Red wine
1 253 red wines availableGood wine isn't about region; it's about profile. A light dish calls for a light, low-tannin red: Pinot Noir, Gamay, Cinsault. A rich dish calls for a full-bodied red, with enough substance to stand up to the fat: Syrah, Malbec, Cabernet.
We source from independent winemakers in 20 countries, from Chile to Armenia. Filter by profile, by country, by grape variety, or directly by the dish you're serving tonight. And if you're still unsure, our FAQ answers our most common questions.
Koehler Ruprecht - Pinot Noir Spätlese 2024
An elegant, taut Pinot Noir from Kallstadt, where cherry and spice rest on limestone.
Koehler Ruprecht - Spätburgunder Kabinett Trocken 2024
A light, vibrant Pinot Noir from the Pfalz, with notes of cherry and spice over the freshness of limestone.
Te Mata Estate - Coleraine 2021
Te Mata's emblematic Bordeaux blend, from the oldest vines in the Havelock Hills.
Te Mata Estate - Bullnose Syrah 2019
A Syrah from Hawke's Bay grown on old iron-rich soils, floral, spicy and velvety.
False Bay - Bush Vine Pinotage 2023
An old bush-vine Pinotage from the Coastal Region, round, juicy and spicy.
Boekenhoutskloof - The Chocolate Block 2023
A Syrah-led blend from the Swartland, dense and velvety, now a South African classic.
The Sadie Family - Sonvang 2024
The first vintage from a field-blend vineyard in the Paardeberg, a blend of twelve Mediterranean grape varieties.
The Sadie Family - Treinspoor 2024
An old bush-vine Tinta Barocca from near Malmesbury, floral, dense and built to last.
Chappaz - Grain Pinot Chamoson 2024
A Pinot Noir from Chamoson in Valais, grown biodynamically on limestone scree.
Niepoort - Batuta 2023
Niepoort's great red, a blend of old Douro vines, mineral, vibrant and of rare finesse.
Quinta de la Rosa - 10 Year Old Tawny Port Tonel 12
The Bergqvist family's 10-year-old tawny, named after the famous Tonel 12 cask: coffee and crème brûlée.
Quinta de la Rosa - Tawny Port
A tawny from Quinta de la Rosa, made from top-grade grapes, generous and lightly amber.
Quinta de la Rosa - Reserva 2022
A Douro red foot-trodden in lagares, dense and spicy, born on the terraces of Pinhão.
Domaine des Tourelles - Marquis des Beys 2020
The prestige cuvée of Domaine des Tourelles, syrah and cabernet from the Bekaa with aromas of cedar.
Domaine des Tourelles - Vieilles Vignes Carignan 2023
A concrete-aged old-vine carignan from the Bekaa, lively, spicy and full of red fruit.
Domaine des Tourelles - Vieilles Vignes Cinsault 2023
A Lebanese cinsault from vines over 50 years old, supple, fragrant and true to the Bekaa.
Benanti - Rovittello Etna Rosso Riserva 2018
A riserva from the northern slope of Etna, at 750 metres, born of century-old ungrafted vines.
Benanti - Serra della Contessa Etna Rosso Riserva 2018
Particella 587 of century-old ungrafted vines on Etna, for a mineral, deep red.
Jasci - Domino Montepulciano d'Abruzzo Riserva 2021
An organic riserva from Vasto, a powerful barrique-aged montepulciano, between black fruit and liquorice.
Avignonesi - Desiderio Merlot 2021
Avignonesi's iconic Super Tuscan, a dense, juicy and deeply spiced merlot from Cortona.
Gaja - Sorì Tildìn 2020
Gaja's sun-drenched cru, atop a hill in Barbaresco: a broad, spicy and silky Nebbiolo.
Giulia Negri - Barolo Marassio 2021
The topmost plot of Serradenari, at 536 metres: a high-altitude Barolo of great finesse.
Giulia Negri - Barolo Serradenari 2022
The Negri family's historic cru, at 480 metres in La Morra: a floral, saline and taut Barolo.
