Red Wines

Red wine gets its color from the grape's skin. More specifically, the amount of time the skin stays in contact with the rest of the grape during fermentation. The wide and delicious variety in colors and tannins in reds are largely due to the different types of skin.

Due due to the tannins in reds, which may be overly harsh especially in youg wines, time should be given to let it breathe. This can be done by decanting the wine, or just by swirling it around a bit in the glass while drinking it.

While there are about 50 types of grapes that can make a red wine, only a few of the major ones are listed.