Grape Types

While there are more than 5,000 different wine grape varieties in the world, all fall into two major families – Vitis Vinifera, which is prevalent in Europe, and Vitis Labrusca which is native to Canada and the eastern United States.

Listed below, are the more popular grape varietals along with a brief description of each and a few notes on the type of wine they produce. To the left of each description is a “grape cluster” icon to let you know whether the grape itself is a “red” grape (actually red, blue, purple, or black in color) or a “white” grape (beige, yellow, or gold in color). Keep in mind, red grapes can be used to produce white wines. See Winemaking 101.

Grape Name		Description
Aglianico		Southern Italy's most prominent red grape, it produces the famous Taurasi wine. Full of fruity, smoky complexities - tannic when young, harmonious, dense and oaky.
Airén		The world's most planted wine variety and accounting for nearly a third of Spain's vineyards. Used primarily for brandy but also blended with Cencibel grapes to produce light red wines.
Albariño		Spanish white varietal producing a crisp, fruity wine similar to Riesling or Viognier. Exhibits flavors of peach, apricots and floral aroma.
Alicante		A popular French grape primarily used for blending, it is actually a cross-breed of Petit Bouschet and Grenache. Outside of France it is primarily cultivated in Spain and produces slightly alcoholic, coarsely fruity and tannic wines.
Aligoté		Burgundy's other white grape behind Chardonnay, it produces acidic, alcoholic and tart wines, short on flavor. In great conditions it can produce fine wines and Eastern Europe has accepted it as its fourth most popular grape.
Alvarinho		Portuguese grape version of Albariño.
Arneis		Dry, scented, specialty grape of the Piedmont region sometimes called Barolo Bianco. It produces a light, almond-flavored wine.
Auxerrois		French local name for the Malbec grape. Also known as Cot, a red wine grape species grown in the Cohors region of France. Not to be confused with the white grape Auxerrois of Alsace fame.
Bacchus		German cross-breed of a Riesling x Silvaner crossing with Müller-Thurgau.
Baga		Predominant in the Bairrada region of Portugal, where this grape accounts for 80 percent of all grapes grown. It is quite dependable and produces wines which are acidic and tannic. Also known as Tinta Bairrada.
Barbera		A prolific Italian variety grown in Piedmont and second most widely planted red grape in Italy. It makes light, fresh, fruity wines that are gradually growing in quality and popularity. Plantings are also popular in California and Argentina.
Blaufrankisch		Austrian name for the German Limberger grape and Washington State Lemberger grape. Mistakenly thought to be the Gamay grape, it produces highly acidic wines with bold, fruity flavors similar to the Syrah grape.
Bobal		Used in the Levante of Spain to make mainly rosé wines.
Bombino Bianco		One of the most important white grapes of southern Italy and sometimes confusingly called Trebbiano d' Abruzzo. It is a high yielding grape with neutral flavors and usually used for blending.
Bonarda		An Italian varietal also known as Croatina and Charbono and widely planted in South America. It produces highly concentrated, somewhat tart wines.
Bordeaux		Not a grape, but a French Bordeaux region blend of predominantly Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc (<10%).
Brunello		Powerful clone of Italy's Sangiovese grape, it produces flamboyant and expensive wines, but with some inconsistancy.
Burger		Once California's most planted vinifera variety, and promoted as superior to the Mission grape, it has been identified as the nearly extinct southern French varietal Monbadon. It produces sizeable quantities of neutral wine.
Cabernet Franc		Cabernet Franc is the third component (albeit a very small role) in Bordeaux (and Meritage) wines. It is becoming more popular to see a varietal of just Cabernet Franc, and it tends to produce a slightly earthy style of wine that is very aromatic.
Cabernet Sauvignon		The primary grape used in Bordeaux and Meritage red wines. It provides elegance and structure, but usually needs another grape (such as Merlot) to round out its lean flavor. The classic flavors are of blackcurrants and cedar, but in other areas may include green peppers and mint.
