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RED REIGNS Ready to venture into something new in red wine? Let’s make it something you’ll enjoy. By Josh Sens Stop us if you’ve had this experience before: You’re browsing in a wine shop or flipping through a wine list, and suddenly it hits you. You’re dizzied by the options. The shelves are jammed with bottles. The list goes on for pages. Making a selection is a lot more complicated than simply choosing white or red. “There are literally thousands of grape varietals out there, with names that start with every letter of the alphabet,” says Rick Arline, sommelier and wine director of Auburn, a celebrated fine dining restaurant in Los Angeles. “Even if you are pretty well versed in wine, it can be enough to make your head spin.” One way to proceed is to stick with what you know, the triedand-true varietals you’ve long enjoyed. Or you could embrace the spirit of adventure and opt for a wine you’ve never had before. While beloved grapes, such as cabernet sauvignon, merlot and pinot noir, all have distinctive traits, they also share a kinship with other, less familiar varietals. Up for something new? We’ve composed a list of tempting alternatives, relying on Arline as our guide.
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