As the core ingredient of wine, the grape varietal used largely defines the appearance, aroma, and taste of a wine. As an aid for learning, comparing, and a cheat sheet for your next friendly blind-tasting, we’ve developed a comprehensive list of wine grape varietals in every dimension – their aromas, tastes, regions, and descriptions. The aromas and graphs produced come from our innovative wine review technology that helps break each wine down to its core elements.
Page 1 – Barbera, Bordeaux Blends, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Carmenere, & Chardonnay
Page 2 – Chenin Blanc, Dolcetto, Gamay, Gewurztraminer, Grenache, Gruner Veltliner
Page 3 – Madeira, Malbec, Merlot, Mouvedre, Muscat, Nebbiolo
Page 4 – Nero d’Avola, Petite Sirah, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Grigio, Pinot Noir, Pinotage
Page 5 – Port, Primitivo, Rhone Blends, Riesling, Sangiovese, Sauvignon Blanc
Page 6 – Semillon, Sherry, Syrah/Shiraz, Tempranillo, Viognier, Zinfandel
Nero d’Avola
| Pronunciation: | (NEH-roe Dah-VOE-lah) |
| Top Regions: | Sicily |
| Pairing Type: | Food of medium to heavy weight and intensity |
| Suggestions: | Meatballs, lamb |
| Cooking Method: | Sauteed, roasted |
| Aromas: |  |
| Taste: |  |
| Description: | Sicily, the warm island off the coast of Italy, has found its grape hero. Nero d’Avola has long been the indigenous grape variety of the area, but was originally relegated as a blending agent to add color and body to other wines of the region. In the past few decades, Nero d’Avola has come into its own, bringing Sicily well-deserved winemaking recognition. |
| Notable Info: | Also known as Calabrese, Nero d’Avola has become the most popular grape grown in Sicily, making wines from 100% of the variety rather than blended. Its wines are dark in color, big in fruit flavors, well-suited for oak and able to age for quite a few years, although most are good drinking upon release too. |
Petite Sirah
| Pronunciation: | (peh-TEET seer-AH) |
| Top Regions: | California, South Africa |
| Pairing Type: | Heavy and intense foods |
| Suggestions: | Game, cheese, Mexican food |
| Cooking Method: | Grilled, sauteed, roasted, baked |
| Aromas: |  |
| Taste: |  |
| Description: | There is nothing petite about this grape. Petite Sirah, the result of a crossing between Syrah and Peloursin, is also known as Durif. Being the father, Syrah imparted some of its flavors and characteristics to its offspring, but the two grapes are decisively different. Petite Sirah is mostly found in California, where it was used as a blending partner, but is most popular now as a single varietal wine. |
| Notable Info: | A common descriptor for Petite Sirah is inky. And so it is – the dark skinned grape creates wines that are tannic, sturdy, jammy and of course, stain-your-teeth purple. The grape helps to add structure and backbone to wines made in not-so-perfect vintages. As a sole variety, the wine typically shows off peppery flavors with concentrated fruit flavors reminiscent of plums and prunes with notes of cherries and blackberries. The grape is becoming more popular in California for single varietal production and making some delicious and intense wines. |
Pinot Blanc
| Pronunciation: | (pee-no blahnk) |
| Top Regions: | Alsace, Italy, Oregon |
| Pairing Type: | Food of medium weight and intensity |
| Suggestions: | Chicken, halibut, scallops, rabbit |
| Cooking Method: | Salad, baked, roasted |
| Aromas: |  |
| Taste: |  |
| Description: | A mutation of the Pinot family, Pinot Blanc was once commonly mistaken for Chardonnay – it looks quite similar on the vine. But true Pinot Blanc lacks most Chardonnay characteristics. The grape is most at home in Alsace, where it is used both in blends as well as a sole varietal. It’s also found in Italy where it’s called Pinot Bianco. |
| Notable Info: | Wine made from Pinot Blanc often has fuller-body, but it is not a grape known for its aromatics. The fragrance of a Pinot Blanc is typically neutral and subdued. The delicate aromas that are present are most often apples, pears, some minerality. It’s a refreshing wine with good acidity. It is also the base variety for Cremant d’Alsace (the sparking wine of Alsace). |
Pinot Gris/Grigio
| Pronunciation: | (PEE-noh gree/GREE-jee-oh) |
| Top Regions: | Alsace, Italy, Oregon, California |
| Pairing Type: | Food of light to medium weight and intensity. High acid, fatty, or salty dishes. |
| Suggestions: | Fish, chicken, antipasto, Chinese or Thai food, seafood pasta |
| Cooking Method: | Baked, poached, roasted |
| Aromas: |  |
| Taste: |  |
