Other extremely popular varieties include Merlot, Syrah, Pinot Noir, Malbec, Zinfandel, Grenache, and Sangiovese. Generally, the older and more full-bodied a red wine is, the longer it should breathe.

There is a common misbelief that red wine should always be drunk at room temperature, but that could not be farther from the truth. In fact, most are best served cool — which is somewhere ...

Bordeaux, the world’s largest fine wine region, almost always produces blended wines. Key varieties are cabernet sauvignon, merlot, cabernet franc, malbec, and petit verdot for red wines.