Updated August 2026

Red wine lovers: August 28th is National Red Wine Day. There are many different types of red wine made around the world. With more than a thousand varieties of wine grapes grown, that’s no surprise.

Today, we’ll highlight all of the red wines widely available in the U.S. and give you some “food homework”: Try a varietal you’ve never had before.

Varietal refers to the type of grape used in making wine. Examples of familiar red varietals include Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Noir, and Zinfandel.

In much of the world, wines are sold by their varietal names.

In France and some other countries, the wines are known by their place names. Thus:

 
Your food homework assignment: Try at least one of these wines that you’ve never had before.

Ready, set, go!

Below:

> Red grape varietals.

> Popular red wines by origin.

> Sweet red wines.

> Food pairings with sweet red wines.

> The year’s 45+ red wine holidays.

Elsewhere on The Nibble:

> The year’s 40+ white wine holidays.

> A brief history of wine.
 

[7] Harvesting Cabernet Sauvignon at Chateau Ste. Michelle Winery, just 30-45 minutes from downtown Seattle (photo © Chateau Ste. Michelle).
 
 
1. RED GRAPE VARIETALS

We start with some well-known red wine varietals that you’ll find in stores labeled with their varietal names. These grapes are grown worldwide, but we’ve included the county of origin.

A quick note on wine variety vs. wine varietal:

 
strong>The Most Popular Red Grape Varietals

 
 
2. POPULAR RED WINES BY ORIGIN

In addition to purchasing varietal wines, you can purchase wines made with those same grapes that are labeled by their place of origin. These places are regions or smaller communes that have strict regulations as to what grapes can be used, the growing locales of those grapes, and how the wine is made.

Examples include:

[1] Beaujolais, made from the Gamay grape, is one of the lightest of the red wines. Here it’s seen in a glass that’s specially crafted to show off its flavors and aromas (photo © Schott Zwiesel).

[2] Pinot Noir in a glass designed to enhance its flavors and aromas (photo © Crate & Barrel).

[3] Zinfandel with chocolate truffles (photo © Stella Rosa Wines).

[4] Cabernet Sauvignon with blue cheese, figs, walnuts, and grapes (photo © Alex9500 | Panther Media).

[5] Taylor Tawny Port 20 Years, delicious with cheese, dessert, or an after-dinner wine (photo © The Nibble).

[6] Serve Madeira wine with nibbles such as olives, with salads tossed with a tangy dressing, with sushi or smoked salmon, with sheep’s and goat’s milk cheeses, and with desserts such as apple tarts and other fruity pastries (photo © The Nibble).

Also try a sweet red wine, if you don’t already drink them. They can be made from any grapes, and are delicious with cheese, as dessert wines or after-dinner wines.
 
Fortified Red Wines

These three are fortified wines, meaning that the wine has a distilled spirit, usually, brandy, added to it.

The purpose of adding the spirit is to increase its alcohol content and preserve its longevity.

 
Other Sweet Red Wines

 
 
4. FOOD PAIRINGS WITH SWEET RED WINES

________________

*Varietal wines: The federal standard requires at least 75% of the wine to be made from the named varietal. Oregon generally requires 90% of the named variety, although the state makes an exception for a group of traditionally blended grapes—including Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Syrah, Zinfandel, Malbec, and others—which may be labeled at the federal 75% level. For American native grape varieties such as Concord or Catawba, the federal minimum is 51% rather than 75%.

However, the grape-variety rule is different from the geographic-origin rule. A wine labeled “California Cabernet Sauvignon” needs at least 75% Cabernet Sauvignon and at least 75% of its grapes from California. A wine labeled with an AVA, such as “Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon,” must have at least 85% of its grapes from Napa Valley, while the named-grape threshold remains 75%. (AVA stands for American Viticultural Area, which is an official, federally approved wine grape-growing region in the U.S.

**There are three rosé holidays. National Rosé Day, the second Saturday in June holiday was founded in 2014 by Bodvár House of Rosés, a Swedish brand, as a U.S.-focused promotional holiday. The fourth Friday in June, International Rosé Day, was established in 2018 by the Provence wine region in France, which is essentially the global home of rosé. February 5th is celebrated as New Zealand (and Australia) National Rosé Day.

Most rosé wines are made from red grapes, because the color comes from brief contact with the grape skins, which contain the pigments. The longer the skin contact, the deeper the color. White grapes alone generally cannot produce a pink wine; they lack the red pigments found in red-grape skins. The grape varieties comomnly used for rosé include Cinsault, Grenache, Mourvèdre, Pinot Noir, Sangiovese, Syrah, and Tempranillo. Rosé can also be produced by blending red and white wine, a method permitted for some wines, notably rosé Champagnes; and by pressing red and white grapes together, which is done to make German Rotling.