Cahors		Made famous as the "black wine of Cahors" in the nineteenth century, this grape is also grown in the Loire and Mediterranean regions and known as Malbec. While Cahors is still a popular wine in Europe, it is no longer limited to the grape of the same name.
Carignan		The most common grape in France and used to make huge quantities of every day table wine. High in acidity, tannins, color, and bitterness, it is still useful in blending. Known as Carignane in the U.S., Carignano in Italy and Carinena in Spain.
Cariñena		Primary red grape in the Calatayud and Aragon regions of Spain. Carignan in France.
Carmenère		See also Grand Vidure. A rare old Bordeaux variety but now the primary grape of Chile. It is sometimes mistaken for Merlot. It is growing in popularity and produces full-bodied fruity wines.
Catawba		A native American grape popularized by Thomas Jefferson and really formed the foundation of the United States wine industry until California wines came of age. A pink skinned grape grown in New York to produce sparkling wines.
Cencibel		Synonym for the Spanish grape Tempranillo
Charbono		See Bonarda
Chardonnay		This classic variety is responsible for producing white Burgundy, Chablis and most Blanc de Blancs.It is one of the three major grape types used in the production of Champagne. Also known as Muscadet, Pinot Blanc and Pinot Chardonnay.
Chasselas		Also known as Fendant in Switzerland, it is the most popular table grape (for eating) in France, but makes wines of average quality.
Chenin Blanc		A variety that acquired its name from Mont-Chenin in the Touraine district, this grape has a good acidity level, thin skin and a high natural sugar content. Used in Vouvray (Loire) and Steen (South Africa). Sweet versions make it suitable for either sparkling or sweet wines.
Cinsault		A prolific grape found mainly in southern Rhone and Languedoc-Roussillon vineyards, where it makes robust, well-colored wines. Best results are obtained when it is blended, as at Chateauneuf-du-Pape, for example.
Colombard		A grape that produces thin and acidic wine ideal for the distillation of Armagnac and Cognac, but has adapted well to the hotter winelands of California and South Africa, where its high acidity is a positive attribute.
Concord		The widest-cultivated variety in North America outside of California (as in Welch's grape juice). By itself, it has an extremely pronounced "foxy" flavor.
Cortese		The primary grape for Gavi wine, this grape ripens early and makes a neutral white wine sometimes known as "fish" wine. It is grown primarily in Piedmont, Italy.
Corvina		A prolific Italian variety, found mainly in Veneto, where is it blended into the windes of Bardolino and Valpolicella. The grape's thick skins contribute color and tannin. Has leathery, chocolaty, nutty-spicy, and herbal flavors and some cherry aromas.
Criolla		Argentina's most planted vine, producing vast quantities of pink or deep colored white wines primarily for domestic consumption.
Croatina		See Bonarda
Dolcetto		Popular Italian grape from the Piedmont region, it produces a fruity and fragrant wine with flavors of liquorice and almonds. Quality has improved and it provides full-bodied, tannic wines with a hint of sweetness.
Dornfelder		German hybrid developed in 1956 which produces a dark-colored, soft, chocolatey red wine.
Durif		Now rare French varietal that is thought to be the same grape as Petite Sirah, but this has not een proven.
Ehrenfelser		Created by crossing the Johannisberg Riesling grape and a Sylvaner grape clone, Ehrenfelser is extremely frost resistant. The wine it creates tastes a great deal like Riesling wine. Ehrenfelser is grown primarily in Canada.
Fendant		See Chasselas.
Fiano		Native to southern Italy, this grape produces a white wine with pear and spice flavors. Also tropical flavors, citrus and a nutty edge.
Fumé Blanc		Not a grape but a clever marketing spin on the Loire synonym Blanc Fume' for the Sauvignon Blanc grape.
Furmint		Grown most widely in the Tokaj region of Hungary, it is the principal ingredient of the highly sweet Tokaji wines. It also makes a characteral dry varietal meant to be drunk young.
Gamay		This is the only grape in red Beaujolais wine, in France. At an early age, flavors have been described as bananas and bubble gum, and evolve into spice, mint, hazelnuts and walnuts. Also used in Beaujolais-Villages, Brouilly and Morgon.
