Module 2: Chapter 3 - Grape Varieties Flashcards
South African name for Chenin Blanc.*
Steen
White grape made into sweet wines in Rutherglen.*
Bonus: Where is Rutherglen?
Muscat
Australia, Victoria, North East Victoria
Leading white grape of Australia’s Clare Valley.*
Bonus: Where is Clare Valley
Riesling
South Australia, Mount Lofty Ranges (Adelaide is the Super Zone)
White grape grown in Sancerre.
Bonus: Where is Sancerre?
Sauvignon Blanc
Loire Valley, Upper Loire
Term created by Robert Mondavi for a certain style of Sauvignon Blanc.*
Fume Blanc
Leading white grape of Hunter Valley.*
Bonus: Where is Hunter Valley?
Semillon
Australia, New South Wales
German name for Pinot Blanc.*
Weissburgunder
Predominant white grape of Cognac.*
Bonus: Where is Cognac
Ugni Blanc
Western France, between Bordeaux and Loire Valley. Not a wine region, per se.
White grape variety of Savennieres.*
Bonus: Where is Savennieres?
Chenin Blanc
Loire Valley, Anjou-Saumur
White grape variety of Pouilly-Fume.*
Bonus: Where is Pouilly-Fume
Sauvignon Blanc (Do not confuse with Pouilly-Fuisse, which is Chardonnay from the Maconnais in Burgundy)
Upper Loire Valley, just across the Loire from Sancerre
Red grape variety of Chinon.*
Bonus: Where is Chinon?
Cabernet Franc
Loire Valley, Touraine
Most widely planted red grape variety in the world.*
Cabernet Sauvignon
Red grape also known as Cannonau.*
Where is it predominantly grown as Cannonau?
Grenache
Sardinia
Leading red grape of Burgundy.*
Bonus: Where is Burgundy?
Pinot Noir
Central eastern France, bordering the Rhone river, north of the Rhone Valley.
Three grapes of a G-S-M blend.*
Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre
Leading red grape variety of Chianti.*
Bonus: Where is Chianti?
Sangiovese
Italy, Tuscany, centered around the town of Greve, between Florence and Siena
Red grape variety of Barolo.*
Bonus: Where is Barolo?
Nebbiolo
Italy, Piedmont, along the Tanaro river, southwest of the town of Alba
Red grape also known as Tinta Roriz.*
Bonus: Where is it known as Tinta Roriz?
Tempranillo
Portugal, Douro
Red Grape of Cahors.*
Bonus: Where is Cahors?
Malbec (dark, inky, nearly black “The black wine of Cahors”)
France, Sud-Ouest (Southwest)
Leading red grape variety of Rioja.*
Bonus: Where is Rioja?
Tempranillo
North Central Spain, along the Ebro River, south of the Cantabrian Mountains
Where is it believed Vitis vinifera vines first developed?
In the Caucasus Mountains between Europe and Asia. Spread via human intervention into southern Europe, the Middle East, and around the world.
What is the more common name for vine subspecies?
Varieties
What is the second most important grape species, commercially speaking?
Vitis labrusca, native to North America.
What are the characteristics of Vitis labrusca grapes?
Sweet, flavorful grapes. Extremely high acidity, and a flavor component called ‘foxy’ that is generally undesirable in wine.
What is important about native North American vines?
North American native vines are naturally resistant to the phylloxera aphid. The scion, the vinifera portion of the vine, can be grafted onto the trunk (or rootstock) of North American vines to create phylloxera resistant vines.
What species of native North American vines are used in rootstock grafting?
Several, including Vitis labrusca, Vitis riparia, Vitis aestivalis, and Vitis rupestris.
Are there phylloxera resistant grapes?
Phylloxera resistance is a characteristic of the vine, not the grape.
What is a species?
A scientific grouping of plants or animals that are genetically similar, have broad characteristics in common, and can produce viable offspring through sexual reproduction.
Grapevine species include vinifera and labrusca.
What is a variety?
A variety is a subspecies. Chardonnay and Syrah are varieties of vinifera.
What is a clone?
