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What are the juiciest styles of red wine?

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Posted 11 Jan 2024

By
Lulu Morris

Right this way to fruity, vibrant wines for those who don’t like their reds dry.

Red wine, much like coffee and whisky, is something you learn to love. This is doubly true when the tasting notes say things as ambiguous and unappealing as tobacco or leather… yeesh. When we’re talking about alcohol, the term ‘dry’ usually means ‘not sweet’. But when it comes to red wine, there are plenty of styles that aren’t dry but they’re not sweet either. Often when someone is looking for a red that isn’t dry, what they’re really after is something that isn’t supper tannic, earthy and bold. And much like our baby steps into coffee (mocha) or whisky (whisky cocktails), you can expand your red-wine palate by starting on lighter and fruitier styles. Or you could not – who are we to yuck someone’s yum? For many, these juicier styles will always win over richer dry reds.
Sugar tastes in wineBut hold up, isn’t red wine made from sweet red grapes? Technically yes, but it’s not straight-up grape juice. The grapes are fermented and, during the process, the sugar is ‘eaten’ by the yeast. Then, depending on when the fermentation process is stopped, that will determine how much residual sugar is left in the wine. However, our mouth and nose can still do us dirty. Sometimes wines that have quite a bit of residual sugar actually taste dry, while other notoriously dry wines can taste sweet. How does this work? Sometimes it’s our nose playing tricks on us – we smell blackberries, for example, and our brain links the aroma to the taste of a blackberry (this happens a lot when tasting Scotch, too). Other times, the wine will have a good amount of residual sugar, but it can be so balanced with the acidity, bitterness, tannins and other elements that it goes unnoticed. Tricky that wine, innit? The challenge, then, is training the brain to find the sweetness in the glass. We must say, however, that red wine isn’t typically very “sweet” so when looking for an approachable red, we’re actually pulling out the fruitier and lighter styles. Luckily for you, these wines also tend to be cheaper (though certainly not always) than their “complex” counterparts, so it’s a win-win.
Some things to avoid Right, we’ve talked about sugar and how it presents in red wine, so let’s chat about the styles and other things to avoid. First up is a high ABV, or alcohol content. A higher ABV – in red wine, that’s generally considered around 14.5% and above – often has a bigger impact and can be more concentrated and intense. Wine with a high ABV will also generally come with some pretty strong tannins, and it may also be intended for cellaring. That ageing ability usually means we’re looking at a complex and quite savoury style of wine, which will most likely taste a lot drier than other styles. In addition, your big, warm-climate wines may also be worth avoiding if you’re newer to reds. 
Red wine styles to try

Pinot noir

When it comes to young, juicy wines, your brighter-styled pinot noirs should be your go-to. Again, they’re not technically sweet, but they do boast beautiful fruit flavours. Californian and Australian pinot noirs can be particularly vibrant. Pinots are all about beautiful red fruits – raspberries and cherries especially – but often have some hibiscus, vanilla and a welcome oakiness as well. They are also lower in tannins than, say, shiraz, thanks to the pinot grape’s thin skins, but it’s high in acidity and moderate in alcohol levels. This makes the wine subtle, and the best can also be silky on the palate. It also helps that pinot noir is served slightly cooler than room temperature (around 12 degrees) – this helps exaggerate those aromatics while keeping the alcohol at bay.

Grenache

Similarly to pinot, grenache, with its beautiful red hue, is neither dry nor sweet. It is a medium-bodied wine and characterised by its “fruit roll-up and cinnamon” flavours (at least that’s what the master somms say). Grenache sits firmly in the middle of pinot noir and shiraz, in terms of its medium acidity and tannins. It’s higher in ABV than your pinots and gamays, but is structural and definitely fruity. The region does matter here, so if you’re after a fruitier, more vibrant drop, opt for a US, Aussie or Spanish grenache, where all of those beautiful plump red-fruit flavours buoy subtle citrus rind and oak.

Beaujolais/gamay

We put this here a little hesitantly because Beaujolais is neither sweet, nor dry, but a perfect blend of fruity and earthy. If you’ve not had the pleasure of sipping a Beaujolais, let us enlighten you. Beaujolais is a place in France, south of Burgundy, that is famous for, you guessed it, making wine – from gamay grapes, to be exact. Unlike some of the bigger wine regions in France, Beaujolais does its own thing and doesn't take itself too seriously. Sometimes drunk slightly chilled, sometimes not, a good Beaujolais is usually fruity, with beautiful raspberry, tart cherry and cranberry flavours, balanced with forest floor, violet and mushroom-type flavours. It has low tannins, fairly low ABV and high acidity. And while it may not satisfy your sweet tooth, it’s juicy and interesting.

Lambrusco

Now, this isn’t everyone's cup of tea, but it is ours, so listen up. Lambrusco is an interesting wine because it’s a red wine that’s also fizzy (fun!). Much like the other wines we’ve mentioned, there are sweeter, fruitier styles as well as drier expressions. But if your thing is sweet and/or fruity wine, this one is a lot of fun. There are eight styles in total, but really just two you need to know. We recommend Lambrusco Maestri, and the big boy, Lambrusco Salamino. They sit on the heavier end of the Lambrusco family and are known for their rich, sweet, boisterous fruit flavours.

Other things to keep in mindThis article comes with a little disclaimer – there are exceptions to every rule, and some grapes can sit in both the dry and not-dry camps. Varieties like merlot, tempranillo, zinfandel and malbec come in all sorts of styles, just as shiraz and even cabernet sauvignon do, too. What’s important to consider is where it’s made, the climate, its alcohol content, how old it is, and its tannins. As we mentioned, a warm climate often means bigger tannins, but also riper fruit flavours, which translate as sweeter fruit on the palate. Meanwhile, a cooler climate may bring lighter, more tart fruit flavours, but more acidity that lifts the wine. It’s basically a balancing act and one that’s hard to master, which is why chatting about it with your favourite bar people and bottle-o staff is important. And with practice (and tastings!) you’ll be able to find the flavours you want in red wines from all over the world.
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Lulu MorrisLulu is a writer at Dan Murphy’s who loves Pina Coladas, but hates getting caught in the rain.
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LearnWineSparkling RedRed WineGamayWine 101GrenachePinot Noir
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