Garganega		The principal Italian grape used in Soave which are medium-bodied, with citrus and melon flavors and almond finish.
Garnacha		The Spanish (and original) name for the French Grenache grape. See Grenache.
Gewürztraminer		The name literally means "spice" in German. It has a slight grapefruit, ground pepper, floral, and nutty taste. In the Alsace region of France, Gewürztraminer is drier than the German wines and usually medium-bodied. Also grown in Italy, California, Canada, and Australia.
Godello		Main white grape found in the Ribeiro region of Spain.
Graciano		A richly colored and perfumed grape widely grown in Rioja in northern Spain. It produces wines of great character and extract. Known as Morrastel in France but often confused with the very different Monastrell (Mourvedre) grape. Known as Xres in California.
Grand Vidure		Also known as the Carmenere grape, this low-yielding grape was best known for its use in Medoc wines. Cuttings were taken to Chile in the mid-nineteenth century. Growing popularity as a single varietal wine.
Grenache (noir)		Common in the Rhone and Spain (as Garnacha), it is a deeply colored, fruity red, but a bit on the rustic side. Usually blended and primarily found in the wines of the Southern Rhone. Known for the superb Châteauneuf-du-Pape wines.
Grenache Blanc		The white Grenache variant that is widely planted in France and Spain. It is an ancient Spanish variety that has the potential to produce a good-quality, full-bodied wine.
Grüner Veltliner		Austria's most important and very own grape. It is improving in quality and consistency and produces a slightly perfumed light-bodied wine similar to Pinot Gris.
Hermitage		Not a grape but sometimes used as a synonym to the Syrah grape found in Australia. Historically used as a synonym in South Africa for Cinsault and occassionally a French Swiss name for Marsanne.
Johannisberg Riesling		A synonym often used to distinguish a wine made from the true Riesling grape. It is said to be at its best in the Rheingau vineyards of Johannisberg, thus it probably evolved that, if a good wine contained Riesling grapes, it was "grown in Johannisberg".
Kadarka		Hungary's most famous red wine grape but dwindling due to tendency to produce wines light in color and flavor. At its best it produces full-bodied, tannic and concentrated wines.
Kerner		A new German grape variety which is a cross between Riesling and Trollinger. Makes spicy, very fruity wine with good acidity close to Riesling in flavor.
Lambrusco		An Italian variety, famous for its production of the medium-sweet, red, frothy wine of the same name in the Emilia-Romagna area. There are at least 60 known subvarieties.
Lemberger		Aliases for Blaufrankish and Limberger. Lemberger is a popular Austrian wine that is also planted heavily in Washington state.
Limberger		See Lemberger
Listan		Synonym for Palomino, the grape that can produce superb sherry arounf Jerez in southernn Spain. It makes a rather dull, flabby white table wine almost everywhere else. When crossed with Chardonnay it is known as Chasan.
Listan Negro		Most common grape in the Canary Island. Main grape in their top Spanish wine "Crater".
Macabeo		Spanish grape also known as Viura.
Malbec		A grape traditionally used in Bordeaux blends to provide color and tannin. It is also grown in the Loire, Cahors and Mediterranean regions, and now growing in popularity in California and Argentina as a single varietal wine instead of as a blend.
Malvasia		A complex web of grape varieties that can be both red or white usually high in alcohol and sweetness. Found in France, Italy, Greece, California, and Germany.
Manto Negro		The main grape in Mallorca and blended to make some very interesting wines.
Marsanne		A grape that makes fat, rich, full wines and one of the two major varieties used to produce the rare white wines of Hermitage and Chateauneuf-du-Pape.
Mataro		Common synonym for the Mourvédre grape and used primarily in Australia.
Mauzac		A late-ripening grape with good natural acidity, grown in southwest France. Flexible in the styles of wine it produces, it is particularly suitable for sparkling wine and adds a flavor of dried apple peel.
Mazuelo		Also known as Mazuelo Tinto, Cariñena, and Carignan in France.
Mencia		Popular Spanish grape varietal producing light, pale, relatively fragrant red wines such as Bierzo and Valdeorras.