†Super Tuscans and Chiantis are both types of red wine made in Tuscany. The difference between a Super Tuscan wine and Chianti is D.O.C. status. For a wine to be labeled as Chianti D.O.C., it must be made from at least 80% Sangiovese grapes that are grown in one of the approved Chianti areas that lay between the cities of Florence, Sienna, and Arezzo.

Super Tuscans don’t follow the strict rules of the Chianti appellation. They can be made entirely from Sangiovese or can include or be made entirely from French grapes like Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, and Syrah.

Super Tuscans are labeled I.G.T. (Indicazione Geografica Tipica), a designation that was created in 2013 that indicates a lower quality level. This does not mean, however, that Super Tuscans are cheaper than Chiantis. Quite the opposite is true: even the best Chiantis do not usually reach the high prices commanded by the top Super Tuscans. Toscana I.G.T. simply refers to wines not covered by the various D.O.C., D.O.C.G., or other designations in the region of Tuscany. Here’s more about them.

††Maratheftiko is a rare and prestigious indigenous red wine grape from Cyprus, also known locally as Aloupostafylo, Mavrosportiko, Pampakia, Vamvakada, and Vamvakina. Known for a deep red color and a full body, it typically features aromas of wild berries, cherries, blackberries, and florals like violets and roses, balanced by crisp acidity and rich tannins. Unlike other grapes, it cannot self-pollinate and must be planted alongside other grape varieties for pollination. This process often results in millerandage, where grape bunches contain berries of mixed sizes and ripeness.

†††Prokupac is a red Serbian wine grape that produced high quality red wine, modern rosé types and less frequently, a traditional darkly colored rosé.

††††Mavrud is a red wine grape indigenous to the Balkans. It’s used as both a blending grape and for varietal wines.

†††††Xinomavro is a Greek grape and red wine made from it. Xinomavro from the Naousa region of Central Macedonia has become one of Greece’s most important and well regarded wines (it’s now planted in China and elsewhere). The Naousa Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) was established in 1971.

‡Vranec is a red grape variety that originated in Montenegro. It is the most planted grape variety in Montenegro, a small country in the Balkans. The country between Bosnia and Herzegovina on the North, Albania on the South, Serbia on the East, and the Adriatic Sea on the West. The grape is also grown in Dalmatia (in Croatia), Herzegovina, tge Republic of of Kosovo, the Republic Of North Macedonia, and south Serbia. Here’s more about it.

‡‡Buckfast is a fortified red wine that is mixed with pure caffeine and other tonic ingredients, giving it a reddish-brown color and a high alcohol content of 15% ABV. It is a sweet, syrupy tonic wine created by Benedictine monks in the 19th century at the Buckfast Abbey in Devon, England. It was originally sold in as a medicine. Today, its unique taste and reputation as a tonic has an international following. Here’s more about it.

‡‡‡Sweet vermouth can be sipped straight, but it’s often too sweet for most people. It’s mostly used for cocktails, pairing well with Bourbon, Dark Rum, Rye, and Scotch. Classic cocktails that use sweet vermouth include the Manhattan, Negroni, and Rob Roy.
 
 

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[1] Chocolate pot de crème, a French chocolate custard (photo © Volpi Foods).

[2] Chocolate pot de crème in a French pot de crème dish with a chantilly—French for whipped cream (photo © The Nibble).

[3] White chocolate pot de crème topped with raspberry sauce. Here’s the recipe (photo © Cooking And Beer).

[4] Raspberry pot de crème. Here’s the recipe (photo © Driscoll’s).

[5] Antique pots de crème (photo © Tanya L. Cooper | The Cottage Journal).

[7] Pumpkin pot de crème with maple chantilly (whipped cream) and candied hazelnuts (photo © Kindred Restaurant | Davidson, North Carolina)

[3] Chocolate pot de crème with chantilly and raspberry garnishes, plus a modern touch of cacao nibs (photo © The Nibble).

Updated August 2026

August 27th is National Pots de Crème Day, one of the three classic French baked custards. All three are made of eggs, milk and/or cream, and sugar (in different proportions), along with a flavoring such as vanilla.

Pronounced poe-duh-CREM, meaning “pot of cream.”

We’ll start with a review of pot de crème, mousse, pudding, and custard.

Below:

> Three classic French baked custards.

> What is pot de crème?

> Julia Child’s chocolate pots de crème recipe.

> The history of pot de crème.

Elsewhere on The Nibble:

> The different types of custard, a photo glossary.

> Recipe: Key lime pots de crème recipe.

> The year’s 24 pudding holidays.

> The year’s 69 chocolate holidays.

> The year’s dessert holidays, January-July (more than 100!)

> The year’s dessert holidays, August-December (more than 80!)
 
 

[8] Crème brûlée, caramel custard (flan), pot de crème (photo © The Nibble).
 