Generally, the term is used to mean grapes that are slightly different than their parent, having developed slight genetic variations as the plant modifies itself to adapt to new conditions.
True or false: In commercial viticulture, almost all grape varieties are propagated asexually.
True. They can technically be considered clones, but are perfect genetic copies of the parent.
What determines a new clone?
A consistent desirable distinction from the parent. New clones generally have a new name or, sometimes, a number assigned to them.
What creates a mutation?
The imperfect reproduction of cells as the vine grows. It is a slow process that takes many generations, finally showing such significant differences from its ancestors that it is determined to be a separate variety.
Pinot Blanc and Pinot Gris are both considered to be mutant strains of Pinot Noir.
What is a cross?
The offspring of sexual reproduction between different subspecies within same species.
Example: Cabernet Sauvignon is a cross of Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc.
What is a hybrid?
Offspring of sexual reproduction between two different but closely related species (vinifera and labrusca, for example). Many have been attempted to breed specific traits (resistances t cold, mildew, phylloxera, etc.), but the grpes tend to struggle developing adequate tannin and are highly acidic. Typically infertile, they are propagated through cuttings.
Examples of successful hybrids include Seyval Blanc, Vidal Blanc, and Baco Noir.
True or false: Airen is one of the most widely grown white grapes in the world.
True. Grown primarily in central Spain and often distilled into brandy.
What makes an ‘international variety’?
An arbitrary distinction between international and indigenous grapes. International varieties grow in a wide range of conditions in many areas around the world.
Cab Sauv, Chard, Merlot, Sauv Blanc, and Malbec are other examples.
What is an indigenous grape?
Grapes in their native home that have not been widely transplanted in other areas.
Nebbiolo is a prime example - produces great wines in northwest Italy, but not planted much around the world.
What is autochthonous?
Indigenous grapes that are the result of natural cross-breeding or natural mutation in a specific area.
True or false: Chardonnay is thought to be indigenous to Bordeaux.
False. Burgundy.
California style is the New World style, fuller bodied and less acidic. Typically a touch of RS left to round out body.
Chardonnay characteristics in warm climates? Cooler?
Warm: Ripe, tropical flavors, higher alcohol, considerable body
Cool: Citrus flavors, green fruit aromas, crisp acidity, light to medium body.
True or false: Chardonnay is one of the few white varieties that benefits from interaction with wood.
True. Barrel aged chard will improve with age and time in in the bottle. Some top end Burgundies can evolve complexity for more than a decade. New World chards will take on characteristics of new oak.
Chardonnay Profile (flavors, examples, acid level, alcohol level)
Examples: white Burgundy, Champagne, “California style” new world wines.
Top Producers: France, USA, Australia
Acidity: Medium to high
Alcohol: medium to high
Characteristic aromas: green apple, melon, pears (cool climate; tropical fruit (warm climate); butter (malolactic ferm); vanilla, butterscotch, caramel, toast (oak-aged)
True or false: Chenin Blanc is among the most versatile of all grapes.
True. Chenin produces world class wines at all sweetness levels from dry to very sweet, still or sparkling. It is known for high acidity, especially in cool climates,
Is residual sugar common in Chenin Blanc?
Yes. A touch of it is often left to take the edge off the naturally high acidity. Taken to its extreme, this sugar makes superb late-harvest dessert wines, often botrytized, that can last for years.
True or false: France produces the most Chenin Blanc.
False. South Africa produces almost twice as much Chenin Blanc, where it is responsible for 18% of all plantings (the most widely planted grape in South Africa).
Chenin Blanc profile (Examples, Top producers, Acidity, Alcohol, Typical aromas)
Examples: Vouvray, Saumur, Savennieres Top Producers: South Africa, France, USA Acidity: Medium-plus to high Alcohol: Medium to high Characteristic Aromas: green apple, yellow pear, melon, citrus, almond, white flowers, chamomile tea; honey and quince (when aged)
True or false: Muscat has mutated many times.
True. It is a family of several different varieties. Most prevalent members are Muscat Blanc a Petit Grains (white Muscat with small berries, generally considered the highest quality), Muscat of Alexandria, and Muscat Ottonel.