When it comes to wine, color is an important factor that can give clues about the wine’s origin, grape variety, flavor profile, and more. While many people use the words “red,” “maroon,” and “burgundy” interchangeably when describing red wines, there are some key differences between these shades that wine enthusiasts take note of.
The Importance of Wine Color
The color of a wine provides a wealth of information even before the first sip. In red wines, it can indicate factors such as:
- Grape variety – Certain grapes produce signature shades, like the bold purple-red of Malbec or lighter red of Pinot Noir.
- Origin – Cooler climate regions tend to produce lighter reds while warmer regions make deeper, more intense shades.
- Oak aging – Time spent in oak barrels imparts a darker color.
- Tannins – Bolder, very saturated colors often reflect higher tannin levels.
- Age – As red wines age, they gradually take on more brick or garnet hues.
For white wines, color can also give hints about the grape variety, production method, sweetness level, and age. So paying attention to the precise shade can prepare the drinker for what’s to come.
What is Maroon?
In the most basic terms, maroon is a dark reddish-brown color. It has a medium to dark intensity and sits between red and burgundy on the color wheel.
Some key characteristics of maroon:
- Has a brownish undertone yet still decidedly red.
- Darker and less intense than typical red wine colors.
- Somewhere between ruby and garnet in depth.
- May take on more brownish-orange hues as it lightens.
Maroon is often associated with fall colors like burnt orange and russet brown. It’s a popular shade for leather goods, clothing, and housewares.
What is Burgundy?
Burgundy is a darker, grayish-red color that differs from true red and leans more toward the purple side of the color spectrum.
Some key characteristics of burgundy:
- Has a grayish-purple tone compared to red’s blue undertone.
- Deeper and richer than lighter reds but softer than very dark red.
- Sits between ruby and garnet in depth.
- Popular as a paint color, fabric color, and lipstick shade.
Burgundy is similar to maroon but has more purple-gray traits compared to maroon’s brownish nuances.
| Red | Maroon | Burgundy |
|---|---|---|
| Vivid, bright | Dark, brownish red | Deep purple-red |
| Higher intensity | Medium intensity | Medium-dark intensity |
| Blue undertones | Brown undertones | Purple-gray undertones |
Common Types of Red Wine Colors
Within the broad category of red wine, there is a wide spectrum of possible shades. Here are some of the most common:
Ruby
Ruby red wines have a vivid crimson color with hints of purple. This bright shade is a hallmark of young red wines and can indicate fruit-forward flavors. Pinot Noir, Gamay, and Sangiovese often display a ruby hue.
Garnet
Garnet is a medium reddish-brown associated with more mature red wines. As wines age and their color dims, they transition from ruby to garnet. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Red Zinfandel commonly have garnet shades.
Tawny
Tawny is a pale orange or brick red color seen in older, aged red wines. As red wines reach advanced maturity, they begin to take on more tawny hues. Aged Cabernet Sauvignon, Bordeaux blends, and Port often display tawny shades.
Purple
Deep purplish-red is seen in intensely pigmented red wines. The bold purple tones may reflect youthful ripe fruit flavors or high polyphenol content. Varietals like Malbec, Petite Sirah, Cabernet Franc, and Lagrein often have striking purple shades.
There are no fixed rules saying a certain grape or region must have a certain color. Factors like winemaking, blending, and oak aging can shift a wine’s precise hue. But in general, color is a useful clue into what you can expect in the glass.
Typical Color Profiles by Grape Variety
While wine color is influenced by many factors, in broad terms, certain varieties are deeply associated with particular shades. Here are some of the color profiles typically displayed by popular red grapes:
Pinot Noir
A lightintensity ruby red, occasionally venturing into pale garnet when aged. One of the lightest reds.
Gamay
Vibrant ruby red. Younger Gamay can have a bright magenta tinge.
Grenache
Medium intensity red often with orange hints. Can appear pale ruby in cooler climates and more garnet in hotter regions.
Merlot
Deep ruby through garnet. Its color is usually darker than Pinot Noir but lighter than Cabernet Sauvignon.
Cabernet Sauvignon
Dark, intense ruby shifting to deep garnet. Cabernets have some of the boldest, deepest colors of red wines.
