Although red wine is not known for its sweetness like some of the white wines are, there are some red wines that are on the sweeter side in comparison to others. When looking for the best red wine to use with a particular meal, individuals should consider how sweet the wine is as well as how full bodied it is and the amount of tannin in the wine which makes it dry tasting. Most red wines are appropriate to use with meat dishes, especially red meats. The sweeter and smoother the red wine, the more appropriate it is to use with other meats such as lamb, fish or chicken. There are also some of the sweeter red wines that are better to use with pasta dishes, such as those with a tomato based sauce.
Suggestions
When looking for a smooth red wine that is not too sweet, but is sweeter than a wine such as a Shiraz, a merlot is often a good choice. It is a ‘middle of the road’ wine in terms of dryness and sweetness, complementing a wide variety of dishes with its flavors. This type of wine has the flavors of black cherry, herbs and plum. It is usually made in such places as Italy, Romania, Chile, Australia and France.
Another sweet red wine is the pinot noir. This wine works very well with such dishes as chicken, lamb and salmon since it is a lighter wine. Although it can vary depending on where it is grown, the pinot noir has a lot of fruit flavors in it which make it a sweeter red wine. It often has the essences of cherry, plum and strawberry in addition to spices within it. It is ironic that flavors that would not normally be appetizing in the world of food are desired in wines, such as damp earth and worn leather. This type of wine is found in places such as Austria, California, New Zealand and France.
Zinfandels can range from being a sweet red wine to being a very dry and full bodied wine, depending on the way the wine is made. Zinfandels are only found in California and are made to complement a wide variety of dishes. They can be found in a blush, which is usually more on the sweeter side of red wines. It can also be found in a heavy red, which is full bodied and often dry in comparison to its cousin in a blush. Since there is such a range, a zinfandel can be used to complement meals ranging from a pizza to a grilled meat dish.