The grape varieties from A to Z
General information on the different types of grape varieties: La vine à wine belongs to the botanical family of Vitaceae, still called Ampelidaceae.
This family includes ten genera, including Ampelopsis, Cissus, Parthenocissus, and especially Vitis. Although other genera, such as Ampelocissus, are capable of producing grapes, only Vitis vinifera matters for wine.
Vitis includes two subgenera of Vitis: Muscadinia, and euvitis.
The subgenus Muscadinia has three species, all three native to North America: Vitis munsoniana, Vitis popeniae, and Vitis rotundifolia.
The subgenus Euvitis includes 36 species according to the European classification Branas, or 37 according to the American classification Bailey. But it does not matter exactly, because only a few species are able to produce a drinkable juice, and only one -Vitis vinifera- gives all the best wines in the world. However, it is fair to point out that:
- Vitis labrusca is cultivated for wine grapes in North America, especially on the eastern coast of the United States and in Canada; but the resulting wine has a particular smell and flavor, the foxé, which evokes raspberries at first contact, followed by a very acrid, rather unpleasant aftertaste; we sometimes say noahté, from the name of the noah grape variety that was once widespread in Europe;
- some Asian species cultivated in China, Korea, and Japan, are capable of producing drinkable wine when nothing better is available; for example, when good wine was lacking at the height of the phylloxera crisis, Japan exported wine from vitis coignetiae;
- Vitis riparia, Vitis rupestris, and Vitis berlandieri, all three of American origin, are very important for viticulture because they prove to be the most resistant to phylloxera, and for this reason serve as rootstock for Vitis vinifera
Similarly, hybrids from Vitis candicans - native to the Mississippi marshes - are sometimes chosen as rootstocks because of their resistance in soils with excessive saline content.
To come back to the Vitis vinifera, it seems to originate from Transcaucasia but it is in the hot regions of the Mediterranean basin that it particularly rained and that it developed, domesticated by the first civilizations. This species includes many varieties (grape varieties) which have a natural tendency to reproduce and cross by pollination. Since the beginning of civilization, the number one effort of wine growers has been to control or promote crossbreeding, seeking to obtain grape varieties with a certain number of properties considered desirable (see “Selection criteria” below). Nowadays, the search for new varieties, a complex task, is carried out by specialized laboratories, and the reproduction of the selected varieties is taken care of by nurserymen.
Ampelography, which identifies the grape varieties by the vine shoots and the leaf, distinguishes some 5.000 grape varieties with certainty, and admits the difficulty of identifying and classifying an infinite number of sub-varieties obtained at random from local developments or at the option of increasingly fine selections in laboratories.
To the natural or induced crosses between varieties of the species Vitis vinifera, has been added the creation of hybrids, either between varieties of Vitis vinifera and Vitis labrusca, or even between hybrids and Vitis vinifera.
Essentially, the creation of hybrids was justified by the difficulty of acclimating the good European Vitis vinifera in America, and secondarily wherever it is desired - rightly or wrongly - to cultivate the vine in cold climates such as in Germany or Great Britain, or humid as in Brazil for example.
About fifteen grape varieties only are capable of producing excellent wines all over the world: cabernet franc, cabernet sauvignon, chardonnay, gamay, gewurztraminer, grenache noir, malbec, merlot, muscat, pinot gris, pinot noir, riesling, sauvignon , semillon, syrah.
Alongside these exceptional grape varieties, a few dozen others, excellent on their chosen terroir, are not easily acclimatized elsewhere. Among the best of them: chenin, furmint, mourvèdre, nebbiolo, palomino fino, sangiovese, tempranillo, zinfandel.
In total, a sufficiently respectable number for the problem of choosing the most appropriate grape variety (s) to arise, and which still arises in a good number of wine-growing sites.
