Detailed Wine Descriptions

These descriptions provide a concise overview of each grape's characteristics and wine styles. If you need more detailed profiles or further varieties, feel free to ask!

• Agiorgitiko: A robust red from Greece, known for its deep color and complex aromas of spice and red fruits, typically grown in the Nemea region.
• Aglianico: An ancient grape from southern Italy, valued for its ability to produce full-bodied red wines with firm tannins and potential for aging.
• Aidani: A lesser-known white grape from the Aegean Islands, often blended to add aromatic floral notes to wines.
• Airén: Predominantly found in Spain, this is one of the most widely planted white grape varieties, known for producing crisp, light wines.
• Albariño: Famous in Spain and Portugal, this grape produces highly aromatic, bright, and acidic white wines, ideal for seafood pairings.
• Albillo: A rare, Spanish white grape that creates subtly fragrant wines with a soft, round finish.
• Aligoté: A white grape from Burgundy, France, offering a lighter alternative to Chardonnay with a distinctively vibrant acidity.
• Arneis: An aromatic white from Piedmont, Italy, known for its peach and apricot notes and refreshing finish.
• Assyrtiko: Indigenous to Santorini, Greece, this grape produces minerally, almost salty white wines, with bright acidity, perfect for hot climates.
• Babeasca Neagra: A Romanian red that is aromatic and light-bodied, known for its ability to produce both dry and sweet wines.
• Bacchus: A German-origin white grape that thrives in cooler climates like the UK, known for its strong floral aromas.
• Barbera: Often associated with Italy’s Piedmont region, this grape produces high-acid red wines with deep ruby colors and flavors of dark cherries.
• Barbera/Bonarda: Typically found in Italian blends, offering a balanced profile with good acidity and fruity notes.
• Bastardo: Known in Portugal for making medium-bodied red wines, contributing bright red fruit flavors and rustic charm.
• Blaufränkisch: A central European variety that yields spicy, tannic reds with dark berry flavors.
• Bobal: A Spanish grape providing robust red wines with high tannins and deep color, often with flavors of plum and licorice.
• Bourboulenc: A white grape from the south of France, valued for its acidity and citrus flavors, often blended in the wines of the Languedoc.
• Bual: A white variety famous in Madeira, Portugal, for producing rich, intensely flavored fortified wines.
• Cabernet Sauvignon & Carmenère: A blend that combines the robust structure of Cabernet Sauvignon with the spicy, herbal notes of Carmenère, often found in Chilean wines.
• Cabernet Sauvignon & Franc & Merlot: The classic Bordeaux blend, offering complexity and balance, with dark fruit flavors and refined tannins.
• Cabernet Franc: Known for its floral aromas and peppery notes, this grape is lighter than Cabernet Sauvignon and is key in Loire Valley and Bordeaux blends.
• Cabernet Sauvignon: Famous worldwide, this grape produces full-bodied reds with flavors of black currant and cedar; it's a staple in Bordeaux and has been adopted globally.
• Cabernet Sauvignon blend: Typically involves the mixing of several grape varieties to enhance complexity and balance in wines.
• Canaiolo: A Tuscan red grape used mainly as a blending grape in Chianti, adding softness and perfume.
• Carignan: An originally Spanish variety that gives highly acidic, tannic wines with berry flavors, often used in blends to add color and fruitiness.
• Carménère: Once mistaken for Merlot in Chile, this grape stands out for its deep red color and tastes of red fruits mixed with spicy, earthy notes.
• Carricante: An ancient Sicilian white grape, esteemed for its acidity and citrus flavors, predominantly grown on the slopes of Mount Etna.
• Catarratto: A widely planted Sicilian white grape, contributing to both blended and single varietal wines with its fresh, citrusy profile.
• Catarratto Carricante blend: Combines the richness of Catarratto with the acidity of Carricante, producing wines that are aromatic and structured, often from volcanic soils.
• Cava Blend: Utilized in Spanish sparkling wines, typically combining varieties like Macabeo, Parellada, and Xarel·lo for a balanced, refreshing taste.
• Champagne blend: Predominantly made from Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier, this blend is the backbone of all classic Champagnes, noted for its complexity and elegance.
• Chardonnay: A highly versatile and popular white grape, producing everything from buttery, oaked styles to crisp, mineral-driven wines.
• Chasselas: A neutral-flavored white grape primarily grown in Switzerland, valued for its ability to express terroir and used in fondue wines.
• Chenin Blanc: A versatile white grape from the Loire Valley, producing wines ranging from sweet and luscious to dry and mineral.
