What's your guess? 1000s? 100s? 10s?
The correct answer is 1000s of them. Most varietals are used for dessert grapes, raisins or are rarely grown. Only a handful of about 30s are of International relevance.
Ever wonder the species name of the grapes that is used for wine making?
The species name used for making wine is known as ' Vitis vinifera ' and it is just one of the many species under the Vine family. Others for example are, Vitis amurensis, Vitis cariboa, Vitis labrusca, Vitis riparia and Vitis berlandieri. Ultimately we only need to remember the wine that we are drinking comes from the species ' Vitis vinifera '.
Reds | Whites |
| Cabernet Franc Carménère Garnache Grenache Malbec Merlot Nebbiolo Pinot Noir Sangiovese Syrah / Tempranillo Zinfandel | Chardonnay Chenin Blanc Colombard Gewurztraminer (Traminer) Frontignac ( Macabeo Marsanne Pinot Gris (Pinot Grigo) Riesling Roussanne Sauvignon Blanc Semillon Viognier |
The above are just some of the more commonly known grapes. Each and very varietal has it own characteristic and most need specified climate to allow it to grow to it’s fullest potential, this leads to why certain varietal is best grown in certain country, eg. Malbec is to Argentina, Carménère is to Chile.
2 comments:
wow. there are so many type of grapes... i only know common onles like, Carbernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Shiraz, Chardonnay, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon.. guess i learn soemthing new today... what is the best type of wine for beginners?
hi Lawrence,
yes you are right, those grapes you mentioned are among the most common from the list..
For reds i would suggest Merlot, as it is soft , supple & easy on the palate and slightly sweet.
As for whites, you may want to start with a chardonnay;a popular white, taste of tropical fruits, citrus, vanilla & peach.
Post a Comment