Choice criteria : Far from the somewhat academic considerations governing the classification of grape varieties according to their graphic description or their origin, the winegrower and the winegrower appreciate the grape varieties according to criteria of very practical interest for their daily life. For them, the main characteristics of a grape variety are the climate and the land that suits it, the quantity and quality of the must it produces.
More generally, there are two main classifications grape variety practices:
According to destination
The type of wine that we want to produce guides the choice of certain grape varieties more suitable than others to provide this type of wine. Thereby :
- Chasselas gives an excellent table grape but a fairly ordinary wine
- likewise Ugni Blanc, arguably the most widely cultivated grape variety in the world, provides ordinary wine and is therefore often distilled
- Muscat is particularly suitable for producing so-called natural sweet wines, although they are obtained by interrupting the fermentation early by adding alcohol
- some very sweet grape varieties, such as Sémillon, lend themselves to the production of sweet wines, while others that are also very sweet will be better vinified in dry wines with high alcohol content;
- while most grape varieties produce wines to be drunk young, a few allow the production of wines that keep for a long time;
- some grape varieties lend themselves readily to the production of sparkling wines;
- a handful of grape varieties give special wines such as Jerez or Vin Jaune, which evolve away from the “flower” created by the yeasts during fermentation;
- of course, white grapes can only produce white wines, while the black grapes leave complete freedom on the final color of the wine;
- most of the lower quality grape varieties, and some of the best grape varieties, give more satisfactory results in more or less complex blends; only a few high quality varietals encourage the production of single varietal wines;
According to the maturity date : The Pulliat classification, named after the Frenchman who established it at the end of the 19th century, classifies grape varieties into 5 categories according to their date of maturation (that is to say when the sugar content of the grape has reached its maximum and no longer increases), taking the golden chasselas as a reference:
1.Early grape varieties, maturing 10 days before the golden Chasselas
2. first period grape varieties, maturing at about the same time as Chasselas
3. second period grape varieties, maturing 12 days later
4. third period grape varieties: 24 days after the golden Chasselas
5.date grape varieties, maturing 36 days after that of Chasselas
The Pulliat classification was improved by Americans Winkler and Amerine, who determined the total amount of heat that each grape requires to achieve maturation and which Californian wines use and abuse.
In cold climates, we choose early varieties, capable of ripening before the cold autumns. Warm climates allow the use of later varieties, which are also more productive. Very hot climates are, however, incapable of producing good grapes, because the vine then inherits too much from the sun, and not enough from the soil.
In any case, the maturation should not be too fast, because the best wines come from grape varieties whose maturity is reached just barely, with all the risks that this entails.
So the grape variety is not everything, and theINAO (Institut National des Appellations d'Origine) rightly maintains that each AOC owes its specificity to a set of factors among which the terroir plays a key role.
Finally, the international grape variety code mentions indicating the color of the grape with a capital letter: B = white, N = black, Rs = pink, G = gray.