• Cinsault: Often used in blends, this grape adds softness and aroma to red wines, thriving in warm, dry climates.
• Clairette: A Rhône and Languedoc white grape, producing floral and often high-alcohol wines, also used in the production of vermouth.
• Coda di Volpe Bianco: An ancient Italian white grape, producing light and dry wines with a gentle floral character, mainly grown around Campania.
• Colombard: Popular in brandy production and South African whites, this grape offers crisp, acidic wines with fruity flavors.
• Cortese: Known for Gavi or Cortese di Gavi from Piedmont, Italy, this grape creates elegant, fresh wines with a marked acidity.
• Corvina, Corvinone blend: The backbone of Valpolicella wines, offering rich, aromatic reds that can be lush and sweet when dried into Amarone.
• Counoise: Often a blending component in Châteauneuf-du-Pape, adding spice and brightness to the blend.
• Crémant blend: Used for sparkling wines outside of Champagne, typically involving a mix of local varieties, yielding fresh, effervescent wines.
• Dafni White: Rare and local to Crete, this grape is known for its bay leaf aroma, producing distinctive and aromatic white wines.
• Dolcetto: This Piedmontese grape offers red wines that are typically soft and fruity with low acidity, making them enjoyable young.
• Falanghina: A southern Italian staple, known for its bright, zesty white wines with notes of citrus and apple.
• Favorita/Vermentino: Known as Vermentino in Liguria and Sardinia, it produces aromatic whites with crisp acidity and a saline note.
• Feteasca Neagra: An ancient Romanian red that offers wines with bold tannins and aromas of dark berries, often aged to enhance complexity.
• Feteasca Regala: Primarily found in Romania, this white grape produces aromatic wines with notes of stone fruits and a balanced acidity.
• Fiano: Native to southern Italy, particularly Campania, known for its nutty and floral characteristics, and its ability to age well.
• Frappato: A Sicilian red that is light-bodied and fruity, typically consumed young and known for its cherry and strawberry flavors.
• Freisa: A Piedmontese grape that produces fragrant, slightly tannic reds with strawberry notes, often sparkling or still.
• Friulano: Formerly known as Tocai Friulano, this Italian white offers flavors of almond and green apple with a mineral finish.
• Furmint: The principal grape in Hungary’s Tokaji wines, capable of producing both dry and sweet wines noted for their acidity and honeyed characteristics.
• Gaglioppo: Calabrian red grape known for creating robust and spicy wines, often with a subtle sweetness and earthy undertones.
• Gamay: Best known for Beaujolais, this French grape produces light, fresh reds with vibrant berry flavors and a juicy acidity.
• Garganega: The principal grape of Soave, a white wine from Veneto, Italy, known for its crisp acidity and flavors of white peach and almond.
• Gewürztraminer: Aromatic grape producing wines with a strong bouquet of lychee, roses, and spices; thrives in cooler climates like Alsace.
• Glera: Formerly known as Prosecco, this grape from northeastern Italy is the basis for the sparkling wine Prosecco, valued for its light, bubbly character.
• Godello: A Spanish white grape that yields wines with a silky texture and flavors of pear and peach, increasingly appreciated for its quality and complexity.
• Graciano: A Spanish red that contributes vibrant acidity and pronounced berry flavors to blends, particularly those from Rioja.
• Grechetto: Used in Orvieto and other Italian whites, offering a blend of green apple and herb flavors with a sturdy structure.
• Greco: Reflects its name by embodying a Greek lineage, though it thrives in southern Italy, producing white wines with a firm acidity and a minerally profile.
• Greco Bianco: A white Italian grape that produces full-bodied wines with a balance of acidity and aromatics, typical of Calabria.
• Grenache Blanc/Garnacha Blanca: A white variant of Grenache, producing richly textured wines with high alcohol and flavors of green fruits and herbs.
• Grenache/Garnacha: Known for its versatility and robust character, this grape produces rich, spicy red wines and is a staple in many Rhône blends.
• Grignolino: A lighter Italian red with delicate floral aromas and a pale color, offering a unique contrast to the bolder reds from the region.
• Grillo: A Sicilian white grape that delivers full-bodied wines with bold aromatics, often featuring tropical fruit flavors and a hint of almonds.
• Grolleau: Mainly used in the Loire Valley for rosé wines, it's appreciated for its acidity and subtle red fruit flavors.
• Grüner Veltliner: Austria's signature white, noted for its peppery profile, crisp acidity, and vibrant green apple notes.
