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Wine Varietal Basics
Is it {ve-gin-ear} or {vee-oh-nay}
Learning about wine is a lot like work and you are never done learning. Part of what I love is knowing that there is always something new out there that I have never tried before. And, part of what I hate is having a winery representative correct my pronunciation of an Italian grape or French village and realizing that I have been pronouncing it wrong for 10 years. So, if you have ever gone into a wine store and asked for Viognier as {ve-gin-ear} instead of {vee-oh-nay}, here is a reference that should help. I have compiled 30 of the most common grape varieties used to make wine along with pronunciation, a brief description, food pairing suggestions and serving temperatures.
White Wines
Albarino {alba-rei-no}
Widely cultivated in Northern Spain and in Portugal, where it is the basis for Vinho Verde, Albarino produces a light bright white wine with floral atromas and stone fruit flavors.
A good apertif wine it also pairs well with shellfish, salads or light tapas.
Serve this wine well chilled at 45 to 48°F, above refrigerator temperature.
Chardonnay {shar-dun-nay}
Chardonnay is the most popular of all white wine grapes and produces a medium to full-bodied wine. Its flavors are often described as being appley, buttery or nutty, with nuances of melon or tropical fruit. Many of the finest Chardonnay wines are produced from grapes grown in California or Australia. In France, White Burgundy and Chablis are made exclusively from Chardonnay.
Enjoy with seafood, poultry, pork, salads, brie and other semi-soft cheeses. The amount of time spent in oak determines the style of the Chardonnay. The less oak, the lighter and crisper it is. The oakier the wine, the richer the food with which you need to pair it.
Serve chilled – but not too cold. Chardonnay shows best at 50 to 55°F, so pull it out of the refrigerator and let it warm up before serving.
Chenin Blanc {shin-nin-blahnk}
Is used for making anything from dry to sweet wines. This grape produces Vouvray and other fine white wines in the Loire Valley of France. They are known for their high acidity and high viscosity. Look for good California examples from Chappellet and Pine Ridge.
Another good aperitif wine, good with grilled fish, shellfish, shrimp, scallops, lighter poultry dishes and other light fare.
Like Chardonnay, serve it chilled – but not too cold. It shows best at 52 to 55°F; so pull it out of the refrigerator and let it warm up before serving.
Gewürztraminer {geh-verts-trah-mee-ner}
Produces a floral, refreshing, spicy wine that can vary from dry to sweet. I think that the best Gewürztraminers are produced in the Alsace region of France and in Oregon. When harvested late, they can produce a rich and complex dessert wine.
Enjoy with spicy foods, smoked meats and other pungent dishes. Like Riesling, it complements Thai food or spicy Chinese or Middle Eastern dishes.
Serve this wine only lightly chilled – well above refrigerator temperature. The warmer it gets, the more aromatics and viscosity it will display.
Marsanne {mar-saan}
Originally from the Rhône Valley in France, it is one of the primary grapes used in blended whites of Châteauneuf du Pape and Côtes du Rhône. It is now being grown and bottled in California both as a blending grape or a standalone varietal. Aromatic and viscous, it can produce deeply colored wine of amazing richness.
Good with richer foods, roast chicken, cream sauces or just all by itself.
Like Chardonnay, serve it chilled – but not too cold. It shows best at 52 to 55°F, so pull it out of the refrigerator and let it warm up before serving.
Pinot Blanc {pee-no blahnk}
Produces wine similar in body and taste to Chardonnay. Much of the wine produced by these grapes is used for blending or in sparkling wines but many California wineries are now producing excellent pure Pinot Blanc wines.
Excellent sipping wine or enjoy with fish, shrimp, chicken, lobster, dinner salads and other light fare.
Serve this wine well chilled at 44 to 48°F, just above refrigerator temperature.
