The Aligote is a white wine grape used in the Burgundy region of France. The Aligote is  generally considered unimpressive, but it is still used to make a few wines.  Chardonnay is replacing it as new plantings take place.

The Chenin Blanc is a white grape that is commonly grown in the Loire Valley of France (Vouvray), South Africa and California in the United States. It makes white wines that are fragrant and high in acid. Chenin Blanc can make wines that range in style from dry to very sweet depending on decisions made by the winemaker. Because of the high acidity in wines made from Chenin Blanc, they tend to age very well. In Saumur, Chenin Blanc is used to make sparkling wines of notable quality.

This grape variety is noted for it floral fragrance and its spicy flavors.  It is grown most successfully in France (especially Alsace), the United States (California, Oregon, Washington), Germany and New Zealand.  It does better in cool climates that in warm ones.

It is often paired with spicy foods and can be made in styles that range from completely dry to semi-dry.  Gewurztraminer can also be made in a late harvest dessert wine style that is delicious.  This is especially true in Alsace

The most planted grape variety in Austria representing more than 1/3 of all vineyard plantings.  This grape is not significantly grown in any other country.  It is a white grape that produces a bright, distinctive wine with a spicy aroma and taste.  It can be medium to full bodied.

Malvasia is really a family of grapes including Malvasia Bianca and Malvasia Nera.  The most widely used is the Malvasia Bianca.  It can produce wines in a wide variety of styles ranging from very dry to very sweet.  In any form, the wines have aromas of pears and spice with fresh fruity flavors.  In some cases, Malvasia is used to make very rich flavored dessert wines by drying the grapes before crushing.  This method allows the sugars and flavors to be concentrated as the water in the grapes evaporates.

Malvasia is planted widely in Italy and around the world.  It performs best where it gets good exposure to the sun and where the soils drain well.  Other than the dessert wine variations, Malvasia wines do not age well and should be consumed quickly.

This is the primary grape variety planted in the lower Loire valley region of France.  Melon de Bourgogne was planted to nearly all the vineyards when they were replanted after the winter of 1709.  The winter that year was so cold that it destroyed the existing vineyards.  It is the only grape variety used to produce Muscadet.

Muller-Thurgau is grown primarily in Germany (where it is planted more than any other grape), Austria, New Zealand and Oregon.

Muscadelle

Muscat

Palomino is a white grape that is a native of Spain and used in the production of fine sherries.  It is a variety that is used especially for the dry light Fino sherries and which thrives on the "albariza", the chalk soils.

Palomino is also grown in South Africa, Australia and California and is used almost exclusively to make fortified wines.

Pedro Ximenez

The Pedro Ximenez is a white grape variety found in Spain and Australia.  It is used to produce fortified wines and is especially famous for its use in the production of sweeter styles of Sherry in Spain.

Pinot Blanc

Weissburgunder

In Austria, the Pinot Blanc grape is known locally as Weissburgunder.

Rousanne

This white grape variety is mostly used in the northern Rhone river valley of France.  It is used in Hermitage Blanc and is often used to blend with another grape variety, Marsanne.

The Sauvignon Blanc grape produces wines of distinction in most of the areas where it is grown.  It can tolerate greater heat than many varieties.  Sauvignon Blancs are higher in acid and often exhibit 'melon' in the nose and tastes.  If grown in too cool a climate, it can develop an herbal ('grassy') character in its aromas.  Sauvignon Blanc produces large crops and is a low cost variety.

It performs well in the Loire river and Bordeaux regions of France.  Because it can get overpowered by the oak flavors, it is not often aged in wood.  It can gain additional complexity and richness with that treatment.  In the U.S. it is often known as Fume Blanc.  New Zealand is having notable success with this variety and produces wines that have very high levels of acidity.

Sauvignon Blanc is often blended with small amounts of Semillion in order to 'round-out' the taste of the wine.

Sauvignon Blanc is especially good when served with seafood

The Scheurebe grape variety was developed in Germany as a cross of the Riesling and Sylvaner varieties in 1956.  It makes wines that are crisp due to its lively acidity, very aromatic and are very fruity.  Wines made from Scheurebe are often described as having a hint of blackberries in flavor. It is grown almost exclusively in Germany and represents less than 5% of the vines in that country.

