Wine Varieties

Red Wine Varieties

Cabernet Sauvignon: Full-bodied with dark fruit flavors, often with notes of cedar and spices; high tannins.

Merlot: Soft and plush with plum and cherry flavors; often less tannic than Cabernet Sauvignon.

Pinot Noir: Light to medium-bodied, with bright red fruit flavors and earthy notes; high acidity.

Syrah/Shiraz: Rich and bold, with dark fruit, pepper, and smoky flavors; varies from region to region.

Zinfandel: Jammy fruit flavors with spicy and peppery notes; can be high in alcohol.

Malbec: Dark, rich flavors of blackberry and plum, often with a velvety texture; popular in Argentina.

Tempranillo: Spanish variety with flavors of cherry, leather, and tobacco; often aged in oak.

Sangiovese: Italian grape with bright acidity, cherry flavors, and herbal notes; the backbone of Chianti.

Grenache: Fruity and spicy, often used in blends; known for its berry flavors and soft tannins.

Nebbiolo: Known for its high acidity and tannins, with flavors of cherry, tar, and roses; often used in Barolo and Barbaresco.

Tannat: Full-bodied and tannic, with dark fruit and earthy flavors; known for its aging potential.

Barbera: Medium-bodied with bright acidity and cherry flavors; often less tannic than Nebbiolo.

Cabernet Franc: Medium-bodied with herbal and red fruit notes; often used in blends with Cabernet Sauvignon.

Aglianico: Rich and full-bodied with dark fruit flavors, minerality, and high acidity; primarily from southern Italy.

Carmenère: Once thought extinct, now known for its dark fruit, green pepper, and herbal notes; popular in Chile.

Nero d'Avola: Sicilian grape known for its bold fruit flavors and spicy notes; often full-bodied.

Mourvèdre: Earthy and spicy, with dark fruit flavors; often used in Rhône blends.

Petit Verdot: Full-bodied with dark fruit and floral notes; used primarily in blends for added structure.

Touriga Nacional: The primary grape in Port; rich and full-bodied with dark fruit and floral aromas.

Dolcetto: Fruity and low in acidity, with dark berry flavors; primarily from Piedmont, Italy.

Vin Santo: Italian dessert wine made from dried grapes, often featuring nutty and honeyed flavors.

Grenache Blanc: While primarily a white variety, it can produce red wines with herbal and spicy notes.

Seyval Blanc: Hybrid grape known for its crisp acidity and fruity flavors; often grown in cooler climates.

Schwarzriesling (Pinot Meunier): Fruity and floral with low tannins; often used in sparkling wines.

Zweigelt: Austrian red with bright cherry flavors and spicy notes; a cross between Blaufränkisch and St. Laurent.

White Wine Varieties

Chardonnay: Versatile, ranging from crisp and fruity to rich and oaky; often notes of apple and citrus.

Sauvignon Blanc: Crisp and zesty, with citrus and herbal flavors; often used in blends.

Riesling: Highly aromatic, ranging from dry to sweet; known for its floral and stone fruit notes.

Pinot Grigio/Pinot Gris: Light and refreshing, with flavors of pear and apple; often low in acidity.

Gewürztraminer: Aromatic and spicy, with floral and lychee notes; often off-dry.

Viognier: Full-bodied with floral and stone fruit flavors; often used in blends.

Chenin Blanc: Versatile, ranging from dry to sweet; known for its high acidity and apple flavors.

Moscato: Sweet and fruity, with flavors of peach and orange blossom; often low in alcohol.

Semillon: Rich and waxy, often blended with Sauvignon Blanc; known for honeyed and citrus notes.

Albariño: Crisp and refreshing, with stone fruit and citrus flavors; often from Spain.

Fiano: Italian white known for its rich and nutty flavors; often has good acidity.

Grüner Veltliner: Austrian grape with green pepper and citrus notes; often has a minerally finish.

Roussanne: Aromatic and full-bodied, with floral and herbal notes; often blended with Marsanne.

Marsanne: Rich and full-bodied, with stone fruit and honeyed flavors; often blended with Roussanne.

Vermentino: Crisp and zesty with citrus and herbal notes; popular in coastal Italian regions.

Torrontés: Aromatic Argentine variety with floral and peach notes; often dry and refreshing.

Assyrtiko: Greek variety known for its high acidity and mineral notes; often grown in volcanic soil.

Chardonnay Musqué: Aromatic mutation of Chardonnay with floral and tropical fruit notes.