• Hondarribi Zuri: A key variety in the Basque Country's Txakoli wines, known for its sharp acidity and light, fresh profile.
• Kerner: A German grape derived from Riesling and Trollinger, offering floral aromatics and a crisp palate.
• Koshu: Japan's signature grape, producing delicate wines with subtle citrus and melon flavors, ideal for pairing with Japanese cuisine.
• Kotsifali: A Cretan red grape that blends well with Mandilaria, producing wines rich in color and alcohol.
• Lefkada: Also known as Vertzami, a dark-skinned Greek grape known for its robust tannins and deep color.
• Liatiko: An ancient Cretan variety that makes aromatic reds with a balance of sweetness and acidity.
• Malbec: Originally from France but now a star in Argentina, known for its deep color, intense fruity flavors, and velvety texture.
• Malmsey (Malvasia): A term often used for the sweetest style of Madeira wine, rich and textural.
• Malvasia di Candia: Aromatic white variety found mainly in Italy, known for its perfumed notes and richness.
• Mandilaria: A Greek red grape providing robust tannins and deep color, often blended to add structure.
• Maratheftiko: An indigenous Cypriot grape, challenging to grow but offering wines with rich flavors and a potent color.
• Marsanne: Best known in the Rhône Valley, producing full-bodied white wines with nutty and peachy notes.
• Mauzac: Primarily found in the Southwest of France, used in sparkling Blanquette de Limoux with a characteristic apple flavor.
• Mavrotragano: A rare Greek red, known for its deep color and potential for aging, offering flavors of red fruit and spice.
• Melon de Bourgogne: The grape behind Muscadet, producing crisp, light whites in the Loire Valley, perfect with seafood.
• Mencía: A Spanish grape known for its aromatic red wines with bright fruit and floral notes, mainly found in Bierzo.
• Merlot: Famed for its soft, ripe tannins and plum flavors, it's a key player in Bordeaux blends.
• Merlot/Cabernet Franc: A blend often seen in St. Emilion, balancing Merlot’s softness with Cabernet Franc’s structure and finesse.
• Merseguera: A Spanish white grape, often used in blends, known for its relatively neutral profile.
• Monastrell: Known as Mourvèdre in France, valued for its strength and spice, with dark fruit flavors, common in Spanish Levante.
• Montepulciano: An Italian grape producing robust reds with good acidity and berry flavors, distinct from Vino Nobile di Montepulciano.
• Moscatel: A variety known for its sweet floral aromatics, used in both fortified Muscat wines and as a table grape.
• Moscofilero: A fragrant Greek white grape, producing wines with a rosy hue and spicy, floral notes.
• Mourvèdre: Often part of GSM (Grenache-Syrah-Mourvèdre) blends, it contributes structure and wild, meaty notes.
• Muscadelle: Used in Bordeaux for both dry and sweet blends, adding a grapey musk to the wine’s profile.
• Muscadelle & Semillon & Sauvignon Blanc: A classic Bordeaux white blend, combining floral notes, body, and acidity.
• Muscat: One of the oldest wine grape families, known for its sweet perfumed wines that can range from dry to very sweet.
• Nebbiolo: Famous for Barolo and Barbaresco, this Italian grape offers complex reds with rose, cherry, and truffle notes and formidable tannins.
• Negrette: A French variety that produces aromatic, medium-bodied wines with dark fruit and floral undertones, primarily grown in Fronton.
• Negroamaro: A cornerstone of Puglia’s reds, known for its deep color, rustic bitterness, and flavors of dark berries and spice.
• Nerello: Used in Sicilian reds like Etna Rosso, giving wines a finesse compared to Pinot Noir, with aromatic complexity.
• Nero d'Avola: Sicily’s most important red grape, offering robust, fruity wines with a characteristic peppery finish.
• Northern Rhône blend: Typically Syrah, sometimes with Viognier, producing rich, aromatic wines with floral and dark fruit nuances.
• Other Varieties: Encompasses less common grapes, each contributing unique flavors and characteristics to diverse wine styles.
• Palomino Fino: Best known for its role in Sherry, producing neutral wines that are perfect for fortification.
• Pecorino: An Italian white with good acidity and mineral notes, often showing a pleasant herbal undertone.
• Pedro Ximénez: A grape used for sweet, viscous Sherries with intense flavors of raisin and molasses.
• Pelaverga: A rare Piedmontese red, offering light, spicy wines with subtle aromatic complexity.
• Perricone: A Sicilian red grape known for its bold, robust wines with dark fruit flavors and a firm tannic structure.