Pinot Gris {pee-no gree}
The Pinot Gris grape lends itself to a variety of styles, from a light aperitif to a rich dessert wine. It produces dry wines of character in the Alsace region of France called Tokay de Alsace. It is known in Italy as Pinot Grigio, a light-bodied, dry white wine. Look for excellent Pinot Gris from Oregon and Washington that are heavier and richer than their Italian counterparts.
This is great "deck wine," but you can also enjoy it with shellfish, shrimp, scallops and other light dishes.
Serve this wine just a little warmer at 45 to 50°F, about 10 minutes out of the refrigerator.
Riesling {rees-ling}
The Riesling grape produces a light to medium-bodied white wine with a great deal of honeyed stone fruit flavors. Styles of Riesling can vary from off dry to very sweet. When harvested late, it can produce a rich and complex desert wine. Good Rieslings are exceptional wines that improve with age. German Reislings are classified by their level of ripeness, from driest to sweetest, QbA, Kabinett, Spatlese and Auslese. Rieslings from the Alsace region of France, Australia and New Zealand tend to be dry. Our domestic Rieslings are all over the board...read the review or ask before you buy.
Enjoy with spicy foods, smoked meats and other pungent dishes. Try Riesling with Thai food or spicy Chinese or Middle Eastern dishes.
Serve this wine well-chilled at 45 to 48°F, just above refrigerator temperature.
Rousanne {rou-saan}
This blending grape from the Rhône Valley is another one of the primary grapes used in blended whites of Châteauneuf du Pape and Côtes du Rhône. It is now being grown and bottled in California, both as a blending grape or a stand alone varietal. Aromatic and full-bodied, it produces a rich wine with flavors of stone fruits and honey.
Good with richer foods, roast chicken, cream sauces or just all by itself.
Like Chardonnay, serve it chilled – but not too cold. It shows best at 52 to 55°F, so pull it out of the refrigerator and let it warm up before serving.
Sauvignon Blanc {saw-vin-yon blahnk}
Sauvignon Blanc grapes produce a crisp, refreshing wine with a variety of citrus fruit flavors. In France, it is the grape of Sancerre and Pouilly Fumé and is a major component in White Bordeaux. Sometimes known as Fumé Blanc in California, this wine is also produced in New Zealand, California, South Africa, South America and Australia. This is a food-friendly wine that loves shell fish and goat cheese.
Wonderful summer sipping wine or enjoy with fish, shrimp, chicken, lobster, dinner salads and other light fare. Raw oysters or shrimp cocktail might be a perfect match.
Serve this wine well chilled at 42 to 48°F, just above refrigerator temperature.
Semillon {sem-ih-on}
A white wine grape grown primarily in France, California and Australia's Hunter Valley. It produces a full-bodied wine and is often used to blend with Sauvignon Blanc or Chardonnay.
Excellent sipping wine or enjoy with fish, shrimp, chicken, lobster, dinner salads and other light fare.
Like Chardonnay, serve it chilled – but not too cold. It shows best at 52 to 55°F; so pull it out of the refrigerator and let it warm up before serving.
Torrontes {tow-ron-tes}
The primary white wine of Argentina, no one is quite sure where it came from since its DNA does not match the Torrontes grape of Spain. It produces a light, crisp white wine citrusy reminicent of Sauvignon Blanc, but without the gooseberry or grapefruit components.
Wonderful summer wine or enjoy with dinner salads and other light fare. Raw oysters or shrimp cocktail might be a perfect match.
Serve this wine well chilled at 42 to 48°F, just above refrigerator temperature.
Viognier {vee-oh-nay}
The third major blending grape of Châteauneuf du Pape and Côtes du Rhône. It produces a viscous, dry wine with a floral bouquet of stone fruit and Honeysuckle. It is grown successfully in the Rhône Valley in France, Australia, Chile and California.
An excellent aperitif wine, good with shellfish, shrimp, scallops, light poultry dishes or a summer salad.
Serve it chilled – but not too cold. It shows best at 52 to 55°F; the warmer it gets, the more the aromatics and body come to the forward.
