Wine Varietals Flashcards
Riesling
Origin:
Europe:Germany, Alsace, France, Austria
Outside of Europe: California (cooler parts), Washington State, New York State, Austrialia, New Zealand, and Canada
Preferred Growing Conditions: Does best in cool to cold climates
Body: Ranges from very light when made in a dry style, to think and syrupy when made into a superripe dessert wine
Acidity: Very High
Aging Regime: Stainless Steel
Varietal Characteristics: A Chameleon, translates to the terroir and changes characteristics based on where it is grown
Sauvignon Blanc
Aliases: Fumè Blanc (California)
Origin: Disputed, both Bordeaux and the Loire Valley of France claim to be its place of origin
Other Top Producing areas:
New Zealand & California
Growing Conditions: Temperate to Cool Climate
Acidity: Medium to High
Style: Dry
Aging Regime: Either Stainless Steel or Oak, depends on the wine maker. Most French winemakers don’t use Oak, but if used it is a neutral oak
Varietal Characteristics: Grapefruit, tropical fruits, gooseberries, freshly cut green grass, herbs, and cat urine
Pinot Grigio
Origin: Burgundy, France - no longer grows there (Pinot Gris)
Other style originated in Tre Venezie (NorthEastern Italy - three neighboring regions of Veneto, trentino-Alba Adige , and Friuli-Venezia Giulia)
Frowning Conditions: Temperate to Cool Climates
Body: Light to Medium
Style: Dry
Aging Regime: One type (Pinot Gris)is were usually aged in oak barrels, while the other type (Pinot Grigio) is are usually aged in Stainless Steel
Varietal Characteristics:
ripe apples, peaches, almond, cream (Pinot Gris)
green apples, citrus, minerals, and spice (Pinot Grigio)
Facts:
Number 1 imported wine in the United States
Germany, Oregon and California prefer producing the French style of this wine
Chardonnay
Common Aliases: Morillon (Austria)
Origin: Burgundy, France
Growing Conditions: grown in any condition but the best wines are grown in temperate to cool climates
Body: Medium to Full
Acidity: Low to Medium
Style: Dry
Aging Regime: Mostly in oak, but sometimes in steel (For instance, most Chablis is steel only)
Varietal Characteristics:
Old World: Citrus, Green Apple, Olives, Nuts, Minerals
New World: Pears, Apple Pie, Pineapples, Toffee, Butter, Vanilla, Spice
Facts
Most popular white grape varietal sold in the United States
Only white grape varietal used to make Champagne
Pinot Noir
Common Aliases:
Spätburgunder (Germany and Austria)
Pinot Nero: (Italy)
Origin: Burgundy, France
Growing Conditions: Temperate to Cool Climates
Body: Light to Medium
Acidity: Medium to High
Pigmentation: Thin
Tannins: Low
Style: Dry
Varietal Characteristics:
French Style:Cranberries, cherries,wet earth, tobacco, leather, smoke, spice, and barnyard
California Style: Fruit Driven and soft hints of earth
Fact
Red Grape used to make Champagne
100% of this grape in champagne is called Blanc de Noir
Has made 100s of different clones and different varietals, some include:
Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris (Grigio), and Pinot Meunier
Syrah or Shiraz
Origin: The Rhone Valley, France
Also grown and popular in Australia
Growing Conditions: Warm to Hot Climates
Body: Medium
Acidity: Medium to Low
Pigmentation: medium to thick
Tannins: Moderate
Style:Dry
Varietals:
French Style: Blackberries, Raspberries, jam, leather, black pepper, smoke, and meaty/gamey
Facts
Developed in the warmest region of all the major 8 grape varietals - Mediterranean Climate
Descendent of two French grapes:
Mondeuse Blanche & Dureza
Merlot
Origin: Bordeaux, France
Climate: Does best in temperate to warm climates
Body: Medium to Full
Acidity: Low
Pigmentation: Thick
Tannins: Moderate to High
Style: Dry
Varietal Characteristics:
France: Blueberries, black cherries, plum, chocolate, spice, cedar, and Vanilla
Fact:
Comes from he French word “Merle” which means blackbird. This references either the Grapes dark color when ripe, or to the propensity of blackbirds picking ripened Merlot grapes when they migrate south for the winter
Best grown on the right bank of Bordeaux
Cabernet Sauvignon
Origin: Bordeaux, France
Growing Conditions: best grown in temperate to warm climates
Body: Full
Acidity: Low to Medium
Pigmentation:Thick
Tannins: High
Style: Dry
Varietal Characteristics:
French Style: Black Currants, Plum, black cherries, mint, bell pepper, cedar, vanilla, and musty/wet dog
Facts
The most famous important red grape varietal
Parents are Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc
Albariño
Alias: Alvarinho (Portugal)
Origin: Spain
Grows: Northwestern Spain in the region of Rías Baixas
Aged: Stainless Steel
Body: light
Varietal Characteristics: fruit forward
Cabernet Franc
Origin: Bordeaux, France
red grape used as a blend usually, rarely plays a leading role in top red wines in Bordeaux and California, but rather is used as a blending grape to add complexity to Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot based wines
one of the parents of Cabernet Sauvignon
has a similar body, power, and tannin structure of a light Cabernet Sauvignon
produces dry red wines reminiscent of dark fruit, green bell pepper, and herbs
Chenin Blanc
Alias: Steen (South Africa)
Origin: Loire Valley
white grape
High Quality Wines mostly come from Vouvray and Savennières
Top producing region were wine is grown is South Africa
is used to produce dry to slightly sweet table wines depending upon the growing Conditions from which the grapes were harvested
can produce sweet desert wines
aged in oak (minimum amount of time)
fruity flavor such as melons, red apples, and tropical fruits
Gewürztraminer
Origin: Northern Italy
Top Places grape is grown: Germany, Alsace, France
Extremely aromatic
strong perfumed, spicy flavor profile reminiscent of lychee fruit, rose petals, and white pepper
Style: Dry, slightly sweet table wines, or sweet desert wines
Fact:
The name refers to “spicy” grape German
Grenache
Alias: Garnacha
Origin: Spain
Other top areas include: Southern Rhone
usually used as a blend, and is usually blended with Syrah and Mourvèdre
As a single varietal it is used in Rosè from Tavel and fortified dessert wines of Banyuls - both from Southern France
Body: Medium
Varietal Characteristics: Red Fruit, Strawberry jam
High Alcohol
Climate: favors warmer climates
-used as a blend usually in Châteauneuf -du-Pape and Côte - du -Rhone
Malbec
Alias: Cot & Auxerrois (French)
Origin: France
Most popular today in Argentina, Mendoza to be exact
Produces deeply, colored, dense, structures red wines with flavors of dark fruits.
In France it is a minor blending grape in Bordeaux
Main grape used to produce the dark rich wines of Cahor
Nebbiolo
Meaning: Little Fog - refers to the thick fog that forms in many of the vineyards of Piedmont
Origin: Piedmont, Italy
Main Regions: Barolo and Barbaresco
Varietal Characteristics: Rich and powerful
Acidity: High
Alcohol: High
Tannins: High
Aging: Oak
