Wine Archives - Wine Lovers Box

Cosy Red Wines for Chilly Evenings

October 31, 2024 Elsie_B

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As the days grow shorter and a crisp chill fills the air, there’s nothing quite like settling in with a rich glass of red wine. Autumn brings with it a unique charm – the perfect excuse to slow down, embrace cosy moments, and indulge in hearty meals that warm from the inside out. And what better way to complete the scene than with a bottle of red, carefully selected to complement those flavours of the season?

Today, we’re highlighting three red wines that are ideal for colder evenings. From bold and spicy to smooth and fruity, these reds pair perfectly with the comfort foods we crave at this time of year. So, grab a blanket, light a candle, and join us as we explore the best red wines to cosy up with this season – along with pairing ideas to make your evenings even more perfect.

Argentinian Malbec – Rich, Bold, and Full of Warmth

Wine Profile:
Argentinian Malbec is a classic choice when it comes to cold-weather reds. Known for its rich, full-bodied flavour, Malbec offers deep notes of blackberry, plum, and a hint of spice – exactly the kind of bold character you want in a glass on a chilly night. Also, Malbec’s intense, velvety finish is both warming and indulgent, making it perfect for autumn evenings.

Pairing Suggestions:
Pair your Malbec with roasted lamb seasoned with rosemary, garlic, and thyme for a satisfying meal, or serve it alongside a charcuterie board loaded with aged cheddar, smoked meats, and crusty bread. The robust flavours of the wine stand up beautifully to rich, savoury dishes and bring out the best in seasonal ingredients.

Why It’s Great for Chilly Evenings:
Malbec’s bold, fruity profile pairs perfectly with hearty foods, providing a touch of warmth that’s hard to beat when the temperature drops. Whether you’re curled up with a good book or entertaining friends over dinner, Malbec adds a layer of comfort to any cosy night in.

Australian Shiraz – Bold Spice and Dark Berry Comfort

Wine Profile:
Australian Shiraz is famed for its bold character, rich with dark berry flavours like blackberry and plum, paired with a distinctive peppery spice. Often with hints of smokiness, Shiraz is a wine that brings depth and warmth to a glass, making it an ideal choice for chilly autumn evenings. Its complexity and intensity make every sip a memorable experience, especially when savoured slowly.

Pairing Suggestions:
Shiraz shines when paired with spicy sausages, grilled or barbecued meats, and hearty stews. For a vegetarian pairing, try it with a rich mushroom risotto, where the earthy flavours of mushrooms complement the wine’s peppery notes. Shiraz’s robust taste holds its own against bold flavours, making it versatile for pairing with a range of autumn dishes.

Why It’s Great for Autumn:
With its warming spices and rich, full-bodied nature, Shiraz perfectly captures the essence of autumn. It’s a wine that pairs beautifully with both seasonal foods and the cool, cosy vibe of the season, making it a wonderful choice for relaxed nights in or an evening by the fire.

French Merlot – Smooth, Fruity, and Versatile

Wine Profile:
French Merlot offers a smooth and approachable flavour, with notes of black cherry, plum, and a subtle hint of chocolate. Known for its balanced character, Merlot is slightly softer on the palate than other reds, making it an easy-drinking choice for cosy nights. This wine’s mellow richness and fruity undertones provide a touch of warmth without overpowering your meal.

Pairing Suggestions:
Merlot pairs beautifully with a classic beef stew simmered with root vegetables or with creamy, soft cheeses like brie or camembert. The wine’s fruitiness complements these dishes’ hearty flavours, while its smooth body provides a pleasant contrast to richer foods. For a lighter option, try it with a mushroom and cheese tart, which brings out Merlot’s subtle earthiness.

Why It’s Great for Cosy Nights:
Merlot’s rounded, smooth character makes it a relaxing choice for chilly evenings. Its easy-drinking nature pairs well with comfort foods, and it’s versatile enough for casual nights or more formal dinners. Merlot is also perfect for savouring slowly, making it ideal for unwinding after a long day or enjoying with friends and family.

Choosing the Perfect Cosy Red

With autumn’s chill setting in, these three reds – the bold Argentinian Malbec, the spiced Australian Shiraz, and the smooth French Merlot are ideal companions for your cold-weather evenings. Each brings a unique depth and character to the table, enhancing the hearty flavours we love this time of year. Whether you’re settling in with a comforting meal or entertaining friends, these wines promise to elevate any cosy night in.

As the festive season approaches, don’t miss out on our Limited Edition Christmas Wine Box – specially curated to bring warmth and joy to your celebrations. It’s filled with handpicked wines and premium snacks that make for the perfect gift or treat for yourself.

Let us know your favourite pairings or any wines you’d recommend for autumn in the comments – we’d love to hear from you!

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6 Wine Pairings to upgrade your pizza

April 4, 2023 Elsie_B

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Whether it’s a Netflix and chill night or a pizza night out; pair these wines with your favourite pizza toppings to bring out the full flavours and delight your palate.

