The following overview of grapes commonly used in wine making is not meant to be comprehensive. Rather, it is to provide you, the reader with a brief yet informative look at the major grape varieties used in wine making in the United States and throughout the world. The list will be continually edited and updated as well as to keep current and information regarding the represented varieties. For more information, feel free to send us any questions or comments.

Cabernet Franc · Cabernet Sauvignon · Chardonnay · Malbec
Merlot · Pinot Noir · Reisling · Sangiovese · Sauvignon Blanc · Shiraz/Syrah · Zinfandel

Cabernet Franc - One of the parent grapes of the Cabernet Sauvignon (along with Sauvignon Blanc), Cabernet Franc is less widely consumed and very underrated. The grape itself has a thinner skin than the Cab Sauvignon while taking on some of the acidity of the Sauvignon Blanc and showing ripe fruits of raspberry, cherry and plum. THe grape is most planted in the St. Emilion area of Bordeaux where it is one of only five approved varietals used in making Bordeaux red wines. In California, Cab Franc is mostly planted in Sonoma and Napa Valley. It is often used as a blend with Can Sauvignon or Merlot. Two outstanding wines that utilize this grape to it's fullest potential are the famous Bordeaux red Cheval Blanc, or the Napa Valley made Dalle Valley.
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Cabernet Sauvignon - In a word association game, if someone gave you the words "California wine" and told you to say the first thing that comes to mind, there's a good chance you would say "Cabernet Sauvignon". This staple of California wine making became world renown in 1976 when in a blind tasting in Paris a 1973 California Cabernet took the grand prize beating out the French Bordeaux's (the wine was a 1973 Stag's Leap Cabernet). Since the late 1970's wine makers have flocked to California to find excellent terroir and try their luck with growing grapes.

In Sonoma and Napa Valley, Cabernet Sauvignon shines. Other great regions producing Cabernet Sauvignon including Italy, and in recent years Washington State as well as Chile. The thick skinned grapes are quite resilient to mediocre growing conditions but perform best in slightly dry and warm climates with soil type that allows for good drainage and requires the grape to struggle a bit to become concentrated. The thick skins result in high tannin concentration, the feature that makes the wine "dry" out the palette and give Cabernet Sauvignon the ability to age well.

On the nose Cabernet Sauvignon show notes of blackberry, black currants, and bell pepper. On the palette the wines show big dark fruits and often, when aged properly, buttery notes. Cabernet Sauvignons tend to have medium to large tannins and are often paired with grilled red meats, barbequed pork and most hearty stews and pasta dishes.
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Chardonnay - Depending on what you call this varietal, White Burgundy or Chablis, or just Chardonnay, you'll see very different approaches to making wine from this "most-famous" of the white wines. THis green-skinned grape is grown around the world and can be found in a over-oaked style that many have associated with some of the California wines, to the elegant and world class wines of Chablis as well as sparkling wines in Champagne.

The grape itself can withstand a wide variety of conditions and depending on location will result in quite unique wines. For instance white Burgundies are moderately oaked and usually exposed to slightly warm growing conditions. This results in wines that are rich and show "warmer" flavors with less acidity and good structure. In contrast, the wines of Chablis are crisp and show green fruits and mineral/flint notes ( a hallmark characteristic of Chablis). Then again, growers in California have been some times criticized for the use of too much oak, which results in the wines with a lot of smoked wood and little or no fruits. It is because of this that many wine drinkers quickly moved on from Chardonnay grown in the New World style. Fortunately many winemakers have figured out the right balance of oak and the new California Chardonnay's are quite elegant and well structured, and allow for nice expression of their fruits.

On the nose, Chardonnay can show a variety of well defined fruits which include peach, apple, pear, citrus and apricot. THe immediate appearance "wood" can indicate a wine that has been over-oaked. On the palette, again there can be quite a variety of flavors not limited to apple, peach, pear, smoke, oak, and vanilla.
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Malbec - These days when many people think Malbec, they may first think about Argentina. But it is in France where the grape first appeared as a world-class varietal. One of the five grape varieties allowed in Bordeaux red wines, Malbec is a black, thin-skinned grape that contributes flavors of plum and a touch of spice as well as moderate tannins to some of the best wines in the world. As a single varietal, the wines are concentrated, inky, and often heavily oaked.
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Unlike Merlot or Cabernet, the Malbec grape performs best with moderate to high heat and high levels of sunlight. Further, swings from warm days to cool nights allow this early ripening grape variety to develop concentrated flavors. THese required elements of terroir which make areas such as Napa Valley or the Mendoza region of Argentina ideal. Malbec's are best enjoyed with red meat, especially grilled steaks.
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Merlot - This red wine grape dates back to the late 1700's when it was first used to make wine in the Bordeaux region of France. Over the last 300 years, the grape has become essential to the bordeaux, and also the world wine markets. Wines made primarily with Merlot are medium bodied wines that display fruits of plum and blackberry, as well as flavors of bell pepper, toasted oak, vanilla and cedar. Because of the delicacy of the grape, it is often blended with the thick-skinned Cabernet Sauvignon grape with the intention of softening the wine. It is this combination of grapes (along with Cabernet Franc, Malbec, Petit Verdot) that produces what are considered to be the best wines in the world in Bordeaux.