Giulia Negri - Barolo La Tartufaia 2022
Giulia Negri's most open Barolo, a blend of Serradenari and Brunate, fruity and spicy.
Which red wine for which taste?
This is the most useful criterion when purchasing, and the most rarely offered. Each profile corresponds to a texture in the mouth: the quantity of tannins, the density of the matter, the presence of the fruit.
Light red
Low tannins, fresh red fruit, serve slightly chilled. Pinot Noir, Gamay, Cinsault.
From €12.50Fruity red
Ripe fruit, roundness, melted tannins. The profile that everyone enjoys around a table.
From €9.90Full-bodied red
Dense, black fruit, length. For red meats and stews.
From €9.40Tannic red
Firm structure, high acidity, strong aging potential. Nebbiolo, xinomavro, tannat.
From €9.40Soft red
Residual sugars, aromatic power. Ports, fortified wines, and naturally sweet wines.
From €38.00
Red wine, country by country
The same grape variety does not produce the same wine depending on the climate. Syrah from the Rhône is peppery and taut; the same Syrah planted in Australia becomes round and jammy.
- English FranceBordeaux, Burgundy, Rhône
- 🇮🇹 ItalySangiovese and Nebbiolo
- English United StatesCabernet and Zinfandel
- 🇪🇸 SpainTempranillo and Garnacha
- Argentina ArgentinaThe land of Malbec
- South Africa South AfricaPinotage and Syrah
- 🇨🇱 ChiliCarménère and Cabernet
- 🇦🇺 AustraliaGenerous Shiraz
- 🇵🇹 PortugalDouro and Touriga Nacional
- Switzerland SwitzerlandPinot Noir and Gamay
- 🇬🇧 GreeceXinomavro and Agiorgitiko
- New Zealand New ZealandFine, fresh Pinot Noir
-
The large regions in red
- Burgundy53 red
- Tuscany52 reds
- Piedmont20 red ones
Red grape varieties in the catalogue
The grape variety provides the structure; the climate provides the style. This table cross-references the two to save you from trial and error.
| Grape variety | Profile | Tannins | Dominant aromas | Typical pairing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pinot Noir | Light | Low | Sour cherry, undergrowth, rose | Roasted poultry, raclette |
| Syrah | Full-bodied | Medium to high | Black pepper, blackberry, olive | Rib of beef, lamb |
| Malbec | Full-bodied | Raised, velvety | Plum, violet, cocoa | Grilled meats, game |
| Cabernet Sauvignon | Tannic | Raised | Blackcurrant, bell pepper, cedar | Beef, mature cheese |
| Grenache | Fruity | Low to medium | Cooked strawberry, garrigue | Spicy dishes, tagine |
| Carménère | Full-bodied | Means | Sweet pepper, cocoa | Spicy dishes, chili |
| Pinotage | Fruity | Means | Plum, mocha, smoky | Barbecue, smoked meat |
| Merlot | Fruity | Flexible | Plum, black cherry | Poultry, stew |
| Nebbiolo | Tannic | Very high | Faded rose, tar, truffle | Lamb, aged cheese |
| Tempranillo | Full-bodied | Means | Cherry, leather, vanilla | Cold cuts, lamb |
Which red wine for which dish?
The rule: the richer or more powerful the dish, the more tannins the wine should have to match it. The more delicate the dish, the more subtle the wine should be.
