Wine grape varieties

28 grape varieties covering the world's most editorially significant wine grapes. From the Bordeaux family (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot) and Burgundy's Pinot Noir + Chardonnay to Italian Nebbiolo and Sangiovese, the Rhône triad, Iberian Tempranillo and Touriga Nacional, and New World signature varieties.

Varieties

28

Red

20

White

8

Families

7

28 grape varieties

Red grapes

20 varieties

The premium red varieties — Bordeaux's five (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Malbec), Burgundy's Pinot Noir, Italian Sangiovese and Nebbiolo, the Rhône's Syrah-Grenache-Mourvèdre triad, Iberia's Tempranillo and Touriga Nacional, plus New World signature grapes.

Bordeaux family4

Bordeaux family Foundational

The aromatic third grape of the Bordeaux blend. Stars solo in Loire reds (Chinon, Bourgueil) and at Cheval Blanc. Parent grape of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.

Bordeaux (blending) · Saint-Émilion (significant Cheva… · Loire (Chinon, Bourgueil)

also: Breton, Bouchet

Bordeaux family Foundational

Cabernet Sauvignon

The world’s most planted premium red grape. Foundation of Médoc Bordeaux and the global “Bordeaux blend” category. Powerful, age-worthy, thick-skinned.

Bordeaux Médoc · Napa Valley · Coonawarra

Bordeaux family Foundational

Bordeaux’s second great red. Dominates the Right Bank (Pétrus, Cheval Blanc) and softens Cabernet on the Left Bank. Plush, approachable, age-worthy in serious form.

Bordeaux Right Bank (Pomerol, Sa… · Bordeaux Left Bank (blending) · Tuscany (Bolgheri)

Bordeaux family Established

The minor blending grape of Bordeaux. 1-5% of Médoc blends but contributes outsized color, tannin, and floral aromatics. Late-ripening, climate-sensitive.

Bordeaux Médoc (blending) · California (small-lot single-var… · Spain La Mancha (warm-climate ex…

Burgundian & Champagne2

Burgundian & Champagne Foundational

Burgundy’s great red grape. Thin-skinned, terroir-sensitive, the most translucent expression of place in fine wine. Also the principal red of Champagne (sparkling).

Burgundy (Côte de Nuits, Côte de… · Champagne (sparkling) · Russian River Valley

also: Spätburgunder (German), Pinot Nero (Italian)

Burgundian & Champagne Established

The third major Champagne grape. Earlier-ripening than Pinot Noir; contributes accessible aromatics and early-developing character to non-vintage blends.

Champagne (only major region of …

also: Meunier (informal), Schwarzriesling (Germany)

Italian3

Italian Foundational

Piedmont’s great red grape. Foundation of Barolo and Barbaresco. The most extreme combination of tannin and acid in fine red wine — demands cellar aging.

Piedmont (Barolo, Barbaresco) · Northern Piedmont (Gattinara, Gh… · Valtellina (Lombardy)

also: Spanna (Northern Piedmont), Chiavennasca (Valtellina)

Italian Foundational

Italy’s greatest red grape. Foundation of Chianti Classico, Brunello di Montalcino, Super Tuscan blends, and broader Tuscan wine. Acid-driven, food-friendly.

Tuscany (Chianti Classico, Brune… · Romagna · Umbria (Montefalco)

also: Sangiovese Grosso (Brunello clone), Brunello

Italian Established

Piedmont’s second great red grape. Lower-tannin counterpart to Nebbiolo. Acid-driven, food-friendly, ranges from everyday Barbera d’Asti to barrique-aged Superiore.

Piedmont (Asti, Alba) · Lombardy · California (small plantings, Ita…

Rhône3

Rhône Foundational

Grenache (Garnacha)

The dominant grape of Châteauneuf-du-Pape and southern Rhône. Spanish native (Garnacha) producing serious old-vine wines from Priorat, McLaren Vale, and elsewhere.

Southern Rhône (CDP) · Priorat · Rioja (blending)

also: Garnacha (Spain), Cannonau (Sardinia)

Rhône Foundational

Mourvèdre (Monastrell)

Bandol’s great red grape and CDP’s structural backbone. Late-ripening, high-tannin variety with distinctive gamey-meaty character.

Bandol (Provence) · Southern Rhône (CDP blending) · Jumilla + Yecla + Alicante (Spai…

also: Monastrell (Spain), Mataro (Australia)

Rhône Foundational

The Northern Rhône’s great red. Same grape as Australian Shiraz — but dramatically different stylistic expression. Black pepper aromatic is the variety’s signature.

Northern Rhône (Côte-Rôtie, Herm… · Southern Rhône (CDP blending) · Barossa Valley (as Shiraz)

also: Shiraz (Australia)

Iberian4

Iberian Foundational

Spain’s great red grape. Foundation of Rioja, Ribera del Duero, and the modern Spanish premium wine category. Also significant in Portugal (Tinta Roriz).

Rioja · Ribera del Duero · Toro

also: Tinto Fino (Ribera del Duero), Tinta del País (Ribera del Duero)

Iberian Foundational

Touriga Nacional

The most aromatic and editorially significant Portuguese red grape. Lead grape in serious Vintage Port + modern unfortified Douro DOC reds.

