Barbera

A red Italian wine grape variety, Barbera, was the 3rd most-planted red grape variety in Italy (following Sangiovese and Montepulciano) as of 2000. This grape variety produces excellent yields and is famous for its deep color, small amount of tannins and high amounts of acid,, which is odd for a warm climate red grape. Vines that are centuries old still remain in several regional vineyards, which allows the production of long-aging, full-bodied red wines with intense fruit and superior tannic content. The most famous appellation is the DOCG (Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita) Barbera d’Asti in the Piedmont region. When young, the wines present a very powerful aroma of fresh red and blackberries. In the lightest versions, hints of blueberries, cherries and raspberries with hints of blackberry and black cherries in wines made of grapes, which are riper. Several producers utilize toasted (seared over a fire) oak barrels to provide an increase in complexity, aging potential, and a hint of vanilla. The lightest varieties are usually known for aromas and flavors of fresh and dried fruits, and are not recommended for cellaring. Wines having a better balance between acid and fruit, frequently with the addition of oak and having high alcohol content are more capable of being cellared; these wines are frequently the result of decreased yield viticultural techniques.

Bordeaux Blend

A Bordeaux wine is any wine produced in the Bordeaux region of France. Average vintages produce over 700 million bottles of Bordeaux wine, ranging from large quantities of everyday table wine, to some of the most expensive and prestigious wines in the world. 89% of wine produced in Bordeaux is red (called “claret” in Britain), with notable sweet white wines such as Chateau d’Yquem, dry whites, Rosé and sparkling wines all making up the remainder. Bordeaux wine is made by more than 8,500 producers or Château. There are 60 appellations of Bordeaux wine.
Red Bordeaux, which is traditionally known as claret in the United Kingdom, is generally made from a blend of grapes.

As a very broad generalization, Cabernet Sauvignon (Bordeaux’s second-most planted grape variety) dominates the blend in red wines produced in the Médocand the rest of the left bank of the Gironde estuary. Typical top-quality Chateaux blends are 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Cabernet Franc & 15% Merlot. This is typically referred to as the “Bordeaux Blend.” Merlot (Bordeaux’s most-planted grape variety) and to a lesser extent Cabernet Franc (Third most planted variety).
White Bordeaux is predominantly, and exclusively in the case of the sweet Sauternes, made from Sémillon, Sauvignon Blanc and Muscadelle. Typical blends are usually 80% Sémillon, 20% Sauvignon Blanc. As with the reds, white Bordeaux wines are usually blends, most commonly of Sémillon and a smaller proportion of Sauvignon Blanc. Other permitted grape varieties are Ugni Blanc, Colombard, Merlot Blanc, Ondenc and Mauzac.

In Napa, Bordeaux styled wine is known as heritage. Meritage is a proprietary term used to denote red and white Bordeaux-style wines without infringing on the Bordeaux (France) region’s legally protected designation of origin. Winemakers must license the Meritage trademark from its owner, the California-based Meritage Alliance. Member wineries are found principally in the United States, though increasingly elsewhere. (see Meritage below)

Cabernet Sauvignon

Recognized as one of the world’s best-known red grape varieties is Cabernet Sauvignon. It is grown in almost every main wine producing country along with a diverse range of climates from Canada’s Okanagan Valley to Lebanon’s Beqaa Valley. Cabernet Sauvignon became recognized worldwide through its importance in Bordeaux wines where it is frequently blended with Merlot and Cabernet Franc. From France, the grape extended across Europe and to the New World where it found new homes in locations like California’s Napa Valley, Australia’s Coonawarra region and Chile’s Maipo Valley. For the majority of the 20th century, it was the world’s most commonly planted premium red wine grape the 1990’s when Merlot surpassed it. Regardless of its prominence in the business, the grape is a fairly new variety, the product of a chance between Cabernet franc and Sauvignon blanc, which occurred during the 17th century in southwestern France. Its popularity is frequently credited to its cultivation ease (the grapes have skins, which are thick and the vines are hardy and resistant to rot) and to its reliable presentation of structure and flavors,, which conveys the typical character (“typicity”) of the variety. Ease of pronunciation and familiarity has assisted with the selling of Cabernet Sauvignon wines to consumers, even those from wine regions,, which are unfamiliar. Its extensive popularity has also given to criticism of the grape as a “colonizer” that, at the expense of native grape varieties, will take over wine regions.

