Aghiorghitiko (red)
Aghiorghitiko, which is Greek for St George, is a real charmer, oozing with fruit and soft tannins, with a dark purple, 'black', colour. It produces wines with a wide range of styles, from light, fruity, full-flavoured rosés to medium-bodied, juicy reds and seriously fine, cask-fermented examples. Only wines made from this variety can be called Nemea, the largest of the Greek appellations. Soils vary from oxide-rich red soils to sandy clay and marl. A notion of Cru is bound to develop in lower-yield, hillside sites such as Koutsi, while other quality sites include Ancient Nemea, Gymno, Ahladia and the cooler-climate, high Nemea valley of Asprokambos. A quantum leap forward in quality has spurred substantial investment from outsiders.
Aglianico (red)
Robust, quality southern Italian red grape variety found mainly on the
volcanic slopes of Campania and Basilicata in Italy's south.
Airén (white)
Neutral, drought-resistant Spanish variety grown mainly around the La Mancha
region with the dubious distinction of being the world's most widely planted
vine variety.
Albana (white)
In Albana di Romagna, a fairly ordinary white appellation which owed its DOCG upgrade not so much to quality as to the power and influence of those responsible for its administration. On occasions, it rises above the norm.
Albariño (Alvarinho) (white)
High quality variety grown in Galicia's Rias Baixas region, where it produces
aromatic, full-bodied, peachy and grapefruity whites which go beautifully with
the local Atlantic shellfish, and known as Alvarinho in neighbouring Portugal's
Vinho Verde.
Aleatico (red)
Italian red variety with Muscat-like fragrance grown in Italy's south, on
Elba and Corsica, and the central Asian republics of Kazakhstan and
Uzbekistan.
Alicante Bouschet (red)
Like carignan, one of the Midi's productive varieties planted mainly for its
deep colour and known as Garnacha Tintorera (Grenache to dye for) in Spain.
Aligoté (white)
Aligoté plays the Robin role to Chardonnay's Batman in Burgundy, where it
produces crisp, sharp, if neutral dry whites, with a lemony tang of acidity. You
can understand why aligoté is traditionally used to add a bit of verve and bite
to the local crème de cassis to make Kir, or Champagne for Kir Royale. In the
Côte Chalonnais in southern Burgundy, ally goaty, as the English like to call
it, is the exclusive white grape variety in the Bouzeron appellation. It crops
up in eastern Europe and is often used for sparkling wine in the former USSR
wine producing countries.
Aramon (red)
One of the triumvirate of workhorse Midi varieties planted in the last
century for mass production plonk, now on its way out.
Arneis (white)
Aromatic, nutty grape variety native to north-west Italy's Piemonte, where it
produces the delicately fruity, herby dry whites of Roero.
Assyrtiko (white)
Arguably Greece's finest white cultivar, Assyrtiko is more of a wine-lover's grape than a crowd pleaser, and is prized for its high acidity and staying power. It performs an admirable double act, producing fine bone-dry wines as well as amber-hued dessert wines. Although its origins lie on the volcanic island of Santorini, since the late 1970s it has adapted itself well to the diverse soils and microclimates of mainland Greece, where its unmistakable severity is softened. In northern Greece, near Thessaloniki, a leading estate blends it with the semi-aromatic, Viognier-like Malagousia. It is also grown successfully on the island of Evia, and is a vital blending component in Attica estate wines, where it is vinified alongside the Roditis and Savatiano varieties. Santorini Vinsantos are made by sun-drying Assyrtiko with 10% of the rarer, more aromatic Aidani grapes for up to 10 days. These raisined grapes, after a slow fermentation and extended cask ageing (5-20 years), produce amber-hued dessert wines.
Bacchus (white)
Aromatic, Sauvignon-like dry white, a crossing of Silvaner plus Riesling with
Müller-Thurgau popular in Germany, also used in England.
Baga (red)
This is the main red variety in the Bairrada region of Portugal (hence also
known as Tinta Bairrada), where it produces reds with a distinctively honeyed,
beeswaxy character.
Barbera (red)
As widely planted in Italy as Sangiovese, but at its best in the hills around
Alba and Asti in Italy's north-west, barbera is a variety whose style varies
considerably according to yield. When it's low-yielding and matured in small oak
casks, it can be concentrated, rich and deliciously cherryish and capable of
ageing well. In high yields it's more of a soft, everyday glugging red whose
high acidity makes it ideal for relatively rich dishes. Outside Italy, Barbera
is widely planted in California, where, with few exceptions, it has missed out
on Sangiovese's Cal-Ital-led surge in popularity, and in Argentina where it can
be juicy and cherryish and a very good partner for pasta, risotto and pizza.
What does it taste like?
Blaufränkisch (red)
Juicy, high quality Austrian variety capable of making deliciously
succulent reds and can be good when aged in oak and in blends with Cabernet Sauvignon. Known elsewhere as Limberger, Kékfrankos, Nagyburgundi, Frankovka, Vojvodina and Franconia.
Bombino (white)
This is an important southern Italian white variety which at low yields can
produce dry whites with character such as Valentini's Trebbiano d'Abruzzo.
