American Reds
Vintage image sourced on Vintage Dancer
If you get red wine teeth as easily as I do, take your selfies before this tasting really gets going. American red wines are known for being some of the wine world’s biggest, boldest, ripest reds. That means your teeth could end up looking like you’ve befriended Dracula. I can also recommend wearing dark clothes or busy prints, because red wine spills and splashes are real, even for the highly experienced among us.
That said, more and more American producers have dialed back on the ‘bigger is better’ approach, making extremely elegant, nuanced and restrained styles of red wines, so consider mentioning your preferences when shopping for this tasting if you already know that you like one style more than the other.
Either way, this American Reds tasting is going to focus on monovarietal, or single-variety red wines. There are plenty of fantastic red blends in the US too, they’re just not the focus of this tasting, which will help you get to know the differences between the best-known varietal wines in the United States.
Stuff to know
Red wines made from Vitis vinifera grape varieties have been produced in the United States since Spanish missionaries in Texas, New Mexico and California planted vineyards in the 1600s to make their missions’ holy wines. I’m calling out Vitis vinifera specifically because there are other types of vine species native to North America, they just haven’t been found to make yummy wines as well as Vitis vinifera, which originated in Europe.
Still, it’s easy to forget sometimes that the US isn’t so “new” a New World winemaking country. The US has a spotty wine history, growing in fits and starts with a crushingly destructive period called Prohibition slowing things down dramatically along the way. If we look at the US in terms of its modern wine history though, the Judgement of Paris in 1976, followed by the definition of the first American Viticultural Areas (AVAs) in 1978, really set the stage for what American wine is today.
Which wines first made the global wine market sit up and pay attention to American wines? The reds from Cabernet Sauvignon, and especially those from Napa Valley. There were top-ranked Chardonnays in the Judgement of Paris, too, but if you’ve ever been cornered by a tech bro waxing poetic about his extensive wine knowledge, you’d think no other American wines exist beyond Napa Valley Cabs. And only the most expensive ones, too.
Thankfully, American reds are way more diverse - and affordable - than the top Cabs littering steakhouse menus from coast to coast would leave you to believe. California is the country’s biggest producer by a long shot, but Washington, Oregon, New York and Texas are all big players too now, and wine is made in every single state. The wines in this tasting are selected by grape variety, and there are no limitations on which state, region or AVA they should come from. If anything, I encourage you to explore lesser-known American wine regions, which may be easy or difficult, depending on where you live.
One thing that’s worth noting though: in the United States, a varietally-labeled wine isn’t always comprised of 100% of that grape variety. The national standard is 75%, though if a wine label includes any one of the 276 different AVAs (like Dry Creek Valley, Howell Mountain, Lodi, Paso Robles, Willamette Valley, Horse Heaven Hills, etc.), at least 85% of the grapes in the wine must come from that AVA. Certain states have stricter laws, like Oregon, where 95% of the grapes have to come from the AVA on the label, and 100% must be sourced within the state if the label says “Oregon” on it. All of this to say that unless the wine says 100% of anything directly on the label, there may be small percentages of grapes from other varieties or other locations in the mix.
Blending is a tool used all over the wine world, and there’s nothing wrong with it; it’s just worth paying attention to if you taste an American Cabernet Sauvignon and think wow, that tastes significantly different from other Cabernet Sauvignons I’ve tasted before. It might just be the winemaker’s style or where the wine is from, but it also might be that other grape varieties are contributing to the wine’s structure and flavor profile.
What to look for in this tasting
American red wines, especially many of the ones available on export markets, tend to be known for being fruit-forward, full-bodied wines with plenty of tannins and so much ripeness that they almost trick your mind into thinking they’re sweet. This state of affairs can be partially attributed to the abundant sunshine that comes with wine growing regions lying at lower latitudes than most of their European counterparts. It’s also often due to a winemaker’s stylistic choice, with decisions like when to pick the fruit or whether to use new or heavily toasted oak barrels dramatically affecting how the resulting wine tastes.
And it’s sometimes just not true at all. I’ve tasted Cabernet Francs from the New York Finger Lakes, Pinot Noirs from Santa Barbara & Oregon and Bordeaux blends from Spring Mountain that I would have a hard time blindly identifying as “American reds.” American reds, like many things in the big, complex country that is the USA, aren’t so easily pigeonholed. There are big, bold, ripe reds with soft tannins and prominent oak aging that practically jump out of the glass. There are also restrained, nuanced wines that take their time in their unfolding, often with savory elements that contrast and complement the clear fruit flavors.
