February is the perfect time to celebrate red wine! It pairs deliciously with the hearty foods you crave during cold weather and Valentine’s Day falls right in the middle of the month. But, sometimes, picking the right red can be daunting. Here are a few tips about wine varietals to help get you started. And you can always stop by Colonial where one of our Celebration Specialists can help you find the ideal bottle.

Syrah / Shiraz  

Whether you say Syrah (Northern Rhone) or Shiraz (Australia), these are big and bold wines. Enjoy with grilled steak, roast meats, beef stew and meat lovers’ pizza.

Cabernet Sauvignon

Cabernet grows in virtually every wine region on the globe. It pairs beautifully with roasted or grilled meats, hearty pasta dishes with tomato sauce, full flavored cheese and dark chocolate.

Merlot 

The world’s most expensive wine (Petrus) is Merlot. Flavors and aromas are similar to Cabernet, without the harsh tannins. It goes nicely with red meats, poultry, pork and even salads.

Malbec 

Medium to full bodied with flavors of dark plum, cherry and berry. This is a wine for grilled meats, but also with spicy Asian, even Mexican and Indian dishes.

Pinot Noir 

One of the best, most versatile wines in the world. Serve it with a wide range of dishes including fish, meat and rich creamed sauce dishes.

Zinfandel

The same grape makes two styles of wine. For the red lover are those huge, full-bodied dark reds that have the spicy yet dark fruit flavors and pack a punch with normally higher than average alcohol content.