Cabernet Franc (red)
If Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot are, respectively, Bordeaux's king and
queen, Cabernet Francis its prince. Ripening earlier than Cabernet Sauvignon,
it's acts both as great blender with its special fragrance and at the same time
as a form of insurance policy. On the cooler, clay soils of the Right
Bank, it forms the backbone of many of the supple delicious, blackcurrant and
red berry fruit St Emilions and Pomerols, most notably Cheval Blanc. Outside
Bordeaux it's the major red grape of the Loire, where it's more herbaceous in
style, as it tends to be in north-east Italy. The name used for it in the middle
Loire is Breton. It's also grown in California, Argentina, Australia and New
Zealand. What does it taste like?
Cabernet Sauvignon (red)
Famous, fabulous and fabled, Cabernet Sauvignon is responsible for many of
the world's greatest wines and is, arguably, the grandest of all red wine
varieties. This thick-skinned, late-ripening variety performs best in the warm,
gravelly soils of the Médoc in Bordeaux, usually blended with lesser amounts of
Merlot, Cabernet Francand petit verdot. Cabernet can be herbaceous when a
little unripe with capsicum notes, becoming blackcurranty or cassis-like often
with cedary, musky and spicy qualities. It's deep-coloured and its assertive
tannins and affinity with oak allow the wines to improve in bottle over years if
not decades. It is equally capable of producing affordable, everyday reds in
regions like the south of France's pays d'Oc, and countries like Bulgaria and
Chile as it is of producing wines with real finesse and class, the best of which
come from Bordeaux and California and parts of Tuscany and Australia. Latterly,
South Africa, New Zealand and Argentina are laying claim to some very good
blends and varietals made from Cabernet Sauvignon. What does it taste like?
Canaiolo (red)
Grown widely throughout central Italy but best known as a minor blending
partner to Sangiovese in Chianti, although no longer a compulsory
ingredient.
Carignan (red)
The most widely planted grape variety in France, this workhorse red grape
abounds as a bush vine in the vineyards of southern France, where it is mostly
used as a blender in Languedoc's major appellations of Corbières and Minervois.
At low yields, and vinified by carbonic maceration, it is capable of producing
good, if rustic, reds. In Catalonia in Spain, it is known as Cariñena, and in
Rioja, as Mazuelo. As Carignano del Sulcis, it makes attractively herby wine in
Sardinia and is widely planted in California and South America.
Carmenère (red)
Variety which died out in Bordeaux after phylloxera but has since been
revived in Chile, where it is also known as Grande Vidure.
Chardonnay (white)
Chardonnay is the most popular of all white grape varieties, albeit not the
most widely planted variety in the world (a dubious honour belonging to Spain's
Airén). Why so popular? As the grape of white burgundy it produces a variety of
flavours and styles according to where it's grown and how it's made, from
minerally, unoaked Chablis to the grand and complex, nutty dry whites of
Meursault, Chassagne and Puligny Montrachet in the Côte de Beaune and the
fleshpots of Pouilly Fuissé further south. Along with Pinot Noir, it is also the
major grape variety in Champagne. Because of its versatility, it's spread like a
bush fire throughout Europe and the New World, with brilliant, opulently and
exotically flavoured whites in California, Australia and New Zealand. As
winemakers lavish increasing attention on it, it does increasingly well in Chile
and South Africa. As a non-aromatic variety, it has an affinity with oak,
whether new or used, French or American, and while barrel-fermented Chardonnays
tend to be the richest, most complex and long-lived dry whites, the trend to
unoaked Chardonnay is catching on as a backlash to the hefty, overwooded styles.
Despite talk of Chardonnay fatigue, its wonderful flavours, richness and
versatility ensure that it is here to stay. What does it taste like?
Chasselas (white)
Not well-regarded in Alsace but more esteemed in Savoie and in Switzerland,
and also widely grown in central Europe.
Chenin Blanc (white)
The versatile Chenin Blanc's pretensions to classic grape status are mainly
realised in the Loire Valley, where its floral aroma, apple and pear-like
flavour and acidity contribute to long-lived dry styles and luscious sweet
whites around Bonnezeaux, Quarts de Chaume, Vouvray and Layon, and, on
occasions, full-flavoured sparkling wines. Considered more of a workhorse
variety in the New World, it is South Africa's most widely planted grape variety
(known as Steen), widely planted in California, Australia, Argentina and New
Zealand, and occasionally produces quality dry whites when barrel-fermented. What does it taste like?
Cinsaut (red)
Southern Rhône variety, aka Cinsault, used in Châteauneuf-du-Pape and the
Midi, also popular in South Africa and an ingredient in Lebanon's Château Musar.
Clairette (white)
Ancient Languedoc grape used in many of southern France's regions, but
usually needing the acidity of grenache, picpoul or Ugni Blanc to bring it to
life.
Colombard (white)
Probably because of its association with Armagnac and Cognac, for which it is
distilled in south-west France, Colombard has no status at all within the grape
variety world. When produced at reasonable cropping levels, it can make a more
than acceptable, commercial dry white style such as vin de pays des Côtes de
Gascogne. It is produced to make neutral, commercial wines in South Africa,
California and Australia, and some say the best colombard in the world is made
by Joe Grilli's Primo Estate in the Adelaide Plains.
Cortese(white)
Piedmontese dry white with crisp Alpine acidity probably best appreciated in
the wines of Gavi and also forming part of Verona's Bianco di Custoza.
Corvina (red)
Late-ripening quality component of Valpolicella and the powerful Veronese
speciality reds, Amarone and Recioto.