| The dish | The right profile | Grape varieties | Our bottle | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Raclette, tartiflette melted cheese, greasy | Light-bodied, not very tannic | Pinot Noir, Gamay | Malma - Papay Farm | €16.50 |
| Rib of beef, sirloin steak grilled, marbled meat | Full-bodied, present tannins | Malbec, Syrah, Cabernet | Amalaya - Malbec Red | €15.50 |
| Leg of lamb red meat, herbs | Tannic, structured | Nebbiolo, Xinomavro | 460 Casina Bric - Mesdì Rosso | €17.90 |
| Beef bourguignon wine-braised dish | Full-bodied, dark fruits | Syrah, Carignan | Av Bodeguers - Nereus Selection | €22.00 |
| Curry, tagine, spicy dish spices, chilli | Fruity, lightly oaked | Grenache, Cinsault | Domaine des Tourelles - Red | €15.50 |
| Barbecue, burger, ribs smoked meat, sweet sauce | Fruity, generous | Zinfandel, Pinotage | Kautz Family - The Big Top | €13.50 |
| Aged cheese platter pressed, blue-veined | Bold or mellow | Pinotage, port | Southern Right - Pinotage | €32.00 |
| Grilled vegetables, vegetarian dish eggplant, bell pepper, mushroom | Light to fruity | Pinot Noir, Grenache | Bonnardot Estate - Love at First Sight | €19.90 |
What we look for in a red
We taste several thousand wines a year and only keep a fraction of them. The criterion is never a guide's rating: it's tension. A red wine with tension makes you want another glass. A red wine without tension, even if technically flawless, tires you out after two sips.
That's why we seek out winemakers in unexpected places: Xinomavro from Naoussa in Greece, Areni from Armenia from three-thousand-year-old vines, or South African Pinotage, which has long been caricatured. These are often €15 wines that stand up to €40 Bordeaux.
Three mistakes we see all the time
Serving too warm. "Room temperature" comes from a time when rooms were 16°C. At 22°C, a red wine tastes alcoholic and loses its fruitiness. Fifteen minutes in the fridge before serving changes everything.
Confusing power with quality. A dense, oaky red wine impresses with the first glass, then overpowers the meal. The wines we repurchase are rarely the most showy.
Decanting by reflex. A young, closed red wine benefits from it; a fragile old vintage can collapse in twenty minutes. When in doubt, open an hour before serving without decanting.
The Baroudeur team, Lyon
All you need to know about red wine
What red wine should I choose when I don't know anything about it?
Start with the dish, not the wine. A light dish (poultry, vegetables, mild cheese) calls for a light red wine: Pinot Noir, Gamay, Cinsault. A rich dish (beef, game, stew) calls for a full-bodied red wine: Syrah, Malbec, Cabernet. Between €12 and €18, you can already find excellent bottles; beyond that, you're paying for rarity, not just quality.
What are the different types of red wines?
They are classified by taste profile: light (low tannins, fresh red fruit), fruity (ripe fruit, roundness), full-bodied (dense texture, dark fruit), tannic (firm structure, aging potential) and sweet (residual sugars, like port wine). This classification is more useful when buying than classification by region.
What red wine with raclette?
A light red with low tannins: tannins clash with the fat of melted cheese. A Pinot Noir from Burgundy or Patagonia, a Gamay, a Mondeuse from Savoie. Avoid full-bodied, oaked reds, which overpower the dish.
What red wine goes with prime rib?
Grilled, marbled meat calls for a red with body and present tannins to cut through the fat: Argentinian Malbec, Australian Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, or a Douro blend. Serve it at 17 °C, never at room temperature (22 °C).
At what temperature should red wine be served?
Between 14 and 18°C depending on the structure. A light red is served chilled, at 14-15°C. A full-bodied or tannic red, at 17-18°C. "Room temperature" dates back to a time when rooms were 16°C: a red served at modern room temperature loses its fruit and tastes alcoholic.
How long does an open bottle of red wine last?
Two to three days recorked in the fridge for a light red, up to five days for a tannic red. A vacuum pump doubles these durations. An oxidized red is not dangerous: it simply loses its fruit and develops pruney notes.
Which red wine keeps the longest?
Those high in tannins and acidity: Nebbiolo, Xinomavro, Cabernet Sauvignon, Tannat, Northern Rhône Syrah. An entry-level light Pinot Noir is best consumed within three years. Aging only improves wines built for it.
Is an expensive red wine necessarily better?
No. The price reflects the rarity of the terroir, the yield, and the reputation, as well as the quality. In our catalog, the gap in enjoyment between a €12 bottle and a €25 bottle is clear; between €25 and €80, it becomes a matter of personal taste and occasion.