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I think most wine lovers and enthusiasts basically know the most common grape varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc etc. But how much do we know about that particular grape varietal? Well for those of you that don’t, I wanted to touch on some information on each of these varieties in hopes for a better understanding of them.
WHICH GRAPES MAKE WINE? Grapes make up a large, diverse plant family. All classic wine making grapes come from the species Vitis vinifera, which yields the largest and sweetest fruits. Thousands of varieties exist. The grape variety determines the character of any given wine, although growing conditions and the wine-maker process will affect the end results.
Cabernet Sauvignon: Grown in many wine regions around the world, this variety always makes wine with a recognizable style and flavor. It is thick skinned and the fruits are small and blue in color. This is the most well known grape variety in the world. Along with Merlot, with which it is often blended, it is the most important Bordeaux variety and is successful in the New World, too. The grapes are high in tannins, so Cabernet Sauvignon wines age well (especially if oaked), but need time to mature. At best, the wines are rich in color, aroma, and depth, and in time have a long-lasting flavor, often blackcurrants.
Chardonnay: Unquestionably the most popular white grape variety, this is in part due to its unfussy temperature and versatility for making wine. It is the variety behind classic white Burgundy and one of the three varieties used to make Champagne. Wines from this grape are dry, and light (crisp apple like flavors) to medium and full bodied (buttery), depending on how the wine maker wants to make them.
Chardonnay is easy to cultivate, disease-resistant, and highly productive in most conditions. Chardonnay re3sponds very well to being aged in oak barrels. This gives the wine a depth of flavor not achieved by other processes. However in recent years a lot of wine makers are choosing to make their chardonnay’s on the lighter crisper side, demand for a oaky, buttery Chardonnay’s have dropped considerably.
Chenin Blanc: Very high acidity characteristics these grapes, which need plenty of sun to ripen properly; otherwise the wines are tart. Aging improves good quality sweet Chenin Blanc by bringing out the fruit.
These grapes have thin skins and high sugar content. The main regions for Chenin Blanc are the Loire, New Zealand, and South Africa. White wines from very dry to sweet, as well as sparkling, are produced. Successful dry wines are fresh and fruity, sweet wines well balanced and honeyed.
Gamay: Beaujolais, which is made from Gamay grape, is of enormous commercial importance in Burgundy, where it accounts for more than half of all wine produced. Most are uncomplicated, light, fruity reds intended for drinking when young and fresh. The wine has a distinctive intense pear aroma, which is the result of the production methods, and a raspberry flavor. More serious Beaujolais can be aged. Beaujolais nouveau (new) made to be drank just weeks after harvest, this is usually more hype than quality.
Gewürztraminer: The highly aromatic wines made from this spicy variety are full-bodied whites that can be dry or sweet. They have low acidity and high alcohol content, often over 13%. Alsace produces the finest examples. With its exotic perfume and intense litchi flavor, this is one of the few wines that pairs well with spicy foods. Grapes are distinctive pale pink color. Frost is a danger to young buds in spring.
Grenache: On its own, this black grape makes warm fruity flavored wines with high alcohol content and aromas of freshly ground black pepper. The grapes are low in tannins, however, so they are often blended with highly tannic grapes such as Cabernet Sauvignon or Syrah, which benefits both varieties. Southern France, Australia, California, Spain are the main growing areas. Grape yields must be carefully controlled to ensure quality.
Merlot: this is the most widely planted black grape variety of Bordeaux, where it is usually blended with Cabernet Sauvignon. The latter gives backbone to Merlot, which is lower in tannins and acidity, yet can bring a richness and smoothness to wines that would otherwise be harsh. On its own Merlots that are unblended are usually soft and easy drinking wines, with flavors of plums and fruitcake.
Pinot Noir: This is the grape used to make red Burgundy. It is extremely sensitive to climate conditions, and yields are very high, making it both difficult and expensive to produce. Rarely blended, Pinot Noir grapes make fairly pale colored, light to medium bodied reds, with strawberry or raspberry aroma. Best quality Pinot Noirs are those from Burgundy; they can be the most sumptuous reds in the world. Some other regions, including New Zealand and Oregon, are starting to enjoy success. The Key role, Pinot Noir is one of the main grape varietal used in Champagne.
Riesling: this classic German grape variety makes some fine white wines all over the world, from bone dry to sticky sweet. They are light in body and low in alcohol, yet strongly flavored and very long lived. High acidity always balances any richness, whatever the style of wine. Superb, very sweet white wines are made from Riesling grapes that have been subject to noble rot *. Slow ripening is best and the wood is very hard making the vine frost resistant. Riesling’s reputation has suffered unfairly in recent years due to similar but inferior grapes being wrongly labeled as Riesling.
Sauvignon Blanc: Wines made from these grapes are mostly very dry, fresh whites, designed to be drunk young. Their intense taste and aroma, suggestive of green grass and gooseberries, make them easy to recognize. Sancerre and Pouilly Fume, from the Loire, are perhaps the most well known Sauvignon Blancs, but New Zealand also produces some fine examples. Growth of this vine is very vigorous. The acidity makes this a good blending variety, to add zest to bland wines. If blended, it is most often with Semillon.
