All grape articles

Every major wine grape: flavors, origins, and where they thrive.

472 articles · See the structure profiles →

Major International Varieties25

Cabernet Franc Cabernet Sauvignon Carménère Chardonnay Chenin Blanc Gewürztraminer Grenache / Garnacha Malbec Merlot Mourvèdre / Monastrell Nebbiolo Pinot Gris / Pinot Grigio Pinot Noir Pinotage Riesling Sangiovese Sauvignon Blanc Sémillon Syrah / Shiraz Tannat Tempranillo Viognier Vitis vinifera: The European Grapevine Species Wine Grapes: A Guide to the Major Varieties Zinfandel

French Varieties56

Aligoté Altesse (Roussette)Auxerrois Blanc Bourboulenc Cabernet Franc: The Aromatic Cool-Climate Red Carignan Chasselas (Fendant)Cinsault Cinsault in Lebanon Clairette Colombard Colombard (Colombar): South Africa's Bulk White Workhorse Columella — Sadie Family Wines, Swartland Counoise Duras Fer Servadou Gamay Gamay Noir Gamay-Bourguignon / Passe-tout-grains Gouais Blanc Grenache Blanc Gros Manseng Jacquère Len de l'El Loire Cabernet Franc Framework Loire vs Bordeaux Cabernet Franc Distinction Manseng Noir Marsanne Marselan Mauzac Melon de Bourgogne Mondeuse Noire Mourvèdre as a Blending Partner: Structure and Dark Fruit in Mediterranean Wines Müller-Thurgau Muscadelle Négrette Nielluccio Petit Manseng Petit Verdot Picpoul Pinot Blanc Pinot Meunier Pinot Noir / Blauburgunder in Switzerland Pinot Noir Clones (Burgundy)Poulsard Rhône Varietals Roussanne Sauvignon Blanc in the Loire (Central Loire Framework)Savagnin Sciaccarello Serine (Petite Sérine): The Heritage Clone of Syrah Tannat Health Angle: French Paradox Research & Cardiovascular Marketing Trousseau Ugni Blanc (Trebbiano Toscano)Vermentino (Rolle)Viognier: The Aromatic White Grape of the Northern Rhône

Italian Varieties104

Aglianico Aleatico Arneis Barbera Bianco d'Alessano Biancolella Bombino Bianco Brachetto Canaiolo Nero Cannonau (Grenache)Carricante Casavecchia Catarratto Cesanese Ciliegiolo Coda di Volpe Colorino Cortese Corvina Veronese Croatina Dolcetto Enantio Erbaluce Falanghina Fiano Fiano di Avellino Frappato Freisa Friulano (Tocai Friulano)Gaglioppo Garganega Gewürztraminer (Alto Adige)Ginestra Glera Grecanico Dorato Grechetto Greco Bianco Greco di Tufo Greco Nero Grignolino Grillo Indigenous Italian Grape Varieties Inzolia / Ansonica Kerner Lagrein Lambrusco di Sorbara Lambrusco Grasparossa di Castelvetro Lambrusco Salamino Magliocco Malvasia Bianca Malvasia di Candia Aromatica Malvasia Istriana Malvasia Nera Marzemino Minutolo Monica Montepulciano Nebbiolo Clones (Lampia, Michet, Rosé)Negroamaro Nerello Cappuccio Nerello Mascalese Nero d'Avola Nosiola Nuragus Pallagrello Bianco Pallagrello Nero Passerina Pecorino Pelaverga Perricone Picolit Piedirosso Pignolo Pinot Bianco (Alto Adige)Primitivo Raboso Refosco dal Peduncolo Rosso Ribolla Gialla Rossese Ruché Sagrantino Sangiovese Clones Sangiovese Framework Sangiovese vs Cabernet Franc Distinction Schiava (Vernatsch)Schioppettino Sylvaner (Alto Adige)Tazzelenghe Teroldego Timorasso Tintilia Traminer Aromatico Trebbiano d'Abruzzo Trebbiano Toscano Uva di Troia Verdeca Verdicchio Verduzzo Vermentino Vernaccia di San Gimignano Vernaccia Nera Vespolina Vitovska Welschriesling (NE Italy)

