Best Red Wine for Beginners: How to Find a Red You’ll Actually Like
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Are you starting to fancy red wine again?
Maybe it’s the slightly cooler evenings and shorter days of sunlight. Maybe it’s the fact that September has arrived. Or maybe you’ve just had enough rosé for one summer.
Whatever the reason, this is usually the time of year when I find myself reaching for red wine again.
But here’s the thing: red wine doesn’t have to mean big, heavy and tannic.
So many of my followers and customers struggle with reds because they've just not found the right one for them.
So rather than worrying about wine terminology or trying to memorise grape varieties, here’s how I’d help you choose a red if you came to Lady Grape and told me what you actually like to drink.
If you want something light and juicy: try Pinot Noir
Pinot Noir is a brilliant place to start if you’re normally more of a white or rosé drinker.
It tends to be lighter than many other reds, with lots of red-fruit flavours and softer tannins, so you don’t get that really heavy feeling some people associate with red wine.
My pick: Wild Folk Nouveau Pinot Noir - £13.99
This Australian Pinot Noir is juicy, light and seriously easy to drink.
It’s made with wild yeasts, no added preservatives or sulphites and is bottled unfined and unfiltered - but don’t assume that means it’s going to taste weird or funky.
It doesn’t.
I’d choose this if: you want to ease yourself into reds rather than jumping straight into the deep end.
Basically the gateway red. 🍷
If you want something smooth and easy: try Merlot
Merlot gets overlooked sometimes, which is a shame because a good Merlot can be exactly what people mean when they tell me:
“I just want a nice, smooth red.”
It’s generally softer and rounder than more tannic reds, with ripe fruit and plenty of flavour.
My pick: Classiques Ardèches Merlot - £12.99
From Ardèche in France, this is full and rich with lovely ripe dark-fruit character.
It’s an excellent all-rounder and, at £12.99, a really accessible bottle if you’re experimenting with red wine.
I’d choose this if: you want an uncomplicated red that’s easy to enjoy with or without food.
If you like richer, spicier wines: try Shiraz
Ready to move up a gear?
Shiraz tends to give you more body, darker fruit and that lovely warming spice that makes red wine particularly appealing as the weather starts changing.
My pick: Kindred Spirits Shiraz - £13.99
This Australian Shiraz is full-bodied and packed with dark fruit, spice and savoury character.
It’s also very food-friendly.
Think burgers, sausages, steak, slow-cooked meat — basically all the things that make me very happy when there’s a glass of red alongside them.
I’d choose this if: you want plenty of flavour without going completely into massive-red territory.
Want something bigger? Try an Italian red
And then we reach the point where we’re no longer easing ourselves into red-wine season.
We’ve committed. 😂
If you love big, rich reds, I’d point you towards Italy.
Neroperso - £14.50
Neroperso gives you that rich, bold Italian-red experience at a really approachable price.
Dark fruit, richness and plenty of flavour - the sort of bottle that feels made for colder evenings and hearty food.
I’d choose this if: you like big reds but don’t necessarily want to spend £30+ on a bottle.
Amarone - £32.99
And if you really want to go for it, there’s Amarone.
Amarone is made using partially dried grapes, which concentrates the flavours and produces those wonderfully rich, powerful wines it’s famous for.
It’s not an everyday Tuesday-night bottle for most of us.
But for a special dinner, present or one of those evenings where you want to open something properly lovely?
Absolutely.
I’d choose this if: you’re already firmly on Team Big Red.
So, which red wine should you choose?
Forget what you think you’re supposed to like.
If you want something light and juicy, start with Pinot Noir.
If you want smooth and easy, try Merlot.
If you want richer and spicier, go Shiraz.
And if you’re ready for big, bold and warming, head towards Neroperso or Amarone.
Wine really doesn’t need to be more complicated than that.
And that’s pretty much how I choose the wines I sell at Lady Grape too: wines I genuinely enjoy, at prices I think they’re worth, that I can recommend without needing to give you a 20-minute lecture first. 😂
SHOP RED WINE AT LADY GRAPE
All wines are handpicked by me and available for UK delivery.