Albariño
Type: White
Region: Spain – Rias Baixas, Ribeiro; California – Napa, Santa Ynez, Clarksburg
Characteristics: Very light, high-acidity, peaches & apricots on the nose
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Arneis
Type: White
Region : Italy – Piedmont
Characteristics: Dry, full-bodied, low acid, pears & almonds on the nose
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Barbera
Type: Red
Region: Italy – Piedmont
Characteristics: Low tannins, high acid, dried cherries and blackberries on the nose
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Cabernet Franc
Type: Red
Region: France and California; scattered across wine growing regions globally
Characteristics: Typically grown in France as one of three (along with Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon) major grapes used in a Bordeaux-style blend. As a blending grape, it contributes spice and texture. On its own, Cab. Franc. is fairly light in color but is generally considered a rich and full-bodied wine with a perfume of raspberries, graphite, and violets. Also, Cab. Franc. has a uniquely vegetal quality that can evoke green bell peppers or leaves.
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Cabernet Sauvignon
Type: Red
Region: France, California, Washington, Canada, South Africa
Characteristics: One of three (along with Cabernet Franc and Merlot) grapes used in a Bordeaux-style blend. As a blending grape, it contributes a tannins, body, and flavors of black currant and tobacco. On its own, Cabernet Sauvignon has a natural affinity for oak that can soften it and add layers of vanilla and spice. Cabernet Sauvignon, however, varies widely in its flavor profile from region to region and flavors are often highly influenced by the vines’ surrounding environment.
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Carignan / Cariñena
Type: Red
Region: France, Spain
Characteristics: Mostly used as a blending grape for its deep color and frequently with Syrah and Grenache to produce wines that are big, rustic, and earthy wines.
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Chardonnay
Type: White
Region: France, California, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa,
Characteristics: See my column on Chardonnay here. Two major types of Chardonnay are oaked and unoaked and each type can be found in most places it is grown and made. Oaked is rich, buttery, and oaky with high sugar and notes of ripe fruit, vanilla, or roasted nuts. Unoaked can be sprightly and filled with green fruits (apples and pears), or minerally clean and bright.
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Chenin Blanc
Type: White
Region (s): France, South Africa,
Characteristics: Chenin Blanc can be exceptionally sweet and is often used in desert wine under certain conditions. It is another of those wines that varies greatly in style from region to region; it can be a minerally wine with angelica and honey on the nose or it can be a rich wine with notes of banana, pear, and pineapple.
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Dolcetto:
Type: Red
Region (s): Italy – Piedmont
Characteristics: Despite the name (which implies sweetness), this is a dry and juicy wine with low acid, bright tannins, and flavors of cherries, licorice, and subtle spice.
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Falanghina
Type: White
Region: Italy – Campania
Characteristics: Full-bodied yet fresh and bright with melon and peach on the nose.
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Frappato
Type: Red
Region: Italy – Sicily
Characteristics: light-bodied, very grapey, and usually blended with Nero D’Avola
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Gamay / Gamay Noir
Type: Red
Region: France – Beaujolais, California
Characteristics: See my post about Beaujolais here. Typically a very light bodied wine that has low tannins, high acid, and a floral nose. Flavors range from granite, to violets, to raspberries and cherries.
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Gewürztraminer
Type: White
Region: France – Alsace, Germany, California – Monterrey, Sonoma
Characteristics: Naturally high in sugar, this is a sweeter wine that are usually described as “off-dry”. These wines are redolent of lychees and may also have notes of passion fruit and florals.
Pairs well with: Smoked salmon
Grenache / Garnacha
Type: Red
Region: France, Spain, California
Characteristics: Spicy, soft, and fruity, it is often blended with Syrah and/or Carignan because it is so low in acid, tannin, and pale in color. Grenache can also be relatively sweet, and produce wine that is jammy.
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Grüner Veltliner
Type: White
Region: Austria
Characteristics: Noted for its signature rush of white pepper on the finish, usually bright and citrusy with notes of peach.
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Lambrusco
Type: Red
Region: Italy
Characteristics: A sparkling red wine that has high acidity and notes of berries.
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Malbec
Type: Red
Region: France – Cahors, Languedoc; Argentina
Characteristics: Malbec has its roots in France, where it was used mostly as a blending grape. Malbec is a tannic, full-bodied, and juicy wine with flavors of plums and blackberries.
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Marsanne
Type: White
Region: France and Washington
Characteristics: Dry and high alcohol. In Washington, the wine can have notes of ripe peaches and pears whie in France, Marsanne is a richer wine with a nutty quality and notes of pear and spice.
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Mencia
Type: Red
Region: Spain
Characteristics: A good Spanish replacement forPinot Noir – fragrant and light with rich fruit and high acidity.