• Petit Manseng: Produces high-quality sweet and dry whites in Southwest France, known for their bright acidity and tropical notes.
• Petit Verdot: Adds tannin, color, and spice to Bordeaux blends, prized for its concentration and aging potential.
• Petite Sirah / Durif: Known for its dark, inky wines with robust tannins and flavors of blueberry and black pepper.
• Picolit: An Italian grape used in sweet wines, cherished for its delicate floral and fruity aromas.
• Picpoul: A lip-smackingly acidic French white, often referred to as Picpoul de Pinet, noted for its zestiness and seafood affinity.
• Piedirsso: Lesser-known red grape from Campania, contributing to complex blends with its deep color and earthy notes.
• Pineau d'Aunis: Offers light, peppery reds and rosés from the Loire Valley, with subtle spice and berry notes.
• Pinot Meunier: Used primarily in Champagne blending for its fruity character and early maturing profile.
• Pinot Blanc: A versatile white grape producing everything from full-bodied, rich whites to light, crisp sparklers.
• Pinot Gris/Pinot Grigio: Depending on the region, can be lush and fruity or lean and crisp, showcasing versatility.
• Pinot Noir: Celebrated for its profound complexity and depth, yielding elegant wines with red fruit and earthy layers.
• Pinotage: A South African cross of Pinot Noir and Cinsaut, known for its robust, smoky wines with red fruit flavors.
• Plavac Mali: A Croatian red that is dense and tannic, often with flavors of blackberry, pepper, and spice.
• Plyto: An ancient Cretan white grape, revived for its fresh, citrus-laden wines with a mineral backbone.
• Port Blend: Combines several grape varieties like Touriga Nacional and Tinta Barroca, essential for fortified Port wines.
• Primitivo: Identical to Zinfandel, this Italian grape is bold and fruity, with a propensity for jammy, spicy wines.
• Prosecco: Glera grapes make this popular sparkling wine, noted for its approachable floral and fruity profile.
• Prugnolo Gentile/Sangiovese: The main grape in Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, offering elegant, aromatic reds.
• Ribolla Gialla: A white from northeastern Italy and Slovenia, known for its bright acidity and citrus notes.
• Rice: Not a grape but used in the production of rice wines, like sake, with distinct flavors from fermentation.
• Riesling: A noble grape yielding aromatic wines with high acidity, ranging from bone-dry to lusciously sweet.
• Riesling blend: Often mixed with grapes like Gewürztraminer to enhance aroma and complexity in the wine.
• Roditis: A Greek pink-skinned grape, producing crisp, light whites with citrus and floral notes.
• Roussanne: Known for its richness and full body, producing deeply aromatic whites in the Rhône and beyond.
• Sagrantino: An Umbrian red, producing tannic, powerful wines with dark fruits and earthy undertones.
• Sangiovese: The quintessential Italian red, foundational in Chianti and Brunello, known for its cherry notes and earthiness.
• Sangiovese & Cabernet Sauvignon: A blend popular in Super Tuscan wines, combining Italian tradition with Bordeaux structure.
• Sangiovese & Merlot: Another popular blend in Tuscany, offering a softer, more approachable style than pure Sangiovese.
• Sauvignon Blanc: Famed for its crisp, zesty whites with pronounced citrus and green herbal qualities.
• Sauvignon Blanc & Sémillon: A classic white Bordeaux blend, producing rich, layered wines with vibrant acidity.
• Sauvignon Gris: A rarer cousin of Sauvignon Blanc, offering richer, slightly spicier wines.
• Savagnin: Not to be confused with Sauvignon, this Jura grape produces nutty wines with high acidity, often vinified oxidatively.
• Scheurebe/Sämling 88: Aromatic German grape, producing wines with a similar profile to Riesling but with more pronounced stone fruit flavors.
• Schioppettino/Ribolla Nera: Known for peppery and berry-flavored reds, primarily found in Friuli, Italy.
• Sercial: The driest style of Madeira, offering high acidity and lean, sharp flavors.
• Seyval Blanc: A hybrid grape popular in England and the U.S., known for its resistance to cold and producing crisp, light whites.
• Shiraz & Cabernet Sauvignon: A popular Australian blend, known for its robust profile and deep, dark fruit flavors.
• Silvaner/Sylvaner: A German grape that produces subtle, unassuming whites with green apple and herb notes.
• Southern Rhône Blend: Typically involves Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvèdre, producing rich, spicy, and complex reds.
• Syrah & Bonarda: An unusual blend, combining Syrah's peppery notes with Bonarda's juicier, more floral characteristics.
