Dec

Wine Grapes

Red Wine

Pinot Noir
(PEE-noh nwahr)

Just as Merlot was pooh-poohed by Miles in Sideways, Pinot Noir was worshiped in its glorious difficulty. Pinot Noir is a finicky grape. It only grows in the right climate, with the right soils and the right care. Perhaps because it is so difficult is why it is so loved. Pinot Noir’s home and the classic wines from the grape hail from Burgundy. Pinot is the only grape allowed for AOC wines of the region. It is also essential in Champagne, where it is one of the three main grapes of creating Champagne and sparkling wines in other regions. Pinot Noir mutates easily and so there are many different clones floating around in each wine region.

Notable Facts
Other than Burgundy, Pinot has been successful in areas like Oregon, California and lately, New Zealand – the Central Otago region to be exact. Pinot Noir from France gives flavors and aromas of red fruit, summer pudding and baking spices. As the wine matures – and great Burgundies are able to do so for years – the flavors become more like the earth the wine comes from- mushrooms, truffles – and the wine gains tremendous complexity. Pinot Noir from the new world like Oregon and California typically exude stronger fruit intensity, some wine able to reach a high level of complexity, structure and age. Others are wonderful for drinking now with a myriad of foods. Many may wax poetic about this grape, the reason being that Pinot Noir produces an amazing contradiction in wine – something so delicate and subtle, yet powerful and mesmerizing.

Merlot
(mehr-LOW)

No second fiddle
Poor Merlot, Miles gave it quite a reputation in Sideways. Luckily, Merlot did not take it personally and continues to rule the right bank of Bordeaux and produce quality, well-made wines elsewhere in the world. The grape’s unfortunate fall into disgrace came from a few wineries who over-planted the variety and made inexpensive, watered-down Merlot. But the principle grape of top chateaux in St-Emilion and Pomerol (think Petrus) maintains its noble variety standing.

Notable Facts
Merlot is important as a single varietal and as a blending agent. It’s known for adding softness to the austere Cabernet Sauvignon in Bordeaux blends in France, California and elsewhere. Chateau Petrus, perhaps one of the most expensive and sought-after wines of the world, is almost 100% Merlot. The grape exudes soft fruit flavors of plum and blackberry, but it’s versatile – the style can change depending on the climate and soil. Merlot from mountain areas are usually more Cabernet like, with stronger structure and tannins, while Merlot from flatter areas of clay based soil are opulent, velvelty wines ready to drink earlier on.

Summing it up
Successful Sites:
Bordeaux, California, Washington State, Chile

Common Descriptors:
plum, cherry, blackberry, spice, raspberry

Cabernet Sauvignon

(cab-uhr-NAY sow-veeh-yawn)

King of Red
Many refer to Cabernet Sauvignon as the king of red grapes. Perhaps that title is due to its ability to grow worldwide in a number of climates, or to the fact that it produces wine with such character yet such diversity. Either way, this grape is responsible, as a whole or a partner, for some of the greatest wines in the world. In Bordeaux Cabernet Sauvignon is the principle grape of the Medoc. It plays a supporting role in the blends of the right bank in regions such as St-Emilion and Pomerol. Most of the classic and cult wines of Napa Valley are made with Cabernet Sauvignon.

Notable Facts
The Cabernet Sauvignon grape is a small berry with a thick skin, giving it a high solid to juice ratio and creating a wine high in color, tannin and extract. Some typical Cabernet Sauvignon descriptors are cassis, cedar and currant. Because the grape adapts to so many different soils and climates and can flourish with different types of winemaking, its characteristics are different depending on its origin. In Bordeaux you’ll find more of the earthy, tannic side of Cabernet. It’s almost always blended in Bordeaux, using other grapes to soften the tannins and add complexity. In warmer regions like California and Australia, you’ll frequently get more ripe fruit flavors upfront. Grapes are picked when higher in fruit and lower in acid, often giving a more approachable wine. Cabernet Sauvignon grows almost everywhere, many regions using it to blend with indigenous varieties. As a blending grape it adds structure and tannins.

Summing it up
Successful Sites:
Just about everywhere, particularly Bordeaux and California

Common Descriptors:
black currant, cassis, herbs, cedar, tobacco, earth

Zinfandel
(ZIN-fahn-dell)

American Grape
Some call Zinfandel the American – or Californian – grape. Although it’s not from America (Croatia has been named its origin), it does seem quite at home in the vineyards of California. During Prohibition, Zinfandel was the favored grape for communion wine, which is why so many old vines are still around today. It grows well in the warm, sunny regions of California and is succeptible to excessive sugar levels, creating wines high in alcohol. Most winemakers are able to tame or balance the high alcohol with the big fruit flavors and smooth tannins also typical of Zinfandel. The sugar levels of the grape contributed to the production and popularity of White Zinfandel as well.

Notable Facts
While Zinfandel is grown many places in the country, its most popular and successful region is California. Appellations producing delicious Zinfandel wines include Sonoma, specifically Dry Creek Valley, Napa and the Sierra Foothills. Zinfandel stands out with its very berry intensity, packed with jammy flavors of blueberries and blackberries. It’s not short on tannins either, although the fruit and alcohol adds balance.

