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The best type of red wine is a matter of opinion. There are folks throughout the world of wine who will all tell you something different, making a case for each possibility. They will even argue about the different health benefits of drinking wine. A sommelier may tell you a fine wine from the best wineries around the world is the best type of red wine. Someone working at a winery might tell you the wine they helped to bottle is the best of the best.
You’ll never get one answer across the board about the best type of red wine available from any given wine bar cabinet and shelf storage space. There are so many different, amazing types of red wine. It’s impossible to narrow it down. The red wine you want to serve at a winery wedding is different from the red you sip at home on a Friday night. They’re both equally delicious and unique.
In this BinWise blog post, we’ll take a look at some of the most popular types of red wine from around the world. There are surely people out there who would add others to this list. We’ve kept it simple with seven of the best types of red wine.
How to Serve Red Wine
Learning how to serve red wine is an experience that changes depending on how you’re enjoying your red wine. If you’re sipping it at home alone, any of the methods of opening a wine bottle will work. You can sip it by itself or mix up a meal.
If you’re a bar owner or manager, or a wait staff worker who serves wine, there are some tricks you can learn. Those tricks are:
- Most red wines should be served slightly cooler than room temperature, but not cold. That means the ideal wine storage temperature falls between 55 and 65 degrees Fahrenheit.
- A cheaper red wine benefits from being served on the cooler side, this masks any imperfections the wine may have.
- Red wines benefit from decanting. An aerator or decanter can help with this process, to help the wine breathe and bring out the flavor profile.
- Red wines also benefit from being served in a classic red wine glass with a wide and tall bowl. This shape helps to continually aerate the wine, and they make it easy to swirl your wine and enjoy it.
Beyond these tips, serving red wine is all about showcasing the wine. From the type of glassware to the meal you’re pairing, anything that shows off the wine's flavor is helpful for serving red wine.
7 Best Types of Red Wine
There are so many options for the best type of red wine. For this list, we narrowed it down to seven of the best, most popular, and some of the red wines that deserve more attention. It’s hard to go wrong with any of these options.
7. Red Zinfandel
Red Zinfandel is savory and rich, with hints of plum, berries, and red currants. It’s a lovely middle-of-the-road wine that is equally enjoyable by itself or with a meal.
6. Syrah
Syrah is the most planted grape in Australia. It’s a full-bodied, smooth, comprehensive wine. You get something a little different in every bottle. You can expect anything from a fruity to a bold wine.
5. Merlot
Merlot is a grape that is used for blends and for a solo grape experience. It’s a soft tannin wine, mainly described as tasting of cherries and chocolate. Most bottles are a little different from each other, so each is a nice surprise.
4. Malbec
Malbec is a unique wine on this list. Once you start to enjoy it, you won’t want to stop. It’s a moderately sweet, soft, rich option. It boasts a flavor profile of plum, blackberry, and vanilla.
3. Pinot Noir
Pinot Noir is a worldwide favorite wine. It’s perfect for any occasion or meal. It’s light-bodied, with regular notes of cherry, vanilla, Darjeeling tea, raspberry, and hibiscus. It is consistently one of the best wines.
2. Tempranillo
Tempranillo is growing in popularity but still deserves more recognition than it receives. It’s a black grape variety, originally from Spain. Tempranillo is known for a flavor profile that often includes vanilla, cigar box notes, dill, cherry, sun-dried tomato, blackberry, and fig.
1. Barolo
Barolo is a rich Italian wine with a heavy history. It has a flavor profile that carries it forward from historical wine drinking to this day and age. Barolo typically tastes of rose petals, cherry, raspberry, cinnamon, white pepper, leather, and chocolate.
Best Type of Red Wine: What to Choose and When
Choosing the best type of red wine depends on your goals—whether you're optimizing your wine program, curating for wellness-oriented drinkers, or building a seasonal list for autumn wine offerings.
Start with some basic categories:
- Cabernet Sauvignon – Excellent for traditional menus and robust pairings. Often highlighted in California wine regions.
- Pinot Noir – Versatile and food-friendly, ideal for regions influenced by French wine styles.
- Malbec – A go-to for bold profiles, especially those exploring Argentina wine regions.
If you're a wine director building a curated menu or a sommelier designing wine bottle labels, think about seasonal appeal. Around Thanksgiving, for example, lighter reds become more appealing—see our guide to the best wine for Thanksgiving.
For restaurants with multiple locations or rotating menus, understanding wine regions will also help keep selections aligned with your audience.
Finally, if you're actively refreshing your wine list, tools like a digital wine list with SproutQR can make red wine updates faster and easier to execute across properties.
Red Wine and Food Pairing Mastery
Mastering red wine and food pairings enhances the dining experience, allowing flavors to complement and elevate each other. Understanding the characteristics of different red wine types is key to successful pairings.
- Bold Cabernets: These full-bodied wines with high tannins pair excellently with rich dishes like ribeye steaks or aged cheeses. The wine's structure balances the fat content, creating a harmonious taste.
- Light Pinots: Pinot Noir's delicate flavors and acidity make it a versatile choice for lighter fare such as salmon or mushroom risotto. Its subtlety complements without overpowering.
Understanding how different food textures and seasoning levels interact with red wine types enhances customer satisfaction. Whether it’s pairing an earthy Tempranillo with roasted vegetables or a fruity Zinfandel with BBQ, the right combination elevates the meal. Bars and restaurants can use BinWise’s wine database to cross-reference red wine types with menu items, helping staff deliver expert recommendations.