| Description: | While Pinot Grigio is in fact the same grape as Pinot Gris (just the Italian take on it), the differences of wine they create can be immense. Pinot Gris’ most popular and successful region is Alsace, France, an area of the country that actually puts the name of the grape on the label. Pinot Grigio is the Italian version of the grape, known for its light, crisp acidity. But wines from other regions usually term their wine Pinot Gris or Grigio based on the wine’s flavor profile. |
| Notable Info: | Pinot Gris from Alsace creates rich, stone fruit-laden wines. They are perfumed and aromatic, and typically dry. It has round body and medium acidity. Take the grape a bit south to Italy, and it creates a very crisp, high-acid, citrus noted wine. Both are flavorful, but wine named Pinot Gris typically provides more body and rounder fruits while Pinot Grigio gives lighter-bodied, citrus fruits. Oregon and California are also growing the grape, Oregon having success with a more Alsacian style and California producing both. Winemakers often call the wine by the style they wish to replicate – for Italian style, look for Pinot Grigio, for the Alsacian style, look for Pinot Gris. In Alsace, Pinot Gris can also makes wine with some residual sugar. It’s capable of creating delicious dessert wines in the region. |
Pinot Noir
| Pronunciation: | (PEE-noh nwahr) |
| Top Regions: | Burgundy, Oregon, California, New Zealand |
| Pairing Type: | Food of light to medium weight and intensity |
| Suggestions: | Duck, chicken, salmon, mushroom, tuna, lean beef, fennel, ginger |
| Cooking Method: | Roasted, braised, poached, grilled |
| Aromas: |  |
| Taste: |  |
| Description: | Just as Merlot was pooh-poohed by Miles in Sideways, Pinot Noir was worshiped in its glorious difficulty. Pinot Noir is a finicky grape. It only grows in the right climate, with the right soils and the right care. Perhaps because it is so difficult is why it is so loved. Pinot Noir’s home and the classic wines from the grape hail from Burgundy. Pinot is the only grape allowed for AOC wines of the region. It is also essential in Champagne, where it is one of the three main grapes of creating Champagne and sparkling wines in other regions. Pinot Noir mutates easily and so there are many different clones floating around in each wine region. |
| Notable Info: | Other than Burgundy, Pinot has been successful in areas like Oregon, California and lately, New Zealand – the Central Otago region to be exact. Pinot Noir from France gives flavors and aromas of red fruit, summer pudding and baking spices. As the wine matures – and great Burgundies are able to do so for years – the flavors become more like the earth the wine comes from- mushrooms, truffles – and the wine gains tremendous complexity. Pinot Noir from the new world like Oregon and California typically exude stronger fruit intensity, some wine able to reach a high level of complexity, structure and age. Others are wonderful for drinking now with a myriad of foods. Many may wax poetic about this grape, the reason being that Pinot Noir produces an amazing contradiction in wine – something so delicate and subtle, yet powerful and mesmerizing. |
Pinotage
| Pronunciation: | (Pee-noh-TAHJ) |
| Top Regions: | South Africa |
| Pairing Type: | Food of medium to heavy weight and intensity |
| Suggestions: | Ribs, venison, duck |
| Cooking Method: | Barbecued, roasted, grilled |
| Aromas: |  |
| Taste: |  |
| Description: | Pinotage is all South Africa. A crossing between Pinot Noir and Cinsaut in the early 1900’s created this national variety and the South Africans have worked for decades to tame the grape. Luckily, winemakers discovered how to turn this variety into high-quality wine and their results are delicious. |
| Notable Info: | Pinotage is a hardy, rustic grape, with gamey and smoky mixing with wild berry flavors. The styles of wine can differ, depending on the winemaker’s choices of fermentation temperature and oak. Almost always a deep, dark color, it can be an easy-drinking wine with upfront wild berry flavors, or it can lean towards smoky, musty undertones with firmer tannins. Both styles are quite good – particularly paired with some tasty barbeque. Get to know the producer to find out which style you prefer. |
Other Wine Grape Varietals
Page 1 – Barbera, Bordeaux Blends, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Carmenere, & Chardonnay
Page 2 – Chenin Blanc, Dolcetto, Gamay, Gewurztraminer, Grenache, Gruner Veltliner
Page 3 – Madeira, Malbec, Merlot, Mouvedre, Muscat, Nebbiolo
Page 4 – Nero d’Avola, Petite Sirah, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Grigio, Pinot Noir, Pinotage
Page 5 – Port, Primitivo, Rhone Blends, Riesling, Sangiovese, Sauvignon Blanc
Page 6 – Semillon, Sherry, Syrah/Shiraz, Tempranillo, Viognier, Zinfandel
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