Grape Varieties

The world of wine has hundreds if not thousands of grape varieties to play around with. This week we will be focussing on the four most important of each type

RED WINE

1. Cabernet Sauvignon: The master grape which is always a safe bet when making good to great wine. This grape produces rich, full bodied wine which is high in alcohol. Black fruit flavors are dominant along with some coconut, vanilla and chocolate aromas. This grape is usually used to make some great blends due to its strong characteristics which forms the body of the wine. The best varieties come from France and USA.
2. Shiraz: This grape provides a medium- full bodied wine and exhibits good acidity. The flavors which dominate would be black cherry, smoke, tar, truffles, meat, herbs and a lot of pepper. The pepper flavor ultimately gives Shiraz the stereotype of being a spicy wine and the best friend to spicy food. The best Shiraz is found in Australia.
3. Merlot: This wine is medium bodied in texture, exhibits a lot of fruity aromas and it gives a very velvety feel once drunk. Despite its medium bodied characteristic's do not undermine this wine- this wine can exhibit high alcohol and can age for decades. The best varieties can be found from France
4. Pinot Noir: This grape delivers the lightest bodied wines which is mainly due to its thin skin. Red fruits dominate the flavor tones of this wine such as strawberries, raspberries and cherries. The wines delivered are low in alcohol but very complex in its aromas. The best Pinot Noirs can be found in France, USA and now New Zealand.

WHITE WINE

1. Chardonnay: This grape is the master of all whites offering rich and flavorful wines which are medium bodied in texture but rich in colour. The world of Chardonnay is complex and can be divided into the fruity styles which is rich in sweet tropical fruits like melon whereas the more concentrated style from the Old world gives us more acidic wines with a strong citrus fruit flavor. This wine responds well to being aged in oak barrels which gives it its vanilla and oaky features. This is one of the few white wines which age well and improve with time. The best types can be found in USA, France and Australia.
2. Sauvignon Blanc: This grape provides us with a light bodied and crisp wine which has very strong mineral features from the Old World side but amazing fruity features from the New World with intense flavors of grapefruit dominating this wine. This wine has high acidity and low alcohol. The best Sauvignon Blanc comes from New Zealand.
3. Riesling: This wine is an amazing example of extreme complexity in terms of aromas and flavors which can differ from country to country. The best Riesling's originate from Germany where the wines are more sweet, low alcohol, spicy and a dominant taste of honey. This wine can serve the purpose of a dessert wine as well.
4. Pinot Grigio: This grape produces a medium bodied and extremely balanced wine which is high in acidity and makes you think of citrus fruits the moment you first sip it. The best Pinot Grigio hails from Italy.