Douro Valley (Port + Douro DOC) · Dão · Bairrada (limited)

Iberian Established

The Portuguese name for Tempranillo. Key grape in Vintage Port blends (alongside Touriga Nacional and Touriga Franca) and serious Douro DOC reds.

Douro Valley (Port + Douro DOC w… · Alentejo (as Aragonêů)

also: Tempranillo (Spain), Aragonêů (Portugal Alentejo)

Iberian Established

The workhorse blending grape of Vintage Port and Douro DOC reds. More forgiving than Touriga Nacional but central to the Port category.

Douro Valley (Port + Douro DOC)

New World & Mediterranean4

New World & Mediterranean Foundational

France’s Cahors origin grape, transformed by Argentine high-altitude viticulture. Mendoza Malbec is the foundational premium Argentine wine category.

Mendoza (Argentina) · Cahors (France — historic origin) · Bordeaux (minor blending)

also: Côt (Cahors), Auxerrois (Cahors)

New World & Mediterranean Established

Carignane (Carignan)

The southern French + Spanish workhorse grape transformed by old-vine production. Field-blend partner in California Zinfandel territory. Priorat’s second great grape.

Languedoc-Roussillon · Priorat (Spain) · California (old-vine field blends)

also: Carignan (France), Carignán (Spain)

New World & Mediterranean Established

California’s tannic field-blend partner to Zinfandel. NOT the same as Syrah (genetic confusion is editorially significant). Very high tannin, very deep color.

California (Dry Creek, Lodi, Napa) · Israel · Australia

also: Durif (technically correct name; rarely used commercially)

New World & Mediterranean Established

California’s signature red grape (genetically identical to Italian Primitivo + Croatian Crljenak Kaštelanski). Old-vine plots in Dry Creek and Lodi are foundational.

California (Dry Creek Valley, So… · Puglia (as Primitivo) · Croatia (as Crljenak Kaštelanski…

also: Primitivo (Italy), Crljenak Kaštelanski (Croatia)

White grapes

8 varieties

The premium white varieties — Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc as the global anchors, Riesling as the world's greatest white grape for serious wine drinkers, Rhône whites (Viognier, Roussanne), and the singular sherry grapes (Palomino, Pedro Ximénez).

Bordeaux family2

Bordeaux family Foundational

Sauvignon Blanc

Aromatic white grape from the Loire and Bordeaux. Marlborough’s breakout variety. Used in Sauternes blends and Bordeaux dry whites. Parent of Cabernet Sauvignon.

Loire (Sancerre, Pouilly-Fumé) · Bordeaux (Sauternes blending, dr… · Marlborough (New Zealand)

also: Sauvignon (France abbreviation), Blanc Fumé (Pouilly-Fumé)

Bordeaux family Foundational

The principal grape of Sauternes. Also the foundation of Hunter Valley Sémillon (Australia) — a low-alcohol, acid-driven white that ages 20-30+ years.

Sauternes (Bordeaux) · Bordeaux dry whites · Hunter Valley (Australia)

Burgundian & Champagne1

Burgundian & Champagne Foundational

The world’s most versatile premium white grape. Foundation of white Burgundy, Champagne (Blanc de Blancs), and serious New World white wine. Highly winemaker-responsive.

Burgundy (Côte de Beaune, Chablis) · Champagne · California (Sonoma, Santa Cruz M…

also: Pinot Chardonnay (historic California name), Morillon (Styria, Austria)

Rhône2

Rhône Established

The aromatic Rhône white grape. Partner to Marsanne in Hermitage Blanc and serious CDP blanc. Tablas Creek’s Esprit de Tablas Blanc is Roussanne-led.

Northern Rhône (Hermitage Blanc,… · Southern Rhône (CDP blanc) · Savoie

Rhône Established

Northern Rhône’s great white grape. Foundation of Condrieu and the rare Château-Grillet monopole AOC. Also co-fermented with Syrah in Côte-Rôtie.

Condrieu (Northern Rhône) · Château-Grillet (Rhône, single-A… · Northern Rhône (Côte-Rôtie co-fe…

Iberian2

Iberian Established

Palomino (Palomino Fino)

The dominant grape (95%+) of sherry production. Native to Andalusia’s albariza chalk soil. Base wine is unremarkable; sherry production transforms it dramatically.

Jerez (Sherry Triangle) · El Puerto de Santa María · Sanlúcar de Barrameda

also: Palomino Fino (the specific subvariety used in sherry), Listán (Canary Islands)

Iberian Established

Pedro Ximénez (PX)

The grape behind the world’s most intensely sweet wine. Sun-dried grapes vinified into PX dessert sherry. Treacle-like, raisin-driven, dramatically aged.

Montilla-Moriles (DO) · Jerez (sweet sherry production) · Málaga

also: PX (universal commercial abbreviation)

Germanic1

Germanic Foundational

The world’s greatest white grape for serious wine drinkers. Highest natural acid; spans bone-dry to dramatically sweet. Mosel Riesling ages 50+ years.

Mosel-Saar-Ruwer (Germany) · Rheingau · Pfalz

also: Rheinriesling (Austria), Johannisberg Riesling (historic California)