Unlike white wines that often nod to citrus and tropical flavors, red wines naturally feature fruit flavors (ranging from underripe strawberries to jammy blackberries to raisins), floral qualities, herb and spice flavors (like pepper, clove, and cinnamon), and earthy elements (smoky, tobacco, leather)

The taste of red wine is subjective, but most people describe it as having a dark, sweet flavor. It’s often described as heavy and tannic—that is, dry with an astringent taste coming from the wine’s natural acids.

Typical flavors found in red wines include cherry, raspberry and blackberry (due to their dark fruit flavor), spice (such as cinnamon or clove), earthy notes (including leather or tobacco) and wood components like cedar or vanilla from oak aging processes.