Among the most popular alcoholic drinks during an aperitif, wine comes in 3 colors: red wine, white wine and rosé wine. If we know the undeniable success of rosé as an aperitif, what about red wine ? Is it ideal for aperitifs with friends? Let's see this together.
Making a successful aperitif: the basic rules
Before even looking at the color of the wine, let's first look at the basic rules to ensure you choose the right wine for an aperitif . Because, be aware, not all wines go easily with an aperitif, and certain mistakes should be avoided:
- Avoid serving a grand cru as an aperitif, because the aim of this introduction is to drink a light wine to awaken the taste buds without brutality;
- Forget sweet wines , and reserve these sweet wines for dessert, so as not to saturate the taste buds before even starting the meal;
- Avoid tannic red wine , which needs to be enjoyed accompanied by dishes with a developed and intense taste.
Would you like to offer a bottle of wine to your guests for a day? We let you choose your aperitif? You now know which wine should not be served as an aperitif. Now let's go into details, with red wine.
Serve red wine as an aperitif
To choose a red wine to serve as an aperitif , you must keep one major rule in mind: opt for a light red wine . Indeed, the aim of the aperitif is to whet the appetite and prepare the taste buds for the delights of the meal. By choosing a powerful, tannic red wine, you will not appreciate it at its true value, and you will run the risk of masking all the aromatic subtleties of the wines and dishes to come.
It is then advisable to turn to a fruity and light red wine , as offered by bottles made from fruity grape varieties (pinot noir, gamay, etc.). To help you, here are some red wines to enjoy as an aperitif :
- A Chiroubles;
- An Irancy;
- A Brouilly;
- A Régnié;
- A Morgon…
To summarize, and to avoid making a mistake, turn to red wines from Burgundy or Beaujolais for your aperitifs.
Adapt red wine to the type of aperitif
If we often imagine the aperitif as a festive moment that we share around a sausage and a few aperitif biscuits, there are nevertheless 1,000 ways of considering the aperitif. You will then have to adapt the choice of your bottle of red wine depending on the moment.
Thus, a Beaujolais or a Burgundy wine will be perfect for a traditional aperitif, but in the context of a dinner aperitif, for example, the choice can be more subtle. Indeed, everything will depend on the dishes that are offered for tasting.
With Mediterranean products, such as hummus or tapenade, you can easily turn to a light red wine , but if you choose to treat your guests with cheese and/or cold meats, it is then advisable to choose a wine deep, woody red .
The ideal, ultimately, is to offer several different red wines, in order to give guests a choice. This will be all the more practical if you plan to serve a wide variety of dishes during your aperitif.
Our best red wines for a successful aperitif
Renowned for its rosé wines, Provence is a region which produces each year red wines, white wines and rosé wines particularly suited to serving as an aperitif. Here is a selection of red wines from Provence that will delight all your guests.
Terres de Berne – AOP Côtes-de-Provence red 2019
Elegant, fruity and fresh, the Terres de Berne cuvée from Domaine de Berne reveals all the subtlety of the Provençal terroir. After early morning harvests, the wine is made from cold maceration in vats, followed by several fermentations and vatting for 5 weeks.
Made from Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon, theTerres de Berne red 2019 then expresses a nose of black fruits and spices, and a fruity palate, with a touch of liquorice. This deep-colored red wine is a gourmet choice for an aperitif with Provençal flavors .
Ultimate Provence – AOC Côtes de Provence red 2019
A symbol of modern Provençal viticulture, the UP vintage from the Ultimate Provence estate is the subject of a finely crafted winemaking technique, which produces an elegant and modern wine.
Vinified from Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah, this red wine from Provence offers a magnificent carmine color, with pretty purple highlights. On the nose, modernity is still in order, with generous notes of red fruits and spices, while on the palate, we find these very ripe red fruits (cherry and plum), as well as marked aromas of pepper.
The UP red vintage works wonders when served as an aperitif, especially with cold meats.
Berne Grande Récolte – AOP Côtes de Provence red 2018
The flagship of Château de Berne, the Grande Récolte cuvée is a clever blend of Syrah, Grenache Noir and Cabernet Sauvignon. The estate's winegrowers work hard to produce this exceptional vintage, from the choice of the plot to the aging in vats, including the precise moment of the harvest.
Its bright, garnet color reveals a red wine with aromas of black fruits, pepper and liquorice.
This red wine, supple and expressive, is a great asset during an aperitif based on cold meats or sunny vegetables (tomato, garlic, olive, etc.).
Red wine is therefore a wine that can be perfectly served on an aperitif table, if it is well chosen. Now you know how not to make a mistake. When in doubt, the red wines of the Berne estate remain a safe bet for all wine lovers.