Charbono

Charbono or Corbeau or Bonarda is a grape variety from the Savoie region of France. It is the second most commonly grown variety in Argentina, where it is known as Bonarda (which is not the same as the Bonarda Piemontese varietal). It is also found in California. Some believe it to be identical to the Italian Dolcetto grape of Piemonte where it can be found in both Dolcetto and Barbera vineyards.

Charbono wines tend to be dark, inky, with medium to high acidity and tannins. Hot regions, like California, with warm day/night temperatures allowing the requisite acid retention and ripening.

Charbono emits aromas of black fruit (think plums), pepper and hints of barnyard or leather. Charbono tends to be mid to full on the palate, with noticeable structure and a better than average finish. It will cellar for 20 years.

Chardonnay

Chardonnay is a green-skinned grape variety used to make white wine. It is originated from the Burgundy wine region of eastern France but is now grown wherever wine is produced, from England to New Zealand. For new and developing wine regions, growing Chardonnay is seen as a “rite of passage” and an easy segue into the international wine market.

The Chardonnay grape itself is very neutral, with many of the flavors commonly associated with the grape being derived from such influences as terroir and oak. It is vinified in many different styles, from the lean, crisply mineral wines of Chablis, France to New World wines with tropical fruit flavors and lots of oak.

Chardonnay is an important component of many sparkling wines around the world, including Champagne. A peak in popularity in the late 1980s gave way to a backlash among those wine drinkers who saw the grape as a leading negative component of the globalization of wine. Nonetheless, it remains one of the most widely-planted grape varieties, with over 160,000 hectares (400,000 acres) worldwide, second only to Arneis among white wine grapes and planted in more wine regions than any other grape—including Cabernet Sauvignon.

Chenin Blanc

Chenin blanc (known also as Pineau de la Loire among other names), is a white wine grape variety from the Loire valley of France. Its high acidity means it can be used to make everything from sparkling wines to well-balanced dessert wines, although it can produce very bland, neutral wines if the vine’s natural vigor is not controlled. Outside the Loire it is found in most of the New World wine regions; it is the most widely planted variety in South Africa, where it is also known as Steen, and California.

It provides a fairly neutral palate for the expression of terroir, vintage variation and the winemaker’s treatment. In cool areas the juice is sweet but high in acid with a full-bodied fruity palate. In the unreliable summers of northern France, the acidity of under ripened grapes was often masked with chaptalization with unsatisfactory results, whereas now the less ripe grapes are made into popular sparkling wines. The white wines of the Anjou AOC are perhaps the best expression of Chenin as a dry wine, with flavors of quince and apples. In nearby Vouvray AOC they aim for an off-dry style, developing honey and floral characteristics with age. In the best vintages the grapes can be left on the vines to develop noble rot, producing an intense, viscous dessert wine, which may improve considerably with age.

Dessert

Gewürztraminer

Gewürztraminer is an aromatic wine grape variety that works best in climates, which are cooler. Sometimes it is referred to colloquially as Gewürz, and in French it is written Gewürztraminer (without the umlaut). Gewürztraminer is a variety with a skin color, which is pink to red,, which makes it a “white wine grape” opposite of the blue to black-skinned varieties normally referred to as “red wine grapes”. The variety has high natural sugar levels and the wines are white and typically off-dry, with a flamboyant bouquet of lychees. In fact, Gewürztraminer and lychees share the same aroma mixes. Dry Gewürztraminer might also have aromas of Rosés, floral notes and passion fruit. Sometimes some spritz (fine bubbles on the inside of the glass) might be noticed. Its aromatic flavors make Gewürztraminer one of the few wines that are suitable for consumption with Asian cuisine. It goes well with Munster cheese, and fleshy, fatty (oily) wild game. Smoked salmon is also a good pairing.