Although it has had some criticism in pop culture (specifically the movie Sideways), merlot is still one of the most consumed and recognized grape varieties in the world. Merlot is widely planted in both Washington State and California, as well as in other countries like Chile and Argentina. Merlot is a great pairing to prime rib, hamburger, or variety of chicken and game dishes...
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Pinot Noir (Red Burgundy) - Wines have been produced from the delicate and temperamental Pinot Noir grape since ancient Roman times. Outstanding Pinot Noirs have been made traditionally only in the Burgundy region of France. In recent years, excellent examples of the potential of the grape have been found in Oregon as well as New Zealand. Further, some vineyards in California have done remarkable work with the grape and produced some outstanding wines (specifically vineyards in the Central Coast areas, the Sonoma Coast, and Russian River Valley). California Pinot Noir tends to be more fruit forward and dense.

Considered by many to be the most elegant of all wines, Pinot Noir is known around the world for its finesse and ability to be breathtaking. The wines are characterized by a garnet color combined with complex aromas of black cherry, raspberry, currant cinnamon, mushroom, and "barnyard". Pinot Noirs are generally great expressions of the terroir where the grapes were grown and involve big bodied wines that have medium to high alcohol content when at their best lack substantial tannins or acidity. Pinot Noir is also used in the production of many Champagne's as well as Rose wines.
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Riesling - Traditionally a wine from Germany and the Alsace region of France, Riesling is now grown in many areas of the United States (Upper Northwest, Michigan, New York's Finger Lakes) and Canada (Niagara Peninsula). The Reisling grape is used to make white wines that can be smooth and sweet, or wines that are acidic, crisp and refreshing, depending on the style of wine making. Late-harvest wines from the Reisling grape are concentrated dessert wines that are picked late in the season when the grapes have fully ripened and concentrated. Ice wines, which are Rieslings that are harvested during the first freeze of a growing season, are yet another style of Riesling-based dessert wine which have a lot of acidity and sugars.

Common flavors found in Rieslings are peach, apple, pear, apricot, minerals, as well as a nose that contains "petrol". Rieslings pair very well with a variety of cuisine, especially spicy Asian food where the acidity and sugars of the wine balance out the spice of the cuisine.
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Sangiovese - This classic Italian grape, most well known for its role in Chianti as well as in (Brunello di) Montalcino, is characterized by fresh berry, plum, and cinnamon, as well as other spices. Until recent years, Sangiovese was not widely planted outside of Italy. Today more winemakers are experimenting with this traditional Italian grape as there is increasing demand for Sangiovese-based wines. Look to pair both pasta and pizza with wines made from the Sangiovese grape.
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Sauvignon Blanc - This green-skinned grape used for the production of white wines was first cultivated for viticultural purposes in Bordeaux, France. A versatile grape, sauvignon blanc wines tend to have a moderate amount of acidity which leads to wines that are both crisp and refreshing and are almost always consumed young (1-2 years after bottling). Common components in sauvignon blanc include grapefruit, limes, minerals and grass.
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California Sauvignon Blanc tends to have less of a mineral component and more citrus fruits and acidity than the wines of Bordeaux. New Zealand, another major producer of Sauvignon Blanc, produces wines that are more similar in style to California. Finally, Sauvignon Blanc, along with Sémillion, is used in a late-harvest sweet wines of Sauternes, France.
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Shiraz/Syrah - Currently considered the fifth most planted red grape variety in the world, Syrah produces wines with rich color, intense fruits, concentrated flavors, and a unique spice that carries through the finish. Syrah, as it is called France, isin Southwestern Iran. For years Syrah has been the center of outstanding French wines in northern Rhone with some of the nest being Coti-Rotie and Hermitage. These wine have great structure and do quite well with a decade or more of the bottle aging. In Australia the wine go only by the name of Shiraz, where they benefit from the warm climate and ideal soil type and have produced some of the best Syrah/Shiraz-based wines in the world in recent years (i.e. Penfolds Grange, Two Left Hands). Winemakers love the resilience of Syrah which is resistant to many forms of common vine diseases.

In California you will find both Syrah and Shiraz on bottles depending on the winery. Not to be confused with Petit Sirah (which has deep roots in California wine production and today is commonly used as a blending varietal with Zinfandel), Syrah is becoming a force in California wine production. As the grape does best with moderate heat and granite-based soils, Syrah is showing quite well in both Napa and Sonoma, and especially in the specific areas of the Sierra Foothills, Sonoma's Dry Creek Valley, and the eastern portion of Santa Barbara County. These wines resemble the Shiraz of Australia with their opulent fruits and refined tannins and for the most part, are ready to drink within a few years of being produced. Syrah is a great pairing with barbecued meats (or chicken) or wild game and goes especially great with lamb.
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Zinfandel (Zin) - Often considered the American (specifically Californian) grape varietal, Zinfandel has been grown in California for decades. Thought to be related to the Primitivo grape (which originated in Coratia and is still grown in Italy), Zinfandel is the most widely planted grape in California. THe grape itself can be quite difficult to grow due to uneven ripening and is often harvested late to prevent the harvest of unripe grapes. THe California terrior has proven to be an ideal place for the grape thrive

Much of the California supply of Zinfandel is used in what most people associate with Zin: White Zinfandel which is a blush/rose type of wine that quite frankly isn't very good! Fortunately, many people learn quickly that the grape performs best as a red wine and soon discover the fruit forward and spicy wine that they love.

The following regions are known for producing high quality Zinfandel: Alameda, El Dorado, Mendocino, Napa Valley, Rancho Cucamonga, San Luis Obispo, Santa Clara, Sonoma.

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Article by Michael Mohammadi
Michael is a Research Scientist (PhD Candidate) and a wine/food/restraurant critic
Michael's blogs can be found on our site in our Blogs section
Email: michael@foodandwineblog.com · web site