Famous grapes that gave the wine its identity
The answer to when and how the grape juices turned into wine is obscure. But there is evidence that indicates the wine’s origin to be West Asia which dates back to 6000 and 4000 BC. This fact is supported by the remains of ancient wineries near Armenia, Georgia, Turkey, and Iran. There are evidences of native grapes to be used in the making of wine. Later these are domesticated and spread to various parts of the world. Out of these, a few adapt to form the finest wine and earned the tag of ‘Famous Grapes’. The rest got lost under its shadow.
This article will cover almost all the famous grapes that create magic in the various forms of wine. But before we start discussing the grape varieties it is important to know the types of wine it can create. The wine has endless categories. In terms of color, it is red, white, or rose. In terms of body, it is light medium, or full. As per sugar content, it is sweet and dry. Even origin like Bordeaux, Rioja, and Chianti is a category. Lastly, it can be a still, sparkling, or fortified wine. There are grape varieties that can make wines from one or more than one category.
The Famous Grapes of Red Wine
The red grape variety makes the red and rosé wine. There is a common misconception that red wine is still wine, but many sparkling red wines like Australian Shiraz and Italian Brachettto are in the market. The rose can be both still and sparkling. Both red and rosé can have various levels of sweetness.
Cabernet Sauvignon, the famous grapes
Once it was one of the famous grapes of Bordeaux, France, it is grown worldwide. The list includes cultivators from California, Australia, Spain, Italy, Bulgaria, Chile, Moldova, and so on. The grape’s specialty is its uniformity in taste. Wherever it grows, it tastes the same. The wine tastes like a black current with a hint of other notes like green pepper, asparagus, cedar, and incense. The grape makes great red and rosé wine.
Gamay, the famous grapes
It is a fruit of France, Switzerland, and Eastern Europe. It makes red, rosé, and rarely sparkling wines. They undergo a special fermentation technique called carbonic maceration. It is a process in which the uncrushed berries are put into the fermentation tank. The tank is filled with carbon dioxide. So, the enzymatic fermentation process occurs inside the intact berries. As the alcohol percentage increases inside by about 2% the skin cracks. The fermented juices come out of the berry. The winemaker then separates the skin and the juices. And let the fermentation carry on either by adding the yeast or via natural yeast that grows on the skin.
The unique process of fermentation entirely changes the profile. It creates a light body, fruity, and less tannic wine. The fruity aroma is best described as banana, bubblegum, raspberry, and strawberry.
Grenache or Garnacha
It is a famous grape from France, Spain, and Australia. But it is originally from northern Spain. When young it tastes like strawberry and raspberry. With time and age, the color and taste turn into blackberry, blackcurrant, black cherry, and black olive. It makes red, rosé, sweet, and fortified wines.
This variety undergoes both normal and carbonic fermentation. The carbonic one taste like cotton candy and watermelon dum dum. And a flavor of strawberry, pomegranate, rose petal, and fennel.
Malbec
Before 1956, it was used as a blend in Bordeaux wine. But has very less to contribute to the blend. 70% percent of the variety got lost in the great frost of 1956. After that, the crop was not a success. Around 1990 Argentina saw a huge surge in the production of Malbec. From then the country became the largest producer.
Merlot
It contributes as a blend in red Bordeaux. A famous grape in California but is also grown in other parts of the world. Wine tastes like strawberry to leather-based on the age of the wine.
Pinot Noir, the famous grapes
These grapes have unique characteristics. Though they are red yet, they make good white and sparkling wines. The Blanc de Noirs and Chardonnay pinot noir are two such wines. Apart from white, it makes great red and rosé wine. The primary cultivators are France, Newzealand, Tasmania, the USA, Chile, and South Africa. The taste note of the various wines is strawberry to beetroot, white truffle, and decaying vegetables.
Sangiovese
It is typically a Tuscan grape that makes great Chianti. The Chianti is a wine named after the place where it came from, Tuscan, Italy. The countries like California, Argentina, and Chile are the other cultivators. The red wine from these grapes tastes like sweet and sour cherries, sun-dried tomatoes, and a mild note of violet flowers.
Syrah or Shiraz
Makes red, rosé, and sparkling wines. It makes great Rhône wines. The leading cultivators are Australia, France, New Zealand, South Africa, the USA, Spain, Chile, and Switzerland. The taste of the wine is spicy and herby.
