Various dry red wines are available, many of which hail from specific regions like New Zealand, known for their speciality. Before diving deep into the different types of dry red wines, it is important to know what a dry red wine means!
Dry red wine
You will see endless bottles of wine when you go to a liquor shop. But how do you know which will fall under the category if you are looking for a dry red wine?
What is a dry red wine?
The term ‘dry’ can have more than one meaning, but in the world of wine, dryness refers to the lack of sweetness in the drink. Wines with minimal or no residual sugar are considered dry red wines.
Sweeter red wines result when the fermentation process is stopped before its completion. Therefore, sweet red wines contain high amounts of residual sugar.
On the other hand, dry wines undergo fermentation until completion, wherein the yeast consumes all the sugar in the grape juice. The fermentation process reduces the sugar amount in the wine and increases the alcohol content.
Classification of red wines based on sweetness levels:
| Category | Sweetness levels (residual sugar) |
| Dry | Less than 1% residual sugar |
| Off-dry or semi-sweet | Above 3% |
| Sweet wine | Above 5% |
| Dessert wine | 7%-9% |
Different types of red wines
Here are some of the globally known dry red wines available in New Zealand.
1) Montana Classic Pinot Noir
1) Montana Classic Pinot NoirIn the 1940s, Montana first appeared on the shelves in New Zealand. The fruit-driven Pinot Noir comes with savoury tannins and bright fruit flavours.
Pinot contains 12%-15% alcohol content and is best served at room temperature. It has good ageing potential despite being softer than many dry wines. Its flavour becomes more complex with hints of earth and spice notes as the wine ages.
2) Banrock Station Shiraz
Shiraz provides lifted aromas of raspberry and sweet plum with hints of spice along with vanilla oak.
On the front palate, sweet raspberry and dark berry fruits are present. Medium grainy tannins are evident, but this red wine remains soft.
The mid-palate of this dry red wine is rich and finishes dry and soft.
3) Hardys Varietal Range Cabernet Sauvignon
The Cabernet Sauvignon comes with rich, generous dark berry and vanillin oak flavours which linger on the finish.
The alcohol content can range between 13%-15% alcohol content.
The most commonly sought-after varietal Cabernet Sauvignon wines come from Napa Valley, pairing perfectly with a chocolate dessert.
4) Oyster Bay Merlot
Oyster Bay Merlot is more about the elegance and intensity of fruit. Merlot produces its vibrant, fully ripened varietal flavours.
The attractive feature is the novelty of ripe fruit and spice with soft tannins on the palate. You can try this dry red wine with pepper steak, lasagne, roasts, rich mushrooms, lamb, and beef or wild game.
5) Banrock Station Pink Mosct
Banrock Station Pink Mosct gives fresh, floral aromatic notes with a touch of sherbet and musk. The natural sweetness is balanced with the fresh acid finish. It offers fresh musky flavours on the palate with a delicate fairy loss characteristic.
Get quality dry red wines from Pakuranga Liquor Spot in New Zealand.
