An A-Z of the world’s best known Grape Varieties
Albarino
Top class white variety mostly found in North-West Spain’s Galicia region. Usually unoaked, this variety can be exotic when ripe and suggest apricots and nectarines. Or if its lighter in style, it tends to be more Riesling-like.
Airen
Not the most exciting white grape variety in the world, but surprisingly, one of the most planted. That’s because you’ll find it planted in profundity in central Spain’s La Mancha region.
Barbera
Increasingly fashionable red Italian variety most commonly found in Piedmont. Now this grape variety is popping up all over the place, particularly in California and South America. Generally, barberas have lots of plummy and cherry fruit, not too much tannin and good acidity.
Blaufrankisch
This Austrian variety, which produces lovely black and red-fruited wines, with crisp acidity and freshness is much underrated.
Cabernet Franc
According to Oz Clarke, Cabernet Franc is the original Cabernet grape, not its more famous namesake Cabernet Sauvignon. On its own it features in the Loire Valley, where it can produce some lovely leafy reds from Chinon and Bourgeuil. In Bordeaux though it tends to feature alongside Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Increasingly though, Cabernet Franc is also appearing in California, New Zealand, Chile, Canada and Australia.
Cabernet Sauvignon
Undoubtedly, one of the world’s most famous, aristocratic and well-travelled varieties. It remains the backbone of great Bordeaux, particularly on the Left Bank where its hall-mark cassis flavours and powerful tannins define its character. Nowadays, Cabernet Sauvignon is grown all around the world from Austria to Australia.
Carignan
A work horse red grape variety grown in Southern France which tends to produce wines lacking in distinction.
Carmenere
The grape variety with the Chilean identity crisis. Carmenere originally came from Bordeaux, but was transplanted to Chile where for decades it was confused with Merlot until 1996. Good Chilean Carmenere has a meaty, savoury edge to it allied to low acidity and sweet fruit. It’s also good for blending with Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon.
Chardonnay
Possibly – no, definitely - the wine world’s most famous white grape variety. Best known as the white grape of Burgundy, Chardonnay has spread its wings around the world from Europe to California and Western Australia. Unfortunately, its ubiquity has meant that many people have become bored by its predictable flavour profile at lower price points. But at its best, great Chardonnay is unsurpassable.
Chenin Blanc
To traditionalists, Chenin Blanc’s spiritual home is in the Loire Valley where this versatile acidic white grape variety makes a number of wine styles from still to sparkling and sweet to dry. It too has started to travel the world, particularly in South Africa where it can range from excellent to execrable.
Dolcetto
This Piedmontese red grape variety means ‘little sweet one’. Generally, the wines have sweet cherry fruit, a hint of bitterness and soft, gentle tannins.
Gamay
Gamay is grown mostly in the Beaujolais region of Southern Burgundy where it generally produces light, fragrant and fruity wines for early drinking.
Grenache
Grenache (or Garnacha in Spain) is another much underrated red grape variety. However, in the right place and in the right hands, Grenache can produce some stunning single varietal wines. Equally though in places like the Rhone Valley, it can be a mainstay component in blends like Chateauneuf du Pape.
Gewurztraminer
Once described as smelling like a tart’s boudoir, this Alsace variety is the original ‘love it loathe it’ grape. Generally, it performs solo and is noted for its spiciness, exotic perfume and lychee-like fruit flavour. If handled badly though, Gewurtz can be overblown and blousy. Increasingly, it is being grown with more and more success in New Zealand, Chile and Australia and Canada.
Gruner Veltliner
Austria’s answer to Chardonnay. This is a complex, steely, savoury and very classy white grape variety grown to greatest effect in places like the Wachau and Kamptal regions of Austria. It is a great food wine and well worth looking out for.
Malbec
Rather like Carmenere, this red grape variety from South-West France is now arguably performing much more effectively in its new location of Argentina rather than its homeland of Cahors. Good Argentinian Malbec is deeply covered with a smokey, meaty egde and black damson fruit.
Marsanne
A white Rhone Valley grape which is becoming increasingly fashionable in vineyards around the world. However, it is an acquired taste thanks to its savoury, oily unctuousness. Nonetheless, it can be a lovely food wine, whether young or old.