Grape variety from A to Z
- Abouriou
- Acharria
- agiorgitiko
- Aglianico
- Agua Santa
- airen
- Albalonga
- Albana
- Albariño
- Albilla
- Albillo
- Alcanon
- Random
- Alexander
- Alicante
- alicante bouschet
- Aligoté
- Highness
- Alvarelhao
- Alvarinho
- amigne
- Handmaiden
- Aragon
- aramon
- Arbane
- Arbois
- arinto
- Arneis
- Arrufiac
- Arvine
- aspire
- Assyrtyko
- boon
- Aubin
- aubun
- Aurore
- Austrian
- Auvernat black
- Auxerrois
- Auxerrois white
- Avilleran
- azal
- Bacchus
- Baco black
- Baga
- Balzac
- Balzac black
- Barbarossa
- Barbaroux
- Barbera
- Barcelos
- Bardin
- Baresana
- Baroque
- Bastardo
- Beaumois
- Beaunois
- Beou
- Bequignol
- Bergeron
- Bianchetta
- Kind biancu
- nozzle
- Bidure
- Smoky white
- Blanqueiro
- stew
- Blau Burgunder
- Gamay
- bobal
- Yellow wood
- Good advice
- Bonarda
- Borracal
- Bouchet
- Bouchy
- Boudales
- bourboulen
- Black Burgundy
- Bourret white
- Bouschy
- Cowherd
- Brancellao
- Gear
- Braucol
- Breton
- Breton
- Silver brown
- Brown-fourca
- Bual
- Burger
- Cabernet franc
- Cabernet franc
- Cabernet sauvignon
- Cabernet sauvignon
- Caino
- Calitor
- Camaralet
- Camaralet de Lasseube
- Camarese
- Walk
- Canaiolo nero
- Canari
- Candive
- Cannonau
- Cap de More
- Cararratto
- carbouet
- carcajolo nero
- Carignan
- Carignan white
- Carmenère
- Carmine
- Carnelian
- Caricante
- Cascade
- casculho
- castelão
- The cast
- Castets
- Catawba (variety)
- Cayuga white
- Celar
- cencibel
- Centurion
- French grape varieties - general
- Cesanese
- Caesar
- Caesar (red grape)
- Black rowboat
- Chambourcin
- Chancellor
- Chardonnay
- Chasselas
- Chatus:
- fatty warmer
- Chelois
- Chenanson
- Chenin Blanc)
- chenin noir
- Chevrier
- cinsault
- Clairette
- Clairette round grain
- Clevner
- Clinton
- codega
- Codivarta
- Colman
- colombard
- colombaud
- Colombier
- Concord
- carnelian
- Cornifesto
- Cortese
- croaker
- Corvinone
- Côt
- Couderc
- counoise
- curved
- Black curvy
- Curvy little
- Cournoise
- Creole
- Crouchen
- White cruchen
- cynthiana
- Gaglioppo
- Gaillac
- Galloping
- Galotta
- Gamaret
- Gamay (red grape)
- Round-leaved gamay
- Gamay Beaujolais
- White gamay
- Gamay de Bouze
- Gamay de Chaudenay
- Black gamay
- Black Gamay with white juice
- Black gamay with red juice
- Gamay Saint-Laurent
- Gamay dyer
- Gamay dyer of Chaudenay
- garanoir
- Garganega Bianco
- gas con
- Knee
- Genovese
- Gentile
- Gewurztraminer
- Line of Business
- Glera
- Gloria
- Godello
- Gouais
- Gouget
- Gouveio
- Graciano
- Grey
- Grechetto
- Greco
- Green Hungarian
- Grenache white
- Gray Grenache
- Grenache
- Gray Riesling
- Griffin
- Grignolino
- Cricket
- Gringet
- Grolleau
- Grolleau gray
- Big auxerrois
- Big blue
- Big manseng
- Fat mister
- Big plant
- Big fruit bat
- Grosse Sainte-Marie
- Grosso
- Grüner-Veltliner
- good noble
- Gutenborner
- Maccabeu
- Madeleine Angevine
- Royal magdalene
- Madiran
- Malaga
- Malbec
- Malbec (red grape)
- Malvar
- Malvasia
- Malvasia
- Mancès white
- Manoskin
- Manseng
- Manseng black
- Mansoi
- Manto negro
- Maratheftiko (variety)
- Marchoupet
- Maréchal Foch
- Maria gomes
- Marsanne
- Black marsanne
- Marcelan