Dolcetto (red)
Not sweet despite the sweet-sounding nomenclature, this is an everyday
north-west Italian variety whose low acidity and tannins make it perfect for
lapping up risotto and pasta in the Beaujolais mould. Made for drinking young,
it's alive with vibrant plummy, liquorice-like fruitiness, although some of the
best Piemontese producers make a more serious, richer style which can improve
with age for as long as five years. Also found in limited quantities in
Argentina and Australia.
Dornfelder (red)
Colourful, early-ripening red producing fruity, appealing reds in Germany and
grown to a limited extent in England.
Ehrenfelser (white)
Hybrid white wine grape made in Germany by crossing Riesling and Sylvaner. Advantageous for a better ripening over a wider range of sites, but has low acidity and does not age as well as Riesling.
Elbling (red/white)
Ancient grape, also known as Kleinberger, grown in France, Germany and Luxembourg. Used to make highly acidic but mainly low-strength wine.
Ezerjo (white)
Widely grown in Hungary and also Yugoslavia. It produces full-bodied, refreshing wine of the same name.
Fernão Pires (white)
Quality Portuguese variety grown throughout Portugal but especially in
Ribatejo and Bairrada where it's known as Maria Gomes.
Freisa (red)
Another light Piedmontese variety with a slight raspberryish tang produced as
a still or sparkling red.
Furmint (white)
Susceptible to raisining and noble rot (known as aszú in Hungary's Tokaji),
this full-bodied, high acid quality grape is the major partner in the blend with
Hárslevelú which makes up Tokaji, the rich, long-lived wines of the Tokaj region
in Hungary, now undergoing a revival thanks to western investments. It can
produce a good, fiery dry white too. It's also grown in Slovakia, Slovenia,
Croatia and Romania.
Gaglioppo (red)
The main red grape variety of Calabria in Italy's south, whose robust tannins
and rich flavours, particularly around the town of Cirò, have earned it a
reputation as 'the Barolo of the South'.
Gamay (red)
Gamay is the Beaujolais grape, and, as such, carries with it an innate
inferiority complex next to the Red burgundy grape, Pinot Noir. It's a pity
because when it's good, Gamay can make a deliciously, gushingly juicy everyday
red with a refreshing nip of acidity and flavours ranging from strawberry and
cherry to hints of banana. In the ten Beaujolais crus, it's also capable of
making a more serious, ageworthy red. Also grown with moderate success in the
Loire, Switzerland and former Yugoslavia and known for some strange reason in
California as Valdiguié. What does it taste like?
Garganega (white)
This is the classic white grape of Soave, notorious for its vapid character,
although when made well from low-yielding, hillside vineyards, it can be
delicately almondy and crisp.
Gewürztraminer (white)
One of the most distinctively perfumed grapes in the world, Gewürz is the
Alsace grape which smells of fragrant rose petals and Turkish Delight and tastes
of lychees. Its boudoir spiciness make it an extremely popular wine with
newcomers to wine, although it can be on the heavy side. In its late-harvest
form, it makes deliciously rich, sweet, exotic whites. It can be difficult to
get the balance right in the vineyard, but is widely grown in Europe, notably
Italy, Germany and Eastern Europe as well as in small quantities in Chile, South
Africa, Oregon, California, Australia and New Zealand too. What does it taste like?
Grechetto (white)
One of Italy's more characterful dry white grape varieties principally
responsible for the slightly fennel-like Umbrian whites of Orvieto and also Vin
Santo.
Greco (white)
Grape variety of Greek origin, hence the name, grown in Campania, the best
examples of which are Greco di Tufo and Greco di Bianco.
Grenache/Garnacha (red)
One of the world's most widely planted grapes, Grenache is a quintessentially
Mediterranean red variety which does best as a low yielding bush vine. It
produces powerful, warming, raspberryish reds whose greatest expression, from
old, low-yielding vines, is to be found in Châteauneuf-du-Pape (Château Rayas)
in France and in Australia's Barossa Valley and McLaren Vale. It also makes good
fortified reds as in Banyuls, Rivesaltes and Maury. Known in Spain as Garnacha
tinta, where it's widely planted, particularly in Rioja and Priorat, it fleshes
out the tempranillo. It's grown in California and in Italy too. What does it taste like?
Grignolino (red)
Native of the same north-western Italian alpine foothills as Dolcetto,
Barbera and Nebbiolo, producing youthful, attractively scented, everyday
reds.
Grillo (white)
Sicilian variety which has traditionally been used as the basis for the
fortified wines of Marsala but also used to make a honeyed, still dry white with
good acidity.
Grüner Veltliner (white)
Austria's most widely planted grape variety, where, in quality regions like
the Wachau, Kamptal and Kremstal, it can produce an assertive, steely, rich dry
white capable of rivalling the best Rieslings, while around Vienna it is used
for the young 'Heurige'wines. It has a unique aroma and flavour with elements of
white pepper and celery marking it out from any other variety. It's also grown
to a certain extent in Slovakia and Hungary. What does it taste like?
Hárslevelú (white)
Important partner with furmint in the Tokaji blend bringing aromatic and
spicy properties to the blend, and also grown in other parts of central Europe.
Huxelrebe (white)
Aromatic German crossing with grapefruity undertones mainly grown in Pfalz
and Rheinhessen with small quantities planted in England.
Kerner (white)
Reliable ripener and successful Riesling-based crossing largely replacing
Silvaner in Germany, where it's a better bet than either Silvaner or
Müller-Thurgau.