Summing it up
Successful Sites: California

Common Descriptors: jammy, blackberry

White Wine

Chardonnay
(shar-dawn-AY)
White Wine’s Queen Bee
Like Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay can grow just about anywhere. It adapts well to different soils and different climates. While frequently paired with California, its native home lies in the vineyards of Burgundy, France. The only major white grape of the region, Chardonnay is at its best on the rolling slopes in Bourgogne. Other popular Chardonnay sites include California (just about everywhere) Oregon, Washington, Other US, Australia, South Africa, South America and New Zealand.

Notable facts
Chardonnay varies greatly with climate, soil and winemaking – but it adapts just about anywhere, which is what makes it so popular. Cooler climates like New Zealand and Chablis lead to crisp, acid-prone wines, while warmer climates like Southern California and Australia foster riper grapes that create heavier wine leaning towards tropical fruit flavors. So specific are the soils of Burgundy, the wines of the region show subtle notes of mineral and chalk that belie their origin. Chardonnay adapts itself to oak very well, as one may taste in many of the wines.

Riesling
(REEZ-leeng)

The Riesling grape is happiest in a cooler climate, one that fosters its slow and steady ripening. Often assumed to be the producer of only sweet wines, Riesling is a fascinating grape of many faces. From bone dry to lusciously sweet, this variety is delicious at any sugar level with its intense aromas and steely acidity. Most popular in Germany and Alsace, the Riesling grape is grown on steep, sun-facing slopes of these cooler climates. It can be made in dry or sweet styles – Germany’s qualification system for Rieslings is actually based on ripeness level and the grape is almost always bottled as a sole varietal in the country. In Alsace, Riesling can be blended, although typically not, and is most often made in a dry style.

Notable Facts
Riesling has an extremely high level of acidity. That acidity is matched by the intensity of the grape’s floral and fruit aromas. A number of descriptors are associated with Riesling due to its tendency to adopt the characteristics of where it is grown. Rieslings of the Mosel are distinctive because its flavors reflect the region’s slate soils, while its partner in Alsace displays less soil character and more peach and apricot nuances due to the warmer climate. For dry styles of Riesling, look to Germany’s Kabinett levels, Alsace, Washington State, Australia and New Zealand. For a slightly sweeter style, look to Germany’s wines of the Spatlese and Auslese levels. If you can afford it, and want a true, decadent and sweet experience, look for the Beerenauslese and Trokenbeerenauslese styles. Hedonistic.

Summing it up
Successful Sites: Germany, Alsace, Austria, Australia, New Zealand, Washington State, California, New York State

Common Descriptors:
steely, peach, mineral, floral, petrol, orange blossom, citrus

Sauvignon Blanc
(so-veen-YAWN blahnk)

One of the most distinctive grapes, Sauvignon Blanc is a highly aromatic variety that does well in both the old and new world. From the Loire Valley of France to Marlborough in New Zealand, Sauvignon Blanc has found many regions that bring out its unique and delicious flavors.

Notable Facts
Sauvignon Blanc’s home is the Loire Valley of France, where it produces the crisp, grassy mineral-tinged wines of Sancerre and Pouilly Fume (not to be mistaken with Pouilly Fuisse in Burgundy- that would be Chardonnay). Wine of this region is crisp and grassy, with delicious minerality and an occasional gun flint/smokey character. In the 1970′s, New Zealand planted its first cuttings of Sauvignon Blanc, which in turn brought the country to the forefront of the wine world. In New Zealand, the variety exudes its typical crisp acidity, as well as pungent passion fruit and grapefruit aromas and flavors. In California, Sauvignon Blanc is produced both in stainless steel (like New Zealand and France) and with a touch of oak. The wooded versions maintain the acidity of the grape but tone down the intense citrus flavors with subtle oak characteristics. Winemakers differ in their addition or choice of oak. The grape also produces delicious wines from Chile and Italy.

Summing it up
Successful Sites: Loire Valley, New Zealand, California, Chile, Italy

Common Descriptors: grass, lemon, grapefruit, passion fruit.

Pinot Gris/Grigio

(PEE-noh gree/GREE-jee-oh)

While Pinot Grigio is in fact the same grape as Pinot Gris (just the Italian take on it), the differences of wine they create can be immense. Pinot Gris’ most popular and successful region is Alsace, France, an area of the country that actually puts the name of the grape on the label. Pinot Grigio is the Italian version of the grape, known for its light, crisp acidity. But wines from other regions usually term their wine Pinot Gris or Grigio based on the wine’s flavor profile.

Notable Facts
Pinot Gris from Alsace creates rich, stone fruit-laden wines. They are perfumed and aromatic, and typically dry. It has round body and medium acidity. Take the grape a bit south to Italy, and it creates a very crisp, high-acid, citrus noted wine. Both are flavorful, but wine named Pinot Gris typically provides more body and rounder fruits while Pinot Grigio gives lighter-bodied, citrus fruits. Oregon and California are also growing the grape, Oregon having success with a more Alsacian style and California producing both. Winemakers often call the wine by the style they wish to replicate – for Italian style, look for Pinot Grigio, for the Alsacian style, look for Pinot Gris. In Alsace, Pinot Gris can also makes wine with some residual sugar. It’s capable of creating delicious dessert wines in the region.

Summing it up
Successful Sites: Alsace, Italy, Oregon, California

Common Descriptors: peach, pear, floral, citrus

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