Varietal Characteristics Flashcards
- white
- dry
- high acidity
- green fruit, citrus
- smoky, flinty, mineral
Chardonnay
Chablis
- white
- full-bodied
- citrus, white stone, tropical fruit
- oak, spice, savoury notes
- fermenting in small oak barrels
- contact with lees
Chardonnay
Côte du Beaune
- Meursault
- Puligny-Montrachet
- white
- light, fruity (melon, citrus)
- little/no oak
Chardonnay
Mâconnais
- Mâcon
- white
- full-bodied
- tropical fruit (pineapple, melon)
- oak
Chardonnay
Mâconnais
- Pouilly-Fuissé
- white
- citrus, melon
- well-integrated oak
Chardonnay
Australia
- Yarra Valley
- Adelaide Hills
- Margaret River
- white
- high acidity
- citrus and tropical fruit
- mineral
- oak
Chardonnay
New Zealand
- Malborough
- white
- vary in style
- very full-bodied
- citrus, ripe peach
- heavily oaked
- others savoury
Chardonay
California
- Carneros
- Sonoma
- Russian River
- white
- Banana, melon
- barrel fermentation
- oak
Chardonnay
Chile
- Casablanca Valley
- white
- intense fruit
- spicy oak
Chardonnay
Argentina
- Mendoza
- red
- medium-bodied
- medium-high acidity
- light tannins
- red fruit
- savoury
Pinot Noir
Bourgogne AC
- Gevrey-Chambertin
- Nuits-Saint-Georges
- Beaune
- Pommard
- red
- light-bodied
- light tannins
- perfumed red berry
- also: fuller-bodied, barrel aged
Pinot Noir (Spätburgunder)
Germany
- Pfalz
- Baden
- red
- full-bodied
- lower acidity
- intense red fruit (cherry, strawberry)
- spicy notes
Pinot Noir
New Zealand
- Central Otago
- Malborough (lighter, sparkling)
- red
- style varies
- light/delicate/fragrant
- richer fruit (strawberry, plum, dark cherry)/structured/tannins
Pinot Noir
Australia
- Yarra Valley
- Mornington Peninsula
- red
- full-bodied
- intense red fruit (red cherry, strawberry)
- animal and vegetal (leather, meat, wet leaves)
Pinot Noir
California
- Carneros
- Sonoma
- Santa Barbara
- red
- intense fruit (strawberry jam)
Pinot Noir
Chile
- Casablanca Valley
- San Antonio
- red
- med-full bodied
- high acidity
- high tannins
- med alcohol
- long length
- black fruit (blackcurrant, black cherry)
- toasty oak (young)
- vegetal, tobacco, cedar (aged)
Cabernet Sauvignon
Bordeaux
- Médoc
- Haut-Médoc
- Margaux
- Paulliac
- Graves
- Pessac-Léognan
- red
- medium acidity
- medium tannins
- red fruit (plum, red berry)
- cedar, tobacco (aged)
Merlot
Bordeaux
- Pomerol
- Saint-Émilion
- red
- medium-bodied
- medium acidity
- medium tannins
- red and black fruit
Cabernet Sauvignon-Merlot
Bordeaux AC
Bordeaux Supérieur AC (higher alcohol)
- red
- intense, structured
- cassis, mint, eucalyptus
- black fruit (black cherry)
- oak notes (toast, vanilla)
Cabernet Sauvignon
Australia
- Coonawarra
- reds
- high tannins
- black fruit (blackcurrant)
- herb (blackcurrant leaf)
Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Sauvignon-Merlot
Australia
- Margaret River
- reds
- med-high acidity
- med-high tannins
- herb (cedar, blackcurrant leaf)
Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon-Merlot
New Zealand
- Hawke’s Bay
- red
- deeply coloured
- high, soft/ripe tannins
- black cherry
- oak
Cabernet Sauvignon
California
- Napa Valley
- Rutherford
- Oakville
- Alexander Valley (soft-textured, full-bodied)
Washington State (and Merlot blends)
- red
- full-bodied
- soft black fruit
- fruitcake
- oak
Merlot
California
- Washington State (and Cab Sauv blends)
- red
- pronounced herb (green bell pepper, blackcurrant leaf)
- intense black fruit (black cherry, blackberry)
- intense colour, spiced black fruit (blackberry, liquorice, pepper)
Cabernet Sauvignon
Merlot
(blends)
Carmenère (intense colour, spiced)
Chile
- Maipo Valley
- Colchagua
- Cachapoal
- red
- meat, leather (traditional)
- fruity (modern)
Cabernet Sauvignon
Cabernet Sauvignon-Malbec
Argentina
- Mendoza
- white
- dry
- medium bodied
- high acidity
- moderate-pronounced aromas
- green fruit (gooseberry)
- herb (grass, blackcurrant leaf, nettle)
- steely
Sauvignon Blanc
Loire
- Sancerre
- Pouilly-Fumé
- white
- dry
- medium-full-bodied
- medium-high acidity
- sometimes oak
- honey, toasty (aged)
- herb, grassy, elderflower
Sémillon-Sauvignon Blanc
Bordeaux
- Graves
- Pessac-Léognan
- white
- dry
- medium-bodied
- high acidity
- intense, pungent, clean (passion fruit, gooseberry, green pepper, blackcurrant leaf)
- no oak
Sauvignon Blanc
New Zealand
- Marlborough
- white
- dry
- intensely fruity
- clean
Sauvignon Blanc
Australia
- Adelaide Hills
- white
- dry
- herbaceous (grass, asparagus)
- can be no, lightly, heavily oaked
- oaky (toast, liquorice, vanilla)
Sauvignon Blanc
California
- Napa Valley (Fumé Blanc)
- white
- dry
- herbaceous (grass)
- highly aromatic
- fruity (citrus, green apple)
Sauvignon Blanc
Chile
- Casablanca Valley
- white
- dry
- pungent and fruit driven (no oak)
- oaked, toast (aged), intense herb
- fresh
Sauvignon Blanc
South Africa
- Constantia
- Elgin
- red
- deep colour
- full-bodied
- medium acidity
- med-high tannins
- black fruit (blackberry)
- dark chocolate
- hints herbs, smoked meat, spice (black pepper)
- animal, vegetal (leather, wet leaves, earth) (aged)
- oak (toast, smoke, vanilla, coconut)
Syrah
Northern Rhone
- Cote Rotie
- Hermitage
- Crozes-Hermitage (less intense/complex)
- red
- medium-bodied
- light tannins
- simple juicy red fruit (strawberry, raspberry)
- peppery spice (white pepper)
Grenache (SMC)
Southern Rhone
- Cotes du Rhone (+ Villages)
- red
- full-bodied
- low acidity
- medium tannins
- intense, complex character
- red fruit (strawberry)
- spice (pepper, liquorice)
- animal (leather)
Grenache (SMC)
Southern Rhone
- Chateauneuf-du-Pape