Red Wines
Barbera {bar-bare-uh}
A red wine grape from the Piedmont region of Italy that produces Barbera d' Asti and Barbera d' Alba. It is also cultivated in California. Barbera produces a red wine with deep color, a light to medium-body, high acidity, light tannins and good fruit flavor.
Enjoy this wine with lamb, pork, chicken or almost any pasta dish.
Try this at cellar temperature, 58 to 63°F. If you don't have a cellar, put it in the refrigerator for 20 to 25 minutes before serving.
Bonarda {bo-nard-uh}
Another obscure grape, that like Malbec, found its true home in Argentina... not to be confused with the Bonarda grown in the Piedmont region of Italy. It is the same grape as Charbono that is cultivated in California. It produces a deep, rich red wine with plenty of tannin and acidity.
Pair it with any food you would normally serve with Merlot or Cabernet Sauvignon.
Serve it just above cellar temperature at 62 to 67°F. If you don't have a cellar, put it in the refrigerator for 10 minutes before serving.
Cabernet Franc {cab-er-nay fraunk}
Produces a full bodied wine with raspberry flavor and an herbal bouquet that, while softer, can be as full-bodied and intense as Merlot or Cabernet Sauvignon. Although used primarily for blending, especially in Bordeaux, it also stands well on its own and is the primary grape in the Chinon wines of the Loire Valley in France.
Pair it with any food you would normally serve with Merlot or Cabernet Sauvignon. Serve it just above cellar temperature at 62 to 67°F. If you don't have a cellar, put it in the refrigerator for 10 minutes before serving.
Cabernet Sauvignon {cab-er-nay so-vin-yon}
Cabernet Sauvignon is the most famous of all red wine grapes. It produces medium to full-bodied, dry, deeply colored, tannic red wine, possessing flavors of black fruits and aromas of cedar. Cabernet is the basis for the great red wines of the Bordeaux region of France as well as the Cabernet and Cabernet blends from California and Australia.
Enjoy with beef, game, duck and hearty pasta dishes – big wine for big food.
Cabernet shows best at just above cellar temperature at 62 to 67°F. If you don't have a cellar, put it in the refrigerator for 10 minutes before serving.
Carménère {car-men-air}
The lost grape of Bordeaux, this blending grape was thought to have gone all but extinct during the French Phylloxera epidemic of the 1850's. It was only rediscovered in the 1980's when DNA tasting showed that much of the Merlot planted in Chile was actually Carménère. Now produced as varietal wine in Chile, it produces a wine very similar to Merlot that can often have herbceous, bell pepper notes if harvested too early. Good Carménère can be amazing, but be careful, there is a lot of bell pepper out there.
Enjoy with red meats, game dishes, pork or rabbit.
Shows best at just above cellar temperature at 62 to 67°F. If you don't have a cellar, put it in the refrigerator for 10 minutes before serving.
Gamay {gam-may}
Used to produce the famous wines of Beaujolais, Gamay produces a light, brightly-colored red wine with abundant fruit flavors. It is usually best drunk young. (A Wine Guy Note: Beaujolais Nouveau is usually Gamay at its worst. Look for the Cru Beaujolais like Brouilly, Fluerie or Moulin à Vent for good a Gamay experience.)
Gamay pairs with all the same foods as Pinot Noir. Think of it as an alternative when the food says white and your head says red.
Gamay is best served at or slightly below cellar temperature, 56 to 62°F. Put it in the refrigerator for 25 to 30 minutes before serving.
Grenache {gra-nosh}
Produces a red wine which is rich in spicy fruit flavors, full- bodied, lightly colored and low in tannin. Grenache is most often thought of a blending grape and is a major component of most wines in the southern Rhône Valley of France. It also can produce a short-lived, but very pleasant pure varietal.
Enjoy this wine with lamb, pork, chicken, cassoulet or almost any French country fare. I think that it, along with the Rhône style blends, for which it provides a base, is just about the perfect Thanksgiving wine.