1. THREE BAKED FRENCH CUSTARDS

These silky, baked French custards have been delighting diners for centuries, and are the three best-known in the U.S.

 

[9] Pot de crème, mousse, pudding, and custard. Which would you like to eat first (photo © The Nibble)?
 
 
2. WHAT IS POT DE CRÈME?

Pot de crème (pronounced poh-duh-KREM, meaning “pot of cream”) is a classic French baked custard dessert renowned for its rich flavor and velvety texture.

Ultra-dense, smooth, and luxurious, it’s made with a high proportion of egg yolks, making it significantly richer and heavier than American pudding, yet denser and less airy than mousse. Thus:

 
A 17th-century dessert, pot de crème became so popular that dedicated porcelain cups—also called pots de crème or petits pots (little pots)—were made to serve them (photos #2 and #6).

The liquid mixture is poured into small porcelain pots de crème with fitted lids, then placed in a bain-marie and baked low and slow. The water bath gently sets the egg yolks without curdling or scrambling.

The chilled pots are typically topped with a light dusting of cocoa, sea salt, or a dollop of unsweetened whipped cream. (We actually prefer substituting mascarpone for whipped cream.)

While dark chocolate is the most popular flavor, butterscotch, coffee, raspberry, vanilla bean are runners up.

In fact, pots de crème can be made in just about any dessert flavor you can name. But we, and most of the amateur cooks we know, cut our teeth on Julia Child’s chocolate pots de crème recipe.
 
 
Do You Need Little Pots With Lids?

Today few of us have space for a set of pot de crème cups, but you can easily make and serve pots de crème in:

 
 
3. RECIPE: JULIA CHILD’S PETITS POTS DE CRÈME AU CHOCOLAT

This is a variation of Julia Child’s recipe from The French Chef Cookbook. She translated the recipe name as Chocolate Cream Custards.

This recipe makes four 1/2 cup ramekins or chocolate pots. You might consider doubling the recipe: It’s not worth the effort for four little ramekins.

Instead of Jamaican rum, you can substitute orange liqueur or coffee liqueur. Instead of whipped cream, consider a dab of mascarpone or crème fraîche.

While Julia used only the classic French pots de crème garnish of chantilly, other garnishes we enjoy include candied orange peel, chocolate-covered espresso beans, and shaved or grated white chocolate.

If you like the combination of sweet and salty, try a sprinkle of crunchy coarse sea salt. You can also place a raspberry and a small mint leaf next to the chantilly.

When Julia published her cookbooks, artisan chocolate was not well known in the U.S. She used supermarket brands. However, the better the chocolate you use, the even more delicious the pots de crème will be.
 
Ingredients

1. PLACE a rack on the lower third of the oven, and preheat to 350°F.

2. PLACE the chocolate in a quart measuring cup (or equivalent) and add enough cream to reach the 1-1/2 cup mark. Pour the mixture into a saucepan and set over low heat, stirring occasionally until the chocolate has completely melted. Stir in the sugar.

3. ADD the egg and yolks to a bowl, and whisk just enough to blend. In a thin stream, gradually pour the egg mixture into the hot chocolate mixture, continuing to stir the chocolate mixture. Add the rum.

4. DIVIDE the mixture among the ramekins and place them in a baking dish. Tamp down any air bubbles on the surface of the chocolate mixture.

5. FILL the baking dish with water up to 2/3 the height of the ramekins. Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil to prevent a crust from forming on the custard.

6. PLACE the dish on the lower rack of the oven for about 20 minutes. The custards are done when they puff into slight domes but still quiver a bit. A toothpick stuck in the center should be slightly wet but not runny.

You can eat the custards hot or warm from the oven, or refrigerate them for 30 minutes or longer. They’ll keep in the fridge, individually covered with plastic wrap after they chill down, for up to five days.
 

[10] Antique pots de crème, circa 1830–1840, porcelain with hand-painted decoration and gilding (Peabody Essex Museum) (photo © The Nibble via Creazilla).
 
4. THE HISTORY OF POTS DE CRÈME

Custards date back to the Middle Ages and were used as fillings for pies and tarts. In fact, the word custard derives from the French “croustade,” which is a tart with a crust.

Similarly, pots de crème were originally custard fillings for pies. At some point, some observant cook or assistant decided to bake the filling alone, in individual small cups. A small cup with a lid and one handle evolved specifically for pots de crème (photos #2, #6, and #10).

Loose baked custards cooked in individual lidded porcelain cups (pots) originated in 17th-century France and were formally documented as early as 1651 in François Pierre La Varenne’s landmark cookbook, Le Cuisinier François.

The dessert also became known as petits pots, little pots, typically in chocolate*, fruit, and vanilla flavors.

