In in post I will more focus on types of Red wine and their pairing with Indian food.
Syrah (or Shiraz)
(Sah-ra or Shi-raz) Shiraz or syrah are two names for the same variety. Europe vintners only use the name syrah.
Food pairings: Chicket Tikka, Kadhai paneer, meat (steak, beef, stews, etc.)
Typical taste in varietal wine: Aromas and flavours of wild black-fruit (such as blackcurrant), with overtones of black pepper spice and roasting meat. The abundance of fruit sensations is often complemented by warm alcohol and gripping tannins.
Toffee notes if present come not from the fruit but from the wine having rested in oak barrels.
The shiraz variety gives hearty, spicy reds. While shiraz is used to produce many average wines it can produce some of the world's finest, deepest, and darkest reds with intense flavors and excellent longevity.
Merlot
(Mare-lo) Easy to drink. The softness of Merlot has made it an "introducing" wine for new red-wine drinkers.
Food pairings: Roasted Paneer, Paneer Tikka, any tikka dish etc....
Typical taste in varietal wine: typical scents include blackcherry, plums and herbal flavors. The texture is round but a middle palate gap is common. The Merlot type of wine is less tannic (rough) than Cabernet Sauvignon.
Cabernet sauvignon
(Ca-burr-nay so-veen-yaw) Widely accepted as one of the world's best varieties. Cabernet sauvignon is often blended with cabernet franc and merlot. It usually undergoes oak treatment.
Food pairings: best with simply prepared red meat.
Typical taste in varietal wine: full-bodied, but firm and gripping when young. With age, polyphenols polymerize, the grip fades away. The rich currant qualities of the Cabernet Sauvignon wine change to that of pencil box. Bell pepper notes remain.Vanilla notes if present come not from the fruit but from the oak treatment.
Malbec
(Mal-bek)
Food pairings: all types of meat-based meals doesn't go well with Vegterian food.
Typical taste in varietal wine: malbec’s characteristics vary greatly depending on where it is grown and how it is transformed. Generally it produces an easy-drinking style, well colored wine that tastes of plums, berries, and spice.
Malbec is often blended with other varieties such as cabernet franc, cabernet sauvignon, merlot, and petit verdot to make Bordeaux style wines. Malbec and some such blends may present some health benefits.
Pinot noir
(Pee-know na-wahr) One of the noblest red wine grapes. Pinot noir is difficult to grow, rarely blended, with no roughness.
Food pairings: excellent with grilled salmon, chicken, and lamb.
Typical taste in varietal wine: very unlike Cabernet Sauvignon. The structure is delicate and fresh. The tannins are very soft; this is related to the low level of polyphenols. The aromatics are very fruity (cherry, strawberry, plum), often with notes of tea-leaf, damp earth, or worn leather.
Yet pinot noir is very transparent to the place where its is grown. "The staggering range of wines produced makes it impossible and pointless to define which personality is the best expression of the variety", as Craig Camp put it.
Zinfandel
Zinfandel(Zin-fan-dell) Perhaps the world's most versatile wine grape, making everything from blush wine (White Zinfandel), to rich, heavy reds.
Food pairings: very much depends on the freshness/heaviness of the wine; tomato-sauce pastas, pizza, and grilled and barbecued meats.
Typical taste in varietal wine:often a zesty flavor with berry and pepper.
Sangiovese
(San-gee-oh-ve-zee)
Food pairings: a good choice for chinnees cuisines.
Typical taste in varietal wine: the primary style is medium-bodied with fresh berry and plum flavors.
Barbera
(Bar-bear-a) Not as popular as Merlot but with similar attributes.
Food pairings: barbera wines are versatile: they match many dishes, including tomato sauces.
Typical taste in varietal wine: juicy black cherry and plum fruit, a silky texture and excellent acidity. You may wish to read tasting notes of Barberas at La Spinetta.
Happy Reading ,
Sudhish
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