Listan (white)
Also known as Palomino, the Spanish grape variety is used best in large quantities for Sherry production. It's also planted widely around the world, used to produce low quality table wines.
Macabeo (white)
Widely planted in northern Spain and around the Mediterranean vineyards of
Roussillon and Languedoc, where it's known as Maccabeu, needing low yields for
quality.
Malbec (red)
Responsible for the so-called ancient 'black wine of Cahors' in south-west
France, Malbec is also a minor partner among the five main red varieties that
make up the Bordeaux blend. While it can be harsh and rustically tannic in
France (usually needing Merlot to soften it), it is the red grape par excellence
of Argentina, where it makes a softer, juicier style of red, especially from old
vines, with raspberry, mulberry and game-like undertones. It's also grown in
Chile, Australia and California. What does it taste like?
Malvasia (white)
Like Muscat, this is an ancient, Mediterranean-based variety, whose heartland
is Italy, where it makes anything from dry white and red wines to the rich,
sweet, fragrant whites of the islands, notably Sardinia, Lipari close to Sicily.
Malvasia Istriana, from Friuli is particularly good and, as a sub-variety, like
Malvasia di Candia, it is often blended to improve Italian basic whites. As a
red variety, Malvasia Nera is blended with Negroamaro in Puglia. It's common in
Spain and Portugal and in Madeira, it is responsible for the rich Madeira wine
known as M almsey.
Marsanne (white)
This is a quintessential northern Rhône grape variety with a faintly nutty
character usually blended with the zippier Roussanneto make the dry whites of
Crozes Hermitage, St.Joseph, Côtes du Rhône and at its best, the rare white
Hermitage. It is becoming increasingly popular in the south of France as a
blender and it's long been grown in Australia's Goulburn Valley. With the
popularity of Rhône varieties in California, it's being tried out with some
success here too. What does it taste like?
Mavrud (red)
Balkan vine best known for the sturdy reds of Assenovgrad Mavrud in Bulgaria,
where the grapes are small-berried and low-yielding.
Melnik (red)
Bulgaria's other quality near-native variety capable of producing good
ageworthy, almost Rhône-like reds when produced from low-yields and aged in oak.
Melon de Bourgogne (white)
Known better as Muscadet, its region of production in the western Loire close
to Nantes, Melon is synonymous with the rather neutral, acidic dry white Loire
Valley wine which reached its zenith in the late 1970s and early 1980s. It is
not a particularly distinguished variety, but, when genuinely made sur lie, i.e.
left on its lees for added zippy complexity, it can be transformed into a
bracing summer white with a sort of sea-salty freshness, making it the perfect
accompaniment to shellfish.
Merlot (red)
For long considered the junior partner in the great Bordeaux duo of grape
varieties, Merlot has achieved growing popularity in the last decade of the 20th
century thanks to the cult worship of certain Merlot-based Pomerols and Saint
Emilions in Bordeaux as well as a growing taste for its lusciously plummy and
flavoursome early-drinking delights in countries such as Chile and California.
With its soft texture, deliciously plummy fruit flavour and mellow tannins,
Merlot is more approachable than Cabernet Sauvignon. Taking to damp, cool, clay
soils rather than the warmer gravels of the Médoc, plantings of the
earlier-ripening, thinner-skinned Merlot outnumber those of Cabernet Sauvignon
in Bordeaux and they are also growing extensively in the south of France. Merlot
ripens earlier and more easily than Cabernet Sauvignon, hence its popularity in
France and in northern Italy. It is widely planted in eastern Europe, but
outside France, it is at its most serious in California, where it has become one
of the 'hottest' varieties. It is also extensively grown in Chile, where it
produces excellent value, supple-textured reds, and, increasingly in Australia
and New Zealand. What does it taste like?
Mondeuse (red)
A peppery red variety grown in the high altitude vineyards of Savoie, also
known as Refosco in north-east Italy's Friuli region.
Montepulciano (red)
Best known for the rustic reds of Montepulciano d'Abruzzo, this deep-coloured
variety, the main ingredient in Rosso Conero and Rosso Piceno, is widely planted
in central Italy, and often used as a blender with Sangiovese.
Moschofilero (white)
Moschofilero's home ground is the Arcadian plateau (650m above sea level) in the central Peloponnese. In this 'cool' region, harvest starts late, usually during the first 10 days of October. Moschofilero is a blanc-de-gris variety capable of producing several styles of wine: fruit-forward whites that are light and dry, as well as high in acidity, dry and off-dry rosé wines with a insistent rose petal perfume and, more recently, sparkling wines. In Greece, there is a strong demand for Mantinia, the appellation where this variety thrives, and it has become highly fashionable thanks to its vibrancy and inherent fruitiness. Alcohol levels are low, about 11.5% abv, and reach 12% only in exceptionally ripe years.
Mourvèdre (red)
Increasingly popular as the world wakes up to its qualities, this robust,
thick-skinned Mediterranean variety with its funky, animal-like character is
most widely planted in Spain where it's known as Monastrell. It's at its
intense, blackberryish best where it gets lots of sunshine, often close to the
sea, hence its ascendancy in Bandol on Provence's Mediterranean shoreline. On
the back of the Rhône revival in California and Australia, it performs well in
blends with other Mediterranean varieties, especially Grenache and Syrah. What does it taste like?