Tempranillo
It is a Spanish specialty and a part of almost all Spanish wines. As it is an early ripener, it lacks the characteristic taste. So, wine like Rioja requires an oak treatment to improve flavor and taste. The taste note varies from strawberry to stewed plum with the smell of oak or vanilla. Argentina, California, Portugal, and Southern France are the other cultivators.
Zinfandel
The grapes make great blush wines. The blush wines are rosé with a pale rose color. The color is obtained by minimizing the contact time between the skin and the juice or mixing red and white grapes. Blush wine has a sweet-jammy taste. Zinfandel can also make rich blood-red nectar. The wine from this variety taste like black pepper, clove, and cinnamon. California, Italy, and Australia are the main growers.
The Famous Grapes of White Wine
White grape variety makes white wine. The wine can be still, dry, sweet, sparkling, and fortified. During the processing of white wine, the skins are separated from the juice at the initial stage. So as to reduce the contact of the juice with the skin, making the wine colorless or pale yellow. It is unlike the processing of red wine. In red wine making the filtration of the skin happens at a later stage. Thus, the wine gets its bright red color.
Albarino
It is a variety of northern Spain and Portugal and makes the expensive Spanish white wine. It has an acidity of citrus fruits like lemon and lime. The aroma resembles the peach and apricot.
Chardonnay, the famous grapes
A celebratory grape that makes Burgundy and sparkling wine like Champagne and Franciacorta. It is neutral in flavor and taste. So, to improve the property the wine made of Chardonnay is oaked. The taste can vary from chablis to floral. In mature white Burgundy, it is butter, double cream, and hazelnut. In most cases, it is Oaky.
Chenin Blanc
It is grown in Australia, France, and South Africa. The grape fits into any form of white wine, be it dry or sweet and still or sparkling. It is a good blend for grapes like Chardonnay and Semillon. It tastes of honey, orange and damp straw.
Gewürztraminer
The countries that grow this particular variety are France, Italy, Germany, New Zealand, Australia, California, the US, and Chile. The grape originally came from Germany and Alsace, France. Its property is greatly influenced by the region. It makes white dry, sweet, sparkling, and fortified wines. The taste is more likely to be lychee, rose water, and Turkish delight.
Muscat, the famous grapes
It is an ancient grape variety that can date back to the Greek and Roman eras. In the current age, it is grown all over Europe, Australia, South Africa, and California. It makes sweet, sparkling, and fortified white wines. There exist 7 types of Muscat; Muscat Blanc a Petit Grains, Muscat of Alexandria, Moscato Giallo, Muscat Ottonel, Muscat of Hamburg, Muscat Bailey A, and Moscato Rosa. The wine has a strong aroma of jasmine, honeysuckle, orange blossom, rose petals, and elderflowers. The Australian one taste like coffee and toffee.
Pinot Gris/ Grigio
The grape goes by many regional names. It is a clone of the Pinot Noir variety, and its history goes back to the middle ages in Burgandy. It is grown worldwide, including France, Oregon (U.S.A), New Zealand, Italy, France, Germany, Hungary, and Romania. The wine has a musky aroma and tastes like spicy ginger.
Riesling
It makes sparkling and sweet wine. The grapes are grown in almost all parts of the world including Australia, Austria, Chile, France, Germany, New Zealand, the USA, South Africa, and Canada. When young it tastes like green apple, white peach, and honey.
Sauvignon Blanc
Its origin is Bordeaux, France but it is grown worldwide. This grape variety has green skin. The wine is mostly sold and consumed when young as aging develops unfavorable aromas like peas and asparagus. Thus the winemaker avoids aging the wine made from this variety. The climate and region have a great impact on the taste and aroma of the wine. The New Zealand wine tastes like gooseberry and nettle whereas Californian wine is more like passion fruit and pineapple.
Semillon
There are two unique properties of this grape variety; a) its skin is golden and b) it gets affected by noble rot or Botrytis easily. The latter makes it ideal for the sweet wine type. As this rot makes the berry dry and shrivels on the vine. By the time it is harvested the sugar content already has increased. It is grown in France, Australia, and Chile. It is also neutral in taste and provides a honey-like taste when oaked.
Viognier
It is only used in France for the Condrieu, the French wine of Rhône Valley. The other countries that grow this particular variety are California, North, and South America, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and other parts of the world. It is peachy and nectarine on the nose.
Almost all the wines are blends of two or more than two grape varieties. One classic example is Champagne, a blend of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and the lesser-known Pinot Meunier. The Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, and Petit Meslier also play a small part in the making of Champagne.
Source; Bluffer’s Guide to Wine by Jonathan Goodall and Harry Eyres