Malbec
Very deep purple-garnet. Malbec’s thick skins yield more color pigments than most reds.
Syrah
Deep red-purple, often with a dark inky look. Cooler climate Syrah shows red berry hues while warmer regions produce deeper purple-black.
Sangiovese
Ruby red mellowing to garnet. Can display maroon notes as it ages.
Nebbiolo
Pale ruby to light garnet, often with orange edges. Despite being bold wines, Nebbiolos are lighter in color.
Tempranillo
Dark cherry red to deep garnet. Tempranillo’s colors tend to be murkier and less bluish than other reds.
How Red Wine Gets its Color
Red wine gets its distinctive color mainly from anthocyanin pigments present in the skins of dark-hued grape varieties. These water-soluble pigments are extracted from the grape skins during fermentation when the juice stays in prolonged contact with the skins.
Red wines fermented without skin contact, called blanc de noir (“white from black”), will have little or no color since the juice itself is almost colorless. The lengthy maceration period gives red wines their hue, ranging from light pink to nearly black purple depending on the grapes, sunlight exposure, winemaking practices used, and age.
Other polyphenols like tannins also contribute to red wine’s color depth and development. Over time, reactions between anthocyanins, tannins, and other compounds cause red wine color to shift into more brick, garnet, and tawny shades. The presence of oxygen, pH levels, sulfur dioxide, and storage conditions also impact how a red wine’s color evolves as it matures.
How Maroon and Burgundy Play Into Red Wine Color
Most red wines have shades based in the primary red-to-purple spectrum, ranging from lighter ruby to darker garnet notes. But some reds, especially those with extended time in barrel and bottle, can begin to display more tertiary maroon or burgundy tones.
Here are some ways these color variants may appear:
Maroon
- Older Cabernet Sauvignon, Bordeaux blends, Port
- Aged Sangiovese, Nebbiolo, Tempranillo
- Red wines with dried fruit flavors
- Wines made from partially dried grapes (Amarone, ripasso)
- Heavy oak-aging bringing out spicy, leathery notes
Burgundy
- Pinot Noir, especially from New World regions
- Cooler climate Grenache, Syrah, Cabernet Franc
- Some Italian reds like Nero d’Avola
- Old World style wines with herbal, earthy notes
- Red field blends originating from Bordeaux
While most red wines don’t display the definitive brownish or purple-gray cast of true maroon and burgundy shades, they can take on hints of those colors as part of their complex hue. The appearance of maroon or burgundy in a red’s color profile simply provides more clues into the wine’s possible flavor profile and background.
Does Maroon or Burgundy Indicate Better Quality?
There are no absolute associations between wine quality and specific shades of red. A dark, opaque garnet or purple wine is not necessarily higher quality than a delicate transparent ruby red. And maroon or burgundy colors do not automatically signal a superior wine.
Some observations about red wine color and quality:
- Very pale reds can sometimes indicate thinness, lack of concentration, or dilution.
- Moderately dark, vibrant hues often reflect abundant flavor.
- Extremely dark, inky colors can accompany overly tannic young wines.
- Brickish maroon tones in an aged red can be a positive sign of maturity.
- Brownish maroon tints in a young wine may signal oxidation.
- Burgundy tones could reflect positive cool climate attributes or negative dilution.
So maroon and burgundy hues can correlate with wonderful wines or flawed ones. The color gives context but doesn’t alone define quality. The depth, vibrancy, and transitions in shade over time matter more than any particular red descriptor. While color offers clues, the proof of quality is ultimately in the glass.
Conclusion
Maroon and burgundy occupy an interesting space blending red and purple notes with secondary brown or gray touches. While most red wines don’t display true maroon or burgundy shades, their presence can indicate maturity, grape variety, oak aging, and other attributes. The precise hue gives wine enthusiasts helpful clues before tasting.
But color is just one piece of the puzzle. A maroon or burgundy red wine can be delightful or disappointing regardless of its visual appeal. Beyond informing starting expectations, these colors alone don’t determine quality or flavor profiles. The ultimate proof is from swishing, sniffing, and savoring these complex wines. Their name may say red, but their nuanced shades tell a much deeper story.