Try this at cellar temperature, 58 to 63°F. If you don't have a cellar, put it in the refrigerator for 20 to 25 minutes before serving
Malbec {mal-bec}
A little used blending grape from Bordeaux that found its true home in the warmer climate of Argentina where it produces big, inky, full-bodied reds. Also the primary grape in the blended wines of Cahors, a tiny growing region in south central France.
Big wine that needs big food, think grilled beef, BBQ or even pizza.
Shows best at just above cellar temperature at 62 to 67°F. If you don't have a cellar, put it in the refrigerator for 10 minutes before serving
Merlot {mur-lo}
The Merlot grape produces a luscious medium-bodied red wine with a soft texture and rich fruity flavors that are approachable at a much younger age than Cabernet Sauvignon. Merlot grapes are often blended with Cabernet Sauvignon to soften the wine and make it more drinkable at an earlier age.
Merlot styles vary based upon ripeness and the use of oak. California Merlots tend to be bigger-bodied and higher alcohol (13.5% to 15%) that makes for easy, stand alone sipping. Look for lower alcohol (12.5% to 13.5%) contents and medium-body to pair with food.
Enjoy with red meats, game dishes, pork or rabbit.
Merlot shows best at just above cellar temperature at 62 to 67°F. If you don't have a cellar, put it in the refrigerator for 10 minutes before serving.
Mourvèdre {more-vay-druh}
Produces a wine with flavors of plum and black currants, with a spicy herbal taste. It can produce wines anywhere from big and tannic to rich and plush. It is a principle component of the wines of Bandol in France, where it is used as a blending grape in the Rhône valley. It is also grown in California, Australia and Spain where it is know as Monastral.
Like Grenache, enjoy this wine with lamb, pork, chicken, cassoulet or almost any French country fare.
Try this at cellar temperature, 58 to 63°F. If you don't have a cellar put it in the refrigerator for 20 to 25 minutes before serving.
Nebbiolo {neh-bee-oh-low}
The great black grape from Northern Italy. Nebbiolo is used to produce the long lived Barolo and Barbaresco wines in Piedmont. Known for its flavors of chocolate and licorice, along with a floral bouquet, this grape produces some of Italy's best red wines. It is also now being cultivated in California.
This is excellent food wine; enjoy it with beef, pork, veal, chicken or pasta.
Barolos and Barbarescos are best served just slightly above cellar temperature, 62 to 66°F. If you don't have a cellar, put it in the refrigerator for 10 to 15 minutes before serving.
Petite Sirah {peh-teet sih-rah}
Produces a dark, fruity, full bodied, red wine. This grape is grown primarily in warm weather regions, particularly in California. Full-bodied with firm tannins, Petite Sirah can be a very long lived wine.
Hearty wine for hearty food, serve it with beef, pork, duck, game, pizza or with any spicy cuisines like Thai or Indian.
Serve just-above cellar temperature, at 62 to 67°F. If you don't have a cellar, put it in the refrigerator for 10 minutes before serving.
Petite Verdot {peh-teet ver-do}
A slow ripening blending grape from Bordeaux knownfor its deep color, tannin and floral aromas that it brings to the blend. It is now being bottled as a varietal in the new world, where it ripens more reliably.
Serve this with almost anything you would serve with Merlot or Cabernet. .
Serve just-above cellar temperature at 62 to 67°F. If you don't have a cellar, put it in the refrigerator for 10 minutes before serving.
Pinot Noir {pee-no nwa}
Pinot Noir is one of the world's great varieties of grapes. In France, Pinot Noir is used to produce what the world knows as Burgundy. It produces a delicious light to medium-bodied dry red wine, filled with complex flavors of fruit and spice. A cooler weather grape, Pinot Noir is the most difficult of all grapes to cultivate and with which to produce wine. The best domestic Pinot Noirs are made in Oregon. A Wine Guy caution: When it's good it's very good and when it's bad – yuk! It may taste like cross between battery acid and asparagus. Be careful choosing California Pinot Noirs....
