Wine Varietals

Here you'll find some information about many of the different varietals of grapes used in winemaking. Click on the name of a varietal to view any reviews I've done on wines of that type.

Reds

  • Barbera
  • Cabernet Franc

    Lighter and fruitier than its Cabernet Sauvignon relative, Francs often have cherry, blackberry, and vanilla aromas. The tannin is soft and gentle, and the finish is smooth.

  • Cabernet Sauvignon

    Cabernets can be mellow and mild, hearty and rich. They have a deep red color, with the primary taste being black currant. Other overtones can include blackberry and mint. Traditionally aged in oak, the wine also takes on an oaky, vanilla flavor.

  • Carmenere

    A cherry-like, fruity flavor with smokey, spicy and earthy notes and a deep crimson color. Its taste might also be reminiscent of dark chocolate, tobacco, and leather. This wine is best drunk young.

  • Grenache
  • Malbec

    Without any doubt, Argentina produces some of the best Malbec in the world. Young red wines with fresh fruity aromas or full-bodied inky wines with sweet aromas of black berries and crisp, chewy tannins can describe this wonderful varietal.

  • Merlot

    Where Cabernet Sauvignon is structured and firm, Merlot is more fleshy and lush. It can taste of ripe plums and chocolate and feels like velvet. A range of fresh flavors such as plums, cherries, blueberries and blackberries mixed with black pepper tones, typically dominate this smooth red wine.

  • Mouvedre
  • Petit Syrah
  • Petit Verdot
  • Pinot Noir

    Smooth and silky Pinot Noir impresses with elegance rather than power. Outside of Burgundy, Pinot Noir does very well in cooler climate areas of New Zealand, Australia, California and Oregon. Its flavors are reminiscent of sweet red berries, plums, tomatoes, cherries and at times a notable earthy or wood-like flavor.

  • Sangiovese

    Italian Chianti and Chianti Classico wines are prime examples of popular wines produced predominantly from Sangiovese. Typically Sangiovese grapes make medium to full-bodied wines with tannin structure ranging from medium-soft to firm. Dominate flavors associated with Sangiovese derived wines include: cherry, plum, strawberry, cinnamon and vanilla. There is often a herbaceous quality associated with Sangiovese wines. As for acidity levels, Sangiovese leans towards medium to high acidity content. The finish can range from elegant to bitter.

  • Shiraz

    Shiraz wines display firm tannins (although they are typically ripe and smooth, not abrasive like younger reds can be), a fuller body, and the rich round flavors of black cherry, blackberry, plum, bell pepper, black pepper, clove, licorice, dark chocolate and smoked meat.

  • Zinfandel

    A native of California, Zinfandel is a big, heartwarming wine with flavors including: raspberry, blackberry, cherry, plums, raisins, spice and black pepper all wrapped around various intensities of oak. The wines tend to be ripe and high in alcohol, but very easy to drink.

Whites

  • Albariño

    Albariño is the primary grape used to make dry white wine in Northwestern Spain, considered by many to be Spain's premier quality white wine. Typically, wines made from Albariño are very aromatic, often described as having scents of almonds or almond paste, apples, peaches, citrus, and flowers or grass.

  • Chardonnay

    Flavors range from light, floral and lemon through to hazelnut, butter and toast. Oak plays a large role in how chardonnay tastes as the grape has a particular affinity for it. Warmer climate Chardonnays from Australia and California can display lush, tropical fruit.

  • Chenin Blanc
  • Gewürztraminer
  • Gruner Veltliner
  • Pinot Blanc
  • Pinot Grigio

    A very popular grape variety known as Pinot Grigio in Italy and Pinot Gris elsewhere. Pinot Grigio flavors can range from melon to pear and some even offer a subtle tropical or citrus fruit, often there is a honey or smoky flavor component as well. The texture of a Pinot Grigio is worth noting, as it has very smooth, almost silk-like overtones that leave an impression on the palate.

  • Riesling

    An aromatic grape variety reminiscent of peaches and flowers in its youth. Germany makes the variety in all styles from bone dry all the way through the spectrum to late harvest dessert wines. What the Germans do so well is achieve a delicate balance between sweetness and refreshing acidity. Australia produces wonderfully refreshing Rieslings bursting with lime-juice. Great with spicy foods.

  • Rousanne
  • Sauvignon Blanc

    A very distinctive grape variety giving very zesty, grassy, refreshing wines. In recent years New Zealand has earned quite a reputation with this grape. Here the wines are riper, more pungent and thoroughly irresistible. The above examples are pure, un-oaked Sauvignon Blanc, but other areas use a little oak to soften the edges a little bit. California often does this, as does Bordeaux, where the Sauvignon Blanc is often blended with another variety: Semillon.

  • Semillon
  • Verdelho
  • Viognier
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