Grappa

The flavor of grappa, like that of wine, depends on the type and quality of the grape used as well as the specifics of the distillation process. Grappa is made by distilling the skins, pulp, seeds, and stems (i.e., the pomace) left over from winemaking after pressing the grapes. It was originally made to prevent waste by using these leftovers. A similar drink, known as acquavite d’uva, is made by distilling whole must. Grappa is now a protected name in the European Union although made in Napa by a handful of careful wineries.

Grignolino

Grignolino is a red Italian wine grape variety commonly grown in the Piedmont region. It makes light colored wines and Rosés with very fruity aromas, strong acidity and tannins. The name Grignolino derives from the word grignole, which means “many pips” in the local Piedmontese dialect of the d’Asti region. The abundance of pips, or seeds, contribute to the strong, bitter tannins associated with the wine. Modern winemakers try to avoid the excess tannins with gentle and slow pressings. Grignolino has two Denominazione di origine controllata (DOCs) that produce wine from d’Asti and Monferrato Casale. Grignolino is primarily planted in the d’Asti province of Piedmont and is rarely found outside this region. One notable exception is the California producer Heitz Cellars that grows a limited amount in their Napa Valley vineyard.

Late Harvest

Sauternes-style sauvignon/Sémillon late-harvest blends constitute the benchmark style of dessert wine thought the world . Many outstanding late-harvest wines from aromatic varietals such as riesling, Gewürztraminer, chenin blanc, and muscat fill out this category. California provides the vast majority of late-harvest dessert wines, blessed as it is with a dry, lengthy harvest season.

Malbec

Malbec is a variety of purple grape used in producing red wine. The grapes generally have an inky dark color and robust tannins, and are well known as being one of the six grapes permitted in the blend of red Bordeaux wine. The French plantations of Malbec are now located mainly in Cahors in the South West France region. It is more and more celebrated as an Argentine varietal wine and is being produced worldwide. The Malbec grape is a thin-skinned grape and requires more heat and sun than either Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot to mature. It becomes ripe during mid-season and can bring extremely deep color, sufficient tannin, and a particular plum-like flavor component for adding complexity to claret blends. Sometimes, particularly in its customary growing regions, it is not trellised and is cultivated as bush vines or the goblet system. Here it is occasionally kept to a fairly low yield of about 6 tons per hectare. The wines are dark, rich and juicy. As a varietal, Malbec produces a rather inky red (or violet), intense wine, so it is also frequently used in blends, like with Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon to create the red French Bordeaux claret blend. The grape is blended with Cabernet Franc and Gamay in some places like the Loire Valley. Other wine regions use the grape to make Bordeaux-style blends. The varietal is sensitive to temperature and has a tendency to shatter or coulure.

Meritage

In Napa, Bordeaux styled wine is known as Meritage. Meritage is a proprietary term used to denote red and white Bordeaux-style wines without infringing on the Bordeaux (France) region’s legally protected designation of origin. Winemakers must license the Meritage trademark from its owner, the California-based Meritage Alliance. Member wineries are found principally in the United States, though increasingly elsewhere.

Merlot

Used as both a blending grape and for varietal wines Merlot is a red wine grape. The name Merlot is thought to come from the Old French term for “young blackbird”, merlot, a diminutive of merle, the blackbird (Turdus merula), probably from the grape’s color. Merlot-based wines typically have medium body with hints of plum, berry, and currant. Its softness and “fleshiness”, together with its earlier ripening, makes Merlot a well-liked grape for blending with the sterner, later ripening Cabernet Sauvignon,, which is more likely to be higher in tannin. Along with Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot, Merlot is one of the key grapes in Bordeaux wine where it is the most extensively planted grape. Merlot is also one of the most popular red wine varietals in several markets. This flexibility has helped in making it one of the world’s most planted grape varieties.