Merlot
Although Merlot was mercilessly pilloried in the film ‘Sideways’, it still remains a perennial favourite with winemakers and consumers. Its spiritual home is in Bordeaux’s Right Bank appellations of St Emilion and Pomerol. But these days, Merlot is just as much at home in California, Chile, South Africa and Australia. Of course, not all Merlot is good and some can be jammy, simple and dull. But when it’s good, it can be sensational. Meanwhile, Merlot’s soft tannins and plummy fruit also make it a natural blending partner, particular for Cabernet Sauvignon.
Mourvedre
This black skinned, tannic Southern French variety also goes by the name of Mataro in Australia and Monastrell in Spain. Either way, it’s an exceptional grape variety giving deeply coloured, heady and characterful wines.
Muscadet
Apart from being a region in the Loire Valley, Muscadet is also a grape variety. Happily, both the region and the grape are enjoying something of a renaissance. Though not overloaded with character or flavour, this slightly neutral acidic grape remains a terrific partner for seafood.
Muscat
Most wines don’t actually taste or smell of fresh grapes. But Muscat is the exception to the rule. There are many Muscat varieties, most of which are made into sweet pudding wines in places like the South of France and Australia. Occasionally, you get a good bone dry example in Alsace and elsewhere, but on the whole they tend to be sweet, perfumed wines to go with dessert. Also look out for Moscato in Italy. For instance, Moscato d’Asti makes a lovely light frizzante wine which is perfect with strawberries or as an alfresco aperitif.
Nebbiolo
Along with Sangiovese, Nebbiolo has to be Italy’s most serious red grape variety. Famous for its aromas and flavours of tar and roses, it makes the wonderfully long-lived Barolos and Barbarescos of Piedmont.
Palomino Fino
Were it not for Sherry, this grape variety would have been consigned to history long ago. However, on Jerez’s chalky albariza soils, the Palomino Fino flourishes to produce one of the world’s most unique and complex wines.
Petit Verdot
This little known tannic and difficult to grow red grape variety from Bordeaux is making something of a comeback both at home and abroad. Many Bordelais Chateaux are now using more Petit Verdot in their blends to add complexity. The same is true of producers in Chile and South Africa. However, some overseas producers, particularly in Australia, are also using it as a single varietal with stunning results.
Pinot Blanc
Pinot Blanc is a bit of an also-ran in many people’s opinions. Certainly, it isn’t a star performer to rank alongside Riesling or Chardonnay. However, it makes some surprisingly good, if not great wine all around the world. Its tell-tale flavours are an apples and pears with good acidity and not too much body. Probably performs best in Alsace, but it can also be good in Austria, Canada and Italy.
Pinot Gris
Another Alsace variety, but in a higher league than its close relative Pinot Blanc. That’s because great Pinot Gris has a honeyed richness, muskiness and complexity that is almost unique. Italy’s Pinot Grigio version generally doesn’t cut the mustard in this way and tends to be too lightweight and too much of a crowd pleaser for serious contention. However, New Zealand is producing some excellent Pinot Gris and is well worth checking out.
Pinot Noir
What can one say about the great Pinot Noir, famous for its finesse, complexity, strawberry freshness and gentle tannins? Of course, Pinot Noir is the grape of red Burgundy. However, these days, great Pinot Noir is unquestionably also being produced in New Zealand and California. And let us not forget that Pinot Noir does play a very important role in a rather famous blended wine, better known as Champagne.
Pinotage
Alongside Gewurztraminer, Pinotage is possibly the world’s most controversial grape variety. Grown mostly in South Africa, it is the very odd hybrid ‘crossing’ of Pinot Noir and Cinsaut. Too often though, Pinotage has a hideous rubbery flavour which strips it of fruit. However, when ripe and well-made, Pinotage can be a wonderful full-bodied wine with black, brambly, spicy fruit and firm tannins.
