' Shiraz is still king – it absolutely dominates the Aussie red category, as you'll discover in the list of winners below – but there's a growing appreciation for Mediterranean varieties, such as Nebbiolo, Sangiovese, Barbera and Grenache.
SHIRAZ. Bright, bold and full of personality, Shiraz is Australia's most popular variety. It grows in almost every wine region of Australia, accounts for one-quarter of total wine production and is our most exported wine.
Cabernet Sauvignon is the world's most popular red wine. It only takes opening one delicious bottle to understand why. Its full body, prominent tannins, moderate acidity and dryness perfectly complement fruity overtones of blackberry, black cherry and plum.
1. Château Lafite Rothschild (Bordeaux, France) With 400 years of winemaking history backing it, Château Lafite is undoubtedly one of the world's oldest winemakers.
1990 St Hugo Cabernet Sauvignon, Coonawarra, Australia ($81) 2018 Standish The Relic Shiraz - Viognier, Barossa Valley, Australia ($80) 2010 Hardy's Eileen Hardy Pinot Noir, South Eastern Australia ($65) 2009 Moss Wood Ribbon Vale Vineyard Merlot, Margaret River, Australia ($65)
Bold, high in acidity, savory, elegant, and dry: This is a “serious” wine, for “serious” wine drinkers. It's also a safe bet if you are ordering off a menu or buying a bottle. It may be complex—but it's also something most casual wine drinkers are used to drinking.
If you want a “softer”, less acidic wine with fewer tannins and a slightly fruitier flavor profile, choose Merlot. But if you're a fan of a bolder, rich and robust flavor, choose Cabernet Sauvignon.
Merlot wine is soft, medium-bodied, with low tannin and acidity. It has charming plum and pomegranate with red fruit and earthy flavors. Pinot Noir is the smoothest red wine with a velvety texture and raspberry and plum flavors. It also seduces you with strawberry and red cherry aromas.
Shiraz grapes/ berries, are much larger in size than Cabernet Sauvignon. This makes a difference in the winery in how the fruit is handled given that the Shiraz will be juicy with less tannins. The Cabernet gives a more structured style which means they have the ability to lay down and gives the age-ability.
Malbec. As an especially thick-skinned variety, Malbec claims higher antioxidant levels than other red wines especially in terms of resveratrol. This variety has two to four times the amount of anti-inflammatory, health boosting antioxidants than other popular red wines like Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.
Cotes-du-Rhone may be an ideal all-purpose red wine: It's great to sip by itself, and it pairs beautifully with a wide variety of foods, from braised chicken and beef to hearty grilled meats.
For less bitter red wines look for Australian Shiraz, Mendoza Malbec, California Cabernet Sauvignon, and Oregon Pinot Noir…but do your homework. Check the label or look on the winery's website.
In terms of preferred wine varietals, the study shows that cabernet sauvignon and merlot are the top favorites of both men and women; however, women also identify white zinfandel as a strong preference. The favored white for both genders is chardonnay (see Table 1).
