Regent

Regent is a dry, medium-bodied red grape most closely associated with Germany, producing deeply coloured wines packed with black cherry, blackberry and plum alongside herbs and gentle spice. Fruity and smooth with enough structure for food, it’s a great match for burgers, sausages, roast pork, roast chicken, pizza and mushroom dishes.

Taste:

Dark in colour, juicy in flavour and surprisingly easy-going.

Regent is typically dry and medium-bodied, with moderate acidity and soft to moderate tannins. Expect black cherry, blackberry, plum and sometimes raspberry, with subtle notes of herbs, pepper and earthy spice.

Some versions are made to keep all that fresh fruit front and centre, while oak ageing can add extra body and flavours of vanilla, toast or warming spice.

Despite its impressively deep colour, Regent doesn't necessarily come with equally heavyweight tannins. Basically, it looks moodier than it is.

Food Pairings:

Regent's combination of dark fruit and softer tannins makes it an easy red to bring to dinner.

Try it with burgers, roast pork, pork chops, bratwurst, sausages, roast chicken or grilled chicken. It's particularly good with herb-seasoned meats and roasted flavours.

Pizza works brilliantly too, including pepperoni, sausage, mushroom, prosciutto and Margherita.

For pasta, try spaghetti bolognese, lasagne, meatballs in tomato sauce, mushroom pasta or other tomato-based pasta dishes.

For meat-free options, pair Regent with mushroom risotto, mushroom pie, lentil dishes, roasted vegetables or grilled aubergine.

On the cheese board, Gouda, Gruyère, Brie and medium-strength Cheddar are all good matches.

Similar Wines:

If you enjoy Regent, Dornfelder is an excellent next stop for another deeply coloured German red with plenty of fruit.

Spätburgunder offers a lighter, more elegant side of German red wine, while Zweigelt is worth exploring if juicy fruit and soft tannins are what won you over.

For another approachable red with plenty of fresh fruit, try Gamay.

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More About Regent:

Regent is a relatively modern German grape variety, created in 1967 and released for commercial planting decades later.

It's what's known as a PIWI variety – a German abbreviation used for grape varieties bred to have greater resistance to fungal diseases. That natural resistance can reduce the amount of vineyard treatments required, which has made grapes like Regent particularly interesting to growers looking for more sustainable approaches.

Regent is now grown in Germany and several other European wine regions, and you'll even find it in some English vineyards.

A grape bred with practicality in mind that also happens to make a decent bottle of red. Very German, really.