• Syrah & Merlot: Combines Syrah’s spicy, dark fruit profile with Merlot’s softer, plummy characteristics.
• Syrah / Grenache: A classic blend, offering balance between Grenache’s fruitiness and Syrah’s structure and spice.
• Syrah Blend: Can vary widely but generally focuses on Syrah’s spicy, robust profile, often with other Rhône varieties.
• Syrah/Shiraz: Known either as Syrah or Shiraz depending on the region, this grape produces powerful, spicy reds.
• Sémillon: A key component in Bordeaux whites, both dry and sweet, known for its full body and waxy texture.
• Tannat: Best known in Madiran and Uruguay, producing robust, tannic wines with deep color and aging potential.
• Tempranillo/Tinto Fino: Spain’s star red grape, key in Rioja and Ribera del Duero, known for its cherry, leather, and tobacco notes.
• Teroldego: A Trentino native, producing deeply colored, vibrant wines with a slightly herbal and berry-rich profile.
• Terrantez: A rare Madeira grape, used in medium-dry wines known for their elegance and complexity.
• Thrapsathiri: A Cretan white, producing aromatic wines with a round, smooth texture.
• Timorasso: A Piedmontese white with a robust structure and potential for aging, offering mineral and herbal notes.
• Tinta Negra Mole: The most widely planted grape in Madeira, versatile for a range of sweetness levels in the wine.
• Tinto Fino & Cab. Sauvignon: A blend that combines the structure of Cabernet with the expressive fruit of Tinto Fino, typical in Spain.
• Torrontés: Argentina’s signature white, noted for its floral aromatics and crisp, refreshing palate.
• Touriga Nacional: Considered Portugal’s finest red grape, crucial in Port but also producing dense, floral table wines.
• Trebbiano d'Abruzzo: An Italian white that offers light, easy-drinking wines with a neutral profile.
• Txakoli: A light, vibrant white wine from the Basque region, known for its spritzy acidity and light, fresh flavor, often served young.
• Uva di Troia: An Apulian red grape, known for its bold tannins and flavors of dark fruits and earth, contributing to the structure and aroma of Southern Italian wines.
• Verdejo: A key white grape in Rueda, Spain, valued for its aromatic, crisp wines with notes of melon and green apple.
• Verdelho: A Portuguese white grape, also grown in Madeira and Australia, known for producing tangy, robust wines.
• Verdicchio: Famous in Italy's Marche region, producing structured, mineral white wines with a hint of citrus.
• Vermentino/Pigato: Found mainly in Italy and France, this grape produces aromatic whites with herbal and floral nuances.
• Vernaccia: Best known for Vernaccia di San Gimignano, a Tuscan white that is fresh, dry, and slightly nutty.
• Vernatsch/Schiava/Trollinger: A light red grape from Northern Italy and Germany, known for its fruity, easy-drinking wines.
• Vidal Blanc: Widely used in ice wine production in Canada, this grape is versatile, producing crisp and sweet wines with high acidity.
• Vidiano: A Cretan white grape, recently revived to produce full-bodied wines with aromas of apricot and herbs.
• Vilana White: Another Cretan white known for its bright acidity and citrus flavors, often consumed young.
• Vilana, Vidiano & Muscat: A blend that combines the crispness of Vilana, the body of Vidiano, and the aromatic sweetness of Muscat.
• Viognier: Known for its perfumed aromas of peach, tangerine, and blossom, producing full-bodied whites with a lush texture.
• Vitovska: A white grape from the Friuli-Venezia Giulia region of Italy, noted for its mineral and bone-dry wines.
• Viura: Also known as Macabeo, a staple in white Rioja, known for its freshness and capacity to age.
• Welschriesling: Not related to Riesling, this Central European white produces crisp wines with floral and citrus notes.
• White Rhône Blend: Typically includes grapes like Grenache Blanc, Roussanne, and Marsanne, yielding rich, aromatic whites.
• Xarel·lo: A foundational grape in Cava, producing textured, robust whites with notes of almond and citrus.
• Xinomavro: A premier Greek red, known for its high acidity and robust tannins, producing wines with complex red fruit and spice notes.
• Zibibbo: Another name for Muscat of Alexandria, this grape is used for sweet wines in Sicily, noted for its floral aromatics.
• Zinfandel: A robust red grape with a zest for producing rich, berry-flavored wines, often with a spicy finish, popular in California.
• Zweigelt: Austria’s most planted red grape, known for its juicy, cherry-like flavors and soft tannins, suitable for light to medium-bodied wines.