Grape Varietal Facts Flashcards
Agiorgitiko
3rd most planted in Greece. Peloponnese, PDO Nemea
Deeply coloured Ripe red fruit and sweet spice flavours. Can get jammy. Often Oaked. M to H tannins, M acidity/alcohol
Aglianico
Tourasi DOCG Campania
Early budding, late ripening. Vigorous. Vulnerable to BBR. VSP trellised. M+ rose, red plum, blackberry. H acid and tannins needs ageing.
Albarino
95% of production in Rias Baixas
Suited to damp climate with thick skins is less prone to rot. Early to mid ripening. H acid, M body, alcohol. Apple, lemon, grapefruit, peach, floral. Usually single varietal but can be blended with Louriera, Treixadura and Caino Blanco.
Alfrochiera
Dao
Strawberry, blackberry. M tannin, body.
Soft, fruity style often made into rose. Softens blends. Typically oaked.
Alicante Bouchet
Alentejo, Castilla y Lyon
Red fleshed giving deep colour, acidity, tannins and red and black berry fruits to blends.
Antao Vaz
Alentejo
White. Drought tolerant. Range of styles - early or late picked, fuller bodied (often oaked). Tropical fruits. Talha wines with skin contact. Can lack acidity if not picked early so blended.
Arneis
Roero area in NW Italy
L intensity but complex aromas of white flowers, chamomile, white peach and lemon. M- acidity which drops rapidly. Oxidises easily.
Assyrtiko
All over Greece, Santorini
H acid, alcohol. Ages well. Sweet Vinsanto from Santorini. Dry is typically citrus, stone and tropical often with smoky or flint characters. Can be oaked to give fuller body and more secondary fruit profile.
Baga
Bairrada
Late ripening. Dominant black variety. H acid, tannins. M body. Cranberry cherry plum. Astringent when young. High yielding used in Mateus Rose. Limit yield to ensure full ripeness. Limestone clay soils best. Won’t ripen on sandy soils. Green harvesting assists ripening.
Barbera
Around Asti and Alba in Piemonte
Early budding, ripens late, vigorous and disease resistant but susceptible to Fan Leaf Virus. H acid, L tannin. M to D ruby, M intensity red plum/cherry with black pepper. Can produce high yields but best is from low yields. Good to v good.
Bical
Bairrada
White. Early ripening. Peach sometimes tropical. M+ acidity but loses it quickly.
Blaufrankisch
Austria Leithaburg DOC, Mittelburgenland DOC, Neusiedlersee
M to H tannin, H acid. Deep colour, Black fruit flavours. Buds early, ripens late. Thick skins so not prone to rot important around Neusiedlersee. High yield. Green aromas if unripe. Some of Austria’s best wines. Simple to complex.
Bobal
Valencia, Murcia, Utiel-Requena DO
Mid to late budding. Very drought tolerant and retains acidity. Ripens unevenly and tannins can be grippy. Vigorous and high yielding. Adds colour and concentration to blends. M+ tannins, M+ to F tannins. H acidity. Blackberry, cherry and chocolate.
Bonarda
2nd most planted black in Argentina. San Juan and warmer areas in Mendoza
Late ripening. High yielding inexpensive wines for home consumption. Deep colour. Red and black fruits. M+ acidity, M tannins, alcohol. Oak can overwhelm. Popular for blending with Malbec and Cab S. Complex wines from low yielding old vines in Maipu, Lujan de Cuyo and east of Mendoza.
Bourboulenc
Rhône, Languedoc
Late ripening. Loose bunches and thick skins giving fungal resistance. Used in blends to add lemon flavours. M+ acidity, M alcohol
Cabernet Franc
Loire (Anjou- Saumur, Touraine) Bordeaux
Early budding, Mid ripening. Coulure. If unripe can taste leafy. Winter hardy. Mid Loire gives M to Pronounced red fruit, floral. L to M body, M tannins, H acidity. Eastern Touraine is northern limit of where it will ripen fully.
Cabernet Sauvignon
Bordeaux, Chile, Napa. Everywhere warm enough
Late budding and ripening. Needs warmer soils, well drained. Small berries with thick skins prone to Powdery Mildew, Eutypa and Esca. Contributes violet, black currant, black cherry and menthol or herbaceous flavours. M alcohol, H acidity and tannins. Regularly blended as can struggle to ripen.
Carmenere
Chile
Often blended. F bodied, H tannin, M acidity. Black fruits, herbaceous (bell pepper, eucalyptus) spice. Coffee or chocolate when oaked. Needs warm (not hot) sunny sites to ripen or will be overly herbaceous with harsh tannins. Ripens 2 to 3 weeks later than Merlot. Too ripe can be overly alcoholic.