Muscat/Moscato Bianca

The Muscat variety of grapes of the species Vitis vinifera is extensively grown for wine, raisins and table grapes. Their colors range from white to almost black. Muscat nearly always has a distinct sweet floral aroma. Muscat grapes are grown worldwide in Cyprus, Hungary, Romania, Croatia, Moldova, Bulgaria, Serbia, Israel, France, Germany, Portugal, Greece, Spain, Australia, South Africa, California, Oregon, Canada, Italy, Albania, Turkey, Slovenia, Mexico, among other places. The extent and quantity of varieties of muscat suggest that it could be the oldest domesticated grape variety, and there are theories that the majority of families within the Vitis vinifera grape variety are descended from the Muscat variety.

Muscat Blanc is a white wine grape that is part of the Muscat family of Vitis vinifera. Its name is derived from its distinguishing small berry size and tight groups. It is known by several local names like Muscat Blanc, Muscat Canelli, Moscato Bianco, Muscat de Frontignan, Muscat de Lunel, Muscat Alsace, Muskateller, Moscatel de Grano Menudo, and Moscatel Rosé. While technically a white grape, there are strains of Muscat Blanc vines that generate berries that are pink or reddish brown in color. The same vine could possibly produce berries of one color during one year and a different color the next. These strains are more common in Australia, where the grape is also referred to as Frontignac and Brown Muscat. South Africa’s Muskadel strain sometimes shows the same darker characteristics.

Nerod Avola

Nero d’Avola (“Black of Avola” in Italian) is “the most important red wine grape in Sicily” and is one of Italy’s most important indigenous varieties. It is named after Avola in the far south of Sicily and its wines are compared to New World Shirazes, with sweet tannins and plum or peppery flavours. It also contributes to Marsala blends. The vine likes hot arid climates. The districts around Noto (above all Buonivini, Bufalefi and Maccari) and Pachino in the south of the province of Siracusa are reputed for the quality of their Nero d’Avola grapes. The first American producer of Nero d’Avola is Chiarito Vineyards in Ukiah, California (Mendocino County.) Paoletti Estates Winery is the lone grower of this varietal in Napa.

Petit Sirah

Mainly grown in California, Australia, France, and Israel, Petite Sirah, aka Durif/Petite Sirah is a variety of red wine grape. Wineries located in Washington’s Yakima River Valley, Maryland, Arizona, West Virginia, Chile, Mexico’s Baja Peninsula, and Ontario’s Niagara Peninsula have also produced wines from Durif grapes since the end of the 20th century. It is the most prominent grape known in the United States and Israel as Petite Sirah, with over ninety percent of the California plantings labeled “Petite Sirah” being Durif grapes; the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) recognizes “Durif” and “Petite Sirah” as identical synonyms, which refer to the same grape. It makes tannic wines with a spicy, plum flavor. The grape began as a Rosé of Syrah pollen germinating a Peloursin plant. On some occasions, Peloursin and Syrah vines might be called Petite Sirah, typically because the varieties are very difficult to distinguish in old age.

Petit Verdot

Mainly used in classic Bordeaux blends, Petit Verdot is a variety of red wine grape. It becomes ripe much later than other varieties in Bordeaux, frequently too late, so it fell out of favor in its home region. When it does become ripe, it is added in small quantities to add tannin, color and flavor to the blend. It has attracted interest of the winemakers in the New World, where it becomes ripe more reliably and has been produced into single varietal wine. It is also helpful in ‘stiffening’ the mid palate of Cabernet Sauvignon blends. When young, its aromas have been compared to banana and pencil shavings. Strong tones of violet and leather increase as it matures.

Pinot Grigio/Gris

A white wine grape variety Pinot Grigio/Gris is of the species Vitis vinifera. Thought to be a mutant clone of the Pinot noir grape, it usually has a grayish-blue fruit, thus its name (gris meaning “grey” in French) but the grape might have a brownish pink to black or even sometimes a white appearance. The word pinot, derived from the word meaning “pine cone” in French, could have been given to it because the grapes clusters are small and shaped like pine cones. The wines made from this grape are also different colors from a deep golden yellow to copper and sometimes a light shade of pink, and it is one of the more well-liked grapes for orange wine. The replica of Pinot gris grown in Italy is known as Pinot grigio.

