Red Wines

Red Wines from Italy, France, Spain and Portugal

vomFASS UK stocks eight red wines: five Italian, one Bordeaux from France, one Douro DOC from Portugal, and one Spanish Crianza. Each is listed under its producer name and its appellation, so the label tells you the region and the classification before you open anything. This page explains what those label terms mean, how to pick between the eight, and how to serve a red wine once it is home. You must be 18 or over to buy alcohol in the UK.

The Eight Reds on This Page

• Italy, five wines. Campagnola Valpolicella Classico Ripasso DOC, Zeni Bardolino Classico, Zeni Rosso Veronese Costalago, Bidoli Merlot DOC Friuli, and Ca Dei Frati Ronchedone Vino Rosso.
• France, one wine. Cheval, Chai De Bordes Bordeaux Red Wine.
• Portugal, one wine. Barao de Vilar Mentor Douro DOC, made under the Douro DOC.
• Spain, one wine. Castillo Perelada 3 Finques Crianza.

Only one names its grape outright: the Bidoli is a Merlot. The rest lead with their appellation, which for anyone who knows the regions is the more useful signal of the two.

How to Read the Label: DOC, Classico, Ripasso and Crianza

Four terms recur across these eight bottles, and each is a legal designation rather than marketing language.

• DOC. Denominazione di Origine Controllata, a tier of the Italian system for labelling and protecting wines by origin. The wine must come from a defined zone and follow that zone's rules. It certifies origin and method, not quality.
• Classico. The fruit comes from the original historic core of an appellation rather than the wider zone added around it later.
• Ripasso. A Valpolicella method: the young wine is re-passed over the grape skins left from making Amarone, picking up extra colour, body and alcohol.
• Crianza. A Spanish ageing designation. The wine is held back for a defined maturing period, part of it in oak, before release. The minimum varies by region.

The Campagnola label therefore tells you three things at once: Valpolicella zone, the historic core of it, and the ripasso method. That is a lot of information for one line of text.

Serving Red Wine: Temperature, Decanting and Storage

Most red wine drunk in Britain is served too warm, and central heating is why. Lighter reds are generally poured at around 12 to 14 degrees Celsius, fuller reds at around 16 to 18 degrees. The phrase room temperature dates from a time when rooms were far colder than a modern British living room. A red at 22 degrees tastes flat and alcoholic, so twenty minutes in the fridge is the easiest improvement you can make to a bottle.

Decanting

Decanting does two jobs: it separates the wine from any sediment thrown during ageing, and it introduces air. Younger, fuller reds tend to benefit from the air. Older bottles are decanted mainly for the sediment and want a gentler hand. With no decanter, pouring the glass a few minutes early does a version of the same job.

Glassware and storage

Use a glass big enough to swirl in and fill it about a third full, which leaves the aroma somewhere to collect. Store bottles on their side somewhere cool, dark and still. Wine dislikes heat and light more than it dislikes age.

Buying Red Wine from vomFASS UK

vomFASS pioneered the refill concept in 1994, a model that began in Germany and has served the United Kingdom for over 30 years. The name is German for "from the barrel", and you can bring an empty vomFASS olive oil, balsamic vinegar or spirit bottle into our Stamford shop in Lincolnshire to have it refilled from the cask. Wine sits alongside that range rather than inside the refill model. Buying across the table? The white wines and rose wines collections cover the rest. You must be 18 or over to buy alcohol in the UK.

Frequently Asked Questions About Red Wine

What red wines does vomFASS UK sell?

Eight. Five are Italian: Campagnola Valpolicella Classico Ripasso DOC, Zeni Bardolino Classico, Zeni Rosso Veronese Costalago, Bidoli Merlot DOC Friuli and Ca Dei Frati Ronchedone Vino Rosso. The other three are Cheval Chai De Bordes Bordeaux Red Wine from France, Barao de Vilar Mentor Douro DOC from Portugal, and Castillo Perelada 3 Finques Crianza from Spain.

What does DOC mean on an Italian red wine label?

DOC stands for Denominazione di Origine Controllata, a tier of the Italian system for labelling and legally protecting wines by origin. The wine must come from a defined zone and follow that zone's rules. It certifies origin and method, not quality.

What does Ripasso mean on a Valpolicella label?

Ripasso is a Valpolicella method in which the young wine is re-passed over the grape skins left from making Amarone, picking up extra colour, body and alcohol. Here it appears on the Campagnola Valpolicella Classico Ripasso DOC.

What temperature should red wine be served at?

Cooler than most British homes serve it. Lighter reds are generally poured at around 12 to 14 degrees Celsius, fuller reds at around 16 to 18 degrees. Twenty minutes in the fridge before pouring usually fixes it.

Do I need to be 18 to buy red wine from vomFASS UK?

Yes. Under the Licensing Act 2003 it is against the law to sell alcohol to anyone under 18 in the UK, and every wine here is an alcoholic drink.

Choosing for a meal rather than a cellar? Read the label first. On this page, origin and method are the two facts you can rely on completely.