Muscat: Sweet and fruity with floral aromas; often used in dessert wines.

Pinot Blanc: Light and refreshing, with apple and pear flavors; often dry and crisp.

Trebbiano: Common Italian grape known for its crisp acidity; often used in blends.

Sauvignon Gris: A mutation of Sauvignon Blanc, with a richer and rounder profile.

Palomino: Main grape for Sherry production; often dry with almond and citrus notes.

Cortese: Italian white known for its crispness and green apple flavors; often used in Gavi.

Kerner: Cross between Riesling and Trollinger; known for its fruity and floral aromas.

Garganega: Main grape in Soave, with citrus and herbal notes; often has a nutty finish.

Chassagne-Montrachet: A specific Chardonnay from Burgundy, often rich and oaky.

Picpoul: Crisp and zesty with citrus notes; often used in blends in the southern Rhône.

Bacchus: German hybrid known for its fruity and floral characteristics; often aromatic.

Furmint: Main grape in Tokaji, known for its high acidity and honeyed flavors.

Müller-Thurgau: Hybrid grape with floral and fruity notes; often light and refreshing.

Ribolla Gialla: Italian grape known for its bright acidity and citrus notes; often used in Friuli.

Loin de l'Oeil: Rare French variety known for its aromatic and fruity qualities.

Pecorino: Italian grape with bright acidity and flavors of citrus and herbs; often aromatic.

St. Laurent: Austrian grape related to Pinot Noir; known for its dark fruit and spice.

Sparkling Wine Varieties

Champagne (Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier): French sparkling wine known for its complexity and elegance.

Prosecco (Glera): Italian sparkling wine known for its light and fruity character; often off-dry.

Cava (Macabeo, Xarel·lo, Parellada): Spanish sparkling wine, often complex with citrus and nutty flavors.

Crémant: French sparkling wine made outside the Champagne region; often high-quality and diverse.

Franciacorta: Italian sparkling wine made using the traditional method; known for its elegance.

Sekt: German sparkling wine that can be made from various grape varieties; often fruity and refreshing.

Pétillant Naturel (Pet-Nat): Naturally sparkling wine made with minimal intervention; often fruity and fun.

Dessert Wine Varieties

Sauternes (Semillon, Sauvignon Blanc): Sweet French wine known for its honeyed and botrytized flavors.

Tokaji (Furmint, Hárslevelü): Hungarian sweet wine known for its complex flavors and high acidity.

Port (Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz): Fortified wine from Portugal, rich and sweet with dark fruit flavors.

Ice Wine (Riesling, Vidal): Sweet wine made from frozen grapes, known for its concentrated flavors.

Vin Santo (Trebbiano, Malvasia): Italian dessert wine made from dried grapes, often nutty and sweet.

Madeira (Various grapes): Fortified wine from Madeira, with a wide range of styles from dry to sweet.

Marsala (Grillo, Catarratto): Fortified wine from Sicily, often sweet with nutty flavors.

Passito: Italian style of wine made from dried grapes, often sweet and concentrated.

Moscato d'Asti: Sweet, lightly sparkling wine from Italy; low in alcohol with fruity flavors.

Fortified Wines

Sherry (Palomino, Pedro Ximénez): Spanish fortified wine known for its complexity and range of styles.

Madeira (Various grapes): Fortified wine with unique aging and oxidation, known for its richness.

Vin de Liqueur: Fortified wines from various regions, often sweet and aromatic.

Port (Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz): Fortified wine from Portugal, rich and sweet with dark fruit flavors.

Lesser-Known and Regional Varieties

Cabernet Sauvignon Blanc: A rare variety resulting from cross-breeding Cabernet Sauvignon and a white grape.

Kékfrankos: Hungarian variety known for its fruity and spicy characteristics.

Fetească Neagră: Romanian red grape with dark fruit and herbal flavors.

Torrontés: Argentine white known for its floral aromas and tropical fruit flavors.

Nerello Mascalese: Sicilian red grape known for its complex aromas and minerality.

Carignan: Versatile red grape often used in blends, known for its berry and herbal notes.

Blaufränkisch: Austrian grape known for its cherry and blackberry flavors; often spicy.

Schiava: Light-bodied Italian red with berry flavors, often low in tannins.

Corvina: Key grape in Amarone, known for its cherry and almond flavors.

Aglianico del Vulture: Rich red from Basilicata, with dark fruit and earthy notes.

Teroldego: Bold red from Trentino, known for its dark fruit and floral notes.