Müller-Thurgau (white)
A marvel of commercial engineering but never a high quality grape, this
Germanic crossing of what is thought to be Silvaner with Riesling or chasselas
has Dr. Hermann Müller to thank for its dubious notoriety, which plumbs the
depths in today's liebfraumilch. It is an early-ripening grape favoured in cool,
northern climates, where it can produce floral, sweet-pea like aromas. It can
produce decent wine in Italy's Alto-Adige, eastern Europe and in England and it
formed the basis for the modern New Zealand table wine industry back in the
1970s. What does it taste like?
Muscadelle (white)
The least of the Bordeaux trio of Sauvignon, Semillon and Muscadelle, this
grape nevertheless adds a certain fragrant quality to the dry and sweet whites
of Bordeaux and is responsible for the wonderfully sticky, malty, fortified
Tokays of north-east Victoria.
Muscat (white)
There are four main varieties of Muscat, the finest being Muscat à Petits
Grains, followed by Muscat of Alexandria, then Muscat Hamburg and the lesser
Muscat Ottonel. Renowned for its perfume and grapey character, Muscat is the
great Mediterranean vine of antiquity, producing a variety of white wine styles,
from the full-bodied dry whites of Alsace, to the sweet, fortified Muscats of
Beaumes de Venise, Rivesaltes and Frontignan, Italy's south and Australia's
north-east Victoria and sparkling wines, notably Asti Spumante, Moscato Bianco
and Clairette de Die. Muscat is widely grown in Spain, eastern Europe, Greece,
Austria, Portugal and the New World. What does it taste like?
Nebbiolo (red)
Arguably Italy's greatest red grape variety, responsible in north-west Italy
for the great reds of barolo and barbaresco, whose range of fabulous violet and
rose-like perfumes and flavours of truffle, fennel, liquorice and tar, make it
one of the world's most distinctive grape varieties. Named for the Italian
nebbia, meaning fog, because of the mists which enshroud the limetstone hills of
Monforte around Alba, nebbiolo is a tricky grape variety to grow and is
structured by good acidity and plenty of tannin. Small quantities are grown in
California and Australia, where it has yet to show the pedigree of its Italian
counterpart. What does it taste like?
Negroamaro (red)
Puglia's main red grape variety producing ripe sometimes raisiny, chocolatey
Mediterranean reds, best known in the DOC wines of Salice Salentino and
Copertino
Nero d'Avola (red)
Good quality red grape variety, almost indigenous to Sicily producing
intense, ageworthy reds, especially when blended and matured in small oak
casks.
Nielluccio (red)
Deep-coloured Corsican vine, producing average to good quality wine,
especially when matured in oak casks and blended with the island's other major
red grape, Sciacarello.
Optima (white)
A recent grape variety grown in Germany which combines Riesling, Sylvaner and Muller-Thurgau. Good ripening time and grows in a wide range of soils, but tends to produce mediocre wines. Consumed maily in Germany.
Palomino (white)
Palomino is the sherry grape grown in the vineyards of Jerez in southern
Spain, where it performs best in Jerez' white, chalk-like albariza soils. It is
low in acidity and fruit sugar which makes it ideal for the production of
sherry. Although not particularly notable as a table wine, once it has undergone
the sherry process of fortification and ageing in oak casks, it takes on
distinctive characters as it matures. There is a fair amount grown in California
and Australia.
Parellada (white)
Appley Catalan variety mostly used in the production of cava, but also used
to make a refreshing dry white in the Penedès region.
Pedro Ximénez (white)
The counterpart to Palomino in the Jerez region of Spain, PX, as it's
nicknamed, produces dark, sweet, raisiny fortified wines and is used as a
blender to sweeten Oloroso sherry.
Periquita (red)
This is widely grown in southern Portugal, aka Castelão Francês, where it
makes fruity reds sometimes with a gamey edge to them.
Petit and Gros Manseng (white)
Vine varieties from Jurançon in south-western France making assertive,
grapefruity dry whites and, in the case of the superior petit manseng, luscious
sweet whites following raisining (passerillage) on the vine.
Petite Sirah (red)
Not related, despite the name, to the more noble Syrah, this is grown mainly
in California and South America, where it produces sturdy, robust, faintly spicy
reds. No longer thought to be the same grape as France's (and Australia's)
Durif.
Petit Verdot (red)
This high quality Bordeaux variety deserves to be better known as well as
more popular but it doesn't always get ripe, especially in marginal climates. It
is thick-skinned and produces richly concentrated, intense red wines which are
usually added in small proportions to Médoc reds. It's grown in small quantities
in California's Napa Valley and is currently viewed in parts of Australia,
notably the Riverland, as a variety with the potential to produce premium reds.
Picpoul (white)
Another ancient Languedoc white variety, aka Piquepoul, which in the lively
dry whites of Picpoul de Pinet, goes down a treat with the locally farmed
oysters and mussels.
Pinotage (red)
Red South African variety developed by Professor A.I.Perold in 1924 as a
cross between Cinsaut and Pinot Noir and then largely ignored for half a
century. Revival began in the late 1980s thanks largely to Beyers Truter whose
championing of the variety led to international recognition with Kanonkop. It
comes in a plethora of styles according to growing conditions, vineyard
management and winemaking. With an assortment of plum, cherry, blackberry and
banana flavours, it takes to oak barrels and can age well. What does it taste like?
