Red Wine

Q: What red wine should I buy if I do not know the producer?

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Q: What is the difference between a bold red and a light one?

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Q: How long can I keep a red wine before opening it?

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Q: Do I need to decant it?

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From elegant Pinot Noir to powerful Napa Cabernet

Red wine weighted towards California and Tuscany: Napa Cabernet from Stag's Leap Wine Cellars and Joseph Phelps, Tuscan reds including Tignanello and Tenuta Luce, Pinot Noir from the Santa Lucia Highlands and Central Otago, with Rioja, Ribera del Duero and Malbec alongside. Grouped from lighter to bolder, so you can pick a bold red or a light one without reading every back label.

Red wine regions: Napa, Tuscany, Rioja and Ribera del Duero

The list is weighted rather than spread evenly. Californian wine is the deepest part of it, with Napa Cabernet from Stag's Leap Wine Cellars and Joseph Phelps, Pinot Noir from the Santa Lucia Highlands and the Sonoma Coast, and Zinfandel from Ridge. Tuscany comes next, with Tignanello and Tenuta Luce. Spain covers Rioja and Ribera del Duero, and Argentina brings Malbec. Where a region is here at all, it is because we buy several bottles from it rather than one token example.

Choosing red wine by weight, from light to bold

Grape and region tell you where a wine is from; weight tells you whether you will want to drink it tonight. The range is grouped both ways for that reason. Bold and powerful reds carry the most fruit and grip - Napa Cabernet and Ribera del Duero sit here. Light and elegant reds go the other way, led by Pinot Noir. Between them sits the smooth and refined group, which is where most Sangiovese and aged Rioja land.

The grapes across our red wine range

Cabernet Sauvignon and Pinot Noir are the two largest groups, which follows from how much California is on the list. Sangiovese covers the Tuscan reds, Tempranillo the Spanish, and there is Zinfandel, Malbec and Nebbiolo alongside them. Blends are common at the top end - Tignanello is Sangiovese with Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc, and several Napa reds are Bordeaux blends rather than single varieties. Where a producer publishes the exact composition, it is on the product page.

Red wine gifts and tracked UK delivery

Most red wine here is bought to drink rather than to give, and it ships in packaging built to protect the bottle rather than to present it. Where the bottle is a gift, the Champagne gifts range covers the boxed and ribboned side of the shop. Orders go tracked across the UK mainland with next-day available.

The Fulham Wine Co. Take

We buy reds for balance rather than sheer weight. The test is the second glass - whether a wine still holds your attention once the first impression has worn off. That is what the list is built around, and everything on it is something we open at home.

FAQs About Red Wine

What red wine should I buy if I do not know the producer?

Start from weight rather than name. If you want something rich and full, look at the bold and powerful group; if you want something you can drink through an evening without it tiring you out, the light and elegant group is the better place. Region and producer matter, but they are the second question, not the first.

What is the difference between a bold red and a light one?

Mostly tannin, alcohol and fruit concentration. A bold red such as Napa Cabernet has more grip and more weight in the mouth. A light red such as Pinot Noir has less of both and more lift. Neither is better - they suit different evenings.

How long can I keep a red wine before opening it?

Most reds on this list are made to drink now and will hold a few years lying down somewhere cool and dark. The Napa Cabernets and the top Tuscan reds will go considerably longer. Where a producer or critic states a drinking window, it is shown on the product page.

Do I need to decant it?

It helps with young, dense reds - an hour open makes a real difference to a young Cabernet or a Ribera del Duero. Older bottles benefit from being stood upright for a day first so any sediment settles. Lighter reds need neither.

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Red Wine

From elegant Pinot Noir to powerful Napa Cabernet

Red wine regions: Napa, Tuscany, Rioja and Ribera del Duero

Choosing red wine by weight, from light to bold

The grapes across our red wine range

Red wine gifts and tracked UK delivery

The Fulham Wine Co. Take

FAQs About Red Wine

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Clase Azul Tequila

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818 Tequila

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MOST POPULAR GIFTS

Red Wine

From elegant Pinot Noir to powerful Napa Cabernet

Red wine regions: Napa, Tuscany, Rioja and Ribera del Duero

Choosing red wine by weight, from light to bold

The grapes across our red wine range

Red wine gifts and tracked UK delivery

The Fulham Wine Co. Take

FAQs About Red Wine

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