptional red wines are blends. Bordeaux blends typically combine Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc, whilst GSM blends (Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre) dominate the southern Rhône and parts of Australia.

How Many Calories in a Bottle of Red Wine?

A standard 750ml bottle of red wine contains approximately 600-650 calories, though this varies based on alcohol content and residual sugar. Higher alcohol wines pack more calories, as alcohol contributes 7 calories per gram, nearly twice that of carbohydrates.

Dry red wines typically contain 610-640 calories per bottle, while sweeter or higher-alcohol styles (above 14%) may reach 650-700 calories. This variation is primarily due to alcohol percentage, not grape variety. For example, a 12% ABV wine has fewer calories than a 15% ABV wine of the same volume.

How Many Calories in a Glass of Red Wine?

A standard 175ml glass of red wine contains approximately 140-160 calories. A smaller 125ml serving (often served in restaurants) contains about 100-115 calories.
For context, a medium glass of red wine contains similar calories to a slice of bread or a small banana. Calorie content depends mainly on alcohol level, so a glass of 13% Pinot Noir and a glass of 13% Shiraz have similar calorie counts despite differences in style.

If you're monitoring calorie intake, smaller pours and lower-alcohol wines help. Some producers now create wines at 9-11% ABV specifically for lighter drinking occasions.

How Long Does Red Wine Last Once Opened?

Once opened, most red wines remain enjoyable for 3-5 days if stored properly. However, this timeline varies significantly based on the wine's structure and how you store it.

Full-bodied, tannic reds like Cabernet Sauvignon, Nebbiolo, and Syrah typically last longer, often 4 to 5 days, because their tannins and structure provide natural preservation. As these wines open up with air exposure, some robust reds even improve slightly on the second day. To turn this longevity into a tasting opportunity, invite your palate to note the flavour shifts on day two. Observe how the wine evolves, deepening your understanding of proper storage and enhancing your appreciation for these complex reds.

Light-bodied, delicate reds like Pinot Noir and Gamay show their best within 2-3 days of opening. Their subtle aromatics fade more quickly, and the wine can taste flat after several days.

Old wines (over 10 years) deteriorate rapidly once opened. Drink these within 24 hours, as they've already undergone extended ageing and have less capacity to withstand oxygen exposure.

To maximise freshness, it's time to challenge a popular myth: red wine should never go in the fridge. While many believe that refrigeration harms red wine, the truth is that cool storage can be beneficial even for reds once opened. Lower temperatures slow down oxidation, helping your wine retain its quality for a few extra days. So, re-cork the bottle tightly and place it in the refrigerator. Simply let the wine warm slightly before serving. Additionally, using vacuum pumps can further extend the life of your wine by another day or two by removing oxygen from the bottle.

How to Store Red Wine

• Good storage helps wine age well and keeps it from spoiling too soon. If you drink wine soon, basic care is effective. For ageing wine longer, storage conditions matter more. For example, in Ireland's climate, it's essential to consider local humidity and winter temperatures, which can impact wine preservation.
• Temperature matters most. Aim for consistent cool temperatures between 10-15°C. Higher temperatures accelerate ageing and can cook wines, while temperatures below 10°C slow development too much. More importantly, avoid temperature fluctuations. A constant 18°C is preferable to wildly varying temperatures between 10 °C and 20 °C.
  
• Humidity should be around 70%, which means the air is moist enough to stop corks from drying out. Dry corks can shrink and let oxygen in, which spoils the wine. Very high humidity is not harmful to wine, but it can cause the labels to become damaged.
  
• Position bottles horizontally to keep corks moist and maintain their seal. This only applies to cork-sealed bottles; screw caps can be stored upright without issue.
  
• Darkness protects wine from light damage. UV rays can break down compounds in wine, creating off-flavours. Keep bottles away from windows and bright artificial light.
• Wine should be kept still while it is stored. Movement or vibrations can disturb sediment, natural particles that settle at the bottom of bottles, and interfere with the wine’s ability to age calmly. Try not to keep wine near devices that shake or in busy areas.

For short-term storage (up to a year), a cool, dark cupboard away from the kitchen works fine. For longer ageing, consider a wine fridge or a cool cellar. In Ireland's climate, unheated rooms, garages, or cellars often provide suitable conditions, though winter temperatures may drop too low in uninsulated spaces.

Opened bottles should be re-corked and refrigerated, then allowed to warm slightly before serving. This step extends drinkability.

You don't need to know endless facts or train as a sommelier to enjoy red wine. Try different types, see which you like, and keep learning. Each bottle has a story. The more you taste, the more you'll find what you enjoy and see how varied red wine is. To put this into practice, why not try a tasting challenge this weekend? Choose three different red wines, perhaps a bold Cabernet, a silky Merlot, and a fruity Pinot Noir, and jot down something about each that surprises you. This simple exploration can deepen your appreciation and understanding of red wine.

Got questions about specific wines or looking for recommendations? We're here to guide you through your wine journey. Whether you need advice on pairing wines with cuisine for your next dinner party, figuring out which wines to cellar for long-term ageing, or selecting budget-friendly picks that don’t compromise on quality, our expertise is available to assist you. Reach out to transform your curiosity into a delightful wine experience.