Pinot Meunier

A black wine grape variety Pinot noir is of the species Vitis vinifera. The name might also refer to wines produced mainly from Pinot noir grapes. The name is a result of the French words for “pine” and “black” alluding to the grape variety’s securely clustered dark purple pine cone-shaped bunches of fruit. Pinot noir grapes are grown worldwide and typically in the cooler regions, but the grape is primarily associated with the Burgundy region of France. Most consider that it produces some of the finest wines in the world, but is a harder variety to cultivate and convert into wine.

Pinot Noir

A black wine grape variety Pinot noir is of the species Vitis vinifera. The name might also refer to wines produced mainly from Pinot noir grapes. The name is a result of the French words for “pine” and “black” alluding to the grape variety’s securely clustered dark purple pine cone-shaped bunches of fruit. Pinot noir grapes are grown worldwide and typically in the cooler regions, but the grape is primarily associated with the Burgundy region of France. Most consider that it produces some of the finest wines in the world, but is a harder variety to cultivate and convert into wine.

Rhone Varietals—Grenache/Syrah

Grenache is one of the most common red wine grape varieties planted worldwide. It becomes ripe later, so it requires hot, dry conditions like those found in Spain, the south of France, and California’s San Joaquin Valley. It is usually spicy, berry-flavored and soft on the palate and has a high content of alcohol but it requires careful control of yields for the best result. It has a tendency to lack acid, color and tannin, and is typically blended with other varieties like Syrah, Carignan and Cinsaut. Grenache is the leading variety in most Southern Rhône wines, particularly in Châteauneuf-du-Pape where it is characteristically over 80% of the blend. Grenache is also used to produce Rosé wines in France and Spain. The high levels of sugar of Grenache have led to widespread use in fortified wines, including the red vins doux naturels of Roussillon like Banyuls, and as the foundation of most Australian fortified wine.

Riesling

Originating in the Rhine region of Germany, Riesling is a white grape variety. Riesling is an aromatic grape, which displays flowery, almost perfumed, scents as well as high acidity. It is used to produce dry, semi-sweet, sweet and sparkling white wines. Riesling wines are generally varietally pure and are rarely oaked. Riesling was estimated to be the world’s 20th most grown variety at 48,700 hectares (120,000 acres) (with an increasing trend) as of 2004, but in terms of significance for quality wines, it is frequently included in the “top three” white wine varieties together with Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. Riesling is a variety, which is extremely “terroir-expressive”, meaning that the character of Riesling wines is obviously influenced by the wine’s place of origin. Riesling was the most widely grown variety in Germany with 20.8% and 21,197 hectares (52,380 acres), and in the French region of Alsace with 21.9% and 3,350 hectares (8,300 acres) in 2006. There are also important plantings of Riesling in Austria, Czech Republic, Luxembourg, northern Italy, Australia, New Zealand, Finger Lakes, USA, Canada, South Africa, China and Ukraine. In the countries where it is cultivated, Riesling is most frequently grown in colder regions and locations.

Roussanne

Grown originally in the Rhône wine region in France, Roussanne is a white wine grape that is often blended with Marsanne. It is the only other white variety, besides Marsanne, permitted in the northern Rhône appellations of Crozes-Hermitage AOC, Hermitage AOC and Saint-Joseph AOC. In the southern Rhône appellation of Châteauneuf-du-Pape AOC it is one of six white grapes permitted, along with Grenache blanc, Piquepoul blanc, Clairette, Bourboulenc and Picardan. The Châteauneuf-du-Pape appellation also permits it to be blended into red wines. The grape is planted in several wine-growing regions of the New World, like California, Washington, and Australia as well as European regions like Tuscany and Spain. The berries are recognized by their russet color when ripe (roux is French for the reddish brown color russet), and is most likely the root for the variety’s name. The aroma of Roussanne is frequently reminiscent of a flowery herbal tea. In climates that are warm, it creates wines of richness, with full body flavors of honey and pear. In climates, which are cooler, it is more floral and delicate, having a higher acidity. In a lot of regions, it is a difficult variety to grow, since it is vulnerable to mildew and has a poor resistance to drought and wind, late and/or uneven ripening, and yields, which aren’t regular.