Pinot Blanc (white)
Pinot Blanc is most commonly associated with the full-bodied dry white wines
of Alsace which can be neutral, but can also be quite apple and pear-like in
character and act as a very good accompaniment to fish and shellfish. It is also
grown in Burgundy, although not many producers admit to having it. Perhaps
because of its neutral character, it is also extensively used in Alsace as a
base for sparkling Crémant d'Alsace. Outside France, it is popular in Italy as
Pinot Bianco, Austria as Weissburgunder and grown in parts of Eastern Europe as
well as Oregon and California, where Chalone make a speciality of it. What does it taste like?
Pinot Gris (white)
Pinot Gris, aka Tokay Pinot Gris in Alsace, is a slightly spicier and more
expressive version of its stablemate, Pinot Blanc, and actually a mutation of
Pinot Noir. It is one of the chief dry white varieties in Alsace, but also
produces some deliciously sweet, ageworthy, late-harvest styles. It is the same
grape as northern Italy's Pinot Grigio, Germany's Grauburgunder or Ruländer and
Hungary's Szürkebarát and is becoming moderately fashionable in New Zealand.
What does it taste like?
Pinot Meunier (red)
Not particularly well-known as a varietal, this relative of Burgundy's Pinot
Noir is best known as the third main blending variety in Champagne, where it is
more dependable than Pinot Noir because of its ability to ripen on slopes which
Pinot Noir would have trouble coping with as well. It is generally thought to
add suppleness and youthful fruit to the Champagne blend. Meunier is also grown
in Germany an Australia and to a lesser degree in California.
Pinot Noir (red)
Pinot Noir is the classic grape of red burgundy, whose greatest wines are
concentrated in the east and south-east-facing limestone hills of Burgundy's
Côte d'Or. This thin-skinned grape is a notoriously temperamental variety, which
has proved difficult to grow in certain climates and soils. There's no other grape like Pinot Noir with its wonderfully heady
perfumes, and thrillingly pure, sweet, red berry flavours of raspberry,
loganberry, mulberry, cherry and strawberry. It takes well to French oak and, in
bottle, develops truffley and gamey undertones. Along with Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier, Pinot
Noir is one of the major grape varities in Champagne, and plantings of Pinot in the region are even more extensive than those in Burgundy itself. Despite its fickle
nature, it is a tribute to its desirability among consumers and
producers and it has inspired growers all over Europe and the New World. What does it taste like?
Reichensteiner (white)
Three-way crossing by the late Dr Helmut Becker with Germany's
Müller-Thurgau, France's madeleine angevine and Italy's calabrese, also planted
in England and New Zealand.
Riesling (white)
The one true classic non-French grape, Riesling is the most versatile,
scented white variety in the range of wines it produces from dry to lusciously
sweet. Yet it's revival always seems to be just around the next corner. This is
as much because of its tarnished reputation due to Liebfraumilch and the array
of wanna-be Rieslings which have arrogated the good name of Rhine Riesling
(Olasz, Welsch, Laski, Riesling Italico) as for the steely acidity which
generally makes for more demanding wines than those produced from Sauvignon or
Chardonnay. The late-ripening Riesling's heartland is the steep Mosel and
Rheingau valleys of Germany, where it produces wines rich in crisp, lime and
appley flavours and honeyed richness. Its classification from dry to sweet gives
it an entirely different cultural slant from its French counterparts, with the
perfumed, sweet styles ranging from auslese to trockenbeerenauslese in great
demand. Fine, dry Riesling is not only increasingly fashionable in Germany, but
in Alsace and Austria too, where, in the Wachau in particular, some of the
world's greatest dry Rieslings are produced. As a cool climate variety par
excellence, Riesling has not adapted as well as the other to classics to the New
World, but there are a handful of regions where it has been shown to do well,
most notably the Eden and Clare Valleys in South Australia, Mount Barker in
Western Australia, New Zealand's South Island, Washington State, and cooler
spots in California and the Cape's Constantia. What does it taste like?
Rkatsiteli (white)
Widely planted Russian variety grown in most of the ex-Soviet wine producing
republics, especially Georgia.
Robola (white)
Robola is grown on the islands of Corfu and Zakynthos, but the finest examples come from Cephalonia, the largest of the Ionian Islands. The finest grapes are produced at high altitude (500m above sea level), on the plateau of the picturesque Omala valley, where the soil is predominantly limestone. Robola produces full-flavoured, crisp whites whose alcohol ranges from 13% to 14% abv.
Roditis (white)
Roditis has a number of clones, the most aromatic being Migdali and Alepou, both of which have a pinkish skin. This grape is a crowd pleaser and, as such, is widely planted all over Greece, forming the backbone of the Patras appellation in the northwestern Peloponnese. Two emerging sub-regions have staked their claim as the best sites for Roditis: one lies on the slopes of Panachaiko Mountain, the other is in Egialia, overlooking the Gulf of Corinth. Roditis is also grown in Attica and in Beotia, while the Macedonian hillsides, northeast of Thessaloniki, are making a reputation as a new venue for the vines. The northwest version is spicier than the southern, and is making a convincing case for a tightly structured 'northern style', in contrast to the more generous wines produced in the warmer climate of the Peloponnese.