Carignan
Languedoc Sardinia
Mazuelo in Rioja for outstanding with intense black fruit, spice and earthy notes
Late budding and ripening. Can produce 200 hl/ha yields that need sharply reducing for concentration (old vines it happens naturally). Powdery Mildew and Grape Moths. Not suitable for hand harvesting as bunches are firmly attached. H acid, tannins. Carbonic or blending to soften. Typically unoaked, medium ruby and simple blackberry.
Carricante
Sicily. Main part of blend in Etna Bianco DOC
Prone to common fungal diseases. Successful at high altitudes up to 1000m. Large diurnal range produces H acid wines (malo to soften). Old oak ageing for texture. M intensity lemon, green apple. M alcohol.
Castelao
aka Periquita
Peninsula de Setubal, Palmeda DOC
Deep red berry fruit. F bodied, Oak to add spice. Best grown in warm sandy vineyards on the plain for concentrated wines. Tends to produce lighter wines for early drinking on the limestone slopes.
Catarrato
Sicily
White. High yielding. Disease resistant. L intensity lemon, herbal notes. H acid, M alcohol, Inexpensive, Acceptable to good.
Chardonnay
Burgundy and beyond
Versatile to a range of climates. Buds and ripens early. Can produce high yield without loss of quality. Prone to Grey Rot, Powdery Mildew, Millerandage and grapevine yellows. Cool climates - apples, pears, lemon, lime, wet stone. L to M body, H acidity. Riper fruits(citrus, melon, stone) in moderate climates. With vigour shading can reduce fruit quality.
Chenin Blanc
Anjou- Saumur, Touraine, South Africa
Buds early, ripens late and unevenly within bunches. Vigorous and high yielding. Prone to Powdery Mildew and BBR, Noble Rot and trunk diseases. Loire produces sparkling, dry, off-dry and sweet. M intensity green apple, lemon (sometimes steely smoky characters) H acidity
Cinsaut
Rhône, S France
Late budding. High yielding. Good drought and heat resistance. Excessive lime causes Chlorosis, prone to Esca, Eutypa, mites, grape moths. Small part of blend made to preserve fruit flavours, light ruby, M to M+ intensity red fresh fruits. H alcohol. L to M tannins.
Clairette
Rhône
Vigorous white grows well in low fertility dry soils. To contain needs to be pruned short and excessive buds removed. Wind resistant without staking. Ripens late. Oxidises easily. Adds freshness and fruit to S Rhône blends, white flowers, fennel, apple and grapefruit. H alcohol. L to M- acidity.
Colambard
SW France
IGP wines. Neutral white wines with M to M+ acidity, usually in blends with Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay. Fruity, easy drinking.
Cortese
NW Italy, Gavi is 100%
High yielding light intensity aromas of lemon, apple/pear and white flowers. H acidity, M bodied, thin skinned. Grey rot in rainy conditions. Mainly early drinking style.
Corvina
Veneto
Vigorous high yielding with thick skin suitable for drying. Downy Mildew, BBR, Esca and drought. Mid to late ripening. Contributes violet, red cherry and plum, herbal notes to Valpolicella blends. L to M tannin. H acidity. Well suited to Pergola training.
Corvinone
Verona
Not related to Corvina. Downy Mildew. Berries do not ripen uniformly making hand harvesting necessary. Supplies tannins and red cherry flavours to Corvina blends. Dries well for Appassimento.
Dolcetto
Alba, Ovada, Dogliani DOCs in Piemonte
Deep ruby. M+ intensity red cherry with floral notes. M- acidity. M+ tannins. Ripens early and can be grown on cooler sites. Buds are easily broken and susceptible to fungal diseases. Low vigour. Reductive in winery so needs oxygen and soft extraction to avoid high tannins. Nebbiolo taken over.
Dornfelder
Most planted variety in Rheinhessen and Pfalz.
2nd most planted black. Most significant black German cross. Deep colour, H acidity, fruity and floral easy drinking with a little residual sugar. Sour cherry and blackberry OR more complex with higher tannin, fermentation and ageing in oak.
Encruzado
Dao
Key white for quality wines. M to M+ acidity. Can be full bodied, lemon and peach with a floral note. Neutral or oak vessels sometimes with lees stirring. Nutty with age.
Falanghina
Campania, Falanghina Del Sannio is 1/3rd of plantings.
Most grown white. Good disease resistance. Mid to late ripening. M intensity Apple and white peach with grassy notes. M+ acidity. Nearly all unoaked.
Fiano
Campania, Fiano di Avellino DOCG
Both mildews but thick skins resistant to BBR. Late ripening (October) M- to M intensity floral, peach, hazelnut. M+ body, M to M+ acidity and a waxy texture. Light fruitier from sandy soils, weightier from clay. Can age 8 to 10 years in bottle.