Keep an eye on the alcohol levels in this tasting. Extra ripe wines tend to have higher alcohol levels, since more sugar in the grapes equates to more alcohol in the wines when fermented to dryness. American laws also allow some flexibility in alcohol percentage labeling, so wines may have as much as 1.5% variance from what is stated on the label. This can mean that a wine might say 12%, but really have an ABV as high as 13.5%. And for wines over 14% ABV, a 1% variance is allowed, so a wine that says 15% might have alcohol levels as high as 16%. A tip: be sure to hydrate well during this tasting.
The wines
#1: American Cabernet Sauvignon
Napa Valley is, of course, the mecca for Cabernet Sauvignon in the United States. But it’s not the only home for the classic Left Bank Bordeaux grape, so please don’t think that you have to splurge on a top Napa Cab to contribute to this tasting. In a collector tasting group I used to have the luxury of attending in Austin, Texas, there was a regular debate about whether Napa or Sonoma made the best California Cabs. And beyond the North Coast, there are plenty of wine regions in California, Washington and other states that produce Cabernet Sauvignon wines.
While there will be stylistic variations, with more or less ripeness, more or less prominent oak and more or less savory flavors, American Cabernet Sauvignons will generally have dark, clear fruit flavors like blackberry, blackcurrant and black plum. The tannins are often high and finely-grained, though they can be softer or more stringent, depending on grape ripeness and wine age. There is always some level of oak aging that you’ll be able to taste in the wines, whether subtle or overt in the vanilla, cedar and cinnamon flavors. And Cabernet Sauvignon has a tendency toward expressing “green” aromas, like green bell pepper, rosemary or eucalyptus.
What to ask for: Ask by name
Alternative(s): Stick with an American Cabernet Sauvignon, preferably 100% Cabernet Sauvignon
#2: American Pinot Noir
There are a few large producers of American Pinot Noirs like Meiomi, Josh and Belle Glos that have become brands sommeliers love to hate, spawning abundant commentary and memes. Call them basic, but they - and other wines like them - have come to define American Pinot Noir for anyone who hasn’t actively chosen to dig deeper into what else is on offer. Brands like these are borderline ubiquitous, and they produce a ripe, lush, fruity style that just goes down easy. I’ve tasted flavors like cherry cola, cinnamon, ripe plum and cocoa powder in these types of wines, often with soft, velvety tannins that are ripe enough to almost entirely avoid notice on the palate.
If you’ve only ever tasted that kind of American Pinot Noir, know that there are many other styles that are entirely different. Winemakers in Oregon, Santa Barbara, the Sonoma Coast and other regions are making subtle, savory and complex Pinots that will completely change your idea of what American Pinot is if you haven’t tasted them before. In Somm 3, a continuation of the popular Somm documentary series, a modern re-enactment of the Judgement of Paris was staged, but with Pinot Noir on the table, rather than Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay. The winning wine, beating out top Burgundies, was Rajat Parr’s 2014 Bloom’s Field by Domaine de la Côte in Santa Barbara.
Even if dramatized blind tastings aren’t your thing, it’s impossible to ignore the quality of American Pinot Noirs that showcase terroir from their respective vineyards just as transparently as top wines from France. My experiences with wines like these have included threads of bright acidity running through flavors of just-ripe raspberries, subtle Ceylon cinnamon, dried mushrooms and leaves, crushed rocks and delicately firm structures capable of long aging.
What to ask for: Ask by name. If you tend to prefer lush, fruity Pinots over high-acidity, subtle and savory Pinots, just ask your local retailer to guide you to their selection’s respective styles.
Alternative(s): Stick with an American Pinot Noir
#3: Zinfandel
Wine Spectator holds a video contest every year, and a friend sent me the link to the finalists’ entries while voting was underway in September. The winning video, “I just want a Zinfandel,” a parody of Hamilton’s theme song, is playing on repeat in my head as I write this, so of course I am now subjecting all of you to the same earworm. You’re welcome.
A catchy parody is apropos for Zinfandel though, a grape more American than any other…until vine DNA profiling unveiled that it was really from Croatia, where it’s known as both tribidrag and crljenak kaštelanski. The icing on the cake is that it’s also the same grape variety as Primitivo in Puglia. Even without any official “American-ness” though, Zinfandel is grown far more in California than anywhere else in the world.