Meritage		Not a grape, but a California-style blend of predominantly Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc (<10%). It has qualities and similarities that often rival its French Bordeaux red wine cousin.
Merlot		An early ripening grape (made infamous in the movie Sideways) with gentle flavors of plum, cherry, and sometimes toffee. In some areas of France, it can take over as the main grape in the Bordeaux blend, as with Chateau Petrus.
Merlot Blanc		A variety cultivated on a surprisingly large scale on the right-bank of the Gironde, yet said to be unrelated to the more famous black Merlot variety.
Merseguera		A common white Spanish grape used for everyday wines in Valencia.
Mission		One of the earliest grapes planted by Spanish settlers in South and Central America and California. It is identical to the Pais of Chile and tends to make undistinguishable wines.
Monastrell		Spanish version of Mourvédre grape. Used mainly in Jumilla and Catalonia regions of Spain.
Montepulciano		Planted in much of central Italy, it is responsible for wines of exceptional quality with good levels of alcohol and plummy extract.
Moristel		Unusual Spanish grape found in Somontano and Aragon regions. Makes young fruity wines.
Moscatel		Spanish Muscat grape. A grapey flavor found prominently in Alicante and more and more in Navarra.
Mourvédre		An excellent-quality grape variety that has been used more than other lesser varieties in Chateauneuf-du-Pape blends in recent years. It is grown extensively throughout the Rhone and the Midi of France, and, under the name of Monastrell in Spain and Mataro in Australia.
Muscadelle		Part of the confusing-Musc-series, Muscadelle is one of the white grapes grown in Bordeaux. It is not related to the Muscat grape, but does have a grapey-tasting flavor. This grape is most well known for its use in the Tokay wine of Australia.
Muscadine		Grown almost exclusively in the southeastern U.S. and in Mexico, the Muscadine is a large grape with a thick skin. It is very hearty, very aromatic, and grows in regions that may be inhospitable to other grapes. Scuppernong is a type of Muscadine grape.
Muscat		A family name for numerous related varieties, sub-varieties and localized clones of the same variety, all of which have a distinctive musky aroma and a pronounced grapey flavor. The wines produced range from dry to sweet, still to sparkling and fortified.
Müller Thurgau		The grape most widely planted in Germany, Müller-Thurgau comes as a mix of Riesling and Sylvaner. This is also grown in Austria, New Zealand and the northwest section of the U.S. It has a floral aroma.
Nebbiolo		A late ripening Piedmont grape that's known for being tannic, pruny, tarry and chocolaty. Difficult to grow, but adds complexity and ageability to wines. Nebbiolo is used in Barbaresco, Barolo and Gattinara wines.
Negramoll		Another red varietal from the Canary Islands, often blended with Listan Negro.
Nero d' Avola		Found throughout Sicily, but also in Australia and California, it adds bright fruit flavors and soft tannins to its wines.
Neuberger		Fifth most common white grape in Austria it makes a full-bodied wine with characteristics of Gruner-Veltliner.
Niagra		American hybrid of Concord and Cassady grapes created in Niagra, New York. Wines are marked by a very foxy flavor. It is the most planted white grape in Brazil.
Optima		A German variety blended with other wines to add sweetness. As a single varietal it produces flabby and undistinguished wines.
Pais		Widely grown in Chile, it is also the Mission grape of California and Mexico and Criolla Chica of Argentina. Sometimes known as Negra Peruana.
Palomino		Also known as Listan, this is the great sherry grape and widely grown in Australia, South Africa (White French grape) and California, for their sherry as well. In Spain used for production of finos.
Parellada		Spanish grape also known as Montonec, native to Catalonia and a key component in Cava.
Pedro Gimenez		Important white grape in Argentina, primarily in Mendoza province. It is also found in Chile's Pisco (local brandy) region.
Pedro Jimenez		Popular southern Spain grape used as the dominant grape in sherry and other fortified blends. Also used in Australia to produce rich, deep golden (nobel rot) sweet wines.
