National Red Wine Day falls on August 28, and while I certainly don’t need a holiday as an excuse to open a bottle of red, I am always happy to celebrate one! Red wine is an incredibly broad category. From elegant, mineral-driven Pinot Noir and juicy Gamay to plush Southern French blends, Portuguese reds and bold Australian Shiraz, there really is a red for every palate, pairing and occasion. As a sommelier, I also love reminding people that red wine doesn’t automatically mean heavy. Some reds are absolutely beautiful with a slight chill, others belong beside whatever is coming off the grill, and some practically beg for steak.

So, in honor of National Red Wine Day, here are eight bottles from around the world worth getting into your glass.

2023 Dark Corner Reserve Shiraz | Barossa Valley, Australia

Style: Full-bodied, rich and spicy
Pair it with: Grilled ribeye, barbecue ribs, smoked brisket or a juicy burger

Let’s start bold with these wines from Laithwaites.

The 2023 Dark Corner Reserve Shiraz comes from Australia’s Barossa Valley and delivers exactly the kind of generous fruit and spice I want from the region. Think ripe blackberry and dark berries layered with smoky spice, cocoa, coffee and sweet oak. At 14% ABV, it’s full-bodied without needing to become an after-dinner-only wine. This is the bottle I would bring outside while the grill is going.

Sommelier tip: Give this one a little air and use a larger red wine glass. The fruit and spice will really begin to open up.

 

2024 Cabalié | Southern France

Style: Ripe, smooth and fruit-forward
Pair it with: Lamb burgers, grilled sausages, pizza, barbecue chicken or a Mediterranean-inspired grazing board

Another great wine from Laithwaites. If you want an easygoing red that delivers a lot of pleasure without a serious price tag, Cabalié is exactly that kind of bottle. This Grenache-based blend from Southern France is ripe, generous and smooth, making it an easy transition bottle as summer slowly starts moving toward fall.

I especially like this style of red for casual entertaining because you don’t need to overthink the pairing. Put out grilled meats, olives, cheeses, roasted peppers and good bread and you’re set.

2023 Stones & Bones | Lisboa, Portugal

Style: Full-bodied, dark-fruited and smoky
Pair it with: Chorizo, lamb, steak, ribs, roasted vegetables or aged cheese

One of my other favorites from Laithwaites. Portugal continues to be one of my favorite places to look for interesting reds at approachable price points.

Stones & Bones is a Touriga Nacional-based Portuguese blend with plenty of personality. Expect ripe berries, black plum and bramble fruit alongside sweet spice, smoky oak and vanilla.

It’s bold, but it’s also an incredibly food-friendly bottle. I would happily pour this alongside a platter of grilled meats, chorizo and roasted vegetables.

 

Also, the name isn’t simply clever branding. Dinosaur fossils were discovered in the vineyards that inspired the wine, which makes this a particularly fun bottle to bring to a dinner party.

Albert Bichot Bourgogne Pinot Noir “Origines” | Burgundy, France

Style: Fresh, silky and elegant
Pair it with: Grilled salmon, roast chicken, pork tenderloin, mushroom flatbread or burgers

Now we’re moving into the lighter side of red wine.

Albert Bichot’s Bourgogne Pinot Noir Origines is a beautiful example of why Burgundy doesn’t have to be intimidating. Made from Pinot Noir grown on calcareous clay soils, the wine brings together fresh red and black fruit, including raspberry and blackcurrant, with a supple texture and balanced finish.

It’s elegant enough for a dinner party but approachable enough for burgers on the patio. This is also one I would serve slightly cooler than room temperature, around 57–59°F, which makes it particularly lovely at the end of August.

Domaine de Rochegrès Moulin-à-Vent “Le Roc” | Beaujolais, France

Style: Vibrant, savory and structured
Pair it with: Steak frites, ribs, sausages, grilled pork or mushroom dishes

If your experience with Beaujolais begins and ends with Beaujolais Nouveau, Moulin-à-Vent deserves your attention.

This is Gamay with considerably more structure and depth. Domaine de Rochegrès sits within one of Beaujolais’ most celebrated crus, where granite soils help produce wines with beautiful fruit, savory character and enough structure to stand beside heartier foods.