I have a personal bias toward Zinfandel, since one of my closest friends is a 4th generation California grape grower struggling to keep some of her family’s oldest Zinfandel vineyards in Lodi, the ‘Zinfandel capital of the world.’ Unfortunately, her story is becoming more common, as many vineyard owners with dry-farmed old Zinfandel vines are finding it financially difficult to weather the vagaries of wine market trends that just haven’t always been kind to Zin.
One of the most important things to know about Zinfandel is that the grapes in each huge bunch do not ripen evenly. Like at all. At the Monte Rosso vineyard on Moon Mountain in Sonoma, I saw Zinfandel vines that had grapes that were green, just-ripe, ripe, overly-ripe and straight-up raisinated all in the same bunch. This uneven ripening means that most Zinfandel wines will also have high acidity, high alcohol and a variety of flavors ranging from tart, juicy sour cherries all the way through to prunes.
Zinfandel wines, like all American wines, run a gamut of styles. Speaking only about the red wines, there are styles that taste like blueberry pie, they’re so ripe, sweet and oak-forward with flavors of vanilla and cinnamon complementing bold fruit. And there are Zinfandels that are more restrained, whose winemakers choose earlier harvesting for less dried fruit flavors and the more subtle French oak.
What to ask for: Ask by name. If you tend to prefer bold, sweet Zins over more restrained and nuanced Zins, just ask your local retailer to guide you to their selection’s respective styles.
Alternative(s): Stick with an American Zinfandel
#4: American Merlot
Poor Merlot. It’s so weird even saying “poor Merlot,” since Merlot is the grape variety that comprises some of the world’s most expensive wines, like Petrus and Masseto. But American Merlot still hasn’t fully recovered from the damage Sideways did 20 years ago when Paul Giamatti shouted “No, if anyone orders Merlot, I'm leaving. I am NOT drinking any fucking Merlot!” The character’s ex-wife’s favorite wine took a major sales hit. Merlots like Bogle’s that were once the go-to wine for soccer moms everywhere were suddenly verboten.
When I represented Pahlmeyer just a few years ago, their Merlot was a tough sell…and also one of the best Napa Valley wines I’ve ever tasted. Even in France, I visited a top château where I was told in confidence that their top wine’s blend is altered for the American market, where Cabernet Sauvignon is an easier sell. Their preferred blend is more Merlot-dominant, and they leave it that way in France, where it’s more appreciated.
Washington State, in particular, was making a name for itself with its Merlots in the 90s…until Sideways. Luckily, there are producers in Washington State and California who never gave up on Merlot. Sometimes, it was just because the Merlot was a winemaker’s favorite wine or their spouse’s favorite wine. But they persisted. And I am so, so glad they did.
American Merlot can be plummy, plush and velvety with soft, supple tannins and vanilla and chocolate flavors, but it can also be full of cherry, black pepper and dried rosemary with a silky but firm structure with high acidity.
What to ask for: Ask by style name. If you tend to prefer plush, plummy and chocolate-y Merlots over structured and spicy Merlots, just ask your local retailer to guide you to their selection’s respective styles.
Alternative(s): Stick with an American Merlot
#5: Syrah
Syrah is another grape variety that just hasn’t gained steam popularity-wise like Cabernet Sauvignon, even though there are unforgettable Syrah wines being made in the US, like one of my husband’s favorites, poured from the squatty bottles by Piedrasassi from the Bien Nacido vineyard in Santa Barbara.
In the mid-80s and 90’s, Bonny Doon’s Randall Grahm was dubbed “California’s Rhône Ranger” by Wine Spectator, a nickname that stuck and eventually became a nonprofit organization promoting American Rhône varietal wines, the Rhône Rangers. Syrah is the best-known of the Rhône varieties in the US, though it’s by no means the only grape. Beyond California, Washington State’s Syrah plantings have also increased over the years as Syrah slowly and stealthily gains popularity.
American Syrah wines can be rich and powerful with seductively dark ripe fruits like blueberry and plum accompanied by tobacco, leather and vanilla. They can also lean more toward Northern Rhônes stylistically, with higher acidity, tighter structures and more peppery, meaty aromas, sometimes with Kalamata olives and rosemary practically leaping out of the glass. Some producers also co-ferment with Viognier, like the wines from the Côte-Rotie, which will alter the wine’s color and tannin structure while adding floral and peachy aromas that just smell pretty.