Pepperoni

To balance out the strong spice of pepperoni, choose wine with rich, fruity flavours. Its savoury qualities will cut through the pepperoni’s fat and saltiness, providing the perfect moreish match.

Pair with: Sangiovese or Barbera, Nero d’Avola, Nebbiolo.

Vegetarian

If you like your vegetables where you can see them on a pizza, think of wine with gentle notes that’s not going to compete with the ingredients on a vegetarian pizza.

Pair with: Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc, Prosecco, Fiano, Rosé.

Meat

Whether it’s a meat lover’s pizza or chicken; go with full-bodied reds with rich fruity flavours that are up to the task and can perfectly match the fattiness of the meat for an undeniable flavour combination.

Pair with: Cabernet Sauvignon or Tempranillo, Shiraz, Malbec.

BBQ

The smokiness and sweetness of the barbeque sauce will pair perfectly with the fruitiness of a Pinot Noir. Its light body and fine tannins will work beautifully with the chicken, without overpowering it.

Pair with: Pinot Noir, or Dolcetto, Merlot, Chardonnay, Rosé.

Mushrooms

There’s no better pairing than Pinot and mushrooms—they’re all about earth and spice. A little oregano makes the match even better.

Cheese

Whether it’s a classic Margherita or a pizza with even more cheese, try a dry rosé which is perfect for lighter flavored pizzas, or a light aromatic red like pinot noir which is just acidic enough to cut through the tomato sauce and thin layer of oil from melted cheese

Pair with: Rosé and Pinot noir

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Health reasons why you should drink red wine every day

March 22, 2023 Elsie_B

Call us biased but we think you should be drinking red wine every day. But don’t just take our word for it, medical professionals back us on this claim. While alcohol in general, gets a bad rap from doctors, the one drink they seem to endorse, all be it in moderation is red wine. Yes, because it has surprising health benefits, and a glass a day will help keep you in tip-top shape.

8 health benefits of drinking red wine

Drinking red wine is known to improve your short-term memory. It helps you retain information, thanks to the effects of resveratrol.
Not a big fan of eye diseases? Don’t worry, a glass of wine a day will prevent cataracts. This is because red wine is rich in antioxidants.
No one enjoys dental plaque or a dentist’s bill so it’s good to know the natural antioxidants in wine reduce bacteria that causes tooth decay and help prevent annoying and expensive trips to the dentist.
Red wine is also good for the heart and prevents heart disease. This is because it helps regulate fat and cholesterol in the body. It decreases bad cholesterol and increases good cholesterol which is good for the heart. Also, certain components of wine block the development of fat cells.
Some studies have shown promising results that wine reduces the risk of cancer. It slows down the development of lung cancer and helps prevent certain types of skin cancer.
You’ll also be happy to know that a glass a day helps maintain your youth. The antioxidants in red wine help improve the skin’s appearance. In fact, there are a lot of beauty treatments that use the components of wine in their products.
An Italian study from 2009 claims a potential relation between the nutriments of red wine and higher sexual activity. Think of it as an aphrodisiac and get your freak on.
One benefit of red wine we’re sure you don’t need a doctor to tell you about is that it helps beat stress. The antioxidants in the wine act as a great stress reliever so go on, sip away.

Just to make health professionals happy, we must say that the WHO advises not to exceed the daily consumption of two glasses of wine for men and one glass for women.

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8 words that’ll make you a wine expert instantly

March 10, 2023 Elsie_B

Becoming a wine expert takes time, ask sommeliers, it’s no joke. You have to read, study, and practice wine service as well as identify wines by tasting them blindly.

But if you’ve been drinking wine for years and know you can do all of the above while holding your own against the so-called wine experts with professional training; then all you need are these commonly used wine phrases that’ll instantly have you talking like the wine expert you are.

Legs

Legs are the rivulets that run down the side of a wine glass after the wine has been swirled around. The more legs you see, the more full-bodied and alcoholic the wine is.

Tight

A tight wine is a wine without much flavour, meaning, it needs to unwind and develop further.

Reductive

This refers to wine that is kept air-tight during fermentation. The lack of oxygen often creates a sulphurous smell in the wine.

Oxidized

When a wine is oxidized, it means it’s stale and flat due to overexposure to air.

Bouquet

This is the characteristic smell of a matured wine. Bouquet takes a long time to develop, which is why mature wines have complex bouquets.

Terroir

This is a French term for an entire region and climate where a grape is grown. It also sometimes refers to known flavours of a grape’s region.

Tannins

This is the naturally occurring compounds found in the skins, stems and pips of grapes. Tannins also act as a natural preservative to help the wine age and develop.

Body

This is the weight and fullness of a wine on your palate. Wine can be light, medium, or full-bodied. Full-bodied wines tend to be high in alcohol.

So there you have it, you probably knew all these characteristics of wine but weren’t describing them with these terms. Simply arm yourself with these words when talking about wine and voila, you’re a wine expert in the eyes of the ‘professionals.

Category: Wine