Petit Verdot		A grape that has been used to good effect in Bordeaux because it is a late-ripener, bringing acidity to the overall balance of a wine. Not seen as a unique wine varietal, but can produce a characterful, long-lived and tannic wine when ripe.
Petite Sirah		Often confused as a relative of the Syrah grape, but really a different varietal. It traditionally was used as a blending grape but now produces single-varietal, intensely flavored wines with a lot of tannin.
Pinot Bianco		A pale-skinned cousin to Pinot Noir, it thrives mostly in the north of Italy. It makes light-bodied white wines often with flavors of pear and green apples.
Pinot Blanc		A white variant of Pinot Noir, unrelated to Chardonnay but makes similar white wine with less substance and aroma. Cousin to Pinot Gris, it makes a nice sparkling wine in northern Italy and known as Pinot Bianco.
Pinot Grigio		Common Italian name for Pinot Gris.
Pinot Gris		This is a clone of Pinot Noir, grown in France, Germany, Austria, Italy, and along the west coast of the US. It's also known as Rulander or Grauer Burgunder. Berries range in color from greyish blue to brownish pink and can be used to create both fine whites and rosés.
Pinot Meunier		An important variety in Champagne and essential for early-drinking Champagnes where it gives more up-front fruit compared to the traditional Pinot Noir grape. The Pinot Meunier is extensively cultivated in the Marne Valley area of Champagne. Growing as a single varietal.
Pinot Noir		The red grape used to produce Burgundy wine. Difficult to make, it produces wines which are moderately fruity with noticeable red-berry (strawberry, cherry, raspberry) floral, and spicy aromas. Usually medium-bodied, dry, and light to moderately tannic. Without skins, they are used in Champagne.
Pinotage		Developed in the early 1900's and used primarily by South Africa, Pinotage is a mix between Pinot Noir and Cinsaut. The grape makes a wine that is hearty, with a fruity and spice taste.
Portugieser		The widest-planted black grape variety in Germany, originating not from Portugal as its name suggests, but from the Danube district of Austria. As it makes very ordinary and extremely light red wine, it is often used in bad years to blend with the too acidic white wines.
Primitivo		An Italian variety, grown in Apulia, where it produces deeply colored, spicy rich wines, sometimes sweet or fortified. Some think it is the same variety as Zinfandel.
Refosco		Grown in northeast Italy, it produces deeply colored, lively wines with plummy flavors and a hint of almonds. Medium to full-bodied with good acidity.
Riesling		Germany's most prolific grape, it produces floral, fruity wines with honey aromas. May be dry, though "late harvest" or "botrytis" Rieslings are sweet. The grape is called White Riesling or Johannisberg Riesling in California. It is also produced in the Alsace region of France.
Rondinella		An Italian variety, secondary to the Corvina grape in terms of area planted, used for the production of Bardolino and Valpolicella.
Roussanne		One of the two major varieties used to produce the rare white wines of Hermitage and Chateauneuf-du-Pape in France's Rhone Valley. This grape makes the finer, more delicate wines, while those made from the Marsanne are fatter and richer.
Rulander		Main German name for Pinot Gris, but sometimes used to differentiate sweeter styles of wines.
Sangiovese		The principal variety used in Chianti, it is grown in Italy's Tuscany region. In a pure varietal form it has floral, herbal and cherry aromas, but can lack fruit flavors. Also popular in California as "Cal-Ital" wines.
Sauvignon Blanc		This grape is grown primarily in Australia, California and France. It has a citrus, grassy flavor and makes a crisp, light wine. The same grape is used in Fumé Blanc wine, which is its "drier" version. Also used in Sancerre & Pouilly-Fumé.
Savatiano		Greece's most common wine grape and the most common ingredient in Retsina. It produces well-balanced dry white wines.
Scheurebe		This is a mix between Sylvaner and Johannisberg Riesling. It is mostly planted in Germany and is used for aromatic white wines.
Seyval Blanc		This Seibel 5656 x Seibel 4986 hybrid is the most successful of the many Seyve-Villard crosses. It is grown in France, New York state and England, where it produces attractive wines.