While today chocolate pots de crème are most often seen on restaurant menus, we see any and all dessert flavors: butterscotch, caramel, coffee, matcha, passion fruit, pumpkin, raspberry, and whatever is trending at the moment.
 
 
The Pots De Crème Cups

Small porcelain cups (about three inches tall—photo #10 above) with lids topped with finials, were in use by the 18th century. These pots de crème appeared on formal tables in both Europe and the U.S.

The small size of the cup dictated that the custard be eaten with a demitasse spoon.

You can buy the pots today, in both modern porcelain and antique sets. The latter usually included a footed porcelain tray, or even a three-tiered tray, on which the pots were brought to the table.

Styles, patterns, and colors vary widely; from fairly rustic to elegant and gold-enhanced.

From the mid-1700s to the early 1900s, some of the finest examples came from prestige porcelain houses such as Meissen, Sèvres, Wedgwood, and Worcester.

As an example of how elaborate dinnerware was for the well-to-do—think of all the different forks, knives, and spoons with which those tables were set. Think of all the specialty plates and serveware as well (chocolate was poured from a chocolate pot, different from tea pot and a coffee pot).

Cups of a similar size were used for both pots de crème and hot chocolate. But the chocolate pots typically had two handles! For the reason why, see the †footnote below.

Today, serve your pots de crème in whatever cups, dishes, or glasses you have. Your family and friends will be just as happy whatever the container.

________________

*Chocolate first came to France in 1615; it was a gift to the 14-year-old King Louis XIII from his 14-year-old bride-to-be, Anne of Austria. It was first served as a drink until French chefs expanded its use by adding the flavor to custard and other desserts. Here’s more about it.

†Why did pot de creme cups have one handle, but hot chocolate cups, the same size, have two handles? You’d think it would be the other way around. It comes down to 18th-century dining etiquette, function, and luxury culture.
The functrion was drinking vs. eating. Drinking chocolate was consumed by tilting the cup back to drink, often when still in bed. Two handles allowed the drinker to lift the cup symmetrically using both hands for stability. Pot de crème was eaten at the dinner table with a demitasse spoon. Because one hand was already occupied holding the utensil, you only needed one hand—and thus one handle—to steady or position the porcelain pot.

Additionally pot de crème pots were cooked directly in a water bath (bain-marie). The single side-handle functioned like a tiny saucepan handle, making it easy for cooks to place the pots in baking tins or lift them out when hot. Chocolate, on the other hand, was poured into the cup from a chocolate pot.

While both types of porcelain featured fitted lids to retain temperature, the single handle on a pot de crème made it easier to hold the cup with your non-dominant hand while using your dominant hand to remove the lid or spoon out the custard.
 
 

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[1] A banana split constructed atop French Toast made from a hot dog roll. Clever! (photo © Tillamook County Creamery Association.

[2] Any hot dog roll will do, but the better the roll (see if you can find brioche hot dog rolls!), the better the French Toast (photo © Company Hjdgvdfdshjdgvdfds).

[3] Strawberries are conventional on banana splits, but raspberries will fit onto this format more easily (photo © Good Eggs).

August 25th is National Banana Split Day, and here’s some food fun: Turn leftover hot dog buns into French Toast for a French Toast Banana Split.

Thanks to Tillamook County Creamery Association for the idea!

> The history of the Banana Split.

> The history of French Toast.

> The difference between buns and rolls.
 
 
RECIPE: BANANA SPLIT ON HOT DOG ROLL FRENCH TOAST

This recipe works best with day-old or older buns.

The ingredients make 8 servings, but you can cut them down.
 
Ingredients For The French Toast

 
Ingredients For The Banana Split

 
Preparation

If you are preparing more than two rolls, consider scooping the ice cream into balls and keeping them in the freezer for quick assembly.

1. WHISK together in a large bowl the eggs, milk, and salt. Pour the mixture into a large pie plate for dipping. Set aside.

2. OPEN the hot dog buns and place them face down, spread flat—but do not break the halves apart.

3. SPRAY a large non-stick skillet with cooking spray (or coat the pan with butter, which will be hot enough when it foams). Place the pan over medium heat. Working with one roll at a time, dip both sides into the egg mixture to coat (the less fresh the roll, the slower it will absorb the mixture).

4. PLACE the roll into the pan, cut side down. Add as many rolls as your pan can hold. Cook until golden brown, then flip to cook the outside of the roll. Remove to a large plate, platter, or tray and repeat the process for the remainder of the rolls.

5. PLACE the open jar of sauce in the microwave and heat for 30-45 seconds.

6. ASSEMBLE: Place the hot dog roll on a plate or in a bowl. Add the ice cream and drizzle with sauce. Garnish as desired.

7. SERVE with a spoon (for the ice cream), fork, and knife (for the French Toast).

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