NOVICE
Series Two
WHAT’S HOT RIGHT NOW?
What your friends are drinking
Wine has come a long way in recent years, which means a lot more options. Here are a few of the latest trends that you will want to keep in mind when considering what to try next – Rose, Sparkling, Red Blends and Dark Red Blends. Cheers!
ROSÉ ALL DAY
As winter fades to spring and the sun reemerges, so too do the bottles of everyone’s favorite chilled pink wine. Rosé, pronounced ro-zay, is synonymous with warm weather sipping and America’s love affair with this hot wine category isn’t showing signs of waning anytime soon. Made from the same grapes that make red wine (i.e. Pinot Noir or Syrah), the grapes are left on the vines just long enough to influence the color of the wine. Crisp and refreshing, Rosé is a surefire crowd-pleaser for outdoor entertaining this season.
SPARKLING
If you thought sparkling wines were only for celebratory occasions, think again. Affectionately referred to as, “bubbles,” “champs” or “champers,” sparkling wine has recently been growing in popularity, thanks to an accessible selection of affordable, quality alternatives to French Champagne like Prosecco (produced in Italy), Cava (produced in Spain), and sparkling wines from California. Known best for its trademark cork “pop” and rising bubbles in the glass, sparkling wine has a wide range of styles, pairs great with food and is versatile enough to serve all year round – fancy celebration or not!
RED BLENDS
Have you noticed the growing section of your wine aisle dedicated to, “Red Blends”? If you haven’t dipped your toe into this category yet, it’s time to dive in! Red Blends are like the craft beer of the wine world. They are trending, different and a great way to experiment with wine. As opposed to a single varietal wine, like Cabernet Sauvignon, Red Blends combine multiple varietals to craft a more interesting, dynamic wine. Winemakers love the flexibility to control the wine’s flavor, texture and complexity by blending with different grape styles, and consumers, like yourself, love the diversity in taste and added depth that results from blending. It’s a win-win for everyone!
DARK RED BLENDS
Interspersed within the Red Blend category is a quickly growing subset, referred to as Dark Red Blends. You can’t miss them. They are usually packaged in a dark or black label package, and are most commonly labeled as a “Black” wine. So what does this mean? Well, exactly what it sounds like – wines that are deep and dark in color and flavor. Dark Red Blends or “Black” wines are usually blended with varietals that have darker fruit and color characteristics, such as Petite Sirah. The result is a dark, inky wine in the glass with typically big, bold black fruit flavors.