Semillon

Semillon  ripens earlier in the season than most grapes and is less likely to be damaged by rains or frost.  It produces wines that are full flavored rich and aromatic.  Semillon is most often blended with other varieties (especially Sauvignon Blanc) to take advantage of the strengths of each variety.  Semillon is one of the three approved varieties (Semillon, Sauvignon Blanc and Muscadelle) for making white wines in the Bordeaux region of France.  Together with Sauvignon Blanc, it is the base for the great sweet wines of Sauternes and Barsac where it is affected by Botrytis cinerea.  Whether in the sweet wines or in dryer styles, Semillon has the ability to age for a very long time

Sylvaner

A cool climate grape grown primarily in northern Europe (especially Germany).  It has lower acidity and more body than Riesling.

Trebbiano/Ugni Blanc

The Viognier grape was once a little used variety best known in Condrieu, in the northern Rhone Valley of southwestern France. It is experiencing a resurgence in popularity as more of it is being planted in California and elsewhere in the world.  It makes fruity wines of medium body.  Stone fruit aromas (peach and apricot) are often found in wines made from Viognier along with a bit of spice.  Depending on the producer, the wine can range from exquisite to ordinary. Also, depending on the producer's style, the wine matches well with 'Asian Infusion' dishes as well as many foods that are often served with Chardonnay.

Brunello

Cabernet Sauvignon is a small dark thick skinned grape that gives average yields.  It needs slightly warmer growing conditions than many other varieties in order to achieve maturity.  DNA testing shows that it is descended from Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc

Cabernet Sauvignon Taste characteristics:  dark cherry, cedar, tobacco, black currant, cool climate growth can give green pepper or olive.  Up to 18 months of aging in small oak barrels before bottling Cabernet is common in order to achieve more complexity.

When you think of the finest red wines in the world, you often are thinking of wines made with Cabernet Sauvignon. Cabernet Sauvignon is known in some parts of the world by other names including: Petit Cabernet, Sauvignon Rouge, and Vidure.

The Carignane grape variety is one of the most widely planted grapes in the world.  It's popularity stems from the high crop yeilds that it produces as well as the characteristics that it can bring to a wine. Wine made from Carignane usually has red-fruit characteristics, deep violet and purple color, strong tannin structure and high levels of alcohol content. It is sometimes peppery like Syrah.. These characteristics have made it very popular as a blending agent in the vast quantities of local table wines (jug wines) that are consumed around the world. It often provides the 'backbone' of these wines and is blended with other grape varieties that bring additonal flavor characteristics.

Carignane is thought to have originated in northern Spain and grows well in a 'Mediterranean' climate. As a result, it is widely grown in many of the countries that border the Mediterranean Sea including France, Italy, Spain, and Algeria. Carignane is the most widely planted grape in France. It has also found a home in almost every other wine producing country around the world.

Despite its commercial success, the Carignane is considered a 'workhorse' grape rather than a noble variety such as Pinot Noir or Cabernet Sauvignon. Wines made from Carignane can be good but are almost never excellent. As a result, Carignane is slowly diminishing in the number of acres planted to it. As consumers want better quality wines, the Carignane grape is being displaced by other varieties.

Carignane is also known by some other names througout the world including: Carignan, Carignano, Carinena, Mazuelo and Monestel.

Carmenere

The Carmenere grape variety was once heavily planted in the Bordeaux region of southwestern France . This variety is one of the six varieties that are allowed for use in making red wines in Bordeaux.  Because of problems ripening the crop each year, Carmenere is now almost impossible to find in Bordeaux. 

Today, it is most used in Chile where it was imported in 1850.  It was originally mistaken for Merlot and continues to often be mislabeled in Chile as Merlot .

The Dolcetto grape makes soft, pleasantly fruity wines that are for early consumption.  It is used in the Piedmont region of northern Italy but it's use is diminishing. There are also limited plantings in California and most other key wine producing regions around the world, but most of those plantings are for experimental purposes.

Durif

Gamay

The Grenache grape variety is a sweet grape and is one of the most widely planted in the world.  The Grenache produces wines that, in their youth, are fruity, full in flavor, and have overtones of spice. Wines made from the Grenache are usually light in color and are often made of blends with other grape varieties.  The Grenache grape resists heat and tolerates limited rainfall. 