Additionally, educational tasting menus organized by red wine types offer patrons a journey through varietals—from Beaujolais to Nebbiolo—fostering wine appreciation while boosting sales.
Global Regions Redefining Reds
The world of red wine types is growing more diverse, thanks to bold producers in emerging regions.
- Portugal offers Touriga Nacional blends with vivid berry and violet notes—excellent for customers seeking robust but lesser-known reds.
- Georgia's ancient amphora-aged Saperavi delivers deep earthy flavors and high tannins, a favorite among natural wine enthusiasts.
- Australia, especially cooler areas like Yarra Valley, produces Shiraz with restrained alcohol, balancing pepper and plum instead of the stereotypical jammy profile.
Each of these regions showcases how the best type of red wine isn’t confined to traditional French or Italian sources. BinWise helps you categorize and track red wine types from across the globe, enabling dynamic offerings that reflect global wine trends.
Sustainable Wine Sourcing
The best type of red wine for your bar isn’t just about flavor—it’s also about ethics. More venues are prioritizing sustainable wine sourcing to appeal to environmentally conscious consumers.
Start by choosing organic vineyards like Frog’s Leap, which avoid synthetic pesticides. Carbon-neutral wineries such as Tablas Creek in California and Château Maris in France have also set benchmarks by using renewable energy and regenerative farming practices.
To simplify the sourcing of sustainable red wine types, BinWise’s inventory tools allow filters by certification, region, and producer sustainability scores. This enables better procurement aligned with both customer values and brand ethics.
The push for sustainability is also a powerful marketing tool. Bars that highlight organic or biodynamic red wine types can attract younger demographics who prioritize eco-friendly dining.
Frequently Asked Questions About Best Types of Red Wine
The best type of red wine is subjective to the wine enthusiast or mixologist, to the occasion, and to the wine pairing options. Such an up-in-the-air question leaves room for many more questions. When we dove into the questions people are looking into about the best type of red wine, we found some fun ones.
Our answers to these frequently asked questions will leave you wanting to test out a few new bottles of red alongside your favorites. As you test them, serve them at your winery, or at your bar business, reach out to us on BinWise socials. We’d love to hear about your favorite type of red wine.
Which Red Wine Is Smoothest?
The red wines most commonly celebrated for being smooth and easy to drink include:
- Syrah or Shiraz
- Cabernet Sauvignon
- Pinot Noir
- Malbec
- Merlot
- Lambrusco
- Beaujolais Nouveau
These wines are all easy to enjoy on their own or as part of a pairing. This BinWise writer is a personal fan of Pinot Noir. It’s perfect for sipping slowly or enjoying directly with a meal. Of course, the same could be said for all of the wines on this list.
Which Red Wine Is Very Tasty?
Across the board, Pinot Noir is noted as being one of the tastiest red wine options. It’s versatile and suitable for any meal. It’s also completely enjoyable on its own. There isn’t a time you can go wrong with the right Pinot Noir. For pairing, sipping, and partnering with friends for a night on the town, Pinot Noir hits the spot.
What Is the Best Red Wine to Drink on Its Own?
There are several red wines that are perfect for drinking solo, including Pinot Noir and anything from the Beaujolais region of France. Sparkling wine, from champagne to prosecco to rosé, is also known for its ability to be enjoyed without a meal to match.
Which Red Wine Is Best for Beginners?
The best red wine for beginners varies, but we recommend a Cabernet Sauvignon, a red blend, or a Pinot Noir. These are all easy-to-drink options. As your taste in wine grows you’ll branch out and find other favorites. These three, however, are good for starting out, experimenting with pairings, and sipping alone to enjoy the wine by itself.
What Is a Classy Red Wine?
A Syrah, a Malbec, and Merlot, or a Pinot Noir are often proclaimed as some of the classy red wines you can drink. Of course, a classy red wine is a matter of opinion. For some folks (this writer included) anything that costs more than $20 is considered classy. For others, it’s about the aging process. It’s all a matter of perspective and experience.
Best Types of Red Wine: Wine Not Open a Bottle of the Best?
If you’re learning how to open a winery, becoming a bar owner, or learning how to open a wine bar, learning the best type of red wine will help. When you serve wine, it’s best to know a little bit about it, even if it’s just your own personal thoughts on the wine. Your customers will appreciate the knowledge and extra care.
When you’re ready to start selling the best types of red wine, reach out to BinWise. Our BinWise Pro inventory software, paired with the BinScan mobile app will help ease your inventory program. Pair BinWise with BlueCart to support your order management system.
FAQs for Best Types of Red Wines
How to store rare red wines?
Keep bottles at 55°F with around 70% humidity in a dark environment. BinWise helps you tag and rotate these high-value red wine types before spoilage.
What’s the ideal serving temperature for different red wine types?
Light-bodied reds (e.g., Gamay, Pinot Noir): 55°F.
Full-bodied reds (e.g., Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec): 63°F. BinWise includes built-in serving guides and staff alerts to ensure consistent wine service.
How to manage red wine inventory during events?
Pre-portion your most popular red wine types—like Merlot and Malbec—and use BinWise for real-time tracking and low-stock alerts to avoid event-day shortages.