Ways To Use California Red Wine As A Gift

Although California has an outstanding reputation for fine white wines, do not overlook some of its red wine offerings. The climate, soil circumstances and proximity to water make much of California highly suitable to growing wine grapes. There are three extremely nice red wines that are produced in California that you should think about when giving a gift of California wine.

Merlot is a thin-skinned red grape that originated in Italy in the early 19th century. California has dedicated well over 50,000 acres to growing the Merlot grape varietals. For many years, Merlots were primarily utilized as a blending wine but the correct vintage can be enjoyable on its own.

Some of the highest quality Merlot grapes are grown in California, primarily within the Sonoma and Napa Valley wine regions. The excellent soil conditions in those locations help to produce Merlots which are delicious stand alone wines. The selection in soils can produce Merlots that range from a smooth, velvety wine to wines which are more similar in composition to Cabernet Sauvignon.

Merlots are low in tannin which creates a smooth, easy-to-drink wine that has a low acidity level. This really is due partially to the thin skin of the grape as well as to its earlier ripening stage. It lends itself to an enormous selection of flavors such as black cherry, plum and current as well as tangier notes like bay leaf and bell peppers.

Merlot tends to be much less intense than other red wines and so is easier to pair with various food combinations. It's worth noting that Merlot should be served slightly colder than other red wines. Room temperatures bring out the very best in other reds but Merlots can develop unpleasant notes if it is allowed to get too warm. Chilling for just a brief time will help to keep this wine at its greatest.

An additional red wine that is rising in popularity recently is the Pinot Noir. Traditionally this varietal is tough to grow consistently as it is delicate and mutates easily. This can result in undesirable qualities in the wine produced from these grapes. This difficulty contributes towards the somewhat greater costs of fine vintages of Pinot Noir however the high quality is well worth spending a bit more.

An additional red wine produced in California that makes a lovely wine gift is the Cabernet Sauvignon. Since the demand is so high, some vintages can be a little on the expensive side but if you search you should discover a reasonable California vintage. This red wine ages extremely well, creating a rich complexity and wide depth of flavors. Even though it might cost a bit more, this wine will make a really impressive gift.