Enjoy with lamb, turkey, pork and pasta with cream sauces. I think of it as the best alternative when the food says white and your head says red. Try it with grilled salmon!
Pinot Noir is best served at cellar temperature, 58 to 63°F. If you don't have a cellar, put it in the refrigerator for 20 to 25 minutes before serving.
Sangiovese {san-geeo-vay-see}
Sangiovese is the most widely planted red grape of Tuscany in Italy, and the primary component of Chianti. Sangiovese is now being successfully grown in California and produces a versatile, fruity, medium-bodied, dry red wine. Italian Chianti and Sangiovese tend to be higher in acidity, making them good food wines, but a little astringent for just sipping. California Sangiovese tends to be riper and less acidic.
This is the ultimate food wine; enjoy it with beef, pork, veal, chicken, pasta or anything Italian!
Sangiovese is best served just above cellar temperature, 65 to 68°F. If you don't have a cellar, put it in the refrigerator for 20 to 25 minutes before serving.
Syrah / Shiraz {sih-rah} / {shi-rahz}
Syrah is the great black grape of the Rhône region of France where it is a primary component in the blended wines of Rhône valley. Syrah produces a rich, deeply fruity, full-bodied, dry red wine of great complexity. It is known as Syrah in California and Shiraz in Australia.
Because of its full-body and soft tannins, Shiraz makes a great stand-alone wine or enjoy it with hearty dishes, beef, pork, duck, game, pizza or BBQ! Also makes a good accompaniment for spicy cuisines like Thai or Indian.
Shiraz is best at just-above cellar temperature at 62 to 67°F. If you don't have a cellar, put it in the refrigerator for 10 minutes before serving.
Tempranillo {temp-ra-nee-yo}
The great grape of Rioja, Tempranillo is the most widely cultivated grape in Spain. It produces a deeply colored wine with firm tannins and plenty of aging potential. It is now being cultivated in California, Australia and South America.
Generally a wine that demands food, it is very versatile pairing well with anything from tapas to roast meats.
Serve just-above cellar temperature at 62 to 67°F. If you don't have a cellar, put it in the refrigerator for 10 minutes before serving.
Zinfandel {zin-fan-dell}
Zinfandel is used to produce the only wine considered truly American. DNA tests have now shown it to be the same as the southern Italian grape Primitivo. Zinfandel produces a big, jammy, spicy and complex red wine, with a full body and soft finish. Zinfandel can produce anything from a dry, claret-style to dense, chewy, high-alcohol reds. It is also used to produce a "blush" wine, usually marketed as White Zinfandel...a fruity, light pink wine.
A nice stand-alone "glass on the deck" kind of red. Big wine for big food or enjoy with pizza, red meats, BBQ or pasta with red sauce.
Zinfandel is best at just above cellar temperature, at 62 to 67°F. If you don't have a cellar, put it in the refrigerator for 10 minutes before serving.
A Few Rules of Thumb
As a rule of thumb: White wines should be served in a tapered glass - 4" tall and about 2" wide at the top is ideal. Red wine shows best in a glass with a larger bowl and a tapered top – 5" tall and about 3" wide at the top is ideal. Balloon shapes are also okay, but let a lot of the aromas escape.
As a rule of thumb: Never pour a glass more than half full unless it's Champagne. Most of the taste is in the aroma, and a too-full glass pushes out the air that carries the aromas.
As a rule of thumb: Place red wine in the refrigerator for 10 minutes before you serve it, and remove white wine from the refrigerator 20 - 30 minutes before serving.
As a rule of thumb: Letting any tannic red wine breathe will improve it. Contrary to what Consumer Reports called a wine myth, oxidation helps smooth out a young tannic red wine. Open a young Cabernet, Merlot or Zinfandel 30 minutes to 1 hour before dinner or decant it 10 to 30 minutes before serving. It will improve... use caution with older vintages where the tannins have already softened, as they are often at their best The moment they are opened.
March 14, 2001, revised February 18, 2009
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