Syrah/Shiraz (red)
Syrah is a quintessentially Mediterranean-climate variety, a big cropper
resistant to pests and diseases, producing dark, inky, aromatic reds with black
fruit flavours and peppery, spicy characteristics. It is the great red grape of
the northern Rhône where it reaches its apogee in the deep-hued, muscular,
long-lived wines of Hermitage and Côte Rôtie. It is a component of southern
Rhône reds and the fastest growing grape in Franc's Languedoc region, where it
has been introduced as an improving variety. As Shiraz, it is Australia's most
important red variety, where it forms the backbone of Grange, Australia's most
famous red, and is grown with increasing confidence in South Africa and
Argentina. What does it taste like?
Sagrantino (red)
Big, powerful, sturdy red grape variety best known for the DOCG Sagrantino di
Montefalco in Umbria.
Sangiovese (red)
Meaning Blood of Jove, or Jupiter, Sangiovese is the Chianti grape par
excellence, and responsible in Tuscany too, for Brunello di Montalcino and Vino
Nobilo de Montpulciano. A fussy grape to grow, it can produce lively, almost
fizzing young reds with juicy, cherry flavours, as well as more concentrated,
long-lived, oak-matured reds with superb, savoury, herb and spice flavours and
great finesse. Ongoing colonel selection in Chianti Classic designed to reverse
the rush to plant productive clones is helping the process of improving
Sangiovese-based wines in Italy. Sangiovese is widespread in Argentina thanks to
the influx of Italian immigrants and has become fashionable in California and,
to a more limited extent, in Australia. What does it taste like?
Saperavi (red)
Deep-coloured Russian red grape with good acidity which can age extremely
well in bottle, and widely planted throughout the ex-Soviet Union republics.
Sauvignon Blanc (white)
While it may lack the dimensions of Chardonnay, Sauvignon's greatest
attributes lie in its fabulous array of aromatic qualities, which vary according
to growing location and its treatment in the cellar. It divides into two clear
styles characterised by the fragrant, zingy fresh Loire Valley style reminiscent
of cut-grass, gooseberry, flint and nettles, and the contrasting Bordeaux-style,
often blended with Semillon and Muscadelle and barrel-fermented to produce the
richer, if less assertive, food friendly dry whites of Pessac-Leognan in the
Graves. At the same time, it is a component in the sweet, rich and luscious
whites of Sauternes and Barsac. It can do well in cooler areas within Europe,
including parts of Austria and Hungary. In New Zealand's Marlborough, it
produces a stunning array of pungently, assertive characters, from the green
grass, green bean, tinned pea and asparagus flavours to the more tropical, ripe
spectrum of grapefruit, guava, passion fruit and mango. The Sauvignon cause has
also been taken up to good and affordable effect by Chile and South Africa,
whose cooler spots are proving ideal for this wonderfully zingy, fresh grape
variety. What does it taste like?
Savagnin (white)
Rustic grape of Jura producing whites with a distinctive 'terroir' character
whose apogee is reached in the sherry-like (but unfortified) Vin Jaune of Jura
and Château-Chalon.
Scheurebe (white)
Underrated German grape variety not unlike French Sauvignon Blanc in its
ability to produce catty, grapefruit-like whites, mostly dry, but occasionally,
notably in Austria, opulently rich and sweet.
Semillon (white)
Semillon is generally blended with the aromatic Sauvignon Blanc in Bordeaux
to produce the fine dry whites of Pessac-Leognan in the Graves, which are often
barrel-fermented. It is at its most illustrious in the humid atmosphere of
Sauternes and Barsac, where its susceptibility to noble rot concentrates the
fruit sugars and acids in the grapes to produce some of the most luscious, sweet
wines in the world, most notably that of Chateau d'Yquem, a blend of four-fifths
semillon, one-fifth Sauvignon Blanc. On its own, it is responsible for some of
Australia's most individual dry whites, in particular those from the Hunter
Valley, which develop a buttered toast character with age, while the richer,
fuller-bodied, lemony Bares Valley Semillons can also be excellent. Generally,
its richness and body is often used to complement the aromatic Sauvignon,
although in cool, maritime climates such as New Zealand, it can develop
pungently grassy characteristics. Semillon, often spelt with the accent dropped outside France, is also widespread in
South and North America, and it's planted in eastern Europe and South Africa
too, where it never quite scales the heights achieved in France and
Australia. What does it taste like?
Silvaner (white)
A relatively elegant German variety than Riesling with pronounced acidity
reaching its best expression in Franconia, and known as sylvaner in Alsace,
where it is one of the lesser varietals.
St Laurent (red)
Not dissimilar to Pinot Noir, this is one of Austria's best red grape
varieties and grown too in the Czech Republic and Slovakia.
Tannat (red)
Deep-hued, intense, spicy red known best for the wines of Madiran in
south-west France, but also the foundation of Uruguay's best reds and grown in
Argentina.
Tempranillo (red)
Spain's most important quality red variety, forming the backbone of Rioja and
Ribera del Duero, where it's known as Tinto Fino (other synonyms include Ull de
Llebre, Tinta del Pais, Tinta de Toro, Cencibel and, in Portugal, Aragonês and
Tinta Roriz). Capable of making juicy young reds as well as serious,
well-structured, fine, oak-aged reds with vanilla, tobacco spice and strawberry
flavours, usually blended with Garnacha, Mazuelo and Graciano, but sometimes
made on its own. One of the major red varieties of Argentina and grown also in
Languedoc-Roussillon, California and Australia. What does it taste like?
