If you’ve been following our blog, you know we created a wine pairing series a while back… and somehow missed one of the best ones: Dry Reds! Have no fear, we’re here to make amends by explaining all about this type of wine, along with its perfect pairings.
Dry red wines are common around the world and many you can find at your local grocery store. This type of wine has no leftover sugar (which is why it’s not sweet). After going completely through the fermentation process, the yeast pulls out whatever sugar that might have been left from the grapes.
Here are some of the more common dry reds:
Cabernet Sauvignon:
This wine is harvested from grapes in multiple places, which means its profile can change depending on where it's from. However, many of them tend to have notes of herbs or hints of cherry in warm climates. I have to admit that a great Cab is Big John's favorite go to wine. Enjoy!!
Cabernets match well with burgers, mushrooms, cheese, and seasonings like garlic and rosemary. In fact, we’d recommend pairing this wine with some recipes like our Creamy Garlic Mushroom Chicken, Rosemary and Garlic Rack of Lamb, or even Marina’s Baked Cheesy Casserole with Wild Mushrooms!
Merlot:
Merlot wines are found mostly in France, in the Bordeaux region. We can often taste the underlying notes that are in Cabernet Sauvignon wines - with some added tastes of cedar and raspberries.
Merlots can match perfectly with many Italian foods (which is why it just might be one of our household favorites!). We’d recommend recipes like Pork Roast and Harvest Vegetables, Tomato Pie, or any of the same recipes we mentioned for Cabernet Sauvignon!
Pinot Noir:
Unlike Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon wines, Pinot Noirs are only moderately dry (so they’re just a touch sweeter). This wine also comes with a ton of fruity and earthy flavors like red berries, mushrooms, and cloves.
Match Pinot Noir wine with Roast Loin of Pork with Fennel recipes, Grilled Lamb Racks, or even Salmon with Thai Veggies and Jasmine Rice!
There are a lot of types of food that match well with Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Pinot Noir wines - in fact, Marina has created many recipes that pair with them wonderfully! Whether you’re looking for a savory dish or a cheesy pasta, dry red wines should be your go-to pair.