Shiraz		Australian grape varietal. See Syrah
St. Laurent		Important eastern European grape, as well as in Austria, and thought to be related to the red Burgundy grape. It produces juicy wines with good fruit and low acidity.
Steen		The usually accepted synonym for the Chenin blanc used in South Africa. Not to be mistaken by "Stein" which is also used in South Africa, but refers to a semi-sweet style of white wine. Many "Stein" blends do contain a large percentage of Steen wine.
Sylvaner (or Silvaner)		Originally from Austria, this variety is widely planted throughout Central Europe. It is prolific, early maturing and yields the dry wines of Franken and Alsace. It is also widely believed to be the Zierfandler of Austria.
Syrah		Petite syrah in France, the name is derived from Shiraz, a city in Iran. In Hermitage, in the northern Rhone, the grape makes big, rich tannic wines with a good deal of fruit, also in Côte-Rotie, Cornas and Crozes-Hermitage. Known as Shiraz in Australia.
Sémillon		A thin-skinned, grape which ripens early. It has a grassy, "figgy" flavor. It is also grown and showing promise in Australia and California. Often blended with Sauvignon Blanc as Graves(Bordeaux) and sweeter versions in Sauternes and Barsac.
Tempranillo		The most important variety in Rioja, where it is traditional to blend the grapes. Also grown in Argentina. Many pure Tempranillo wines though, are of excellent quality, producing long-lived wines of some finesse and complexity. Also used in Ribera del Duero.
Tinta Cao		One of the best Port grapes.
Tinto Fino		Local name for the Tempranillo vine in Spain's Ribero del Duero region.
Torrontes		White grape variety popular in the Spanish-speaking world. It produces a distinctively flavored wine, aromatic and flavors similar to Muscat.
Touriga Nacional		The finest Port grape in the entire Douro Valley. The wine is fantastically rich and tannic, with masses of fruit, and is capable of great longevity and complexity.
Trebbiano		Most common name for the undistinguished Ugni Blanc in Italy, where it is the most planted white grape. It produces a light, white, crisp wines. Also planted in France.
Treixadura		A Spanish varietal found in Rias Baixas, used on its own and in blending.
Trollinger		A variety mainly restricted to the Wurttemberg region of Germany. It produces fresh, sweet and fruity red wine. Known as Schiava in Italy.
Trousseau		One of the two principal dark grapes of the Jura region in eastern France. It produces a robust and deeply colored wine and usually used for sweet dessert wines.
Ugni Blanc		See Trebbiano.
Verdejo		Spanish grape which produces aromatic wines with herbaceous, grassy and nutty flavors. Often blended with Sauvignon Blanc.
Verdicchio		Italian grape varietal confined to the Marche region, it is known for its fragrance and flavors of fresh herbs and lemony citrus notes.
Vermentino		Spanish in origin but under intense cultivation throughout nearly all the southern Mediterranean coastal districts. Makes a clean white wine with notes of peppered citrus, pear and green apple.
Vidal		French hybrid more properly known as Vidal Blanc and widely grown in Canada for its heartiness. It is suitable for sweet, late harvest styles of wine.
Viognier		This rare varietal originated in Condrieu, on the northern Rhone. It is predominately found in the Rhone Valley and now California. Noted for spice, floral, citrus, apricot, apple, and peach flavors. It produces medium-bodied wines, sometimes complex, with relatively high acid levels and defined fruit.
Viura		Spanish grape also known as Macabeo and Maccabeu in France. It is the predominant white grape in Rioja and Penedes
Vranac		A grape indigenous to Yugoslavia, where it makes dark-colored, full-bodied, characterful wines.
Welschriesling		The "Riesling" of Austria, Slovinia, northern Italy and southern Europe. Welsch means 'foreign' and in 1981 EC law banned the name Riesling, unqualified, for its wine.
Zinfandel		Regarded in California as a native grape, but may have its heritage as the Primativo grape of southern Italy. The style can very from light and elegant, as in the white or rose wines, to massive and tannic in the red wines, but the grape's intrinsic berry-like character always comes through.