Teroldego(red)
A red variety from Trentino, aka Teroldego Rotaliano, which is deep-hued and
capable of producing lively, juicy, Italian Beaujolais-style rosso.
Tinta Barroca (red)
This is a robust Portuguese variety, aka Tinta Barocca, used as a blender in
port but also popular in South Africa and known in Australia too.
Tinto Cao (red)
One of the rarest, high quality port grapes grown in the Douro Valley, highly
prized for its spicy character.
Tocai Friulano (white)
No relation to the Hungary's Tokaji or Alsace's tokay Pinot gris, tocai
friulano, also known as Sauvignon vert or Sauvignonasse, is at its best in the
hills of Friuli, where it makes a refreshingly crisp, nutty dry white style.
Torrontés (white)
Fragrant, grapey, Muscat-like Spanish variety common in Argentina, to which
it may have been originally transported from Galicia.
Touriga Francesa (red)
This scented red is one of the five main grape varieties grown in the Douro
Valley to make port and also good in the Trás-os-Montes region of Portugal.
Touriga Nacional (red)
Although not widely known as a varietal, this rare, small-berried,
dark-skinned Portuguese variety is nevertheless the highest quality grape that
goes into the Douro Valley melting pot to produce port (the others are mainly
Touriga Francesa, Tinto Cão, Tinta Barroca and Tinta Roriz). Still in Portugal,
it' also one of the major grapes of Dão and is grown in Australia, where it's
known simply as Touriga.
Trebbiano (white)
The most widely planted white variety in Italy, quantity does not however
bring quality in its wake. It's an insipid variety, known in France as Ugni
Blanc, where its use as the basis for brandy (as in Mexico too) speaks volumes.
There are a handful of producers however, most notably in Lugana and Abruzzo,
who, thanks to low-yields and careful winemaking, manage to squeeze some
Chardonnay-like character out of this ubiquitous vine. Widely planted too in
Argentina, South Africa and Australia.
Ugni-blanc (white)
Known as Trebbiano (see above) and Saint Emilion, a grape grown extensively in France - mainly used in Cognac and Gascony - as well as Italy and the New World.
Verdejo (white)
One of Spain's higher quality white varietiers grown around Rueda where it is
sometimes blended with Sauvignon Blanc to add body and richness to Sauvignon's
aromatic lift.
Verdelho (white)
Portuguese variety grown in Madeira where it makes a fortified style between
Sercial and Bual and grown as a still wine grape in Australia, especially
Western Australia.
Verdicchio (white)
High quality grape from the eponymous DOC in the Marche region of Italy with
good body and faintly spicy flavours, and best from the Jesi zone.
Vermentino (white)
Distinctively perfumed Mediterranean white with good acid retention grown in
Italy mainly in Sardinia and Liguria, and known in Provence, Languedoc and
Corsica as Rolle.
Vernaccia di San Gimignano (white)
This dry white variety's main claim to fame is that it's grown around the
picturesque, turreted medieval town of San Gimignano, where it occasionally
justifies its promotion to DOCG status.
Viognier (white)
The 'hottest' of the Rhône Valley trio, which includes Marsanne and Roussanne,
Viognier is one of those relatively rare varieties which have been 'discovered'
and now everyone wants a slice of the action. Rippling out from the small
appellation of Condrieu and the even tinier one of Château Grillet, the
aromatic, powerful viognier with its hallmark blossom scents and apricot and
peach-like flavours, has become the darling of Californians, and, latterly
Argentina, Australia and the South of France too. It makes powerfully rich, dry
whites made for drinking young, offering a delicious alternative style to
Chardonnay. What does it taste like?
Welschriesling (white)
The 'poor man's Riesling', Welschriesling is actually not related to the
superior rhine Riesling of Germany at all. It is at its best in Austria, where
it can make sumptuously sweet dessert whites. As a Central European grape
variety, it goes under a sheaf of pseudonyms, such as olsazriesling (in Hungary)
laski Riesling (in Slovenia) and Riesling italico (in Italy). Germany's attempt
to distance it from rhine Riesling has resulted in a change of name for all
pretenders to rizling.
Xarel-lo (white)
Earthy, undistinguished Catalan variety normally used as a blender in cava
along with Parellada and Macabeo.
Xinomavro (red)
Xinomavro is, quite possibly, the greatest of Greece's red grapes and, quite definitely, a wine lover's wine. Fickle and inconsistent, it is capable of producing great wines only on specific sites and in vintages warm enough to ripen its low-tannin, high-acid grapes. The grape is, so far, unique to the central Macedonian 'Xinomavro triangle' of Naoussa, Goumenissa and Amyndeo. The longest-lived wines come from Naoussa. Here, its tough, tannic, high-acid structure resembles Barolo. Merlot is now often grown alongside Xinomavro, and various new blends have emerged. Xinomavro and its blends are food wines, ideally paired with rich dishes.
Zinfandel (red)
Responsible for the blush wine craze of the late 1980s, Zinfandel is a
near-native grape of California, where at its best, it produces
powerfully-constructed, brambly, spicy reds for the most part best drunk young
or relatively young. Known as Primitivo, it also flourishes in Puglia, around
Manduria, producing similarly big, albeit more savoury, reds. Like South
Africa's Pinotage, it has recently undergone a major revival in California, so
much so that Italy, ironically, has recently won the right to the use of the
name Zinfandel for Primitivo. What does it taste like?