Spanish & Portuguese65

Airén Albariño Alfrocheiro Preto Alvarinho (Portugal)Antão Vaz Aragonez (Tempranillo)Arinto Baga Bastardo Bical Boal / Bual: Madeira's Medium-Sweet Noble Grape Bobal Canary Islands Grapes: Listán Blanco, Listán Negro, Malvasía Volcánica and More Castelão Encruzado (Portugal)Fernão Pires Fernão Pires (Maria Gomes) - Portugal's Most Widely Planted White Grape Garnacha Blanca Garnacha Tinta Garnacha Tintorera (Alicante Bouschet)Garnacha-Grenache Framework Godello Godello: Color Mutations and Berry Genetics Graciano Hondarrabi Zuri: The Soul of Basque Txakoli Juan García Key Grapes: Tempranillo, Garnacha, Graciano, Mazuelo, Viura (Macabeo), Malvasía, Garnacha Blanca Lado Listán Negro Loureiro Malvasía Marufo Maturana Blanca Mencía Merenzao Monastrell (Mourvèdre)Moscatel de Alejandría Negramoll País (Listán Prieto)Palomino Fino Parellada Pedro Ximénez Portugal's Holy Trinity: Baga, Touriga Nacional & Alvarinho Portuguese Indigenous Grape Varieties Prieto Picudo Rufete Sercial (Madeira Grape Variety)Sousão Tempranillo Framework Terrantez Tinta Barroca Tinta Cão Tinta Negra: Madeira's Resilient Red Grape Tinta Roriz (Tempranillo)Tintilla de Rota Tinto Fino (Tempranillo in Ribera del Duero)Touriga Franca Touriga Nacional Treixadura Trincadeira (Tinta Amarela)Verdejo Verdelho Vinhão Viura / Macabeo Xarel·lo

German & Central European62

Amigne Amigne de Vétroz Bacchus Bacchus: England's Signature Aromatic White Blauburger Blaufränkisch Blaufränkisch: Austria's Premier Age-Worthy Red Chardonnay (Germany)Completer Cornalin du Valais Dornfelder Elbling Furmint Gamaret Gamaret & Garanoir Gamay (Western Switzerland: Vaud, Geneva & Valais Dôle)Garanoir Graševina Graševina / Welschriesling (Most Planted Croatian Variety; Slavonia; Dry to Sweet)Grauburgunder (Pinot Gris)Grüner Veltliner Grüner Veltliner: Austria's White Wine Pride Heida / Païen Heida / Païen (Savagnin Blanc)Humagne Blanche Humagne Rouge & Cornalin du Valais: Rare Indigenous Valais Reds Huxelrebe Key Slovak Wine Varieties Mosel Key Grapes: Riesling, Elbling, Pinot Varieties & Ancient Traditions Müllerrebe (Pinot Meunier / Schwarzriesling)Neuburger Ortega Petite Arvine Pinot Gris / Pinot Grigio (English Still Whites; Growing Presence in Kent and Hampshire)Pinot Noir in English Sparkling Wine Pinot Noir Précoce (Frühburgunder) — England's Promising Early-Ripening Red Portugieser Räuschling Räuschling: Switzerland's Forgotten Indigenous White Regent Reichensteiner Rieslaner Riesling (German)Rondo Roter Veltliner Rotgipfler Scheurebe Schönburger Schwarzriesling (Pinot Meunier)Seyval Blanc Silvaner Spätburgunder (Pinot Noir)Spätburgunder Framework — German Pinot Noir St. Laurent St. Laurent (Svatovavřinecké): Austria and Czech Moravia's Hidden Red Gem Swiss Indigenous Grape Varieties Traminer Trollinger Viognier, Riesling, Gewürztraminer: Emerging Cool-Climate Varieties in Elqui, Bío-Bío, and San Antonio Welschriesling Zierfandler Zweigelt

Greek & Eastern European76

Agiorgitiko Aidani Areni Assyrtiko Athiri Babić Blauer Portugieser Bogdanuša Bulgaria's Indigenous Red & White Varieties: Mavrud, Melnik 55, Rubin, Gamza, Shiroka Melnishka Loza, Dimyat, Muscat Ottonel & Rkatsiteli Chkhaveri Crljenak Kaštelanski Croatia's Indigenous Grape Varieties Dafni Dimyat Fetească Albă Feteasca Albă & Feteasca Regală Fetească Neagră Fetească Regală Furmint Gamza (Kadarka)Grasă de Cotnari Greek Indigenous Grape Varieties Greek White Wine Varieties Grk Bijeli Hárslevelű Hungarian Indigenous Grape Varieties Indigenous Palestinian Grape Varieties: Hamdani, Jandali & Dabouki Juhfark Kabar Kadarka Kotsifali Lagorthi Liatiko Limnio Madrasa: Azerbaijan's Indigenous Red Treasure Malagousia Malvazija Istarska Mandilaria Maraština Maraština (Rukatac)Mavrathiro Mavrodaphne Mavrotragano Mavrud Moschofilero Muscat / Muscadel (Klein Karoo Sweet Wines; Vin de Constance Context)Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains (Sárga Muskotály, Tokaj)Muscat de Berkane AOG Muscat of Rio Patras Muscat: Lebanon's Sweet & Dry Heritage Notable International Varieties Grown in Romania: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc Pinela: Vipava Valley's Resurrected Treasure Plavac Mali Plavac Mali Pošip Pošip Pošip: Croatia's Indigenous White Wine Star Prokupac Rară Neagră Rebula (Ribolla Gialla)Rkatsiteli Robola Roditis Romania's Autochthonous Grape Varieties Rubin: Bulgaria's Bold Cross-Bred Red Saperavi Savvatiano Tămâioasă Românească: Romania's Aromatic Muscat Teran Vilana Vranac Xinomavro Zelen: Slovenia's Verdant Treasure from Vipava Valley Zéta (Oremus)Žlahtina

