2. Dry Tannic Reds
While you might think dry tannic red wines belong in the same “Big, Bold Red” category, they are different for many wine drinkers.
They are usually lower in alcohol 13 – 13.5% ABV, less fruity tasting, and perceived as less sweet than Big Bold Reds because of the lower fresh fruit taste and they have more astringency, or drying of saliva, from higher tannin levels in the wine.
The guest may think they have preferences for a full-bodied red wine but they really like lower alcohol levels below 14.0% ABV to go with their food.
These wine lovers like the tannins found in many European wines such as Bordeaux, Cahors Malbec, Tannat, Italian Barolos, Brunellos, or any Sangiovese wine and even California Cabernet Sauvignon, but usually those grown at moderate altitudes or in cooler valleys; not grown in the warm valley floors such as Napa or the Central Valley of California.