Barbera Productive variety, widely planted in Italy. Also found in various New World vineyards. Cabernet Franc Grown throughout Bordeaux. Produces very aromatic but slightly earthy wines which are lighter in colour and tannins than Cabernet Sauvignon. Cabernet Sauvignon The world’s most renowned grape variety for red wine. A most important constituent in red Bordeaux especially those wines of the Medoc but this grape can be found in many important wine regions of the world including Australia, Calfornia and Chile where the characteristic complexity and longevity can be found in their top wines. Carmenère Found in parts of Bordeaux and increasingly in Chile (see our Antu Mapu Carmenére). Produces excellent, deep coloured rich wines. Cinsault Produces robust wines with good colour. Found in Languedoc and Southern Rhône. Gamay Solely responsible for the distinctive wines of Beaujolais, but also found in the Loire, and to a small extent outside France. Simple Beaujolais is best drunk young but the Crus or single village wines can age well and develop more complexity. Grenache The world’s second most widely planted variety. Especially important in Southern France and all across Spain. Often blended with other varieties. Produces rich, warm, alcoholic wines. Malbec Once popular in Bordeaux blends but now associated with Argentina and Cahors. Produces full coloured wines with good tannins. Merlot Often associated with the wines of Saint Emilion and Pomerol in Bordeaux; the early maturing, plump, rounded qualities complement Cabernet Sauvignon. Important around the world eg Italy, Australia, California, South Africa etc. Montepulciano Vigorous variety found in much of central Italy. Ripens late and produces deep coloured wines. Nebbiolo A noble grape responsible for some of Italy’s finest and longest lived wines eg Barolo. Often needs to be softened by the addition of eg Bonarda grapes. Petit Verdot One of Bordeaux’s classic black grape varieties. Thick skins contribute colour and tannin. Produces long lived wines but ripens late. Also used in Chile and Australia. Pinotage Hardy hybrid grape variety grown in South Africa. Can produce long lived, rich, deep coloured wines which benefit from oak maturation. Pinot Noir Grown around the world but particularly famous as one of the main varieties used for Champagne, and as the black grape variety of Burgundy. Can produce incredibly rich, velvety wines. Pinot Meunier An important variety in Champagne where its resistance to frost is particularly important. Sangiovese Principal grape used in Chianti. Syrah (Shiraz) Syrah (France) and Shiraz (New World) is the same grape variety and one of the great grapes of the world. Responsible for the famous northern Rhône wines such as Hermitage; where the wine is rich and tannic with a good deal of fruit. Shiraz is also an important variety in Australia. Tempranillo An important variety in Rioja and sometimes considered as Spain’s answer to Cabernet Sauvignon; its grapes are thick skinned and capable of making deep coloured, long lasting wines. Zinfandel A versatile grape grown mainly in California where it produces whites, rosés and big, tannic reds.
Aligoté Thin skinned variety grown mainly in Burgundy and Bulgaria producing fairly tart wines of moderate alcoholic content. The best wines are produced in Burgundy where they are sometimes blended with a little Chardonnay. Chardonnay Produced in most commercial wine growing areas and is arguably the greatest dry white wine variety. One of the three main Champagne grapes and responsible for producing great white Burgundy. Colombard Often blended with other varieties eg Chardonnay in the New World, especially California, South Africa and Australia. The wine on its own can be acidic and is usually fairly thin. It lends itself well to distillation eg Armagnac. Chenin Blanc A most versatile grape variety producing many of the world’s great dessert wines, sparkling wines and easy-drinking wines from the New World, especially South Africa. The name comes from Mount Chenin in the Touraine district of the Loire. Garganega Bianco Italian variety, the main grape used in the production of Soave. Vigorous, over produced and can be bland but at its best, produces fine delicate wines. Gewürztraminer Not easy to spell even for wine merchants, but very easy to recognise! This pink skinned grape produces full-bodied, aromatic, pungent wines. Probably at its best in Alsace. Grenache Blanc Widely planted in France and Spain producing good quality, full wines. Macabeo (or Viura) Northern Spain’s most planted white grape now much used in modern white Rioja. Muscat A family name for many varieties grown around the world. They produce styles ranging from dry to sweet, still to sparkling and fortified. Müller Thurgau In 1990 this grape occupied nearly one quarter of Germany’s vineyards. It is the main constituent in Liebfraumilch and other well known names like Niersteiner. Pinot Gris Another variety producing its best wine in Alsace where it can be fine, rich and complex. Riesling One of the world’s great white varieties and indeed THE great variety in Germany. Can produce wines of intense flavour which may be long lived. The wines are usually light in body. Sauvignon Blanc Responsible for some of the world’s most popular dry white wines, an important part of the blend in the great sweet, white Bordeaux. Often recognised by its piercing gooseberry aroma. The finest wines come from the central Loire eg Sancerre and also from New Zealand. Semillon Famous for its use in the great dessert wines: Sauternes and Barsac and also used as a partner in New World blends particularly with Sauvignon Blanc where it gives fatness to the wine. Sylvaner Prolific, early maturing variety originally from Austria, now widely planted in Central Europe. Ugni Blanc Makes light, thin wines suitable for distillation eg Cognac and Armagnac. Viognier Produces fine wines in Rhône eg Condrieu, and there are also some plantings in other areas of France and Australia.