Riesling
There are those, including Jancis Robinson, who believe that Riesling is the greatest white grape variety of them all. What Robinson and co adore about Riesling is its nuanced delicacy and truly remarkable versatility, not to mention its cleanly crisp flavours of peach, elderflower and citrus. In Germany, it makes the most magical ‘terroir’ wines from dry to lusciously sweet. Ditto in Austria, too. However, Riesling can also flourish in such faraway places as South Australia and New Zealand where it has yet another flavour profile which is a million miles from its teutonic roots. If you haven’t tried a Clare Valley Riesling and enjoyed its intense limey fruit, you don’t know what you’re missing.
Roussanne
Roussanne, the Southern French white grape variety is usually the blending partner of Marsanne. Mostly, it is to be found in white Chateauneuf du Pape and Crozes Hermitage Blanc. Occasionally, it does make a solo performance to produce a dry, mealy savoury wine.
Sangiovese
The translation of Sangiovese means the blood of Jove. It is certainly the lifeblood of Tuscany’s great red wines including Chianti, Brunello di Montalcino and Vino Nobile di Montepulciano. Great Sangiovese does depend on where it was grown and who has produced it. However, its flavours of cherries and violets should also have a fleshy sweetness, richness and freshness, together with a slightly bitter finish. Meanwhile, Sangiovese’s charms have been exported around the wine world of late, particularly in places like California and to a lesser extent Australia and South America.
Sauvignon Blanc
These days, most of us probably associate Sauvignon Blanc with New Zealand rather than the Loire Valley. But the latter is where this exceptional white grape variety actually hails from. However, Sauvignon Blanc is everywhere nowadays, extending its domaine from the Loire and Bordeaux to the Languedoc too. And besides New Zealand, its tell-tale gooseberry fruit flavours can be found in South Africa, Chile and Australia.
Semillon
In Bordeaux, Semillon is Sauvignon Blanc’s blending partner for both dry and sweet wines. However, elsewhere it takes centre stage – particularly in Australia’s Hunter Valley where it can produce some magical whites which can age for decades to create some of the most complex wines imaginable.
Shiraz/Syrah
This isn’t just a case of ‘you say tomarto and I say tomayto,’ there are real stylistic differences between Shiraz and Syrah – despite the fact that they are exactly the same grape variety. Syrah, for instance, is grown in the Rhone Valley of Southern France where it produces such sublimely smokey, berry-ish, perfumed and long-lived wines as Cote Rotie and Hermitage. Shiraz, on the other hand, represents the Australian interpretation of the variety. Its most famous examples hail from places like the Barossa Valley in South Australia and lean to a richer, riper and more voluptuous style. As a result, if you see a wine labelled Shiraz it is likely to be more New World in style. If it has Syrah on the label, it’s likely to be much lighter, fresher and more subtle. Both styles are perfectly valid and well worth exploring.
Tempranillo
Tempranillo is the heart and soul of the great red wines of Rioja and Ribera del Duero. As such it is Spain’s greatest indigenous red variety, though it is increasingly venturing outside its homeland to such faraway places as South America and Australia. Tempranillo’s flavour profile is up-front luscious black and red fruits with refreshing acidity and weight.
Viognier
It wasn’t that long ago that Viognier nearly disappeared entirely from its vineyard base in Condrieu in the Rhone Valley. The reason why was because it is such a pernickety grape variety that is difficult to grow. However, its growers persevered and slowly but surely Viognier has achieved a remarkable recovery. As a result, it has moved beyond the Rhone to Southern France and overseas to places like South Africa and the Americas with impressive results. What should you look for in Viognier? Intense aromatics, exotic honey-blossom, apricots and peaches and a very gentle acidity. My advice is to drink it while it is in its first flush of youth.
Zinfandel
There are still no end of arguments about Zinfandel’s origins. Yet, no matter. Planted mostly in California, it remains one of the world’s most distinctive grape varieties with its heady, spicy, raisiny fruit studded with loganberries and plums. Personally, I love it especially when produced by someone like Paul Draper at Ridge in California. These days, though Zinfandel is also spreading its wings and can be found in Australia and even Chile. | |
Search
Thousands of Jobs,
Homes & Cars from the Gazette and Herald
| Powered by |
|
|
|
| | | | | | | | Eating out | Read our reviews of restaurants across the region
|
| | | | |
