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Wine Grapes 101

Drink to impress. Learn the basics about wine grapes and make a 'grape' impression.

by Wine Taster
published: 06 Apr 2009       | Comments

If you're really serious about getting to know your wine, you have to get to know your wine grapes. Wine grapes are the foundation for every vintage and are the main ingredient that makes wine taste the way it does. Particular types of wine grapes are used to make different varietals and knowing about the grapes will give you basic information about what the winemaker intended to produce.

Wine grapes take on the flavor of the soil. The heat of the sun makes the wine grapes grow sweeter on the vine. Therefore, the region of the wine grape is very important, as the soil and sun vary around the globe. Knowing which wine grapes went into the mash gives you a head start on getting a wine you'll enjoy.

Winemakers try to maintain an industry standard when it comes to naming wine grapes. However, some wine grapes go by different names or spellings - such as the Syrah, which in South Africa is known as the Shiraz and in Australia, Shiraz or sometimes Hermitage. Wine grapes can be confusing, but they are the ABCs of the wine world. Learning the wine grapes is an important step if you're serious about wine.

There are thousands of wine grapes around the world. Here's a short list to begin your training:

Wine Grape 101

Cabernet Sauvignon - A red wine grape grown all over the world. This grape produces some of the fullest, richest and most age worthy wines in the world.

Chardonnay - White wine grapes that produce high quality wines. Rich is the word that best describes Chardonnay. It often smells like apples, lemons, peaches or tropical fruits. Oak commonly takes over Chardonnay if the wine is fermented or aged in new barrels or for too long.

Sangiovese - A red grape that is best known for making Chianti. The Italian grape is slow to mature and late-ripening. The Sangiovese grape thrives in hot, dry climates, such as Tuscany, but Italian immigrant Sangiovese wine grapes have been known to grow well in places like California.

Merlot - Red wine grape known for producing medium-to-full bodied red wines that are similar to Cabernet Sauvignon, but are generally a bit more delicate. These wine grapes are often blended with Cabernet Sauvignon to soften some of the harsh tannins typical of that grape. Merlot's popularity grew in the 1990s and was likened to the Burgundy craze of the '70s.

Pinot Grigio - Made from white wine grapes and is the Italian name for Pinot Gris. The Italian version is generally grown in large quantities and is fairly neutral with light fruit flavors. This wine grape is probably the best known white variant-clone of Pinot Noir. The variety can attain a very high level of sweetness but will begin to lose acid rapidly when near to fully ripe.

These are just a few of the most popular wine grapes that grow around the globe. Beginning to learn your wine grapes is just like learning your ABCs. Start with a few basics, learn the alphabet, learn to form words and then read the novel. You'll be surprised how this knowledge will contribute to your appreciation of wine.