Grape Varieties 101
There are many different grape varieties out there and it can be pretty confusing at times to pick out just what you want. Here are the 3 most popular white and red varieties and their descriptions. Use these as a starting point for your choices keeping in mind that there are many different climates for growing grapes and many different ways to make wine. Hopefully this will help you to step out of your comfort zone and try something different. I will cover lesser known varieties and blends at a later date.
WHITE
Chardonnay
Perhaps the most versatile of all the grapes, Chardonnay can be made into a variety of different styles from crisp, fruity and light, to rich, buttery and full. Because of this, it can be very difficult to give a simple definition, but, here are some basic aromas and tastes:
Unoaked Chardonnay – apples, pears, citrus, nuts and some minerality depending on the soil it is grown in.
Oaked Chardonnay – tropical fruit, toast, butter, spice and caramel.
That having been said, unoaked chardonnay will often be described as medium-bodied, with good acidity and oaked chardonnay is full-bodied with a buttery richness to it.
Riesling
I believe this grape has to be the best example of terroir. Terroir basically means the soil and climate that the grapes are grown in. The most common aromas and tastes are: apples, peaches and occasionally tropical fruit like pineapple. The aromas of minerality include slate, steel and aged Riesling will often have petrol on the nose. One of the best characteristics of this grape is that it can be made from bone dry to the sweetest of icewines. It is generally considered light-bodied and very crisp.
Sauvignon Blanc
The most popular description of this grape is, “cat’s pee on a gooseberry bush”, and there’s even a New Zealand wine with that name (LCBO #606384). What is now considered the benchmark style comes from New Zealand. The most common aromas and tastes are: citrus, peach, melon and tropical fruit. Also very common to this grape are aromas of bell pepper, canned peas and even grass. This wine is generally described as medium-bodied.
RED
Cabernet Sauvignon
Cab Sauv is the perfect example of a full-bodied wine. If the grapes are picked under ripe, you get vegetal aromas of green bell pepper on the nose, but the chances of this happening are very rare these days. Generally, the aromas and tastes are: black current, black cherry, plum, cedar and tobacco.
Merlot
This grape got a bad rap recently from the movie, “Sideways”. This medium-bodied wine is used often in blends, but shines quite nicely on its own. The aromas and tastes are: lots of red and black berries, plums and with oak aging there is spice, cedar and tobacco. Merlot is the go-to wine when you want something red but are unsure what to get. It is soft and easy drinking, so go ahead and order the “fraken” merlot!
Pinot Noir
While Pinot Noir is one of the hardest grapes to grow and ripen it is also one of the best to taste and enjoy. The aromas and tastes are: plum, raspberry, strawberry, leather, smoky and mushrooms. It can also have a barnyard aroma to it, but this isn’t a bad thing! This wine is usually described as light-bodied and velvety. The best descriptor I have ever heard for this wine is the one I always use for the best ones I’ve had…sexy!
If you have questions for me or wines you would like reviewed, please e-mail me at:
sommeliers at rogers.com
or tweet me at:
@Nancyztaste
– photo by Jenny Downing
Tags: cabernet sauvignon, chardonnay, merlot, pinot noir, riesling, sauvignon blanc, varieties, wines