Semillon: This versatile grape makes a range of white wines, dry to very sweet, particularly notable Australia and Bordeaux. It is often blended, usually with Sauvignon Blanc and also Chardonnay. Dry and blended wines are best when young, but many of the sweeter wines improve with age. Semillon is perhaps greatest when subject to noble rot*, making some famous dessert wines like Sauternes and Barsac. Thin-skinned grapes are prone to noble rot*.
Syrah (Shiraz): Called Shiraz in Australia and South Africa, the Syrah grape makes dark full bodied, strong red wines with great potential longevity, particularly if oak aged. Fairly tannic when young, these wines should reward keeping for at least three years; they are best with food. Mature Syrah has aromas of blackcurrant, cedar, and mixed spice. Syrah is widely planted in the Rhone. Vines are adaptable, thriving in warm places. In Australia, Shiraz is used to make sparkling and fortified wines, in addition to its world famous still reds.
Zinfandel: Regarded as California’s own grape variety, Zinfandel makes wines whose style can vary from light and elegant, as in the white or rose wines, to massive and tannic reds, but the grape’s berrylike character always comes through. The best are arguably those that are rich and deeply colored, preferably with brief aging in oak. These will be at their peak after five years. White Zinfandel: these black grapes also make white wine, called blush, which is usually very pale pink in color, light in body, and slightly sweet to the taste.
Other important grape varieties: Barbera makes light, fruity Italian reds. Colombard makes fresh, tangy white wines in France, California, and Australia. Muller-Thurgan is a mediocre relative of the Riesling, used in cheap white German wine. Muscat covers several related white varieties, all with a distinctive musky aroma and grapery flavor. It is grown through out southern Europe. Nebbiolo (red) is used for Italian Barolo. Pinto Blanc and Pinot Gris makes whites in Italy, France, and Germany. Pinot Blanc is similar to Chardonnay; Pinot Gris is more aromatic. Sangiovese (red) is the main grape for Chianti. Sylvaner a high producing grape makes dry whites. Tempranillo (red) is the chief variety in Rioja. Viognier makes Condrieu, an excellent quality dry white that is perfumed and full bodied.
*Noble Rot: if conditions in fall are warm and humid enough, a fungus may infect grapes left on the vine. These grapes are shriveled and dehydrated, but their sweetness is concentrated. Noble Rot affects Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Chenin Blanc, Semillon and Gewürztraminer favorably.
Next newsletter: Where wine is produced and their regions.
Cheers!
Finewineonline.net
WHICH GRAPES MAKE WINE? Grapes make up a large, diverse plant family. All classic wine making grapes come from the species Vitis vinifera, which yields the largest and sweetest fruits. Thousands of varieties exist. The grape variety determines the character of any given wine, although growing conditions and the wine-maker process will affect the end results.
Cabernet Sauvignon: Grown in many wine regions around the world, this variety always makes wine with a recognizable style and flavor. It is thick skinned and the fruits are small and blue in color. This is the most well known grape variety in the world. Along with Merlot, with which it is often blended, it is the most important Bordeaux variety and is successful in the New World, too. The grapes are high in tannins, so Cabernet Sauvignon wines age well (especially if oaked), but need time to mature. At best, the wines are rich in color, aroma, and depth, and in time have a long-lasting flavor, often blackcurrants.
Chardonnay: Unquestionably the most popular white grape variety, this is in part due to its unfussy temperature and versatility for making wine. It is the variety behind classic white Burgundy and one of the three varieties used to make Champagne. Wines from this grape are dry, and light (crisp apple like flavors) to medium and full bodied (buttery), depending on how the wine maker wants to make them.
Chardonnay is easy to cultivate, disease-resistant, and highly productive in most conditions. Chardonnay re3sponds very well to being aged in oak barrels. This gives the wine a depth of flavor not achieved by other processes. However in recent years a lot of wine makers are choosing to make their chardonnay’s on the lighter crisper side, demand for a oaky, buttery Chardonnay’s have dropped considerably.
Chenin Blanc: Very high acidity characteristics these grapes, which need plenty of sun to ripen properly; otherwise the wines are tart. Aging improves good quality sweet Chenin Blanc by bringing out the fruit.
These grapes have thin skins and high sugar content. The main regions for Chenin Blanc are the Loire, New Zealand, and South Africa. White wines from very dry to sweet, as well as sparkling, are produced. Successful dry wines are fresh and fruity, sweet wines well balanced and honeyed.
Gamay: Beaujolais, which is made from Gamay grape, is of enormous commercial importance in Burgundy, where it accounts for more than half of all wine produced. Most are uncomplicated, light, fruity reds intended for drinking when young and fresh. The wine has a distinctive intense pear aroma, which is the result of the production methods, and a raspberry flavor. More serious Beaujolais can be aged. Beaujolais nouveau (new) made to be drank just weeks after harvest, this is usually more hype than quality.