New World & Other77

Albariño, Grüner Veltliner, Viognier: Terroir-Driven Whites on the Rise Australian Shiraz Bayan Shirey Boğazkere Bonarda Cabernet Franc in Valle de Uco (Mendoza, Argentina)Cabernet Sauvignon (Bekaa Valley, Lebanon)Cabernet Sauvignon in Chile Cabernet Sauvignon in Stellenbosch (dominant red; most-planted variety; structured, cedar, dark fruit)Chardonnay (Most Planted White: Margaret River, Yarra Valley, Adelaide Hills, Hunter Valley)Chardonnay (Valle de Uco — Premium Site Chardonnay; also Río Negro)Chardonnay in Chile: Limarí, Casablanca & Malleco Chardonnay: The World's Most Versatile White Wine Chenin Blanc / Steen: South Africa's Signature White Chinuri Chinuri Cold-Hardy Hybrid Grapes Criolla Emir: Cappadocia's Signature White Variety Gori Tetra Goruli Mtsvane Grenache in Swartland: Old-Vine Bush Vines and the New Wave Indigenous Grapes of the Levant: Dabouki, Hamdani, Jandali & Baladi Isabella & Lydia: American Hybrids of the Soviet Era Japanese Wine: Koshu, Muscat Bailey A, and Global Recognition Kalecik Karası Kangun Khndoghni (Sireni)Koshu Krakhuna Lebanese Grape Varieties Marquette Grape Merlot (Mendoza: Mainstream Variety & Blending Component)Merlot (Stellenbosch & Paarl; Cape Blend Component)Merlot: Bordeaux's Most Versatile Red Grape Merlot: The World's Second Most Planted Red Grape Merwah and Obaideh: Lebanon's Indigenous White Grapes Moroccan Wine Varieties Mtsvane Kakhuri Muscat of Alexandria Muscat of Alexandria / Moscatel (Old Vines Itata; Pisco Production)New Zealand: Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc and Central Otago Pinot Noir Norton (Cynthiana)Obaideh & Merwah: Lebanon's Ancient White Grapes Ojaleshi Öküzgözü Otskhanuri Sapere Petite Sirah Pinot Noir — Yarra Valley, Mornington Peninsula and Tasmania Pinot Noir (Casablanca, San Antonio, Malleco — Chile's Cool-Climate Frontier)Pinotage Riesling in New Zealand (Marlborough, Waipara, Central Otago; off-dry to bone dry; age-worthy)Sauvignon Blanc (Casablanca, San Antonio/Leyda, Limarí — dominant white; crisp, herbaceous, citrus)Sauvignon Blanc (Light, Crisp; Easy-Drinking Segment)Semillon (Hunter Valley — unique Australian style; also blended in WA with Sauvignon Blanc)Shiraz / Syrah: The World's Great Dual-Identity Red Syrah (Hawke's Bay & Waiheke Island — Northern Rhône Style)Syrah / Shiraz: The Grape of Two Worlds Syrah in Argentina: San Juan and Valle de Uco Syrah in Chile: Elqui, Aconcagua, and Colchagua Tannat Rosé: Uruguay's Full-Bodied Pink Expression Tannat: Uruguay's National Grape Tempranillo in San Juan & Mendoza Torrontés Tsitska Tsitska and Tsolikouri Tsolikouri Turkey's Indigenous Red Varieties Turkish Indigenous White Grapes: Emir, Narince & Sultaniye Uruguay's Wine Identity: Tannat and National Pride Usakhelouri Viognier in Argentina (Mendoza & San Juan): Aromatic White as Varietal and Blend Partner Viognier in South Africa (Paarl, Stellenbosch, Swartland)Viognier: The Northern Rhône's Aromatic White Voskehat Washington State Cabernet Sauvignon Zinfandel Discovery: DNA Analysis Links California, Puglia, and Croatia

Sparkling & Dessert7

Brachetto d'Acqui Cabernet Franc (Rosé Sparkling)Muscat Ottonel Riesling Auslese & Trockenbeerenauslese (TBA)Sémillon (Sauternes)Vidal Blanc Ice Wine Welschriesling (Austria Sweet)

A note from me, now and then.

Wines I am drinking, what I am teaching, and the occasional thing worth buying. A few times a season, never spam.