In France, Grenache is used in making red and rose (Tavel and Lirac) wines in the Rhone river valley where it is widely planted.  Grenache is widely planted in Spain where it is known as Garnacha Tinta.  In the United States it is grown in California where it is almost exclusively a blending grape for rose wines. Grenache is not known for producing wines that age well over a long period of time. They are usually best consumed when they are young.

Grignolino is a red grape grown almost exclusively in the Piedmont region of northern Italy. This grape produces dry wines with a delicately perfumed bouquet. The wines are either light fruity red wines or refreshing fragrant roses.  It is at its best when drunk cool and young.  Wines made from Grignolino have high acid levels and light tannins. These are good wines to have with salamis and cheeses of medium seasoning, and also match well with beef. 

The name of the grape comes from a word in the local dialect that means "grape pips" (seeds). It is thought that the name came from the fact that this particular variety has an abundance of seeds in each grape. Grignolino is a slow maturing grape that is best suited for warmer areas that have long growing seasons. It reaches maturity near the beginning of October.

The grape probably originated in northern Italy where the climate matches the needs of the vine and the taste characteristics of these wines match well with the local foods. Outside of Italy, the Grignolino grape variety is an oddity and is not growing in use.

Malbec

Merlot

The Merlot grape is a close cousin to Cabernet Sauvignon in many respects.  It is lower in tannins and makes wines that mature faster and are softer in texture.  Merlot is often blended with Cabernet Sauvignon in order to soften the blend. At its best, Merlot makes a wine that is dry, rich in flavor and smooth as it finishes in your throat. At its worst, Merlot makes wine that is dry but thin in taste and texture, and not very pleasant to consume. Most of what you will come across are likely to be of pretty good quality.

An Italian grape that makes wines of medium body, rich color and nice tannin structure.  It is the primary grape used to make Montepulciano d'Abruzzo.

Nebbiolo is an Italian red grape known for its success in the Piedmont region where it is used to make Barbaresco and Barolo.  These wines are full flavored and can age well.  Nebbiolo is not a significant factor in other growing areas.

Petit Sirah / Petite Sirah / Petit Syrah / Petite Syrah - It's all the same

The Petit Verdot grape variety is one of the six approved grapes for making red wines in the Bordeaux region of France. It is usually used as you would use a spice in cooking because a little bit goes a long way. Petit Verdot will often be blended as 1% to 3% of the total wine in order to take advantage of some of its most dominant characteristics. Petit Verdot has very deep purple color and a strong tannin structure. It is usually used to impart these features to the wine into which it is blended. Because Petit Verdot tends to ripen late in the season and is often lost to rains during harvest, it is following another variety, Carmenere, into near extinction in the Bordeaux region. 

Plantings of Petit Verdot are on the rise in California because the weather there allows for consistent ripening of the grapes. Many of the more prestigious and quality oriented producers in California are including small amounts in thier blends. There are a few California wineries that have gone against the historical trend and bottled wines with Petit Verdot as the primary grape variety.

The Pinot Meunier grape is most important in the Champagne region of France.  It is one of the three authorized grapes for making Champagne along with Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.  Pinot Meunier is a mutation of Pinot Noir that was already known in the 16th century.  It is widely grown in the Champagne region and sparsely in parts of Germany and other parts of France.  It prefers rich, fertile land and does not do well on limestone soils.  Pinot Meunier matures just a few days later than Pinot Noir.

Pinot Meunier makes a light fruity wine that 'fleshes out' a Champagne and adds softness and fruitiness.

Pinot Noir is one of the most difficult grapes to grow and make into fine wine.  It is also one of the very best when it is done properly.  It has very specific requirements for its growing conditions.  It needs warm days and cool nights.  If Pinot Noir receives too little heat in the growing season, its wines are thin and pale.  If the growing season is too warm, the wines have an overripe, cooked flavor.

