Wine Grape Varieties

October 26, 2010

Philippines Wine Shop Clark Wine Center is pleased to share with you articles, news and information about wine, wine events, wine tasting and other topics related to wine and the appreciation of wine.

Red Grapes

Cabernet Franc

Caberbet Franc is primarily grown in France’s Bordeaux region, especially in the St. Emilion and Pomerol areas. It produces a fragrant, earthy-tasting wine that is more rogh-edged than cabernet sauvignon .

Cabernet Sauvignon

Cabernet Sauvignon is integral to France’s Bordeaux wine, but this grape has also been transplanted to many other continents including Australia, South Africa, North and South America. It produces medium to full-bodied tannic wines that are rich in color, fragrance, depth and complexity of flavor. Cabernet Sauvignon is blended with Merlot in France’s Bordeaux region and Syrah in Australia.

Gamay

Gamay grapes are grown in France’s Burgundy region where they are used to produce Beaujolais wines. Beaujolais is usually consumed while young, but some of the best can develop fine pinot noir characteristics after years of aging. In the United States, “Napa gamay” wines are made from transplanted Gamay grapes. Confusingly, however, “Gamay Beaujolais” wine produced in California is made from pinot noir grapes; this due to Paul Masson’s misidentification of vines he tranferred from France many years ago.

Grenache

Grenache is grown in France, California, South Africa and South America. Wines made primarily from Grenach can be too rich and alcoholic. So it is often combined with other grape varieties. It should be noted that the “Grenach de Logrona” wine produced in Spain is made from Tempranillo grapes, not Grenache.

Malbec

Malbec grapes are often added to Bordeaux wines to impart their dark color and tannic qualities. The so-called “black wine of Cahors” was traditionally made from Malbec grapes. This grape is also popular with South American wine makers.

Merlot

Merlot grapes are grown in many countries including: France, Italy, Chile, and the United States (California, New York, and Washington). Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon are the major constituent of red wines from Bordeaux. Merlot grapes yield deeply colored, full-bodied, soft (low tannin content) wines.

Nebbiolo

Nebbiolo is primarily grown in northwest Italy where it is used to produce Barolo, Barbaresco, Carema, Donnaz, and Gattinara wines. Nebbiolo grapes yield wines with high acid and tannin content as well as aromas of fruit (strawberry), earth (tar or truffles), and herbs (eucalyptus or mint). Bonarda grapes are often blended with Nebbiolo (as Merlot is blended with Cabernet to produce the red wines of Bordeaux) to soften the resulting wine.

Petit Verdot

Petit Verdot grapes are grown in France. They have been used to improve the acidity and balance of Bordeaux wines.

Pinot Noir

Pinot Noir grapes are grown in France where they are used to produce red wines and champagne, and the United States (California and Oregon). They have been transplanted in North America with mixed results. Pinot Noir can produce extremely smooth wines with tremendous richness of flavor, but it is tempermental and often yields disappointing results even in ideal climates. Pinot noir wines are relatively high in acidity, low in tannins, and lighter in color than Merlot or Cabernet.

Sangiovese

Sangiovese grapes are grown in the Tuscany region of Italy where they are used to produce Chianti wines. These light to full-bodied wines have meduim tannin content and medium to high acidity. Many Chiantis have flavors and fragrances of fruit (cherry) and flowers (violets), but some have a metallic taste or nutty character.

Syrah/Shiraz

Syrah grapes, also called Shiraz in Australia, are grown in the Rhone Valley of France as well as Australia, Italy, South Africa, and the United States (California). They produce robust, fruity, tannic, and deeply-colored wines that often have flavors reminiscent of smoked meat, burnt rubber, and/or tar.

Zinfandel

Zinfandel grapes are grown in the United States, Australia, and New Zealand. They are used to produce light and elegant white and rose wines as well as powerfully-flavored, alcoholic red wines. Red Zinfandel wines are deeply colored with medium to high tannin content. They may have a spicy character or flavors of raspberry or blackberry.

White Grapes

Aligote

Aligote grapes are grown in France and Bulgaria. Although they usually produce shallow uninteresting wines, they can yield fuller, more richly flavored wines when harvested after very hot growing seasons. Sometimes Aligote wines are blended with Chardonnay to enhance their flavor and character.

Chardonnay

Chardonnay grapes are planted in just about every wine producing country in the world. They are used to produce French Burgundies and Champagnes. Chardonnay’s fruity flavors and frgrances can range from apple to tropical fruit. Its earthy aromas may be reminiscent of mushrooms or minerals. Chardonnay tends to produce dry wines. Wine makers use various methodds to impart an oaky flavor (toasty, smoky, nutty, spicy, or vanilla-like taste) to most Chardonnay wines.

Chenin Blanc

Chenin Blanc grapes have been cultivated in France since the middle of the 9th century A.D, and more recently in SOuth Africa and the United States. They are used to produce sweet wines and sparkling wines, but sometimes dry white wines as well. Some Chenin Blanc wines have an interesting so-called ‘oily’ texture that feels viscous in the mouth. Chenin Blanc is called ‘Steen’ in South Africa.

Gewurztraminer

Gewurztraminer grapes were originally grown in Germany and France, but have been trasplanted to distant places including South Africa and the United States (California, Oregon, and Washington). Translated from German, Gewurztraminer means ‘spicy grape from Tramin.’ Gewurztraminer wines are usually darker colored and more aromatic than most white wines. The grapes high sugar content and low acidity yield soft alcoholic wines that age quickly.

Muscat Blanc

Muscat is a name used for a group of grape varieties and subvarieties grown in Australia, Italy, the Alsace region of France, and other places. These grapes usually yield dry, sweet, or sparkling wines with a fragrance of musk and flowers. Many sweet dessert wines are made from Muscat grapes.

Pinot Grigio

Pinot Grigio (a.k.a. Pinot Gris) grapes are darker in color than most white wine grapes. They are grown in Italy, the Alsace region of France, and the United States (California and Oregon). Pinot Grigio wines are medium to full-bodied with low acidity.

Riesling

Riesling grapes are grown in Germany, France, and the United States (California, New York, and Washington) as well as other places. They produce wines that are light in body and low in alcohol content and often sweet rather than dry. Riesling aromas and flavors can be fruity, floral, or minerally.

Sauvignon Blanc

Sauvignon Blanc grapes are grown in many countries including the Loire and Bordeaux regions of France, as well as New Zealand, South Africa, and the United States. These grapes produce light to medium-bodied dry wines. They have a high acid content, resulting in crisp wines, and often have flavors reminiscent of herbs and/or grass.

Semillon

Semillon grapes are grown in Australia, South Africa, southwestern France (including Bordeaux), and the United States (Washington). They are oftern blended with Sauvignon Blanc. Semillon wines have aromas reminiscent of melons or figs.

Viognier

Viognier grapes are grown in France’s Rhone Valley and the United States. They produce medium to full-bodied dry wines with floral aromas and low acidity.

Source: http://www.pages.drexel.edu/~mem58/wgv.html

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