Sangiovese

Sangiovese is a red Italian wine grape variety whose name comes from the Latin sanguis Jovis, “the blood of Jove”. While it is the grape of the majority of central Italy from Romagna down to Lazio, Campania and Sicily, outside of Italy it is most notable as the key component of the blend Chianti, Carmignano, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano and Morellino di Scansano. However, it can also be used to make varietal wines like Brunello di Montalcino, Roséo di Montalcino or Sangiovese di Romagna, as well as modern “Super Tuscan” wines like Tignanello. When Sangiovese is young, it has fresh fruity flavous of strawberry with a little spice, but when aged in barrels it readily takes on oaky, even tarry flavors. By the 16th century Sangiovese was already well known. Recent DNA profiling by José Vouillamoz of the Istituto Agrario di San Michele all’Adige proposes that Sangiovese’s ancestors are Ciliegiolo and Calabrese Montenuovo. The former is well known as a very old variety in Tuscany, the latter is an almost-extinct remnant from the Calabria, the toe of Italy. At least 14 Sangiovese clones survive, of, which Brunello is one of the best regarded. An effort to classify the clones into Sangiovese gRoséo (including Brunello) and Sangiovese piccolo families has gained little evidential support.

Sauvignon Blanc

Originating from the Bordeaux region of France, Sauvignon Blanc is a green-skinned grape variety. The grapes name is derived from the French word sauvage (“wild”) and blanc (“white”) because of its early origins as an indigenous grape in South West France. It is not obvious that sauvignon blanc originated in the southwest of France but it is possibly a descendant of savagnin; however, more studies need to be done in this respect. It is now planted in several of the world’s wine regions, and produces a crisp, dry, and refreshing white varietal wine. On the other hand, the grape is also a component of the well-known dessert wines from Sauternes and Barsac. Sauvignon Blanc is extensively cultivated in France, Chile, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Brazil, Moldova and California. Depending on the climate, flavors can range from intensely grassy to sweetly tropical. Wine experts have used the term “crisp, elegant, and fresh” as a favorable depiction of Sauvignon Blanc from the Loire Valley and New Zealand. Sauvignon Blanc, when chilled slightly, pairs well with fish or cheese, mainly Chavre. It is also one of the few wines that pairs well with sushi. In addition to Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc was one of the first fine wines to be bottled with a screw cap in commercial amounts, particularly by New Zealand producers. The wine is typically consumed young, as it does not really benefit from aging, except for some oak-aged Pessac-leognan and Graves from Bordeaux that can age up to 15 years. Dry and sweet white Bordeaux, usually made with Sauvignon Blanc as a key component, is another exception.

Sémillon

The origin of the Sémillon grape is hard to determine. It is known that it first arrived in Australia in the early 19th century and by the 1820s the grape covered over 90 percent of South Africa’s vineyards, where it was known as Wyndruif, meaning “wine grape”. It was once considered to be the most planted grape in the world, although this is no longer the case. In the 1950s, Chile’s vineyards were made up of over 75% Sémillon. Today, it accounts for just 1% of South African Cape vines.

Sémillon,, which is relatively easy to cultivate, consistently produces six to eight tons of grapes per acre from its vigorous vines. It is fairly resistant to disease, except for rot. The grape ripens early, when, in warmer climates, it acquires a pinkish hue. Since the grape has a thin skin, there is also a risk of sunburn in hotter climates; it is best suited to areas with sunny days and cool nights.
The Sémillon grape is rather heavy, with low acidity and an almost oily texture. It has a high yield and wines based on it can age a long time. Along with Sauvignon Blanc and Muscadelle, Sémillon is one of only three approved white wine varieties in the Bordeaux region. The grape is also key to the production of sweet wines such as Sauternes.