What to ask for: Ask by name. If you tend to prefer riper, fuller-bodied Syrahs over leaner and more peppery Syrahs, just ask your local retailer to guide you to their selection’s respective styles.
Alternative(s): Stick with an American Syrah, preferably 100% or blended with Viognier
#6: American Petite Sirah
Petite Sirah is not the same grape as Syrah, and its wines are anything but petite. Much like Zinfandel, Petite Sirah was popular in California in the late 1800s and early 1900s, until Prohibition put the kibosh on that. Also like Zinfandel, DNA profiling in the 1990s provided clarity on what, exactly Petite Sirah was, since it evidently wasn’t a ‘little Syrah.” American Petite Sirah is, for the most part, Durif, which is a grape resulting from a cross between Syrah and Peloursin made by a French botanist, Dr. Francois Durif. And, it turned out that on occasion, some of the grapes known as Petite Sirah in California were identified as Peloursin, Durif’s parent grape variety, originally from an Alpine area east of the Rhône. Either way, what we know as American Petite Sirah can be traced back to France.
Petite Sirah is often used as a blending grape, frequently showing up in small percentages in a wide variety of American wines, especially Zins. Petite Sirah makes dark, inky wines that will quickly stain your teeth and scrape your gums and cheeks with their prominent tannins. These are also the qualities that producers like to add to other wines that may be lacking color depth or structure without Petite Sirah in the mix.
Petite Sirah wines are worth tasting on their own, as the nonprofit promotional group, PS I love you, will readily attest. One of the best Texas wines I’ve ever tasted was 100% Petite Sirah. The wines are often deeply flavored and aromatic, with aromas and flavors like rose petals, blueberries and black plums alongside baking spices, tobacco and black tea.
What to ask for: Ask by name
Alternative(s): Stick with an American Petite Sirah, preferably 100% Petite Sirah
Tasting tips
The eats
Even if your guests bring wines that are on the restrained side stylistically, American wines tend to show a distinctive ripeness of fruit. And with 6 different wines, you’re still likely to have some big, bold wines in the mix, so it’s just smart to go big and bold with the food, too.
If you take the charcuterie route, look for rich, salty, fatty meats like peppercorn salami, pastrami, Bresaola, smoked ham or summer sausage. On the cheese side, anything aged with crunchy crystals will fit the bill, though you can still play with fruitier and younger cheeses with strong flavors like Gouda and Gruyère. And don’t forget the accoutrements. I used to make a sweet onion balsamic bacon jam as a coworker Christmas gift that would be fantastic on this charcuterie board. Just try to make it in advance, because everything in and around your kitchen will smell like onions and bacon for a day or two.
If you go with the dinner option, steak is going to be your best friend here. If you’re ready to splurge and confident with your steak-cooking and timing skills, go all in with your bad self for this tasting. If you’re like me and just want to have something hot on the stove that you don’t have to think about when guests are here, I can highly recommend this red wine beef stew. It’s the kind of recipe that takes a while, but there’s also plenty of oven time during which you can do other things to get ready for your guests. Just know that you’ll need to grab an extra bottle of wine, since this recipe uses an entire bottle.
If you or any of your guests are vegetarian, rich mushroom-based dishes are another great bet, like grilled portobellos, mushroom stews or risottos.
The prep
If you live in the states, it will be easy to find these wines. For those of us living elsewhere, consider giving your guests at least two weeks to find their wines.
There is a wide range of prices for all of these wines, so it’s up to you as the host to decide if you want to set a price range or let your guests determine what they’re each comfortable spending.
I know it feels strange to chill big, bold reds, but these wines are still best with just a little bit of coolness to them. Imagine that you are grabbing these bottles straight from a fancy cellar where the air feels brisk and damp. If you live somewhere where it’s cold already, the time in the trunk on the drive over might just be enough.
A note on the tasting order: The wines are listed in the order of which should be included first, so that even if there are just 4 wines in the tasting, you’ve got a well-rounded experience ahead. However, I’d suggest switching up the order in which you taste the wines, regardless of how many wines make it in the final cut, as follows:
Pinot Noir
Syrah
Merlot
Cabernet Sauvignon
Petite Sirah
Zinfandel
Sources
United States wine production | Wine Business Analytics
Current global wine rankings | OIV Country Statistics
Federal Wine Labeling Laws | TTB
List of American AVAs | TTB
Wine labeling for alcohol content | TTB
Zinfandel’s ampelographic history | Oxford Companion to Wine