Pignolo: Rare Italian grape known for its rich flavors and tannins.

Ciliegiolo: Italian red with cherry flavors, often used in blends.

Saperavi: Georgian grape known for its deep color and rich fruit flavors.

Negroamaro: Southern Italian variety known for its dark, bold flavors and richness.

Gaglioppo: Calabrian grape with fruity and earthy characteristics; often full-bodied.

Austrian Zweigelt: Known for its fruitiness and soft tannins; often used in blends.

Seyval Blanc: Hybrid grape known for its crisp acidity and fruity flavors; often grown in cooler climates.

Marzemino: Fruity Italian red, often used in blends; known for its bright acidity.

Malvasia Nera: Italian red grape known for its aromatic and fruity characteristics.

Chasselas: Versatile white grape, often used in Switzerland; known for its fruity and floral notes.

Unique and Indigenous Varieties

Grillo: Sicilian white known for its citrus and herbal notes; often used in blends.

Fiano di Avellino: Full-bodied Italian white known for its rich, nutty flavors and good acidity.

Cannonau: Sardinian red (Grenache) known for its rich fruit and spicy notes.

Katarina: Rare Serbian variety known for its fruity flavors.

Tsigana: Romanian variety with bold and rich characteristics.

Zlahtina: Croatian white known for its crispness and floral notes.

Mali Plavac: Croatian red known for its deep color and robust flavors.

Fokavia: Rare variety from Greece known for its rich flavors.

Pavlovic: Serbian grape with bright acidity and fruitiness.

Tarihi: Rare variety from Turkey known for its unique characteristics.

Vranac: Montenegrin grape known for its rich and bold flavors.

Sira: Lesser-known red grape from Greece, with bold fruit characteristics.

Pignolo: Rare Italian variety known for its complex and rich flavors.

Ansonica: Italian white known for its full body and fruity notes.

Picpoul de Pinet: Crisp French white known for its citrus flavors.

Carmenère: Chilean red known for its herbal and fruity characteristics.

Loureiro: Portuguese white known for its floral and fruity notes.

Verdejo: Spanish white known for its crispness and citrus flavors.

Zweigelt: Austrian red known for its fruitiness and soft tannins.

Dornfelder: German red known for its deep color and rich fruit flavors.

Folle Blanche: French white known for its high acidity; often used in Cognac production.

Gros Manseng: Sweet white grape from southwest France, known for its rich flavors.

Rondinella: Italian grape often used in Valpolicella blends.

Mavrodaphne: Greek grape known for its rich and sweet characteristics.

Fiano: Italian white with citrus and floral notes; often aromatic.

Malvasia: Versatile grape used in various styles; known for its aromatic qualities.

Savagnin: French variety known for its nutty flavors, often used in Vin Jaune.

Chenin: Versatile grape used in various styles, known for its high acidity.

Müller-Thurgau: German hybrid known for its fruity and floral characteristics.

Rieslaner: German cross known for its fruity and floral qualities.

Sangiovese Grosso: Clone of Sangiovese used in Brunello di Montalcino.

Nosiola: Rare Italian white known for its nutty flavors and crispness.

Shannon: White grape used in various blends; known for its fruity characteristics.

Fiano di Avellino: Italian white known for its richness and complexity.

Sauvignon Blanc: Crisp white with citrus and herbal flavors; often aromatic.

Pinot Meunier: Known for its fruity and floral notes; often used in sparkling wines.

Airén: Spanish white grape known for its high yields and adaptability.

Cinsault: Southern French grape known for its fruity and soft characteristics.

Catawba: American variety known for its sweet, fruity flavors.

Hárslevelü: Hungarian white grape known for its floral and honeyed characteristics.

Sylvaner: German white grape known for its crispness and minerality.

Baco Noir: Hybrid red grape known for its dark fruit flavors; popular in Canada.

Frontenac: Cold-climate red grape known for its rich fruit flavors.

Tannat: Full-bodied red grape known for its tannins and aging potential.

Viura: Spanish white grape known for its crispness and floral notes.

Verdelho: Portuguese white grape known for its rich flavors and acidity.

Pedro Ximénez: Sweet Spanish grape known for its rich, raisin-like flavors.

Petit Manseng: Sweet grape known for its rich and aromatic characteristics.

Dolcetto: Fruity Italian red known for its low tannins and bright acidity.

Morgon: Gamay variety from Beaujolais known for its fruitiness and floral notes.