- Mauzac
- Rosé Mauzac
- Mavro
- Mavroud
- Mayorquin
- mazuelo
- Mother
- Doctor
- Melon d'Arbois
- Burgundy melon
- Brittany melon
- Mencía
- Pineau menu
- Merenzao
- Merille
- Merlot
- White merlot
- Merseguera
- Black Meslier
- Meslier Saint-Francois
- Metternich
- Miller
- Milgranet
- minustello
- Mission
- Scroll wheel
- Molinara
- M
- The world
- White Mondeuse
- Monemvasia
- Monica
- Mono-varietal
- Montepulciano
- Montils
- Morelet
- Morillon
- Morillon white
- Morio Muskat
- Morrastel
- Black mortar
- Muscat
- Moscatel branco
- Muscatel
- Mourisco Semente
- Mourvedre
- Mourvegue
- Mourves
- Moustrous
- Mouyssagues
- Muller-Thurgau
- Musap
- Muscadelle
- Muscadet
- dormouse
- Muscat
- Muscat with small grains
- Muscat with small black grains
- Muscat with small red grains
- Muscat d'Alexandrie
- Hamburg Muscat
- Muscat Ottonel
- Small-grained pink Muscat
- Muskat-Sylvaner
- Muscat
- Pagan
- CountryPrueba
- Fine palomino
- pamid
- pansa blanca
- Parellada
- Pascal
- Pascal white
- Gateway
- Pedro ximenez
- Peloursin
- Pera
- perlan
- Perle
- Persian
- Small beclan
- Small bouchet
- Little brown
- Little Manseng
- Petit Meslier
- small verdot
- Small verot
- Petit Cabernet
- Little sirah
- Small-waste
- Picardan white
- Black picardan
- Picigneau
- picpoul
- Black picpoul
- Tender foot
- Piedmontese
- Pinerolo
- Pineau d'Aunis
- Pineau from the Loire
- Pinenc
- pinot beurot
- Pinot Blanc
- Pinot Chardonnay
- Pinot Gris
- Pinot Liébault
- Pinot Meunier
- Pinot Noir
- Pinotage
- Piquepoul white
- Black piquepoul
- Plant d'Arles
- Plant d'Arbois
- Savoy plant
- Abymes de Myans plant
- Plant Robert
- planta nova
- plantet
- Pointu de Savennières
- Blue portuguese
- Portugieser
- Poulsard
- Buyer
- Prosecco
- Blackthorn
- grumpy
- Raffiat of Moncade
- Ramisco
- Raüschling
- Ravat
- Golden ray
- refinish
- Reichensteiner
- Reze
- Rhenish
- Rhoditis
- Ribolla yellow
- Rieslaner
- Riesling
- Rkatsiteli
- Robola
- Rolle
- Roman
- Romorantin
- Swallow
- Rossola
- rotberger
- Rotgipfler
- roussan
- Rousanne
- Rousselou
- sea dog
- Ayze fruit bat
- Savoy fruit bat
- Roussillon
- Royal
- Ruby cabernet
- Ruffiac
- Rulander
- Capbreton red sand
- Sacy
- Saint Emilion
- Saint-Pierre-Dore
- Saintongeais
- Salvatiano
- Samso
- Sangiovese
- Unmatched
- Sauvignon
- sauvignon gris
- Savagnin
- savatiano
- Scheurebe
- Schiava
- Shiraz
- Schonberger
- Sciacarello
- Sciaccarellu
- Sémillon
- septimer
- sercial
- Serine
- Servagnin
- Servanine
- Seyval
- Sgavetta
- Winning vine
- Souzao
- Spanish
- Spanish
- Pinot Noir
- Stone
- Sultana
- Surin
- Sylvaner
- Symphony
- Syrah
- Gray-friendly
- Tannat
- Tannat
- Dry cleaner
- Tempranillo
- Téoulier black
- Teroldego
- Terrant
- Gray and white terret
- Black terret
- Thompson seedless
- Tibouren
- Tinta amarela
- tinta baroque
- Tinta cao
- Tinta carvalha
- tinta francisca
- Tinta negra mole
- Roriz paint
- Tinto aragonese
- Tinto cao
- Fine red
- Tintorera
- Friulian tocai
- Tokay
- Torrontes
- Turbat
- Touriga (National)
- Touriga Francesa
- Traminer
- Trebbiano
- braiding
- Trepat
- Tressallier
- Tressot
- trollinger
- Clothing
- Gray keychain
- Mad