“Le Roc” is the kind of red that can make both Pinot Noir drinkers and bigger-red lovers happy at the same table.

Give it a slight chill, fire up the grill, and you’re in a very good place.

 

Joseph Mellot Sancerre Rouge “Le Rabault” | Loire Valley, France

Style: Bright, refined and earthy
Pair it with: Grilled chicken, pork chops, salmon, mushroom dishes or grilled summer vegetables

Yes, red Sancerre. Sancerre may be famous for Sauvignon Blanc, but Pinot Noir is also grown here, and it’s absolutely worth seeking out.

Joseph Mellot’s Le Rabault shows a more restrained, terroir-driven expression of Pinot Noir, with cherry and red berry fruit, subtle spice, earthiness and an elegant structure. This is exactly the type of red I want when it’s technically red wine season but the thermometer is still reminding me that it’s August.

Serve it lightly chilled and pair it with grilled chicken, pork or vegetables straight from the garden.

Lamoreaux Landing 2024 Pinot Noir | Finger Lakes, New York

Style: Savory, earthy and beautifully balanced
Pair it with: Pepper-roasted duck, mushroom tart, grilled tuna, charcuterie or aged Gouda

Of course I had to bring the Finger Lakes into this roundup.

Lamoreaux Landing’s Pinot Noir offers aromas of cedar and black cherry followed by dark fruit, earthy spice, integrated tannins and a savory finish. It’s 100% Pinot Noir and clocks in at just 12% ABV, which I particularly love when I’m looking for a red that isn’t going to overwhelm dinner.

The Finger Lakes gets so much attention for Riesling, and deservedly so, but don’t overlook the region’s cool-climate reds.

For National Red Wine Day, I’d put this next to a wild mushroom tart or grilled tuna and let the wine do its thing.

Herdade do Peso Revelado Red 2021 | Alentejo, Portugal

Style: Full-bodied, polished and elegant
Pair it with: Herb-roasted lamb, grilled beef, pork tenderloin or roasted mushrooms

We’ll finish back in Portugal, this time in Alentejo.

The 2021 Revelado Red from Herdade do Peso is a blend led by Alicante Bouschet with Cabernet Sauvignon and Touriga Nacional. It spends 12 months in oak and combines black plum and darker fruit with spice, nutmeg and polished tannins.

What I enjoy here is the balance. There’s plenty of body and concentration, but freshness keeps the wine from feeling overly heavy.

This is a great dinner red, especially when roasted or grilled meats are involved.

Terrazas de los Andes Extremo Malbec 2022 | Gualtallary, Uco Valley, Argentina

Style: High-altitude, elegant and intensely expressive
Pair it with: Grilled filet, herb-crusted lamb, mushroom risotto, aged cheeses or simply a really beautiful steak

If you’re going to celebrate National Red Wine Day with a splurge, make it an interesting one. Terrazas de los Andes Extremo Malbec 2022 takes Malbec quite literally to new heights. The fruit comes from the single-vineyard El Espinillo site in Gualtallary, planted at an extraordinary 1,650 meters, or about 5,400 feet, above sea level, making it the highest productive vineyard in the area.

And that altitude shows in the glass. Rather than the ultra-ripe, plush style some may associate with Argentine Malbec, Extremo is remarkably fresh and elegant. Red fruit and violet meet wild thyme and native herbs, followed by juicy fruit, balanced acidity and beautifully textured tannins with an almost chalky, graphite-like quality. Subtle vanilla and cinnamon from barrel aging round everything out without taking over.

It’s powerful, but there’s precision here, and that’s what makes this bottle feel luxurious.

Sommelier tip: Serve this one around 57°F and don’t be afraid to decant it. It’s also built to evolve, with the winery giving the 2022 a potential aging window of up to 20 years.

This is Malbec for the wine drinker who thinks they already know Malbec.

So, What Are We Pouring?

National Red Wine Day doesn’t have to mean pulling the biggest Cabernet out of your cellar.

Pour Pinot Noir slightly chilled. Rediscover Gamay. Explore Portugal. Open something from the Finger Lakes. Throw a steak on the grill and reach for Australian Shiraz.

Wine is supposed to be explored, and sometimes the best bottle is simply the one that gets you drinking outside your usual comfort zone.

 

Happy National Red Wine Day! Cheers!