Sparkling Wines

California sparkling wine traces its roots to Sonoma in the 1880s with the founding of Korbel Champagne Cellars. The Korbel brothers made from Riesling, Chasselas, Muscatel and Traminer. Today most Napa sparkling wine—wine made according to the Méthode champenoise—is largely made from the same grapes used in Champagné Chardonnay, Pinot noir and some Pinot meunier. Some wineries will also use Pinot blanc, Chenin blanc and French Colombard. The premium quality producers still use the Méthode champenoise (or traditional method) while some low cost producers, like Gallo’s Andre brand or Constellation Brands’ Cook’s, will use the Charmat method.

The potential for quality sparkling wine has attracted Champagne houses to open up wineries in Napa and other California growing regions. These include Moét Chandon’s Domaine Chandon, Taittinger’s Domaine Carneros and Louis Roederer’s Roederer Estate. Despite being made with mostly the same grapes and with the same production techniques, California sparkling wines do not set out to be imitators of Champagne but rather to forge their own distinctive style. Instead of having the “biscuity”, yeasty quality that distinguishes most high quality Champagnes, premium California sparkling wines show clarity of fruit flavors without being heavily “fruity”. The wines strive for finesse and elegance. The optimal climate condition allows most sparkling wine producers to make a vintage dated wine every year while in Champagne this would only happen in exceptional years..

Syrah

Syrah or Shiraz is a dark-skinned grape grown throughout the world and used primarily to produce powerful red wines. Whether sold as Syrah or Shiraz, these wines enjoy great popularity. This is particularly the case in Napa Valley.

Syrah is used as a varietal and is also blended. Following several years of strong planting, Syrah was estimated in 2004 to be the world’s 7th most grown grape at 142,600 hectares (352,000 acres).

DNA profiling in 1999 found Shiraz to be the offspring of two obscure grapes from southeastern France, Dureza and Mondeuse Blanche. Syrah should not be confused with Petite Sirah, a synonym for Durif, a cross of Syrah with Peloursin dating from 1880.

Tempranillo

Tempranillo is a variety of black grape grown mainly to make full-bodied red wines in its native Spain. It is the key grape used in Rioja, and is frequently referred to as Spain’s “noble grape”. Its name is derived from the Spanish term temprano (“early”), a reference to the fact that it becomes ripe a few weeks earlier than most Spanish red grapes. In the past 100 years it has been planted in Mexico, New Zealand, South America, USA, South Africa, Australia, Turkey and Canada. Tempranillo wines can be consumed young, but the most costly ones are aged in oak barrels for several years. The wines are ruby red in color, having the aromas and flavors of berries, plum, tobacco, vanilla, leather and herb.

Viognier

A white wine grape. It is the only grape allowed for the French wine Condrieu in the Rhone valley. Since the late 1980s, plantings of Viognier in the United States and Canada have increased dramatically. California’s Central Coast is the leading producer with over 2,000 acres (8 km2) of the grape planted. Californian Viogniers are noticeably higher in alcohol compared to other wines made from the grape. The Rhone Rangers of the mid 1980s helped spark the increased interest in Viognier in California. The grape can also be found in Georgia, North Carolina, Texas, Washington, Oregon, Colorado, New Mexico, Pennsylvania, New York, Missouri, Arizona and Virginia as well as British Columbia and the Niagara and Lake Erie North Shore regions of Ontario.

Zinfandel

Planted in over 10 % of California vineyards, Zinfandel is a variety of red grape. DNA fingerprinting discovered that it is genetically equivalent to the Croatian grape Crljenak Ka_telanski, and also the Primitivo variety customarily grown in the “heel” of Italy, where it was launched in the 18th century. The grape traveled to the United States in the mid-19th century, becoming known by variations of the name “Zinfandel”, a name uncertain of origin. The grapes generally produce a robust red wine, however, a semi-sweet Rosé (blush-style) wine called White Zinfandel has 6 times the sales of the red wine in the United States. The grape’s high sugar content can be fermented into levels of alcohol that exceed 15 percent. The taste of the red wine will depend on how ripe the grapes from, which it is made are. Red berry fruits such as raspberry prevail in wines from cooler areas, whereas blackberry, anise and pepper notes are more frequent in wines made in warmer areas and in wines made from the earlier-ripening Primitivo clone.