Sangiovese is the primary grape used in Northern Italy in the region of Tuscany to make Chianti and also for Brunello di Montalcino.  Sangiovese produces wines that are spicy, with good acid levels, smooth texture and medium body.  In the right climates and with controlled yields, Sangiovese can be made into very structured and full bodied wines.  It is usually blended with other grapes for best results and in northern Italy is blended with Cabernet Sauvignon in the 'Super Tuscan' blends.

Sangiovese is experiencing increased interest and plantings in California and elsewhere.  Because of its ability to create smoother wines with acid levels that pair well with many foods, a great deal of experimentation is taking place with it as a blending agent with several red varieties.

This grape is known as Syrah in France and Shiraz in Australia.  In the United States, it can appear under either name depending on the style of the winery. The grape is thought to be named for a city in Persia (Shiraz) where it probably originated.  It produces full rich wines of intense color and flavor.  In warmer climates like Australia, the grape produces wines that are sweeter and riper tasting. In cooler climates like the Rhone valley of France, it often has more pepper and spice aromas and flavors. Syrah usually becomes drinkable at an early age and most are produced for consumption within a year after release (2rd year from harvest). On the other hand, there are Syrah/Shiraz examples of very long lived wines such as Hermitage in France and Penfold's Grange in Australia.

Syrah/Shiraz was brought into southern France by a returning crusader, Guy De'Sterimberg.  He became a hermit and developed a vineyard on a steep hill where he lived where he lived in the Rhone River Valley.  It became known as the Hermitage. The use of Syrah spread in the Rhone River Valley of France and it is now very important to the best wines of that region. It is often blended with Grenache and is an essential grape in the production of Chateauneuf du Pape.

The grape was introduced to Australia in 1832 by James Bushby who brought in vines of several varieties from Europe. By 1844 Shiraz was a recommended variety for Australia in Sir William Macarthur's Letters based on his own research and experience. For at least its first hundred years in Australia, Shiraz was used as a 'field blend' variety and not vinified separately. It's late blooming nature suited the warmer growing conditions found in Australia.

In Australia, Shiraz has found a real home. The Shiraz grape is the most widely planted red grape variety in Australia where it is sometimes blended with Cabernet Sauvignon or occasionally with Mourvedre. 

The Tempranillo grape variety is only grown on the Iberian peninsula in Spain and Portugal.  It is referred to by many different names in various parts of Spain and as Tinta Roriz in the Douro river area of Portugal.

In Spain Tempranillo is the most important red variety.  It is the major grape in Rioja red wines.  In the wines from Rioja, Tempranillo makes wines that are medium bodied and high in acid with dark colors and flavors of plum and black currants.

The Tinta Barroca is an fast growing, early maturing grape type that produces large clusters of large, thin skinned berries.  The variety produces wines with delicate and subtle flavors.  It grows best in cooler situations (such as high elevations) and in better vintages delivers a larger crop than any of the other 'Port Blend' varieties.  It is blended with other varieties in order to soften the blend, add perfume to the aroma and lengthen the finish.

The Tinta Barroca is an fast growing, early maturing grape type that produces large clusters of large, thin skinned berries.  The variety produces wines with delicate and subtle flavors.  It grows best in cooler situations (such as high elevations) and in better vintages delivers a larger crop than any of the other 'Port Blend' varieties.  It is blended with other varieties in order to soften the blend, add perfume to the aroma and lengthen the finish.

This grape grows in small clusters of medium sized berries with thick skins.  It is a poorer producer in terms of overall crop size than the other key 'Port' grapes except for Touriga Nacional.  It produces wines that are lower in alcohol and have less structure than the other 'Port' grapes.  It is used as a blending agent to add floral characteristics to the nose and fruitiness to the taste.  It is the least planted of the key 'Port' varieties but is increasing in its popularity.

Touriga Nacional is the best of the grapes that are blended for Port.  It has been used in Port making as far back as the 18th century.  Touriga Nacional is an early maturing grape that makes wines of especially deep color, intense fruity aroma and tannin.  This variety grows rapidly and is adaptable to a wide range of growing conditions including limited rainfall. It is grown mostly in Portugal.

The Touriga Nacional variety makes the best of the Ports but its yields are small (less than 1/2 of other key varieties) and it is the most expensive of the grapes to use.  It is used in high percentages only in the best Ports.

This grape produces wines with smooth, soft textures that have excellent aging potential

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