What is the difference between syrah and merlot

It is also available in Chile, in Australia, and in the cooler regions of California. Often 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, without roughness. Food pairings: excellent with grilled salmon, chicken, lamb and Japanese dishes notably sushi rolls. 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 it is grown. The staggering range of Pinot Noir wines produced makes it pointless to define which personality is the best expression of the variety.

Districts: mainly found in California , zinfandel was introduced in the 18th century to Italy where it is called primitivo. It originates in Croatia. 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 Italian and other Mediterranean-style 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 use or pairing.

But beware that the older the Pinot, the more dry it tends to be. Pinot Noirs usually have a berry or black cherry taste and are on the lighter side of reds.

It's a wine that can been had alone, or with pretty much anything, which makes it great for sharing at meals. It pairs especially well with pasta dishes and game birds like chicken or duck.

The Cabernet Sauvignon, more commonly referred to as Cabernet or just Cab, is the definition of fine wine. This is the wine that you want your parents to buy you as price tends to correlate with taste. This is not saying that you can't get a good bottle for a decent price, it's just if you have the chance to get an expensive bottle, get a Cabernet. It's definitely more on the dry side, but fruity in taste. Since it's a heavier wine, I highly recommend eating with this wine.

Cabernet Sauvignon pairs well with other heavy things such as beef or pasta dishes, especially with creamy sauces. For wine and cheese night, choose aromatic cheeses like blue or camembert. Merlot is one of the more popular types of red wines in America.

It's not too sweet but not too dry either, which makes it a perfect introductory red wine. It has a fruity taste which goes down smoothly, and can be good at all price ranges. It's approachable for newbies and a cheaper option for those who like the taste of Cabernet but trying to save some money.

Because Merlot isn't too dry, nor too sweet, it pairs well with just about anything. Another great bottle to split at dinner if everyone is getting something different. Syrah is a vigorous vine which adapts well to various climatic and environmental conditions and, although it can suffer from water stress and chlorosis, it is considered fairly robust.

It likes clay soils with a good skeletal component and requires medium-long pruning. It ripens medium-late and has a good, constant production, which, if not controlled, can lead to excess production per vine, with a consequent deterioration in the quality of the grapes. The aromas of Syrah are quite intense and are very much influenced by climatic and cultivation conditions. Syrah wines produced in cooler climates are characterised by notes of violet, raspberry, currant, cherry and wild mint, while for those produced in warmer areas notes of blackberry jam, plum, blueberry and liquorice stand out.

Syrah is a very long-lived wine that lends itself very well to ageing in wood, with which it acquires notes of bitter cocoa, tobacco, coffee, caramelised sugar and tar. It is dense, sensual and voluminous on the palate. The alcohol content is quite high and the tannins have a fine grain while the finish is persistent. The taste is also deeply influenced by the environmental and cultivation conditions: the northern area of the Rhone Valley produces very elegant, soft and less tannic Syrah wines, while the Australian style prefers full-bodied, concentrated and opulent Syrahs.

Pair it with: grilled or stewed red meat as well as lamb. It is also excellent with mature cheeses and green pepper as well as with savory cold cuts such as cured hams. There are many differences between Merlot and Shiraz. For example, Merlot is a grape that is soft and fleshy and its early ripening makes it popular for blending with later ripening grapes like Cabernet Sauvignon, while Shiraz is a grape variety mainly used for blending with other varieties when it is very ripe.

Another difference is that Merlot is grown extensively in the Bordeaux region of France though also grown in Italy, Romania, the United States, Chile, and Australia , while Shiraz excels in the climates of California, Australia and is widely grown in the Rhone Valley of France. Also, Merlot is a delicate, flavorful, medium-bodied wine which is a better wine for beginning tasters.

It has a fruity, delicate flavor with a velvety mouthfeel and hints of berries, plum and currant, while Shiraz is a fuller bodied, bold and powerful wine with earthy qualities of pepper, truffle and leather. It has more tannins and is dense, plentiful and intense. Finally, Merlots can be paired with any type of food. Sweeter, fruitier Merlots go well with dishes such as salmon, mushroom dishes and vegetables such as chard.