Gewürztraminer: The highly aromatic wines made from this spicy variety are full-bodied whites that can be dry or sweet. They have low acidity and high alcohol content, often over 13%. Alsace produces the finest examples. With its exotic perfume and intense litchi flavor, this is one of the few wines that pairs well with spicy foods. Grapes are distinctive pale pink color. Frost is a danger to young buds in spring.
Grenache: On its own, this black grape makes warm fruity flavored wines with high alcohol content and aromas of freshly ground black pepper. The grapes are low in tannins, however, so they are often blended with highly tannic grapes such as Cabernet Sauvignon or Syrah, which benefits both varieties. Southern France, Australia, California, Spain are the main growing areas. Grape yields must be carefully controlled to ensure quality.
Merlot: this is the most widely planted black grape variety of Bordeaux, where it is usually blended with Cabernet Sauvignon. The latter gives backbone to Merlot, which is lower in tannins and acidity, yet can bring a richness and smoothness to wines that would otherwise be harsh. On its own Merlots that are unblended are usually soft and easy drinking wines, with flavors of plums and fruitcake.
Pinot Noir: This is the grape used to make red Burgundy. It is extremely sensitive to climate conditions, and yields are very high, making it both difficult and expensive to produce. Rarely blended, Pinot Noir grapes make fairly pale colored, light to medium bodied reds, with strawberry or raspberry aroma. Best quality Pinot Noirs are those from Burgundy; they can be the most sumptuous reds in the world. Some other regions, including New Zealand and Oregon, are starting to enjoy success. The Key role, Pinot Noir is one of the main grape varietal used in Champagne.
Riesling: this classic German grape variety makes some fine white wines all over the world, from bone dry to sticky sweet. They are light in body and low in alcohol, yet strongly flavored and very long lived. High acidity always balances any richness, whatever the style of wine. Superb, very sweet white wines are made from Riesling grapes that have been subject to noble rot *. Slow ripening is best and the wood is very hard making the vine frost resistant. Riesling’s reputation has suffered unfairly in recent years due to similar but inferior grapes being wrongly labeled as Riesling.
Sauvignon Blanc: Wines made from these grapes are mostly very dry, fresh whites, designed to be drunk young. Their intense taste and aroma, suggestive of green grass and gooseberries, make them easy to recognize. Sancerre and Pouilly Fume, from the Loire, are perhaps the most well known Sauvignon Blancs, but New Zealand also produces some fine examples. Growth of this vine is very vigorous. The acidity makes this a good blending variety, to add zest to bland wines. If blended, it is most often with Semillon.
Semillon: This versatile grape makes a range of white wines, dry to very sweet, particularly notable Australia and Bordeaux. It is often blended, usually with Sauvignon Blanc and also Chardonnay. Dry and blended wines are best when young, but many of the sweeter wines improve with age. Semillon is perhaps greatest when subject to noble rot*, making some famous dessert wines like Sauternes and Barsac. Thin-skinned grapes are prone to noble rot*.
Syrah (Shiraz): Called Shiraz in Australia and South Africa, the Syrah grape makes dark full bodied, strong red wines with great potential longevity, particularly if oak aged. Fairly tannic when young, these wines should reward keeping for at least three years; they are best with food. Mature Syrah has aromas of blackcurrant, cedar, and mixed spice. Syrah is widely planted in the Rhone. Vines are adaptable, thriving in warm places. In Australia, Shiraz is used to make sparkling and fortified wines, in addition to its world famous still reds.
Zinfandel: Regarded as California’s own grape variety, Zinfandel makes wines whose style can vary from light and elegant, as in the white or rose wines, to massive and tannic reds, but the grape’s berrylike character always comes through. The best are arguably those that are rich and deeply colored, preferably with brief aging in oak. These will be at their peak after five years. White Zinfandel: these black grapes also make white wine, called blush, which is usually very pale pink in color, light in body, and slightly sweet to the taste.
Other important grape varieties: Barbera makes light, fruity Italian reds. Colombard makes fresh, tangy white wines in France, California, and Australia. Muller-Thurgan is a mediocre relative of the Riesling, used in cheap white German wine. Muscat covers several related white varieties, all with a distinctive musky aroma and grapery flavor. It is grown through out southern Europe. Nebbiolo (red) is used for Italian Barolo. Pinto Blanc and Pinot Gris makes whites in Italy, France, and Germany. Pinot Blanc is similar to Chardonnay; Pinot Gris is more aromatic. Sangiovese (red) is the main grape for Chianti. Sylvaner a high producing grape makes dry whites. Tempranillo (red) is the chief variety in Rioja. Viognier makes Condrieu, an excellent quality dry white that is perfumed and full bodied.
*Noble Rot: if conditions in fall are warm and humid enough, a fungus may infect grapes left on the vine. These grapes are shriveled and dehydrated, but their sweetness is concentrated. Noble Rot affects Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Chenin Blanc, Semillon and Gewürztraminer favorably.
Next newsletter: Where wine is produced and their regions.
Cheers!
Finewineonline.net
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