Written by: Frances Cardullo

Almost any fruit or vegetable that can be fermented can be made into wine, thus we have dandelion wine, peach wine, mead (honey wine) etc. For the purposes of this discussion I will stick to wines made from grapes. The most basic difference between wines is, of course, the grapes they are made from. A knowledge of grape varieties, therefore, is the first step in helping you identify wines you will like. At least seven - Cabernet, Pinot Noir, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Gewurztraminer and Muscat - have memorable tastes and smells distinct enough to form international categories of wine.

White wine Grapes: Blanc Fume’, which refers to the "smoky" smell of the wine, also known as sauvignon blanc. Produces a very distinctive, aromatic, herby and sometimes smokey scented wine.

Chardonnay; The white burgundy grape, one of the grapes of Champagne, and the best white grape of California. Gives dry wine of rich complexity.

Chenin Blanc; The leading white grape of the middle Loir. Wine can be dry or sweet but always retains plenty of acidity.

Gewurztraminer; The most pungent wine grape, distinctively spicey to smell and taste. Wines are often rich and soft, even when fully dry.

Riesling; Germany’s finest grape, now planted around the world. Has a brilliant sweet/acid balance, flowery in youth but maturing to subtle oily scents and flavors. Also successful in Austria, Australia, California & South Africa.

Semillon; The grape which contributes the lusciousness to great Sauternes; subject to ‘noble rot’ in the right conditions but increasingly important for Graves and dry white Bordeaux. Makes soft dry wine of great potential.

Trebbiano; Important grape of central Italy, used in Orvieto, Chianti, Soave, etc.

Verdicchio; Gives its name to a good dry wine of central-eastern Italy.

Red Wine Grapes: Barbera; Most popular of many productive grapes in Northern Italy giving dark fruity, often sharp wine.

Cabernet Sauvignon; Grape of great character: spicy, herby and tannic, with a characteristic ‘blackcurrant’ aroma. The first grape of the the Medoc, also makes most of the best Californian, Australian, South American and Eastern European reds. This wine almost always needs aging and usually benefits from blending.

Gamay; The Beaujolais grape: light, very fragrant wines, at their best young. Makes even lighter wine on the Loir, in central France, and in Switzerland and Savoie.

Lambrusco; Productive grape of the lower Po valley, giving a cheerful sweet and fizzy wine.

Merlot; Adaptable grape making the great fragrant and rich wines of Pomerol and St. Emilion, an important element in Medoc reds, soft and strong in California and Australia, lighter but often good in Northern Italy.

Pinot Noir; The Glory of Burgundy’s Cote d’or region with scent, flavor, and texture unmatched anywhere. Less happy elsewhere; makes light wines rarely of much distinction in Germany, Switzerland, Austria, and Hungary.

Pinotage; Singular South African grape. Can be very fruity and age interestingly.

Syrah or Shiraz; The best Rhone red grape, with very tannic purple peppery wine which can mature superbly. Very important (as Shiraz) in Australia.

Zinfandel; Fruity adaptable grape indigenous to California with blackberry-like, and sometimes metallic, flavor. Can be gloriously lush, but also makes ‘blush’ wines.

I hope that these brief descriptions of the grape varieties will make your next wine selection easier. Remember, there is no substitute for tasting; so be adventuresome and try as many wines as you can. You may not like them all but there will be many pleasant surprises in store as you try different wines.