Cocktails with Red wine
Red wine is a still, unfortified wine made from red- or black-skinned grapes fermented in contact with their skins to extract colour and tannin.
ABV12–15%
Taste profile
Dry and vinous, carrying dark-fruit aroma over a tannic, gently bitter body with medium acidity and little sweetness.
How it's used
Poured as a base measure or in smaller quantities as a float or accent, it contributes deep colour, tannic grip and fermented-grape aroma; a float is layered gently over the surface, while a base pour is built or stirred into the drink.
Substitutes for Red wine
Hard to replace in a base role, where its colour, tannin and dry vinous aroma define the drink; in a float or accent role another red-grape wine such as ruby port can echo the colour and dark-fruit character, though its fortification adds strength and sweetness that a little dilution or a drier build must offset.
Often confused with
Red wine is fermented in contact with red or black grape skins, which gives it colour and tannin; white wine is typically fermented from pressed juice without skin contact. The distinction is the skin maceration and resulting tannin, not merely the grape's colour.