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Merlot
Type: Red
Region: Almost anywhere wine is grown!
Characteristics: Medium-bodied, a soft and sometimes plush wine with notes of berry, plum, and currant. Can also have a chocolatey character and, when aged in oak, notes of leather, coffee and hints of vanilla.
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Montepulciano
Type: Red
Region: Italy
Characteristics: Montepulciano D’Abruzzo is made from Montepulciano. Vino Nobile di Montepulciano is made from Sangiovese and named after a nearby town. Montepulciano is a wine with high alcohol, moderate acidity, and soft tannins – smooth and fruity.
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Nebbiolo
Type: Red
Region: Italy – Piedmont
Characteristics: Nebbiolo makes two types of wine: Barolo and Barbaresco. Both wines are very tannic when they are young and are wines that are generally meant for aging at least a few years when they become softer and much more aromatic. When they are ready to drink, these are big full-bodied wines with scents of cherries, wild herbs, tar, tobacco, leather and violets.
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Nero D’Avola
Type: Red
Region: Italy- Sicily
Characteristics: High alcohol content and fairly tannic. Can be very sweet with strong flavors of ripe berries or toned down with peppery notes and a streak of plum.
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Okuzgozu
Type: Red
Region: Turkey
Characteristics: Dry red wine with light tannins. Can have bright and rich fruit and generally very well-balanced and medium-bodied.
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Petite Sirah / Durif
Type: Red
Region: California – Napa
Characteristics: Despite the name, this is a big wine. Nice acid and a tight structure serve as the backbone for a wine that is full-bodied and has a round mouth feel that can be compared to a buttery Chardonnay. It has a nice brightness and flavor notes of blueberries and fresh herbs but doesn’t have a particularly long finish.
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Petite Verdot
Type: Red
Region: California – Napa
Characteristics: Traditionally used as a blending grape, there are some single-varietal wines being made out of Napa but they’re fairly uncommon. Petit Verdot is high in tannin, acid, and alcohol. A strange little wine.
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Picpoul
Type: White
Region: France – Rhone, Languedoc
Characteristics: Very high acid that results in a distinctive lemon flavor. Despite this its fairly full-bodied and sometimes with notes of straw, as well.
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Pinot Grigio / Pinot Gris
Type: White
Region: Most likely anywhere wine is grown!
Characteristics: Pinot Grigio can be a crisp, light bodied wine with notes of arugula and green fruits or it can be a rich, medium bodied wine with flavors of pear and apple. Its generally easy to drink and fruity wine.
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Pinot Noir
Type: Red
Region: France – Burgundy, Italy – Val d’Aosta, Oregon, Washington, California (along the coast), Austria, Australia, New Zealand
Characteristics: Pinot Noirs vary greatly depending on where they are grown. In general, however, it is a light to medium bodied wine with flavors that run the gamut from raspberries to currents; they can be sweet and fruity or dry and floral.
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Plavac
Type: Red
Region: Croatia
Characteristics: Quite tannic and high in alcohol, these wines are fairly dry and tend to have flavors of dark fruit and spice.
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Primitivo / Zinfandel
Type: Red
Region: Italy, California
Characteristics: High alcohol, full body, and big fruit like blackberries with notes of anise. Recently, wine makers in California have turned to making wines that are best described as jammy – sweet and very fruity.
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Prosecco
Type: White
Region: Italy – Veneto
Characteristics: Lower in alcohol than Champagne, Prosecco can vary in sweetness but is usually thought of as crisp and full of bright fruit flavors like peach, apricot, and apple.
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Reisling
Type: White
Region: Germany – Rhine, France – Alsace, New York – Finger Lakes, Washington
Characteristics: High acidity and a floral nose make this a very popular wine. Can be dry, semi-sweet, or sweet. Flavors range from green apples, grapefruit, peach, and honey.
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Roussanne
Type: White
Region: France – Rhone
Characteristics: Full bodied with a unique nose of floral herb teas (think hibiscus or chamomile) and flavors of honey and pear. Rich and often blended with Marsanne, as it ages it can become nutty and complex as it ages.
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Sangiovese
Type: Red
Region: Italy – Tuscany, California – Napa
Characteristics: This is the grape that makes Chianti. It’s a wine with high acidity and, usually, a lot of tannin. Depending on where it was grown it can have an herbal and cooked tomato smell that’s followed by an almost savory spice. However, it can also be filled with rich fruit that makes it similar to Zinfandel.
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Sauvignon Blanc / Fumé Blanc
Type: White
Region: France – Bordeaux, California, New Zealand, South America, Australia
Characteristics: Crisp, dry, refreshing and high acid. In California, the wine often has notes of ripe and tropical fruits. In France it tends to be more minerally, in New Zealand there is an herbaceous and sometimes grassy quality.
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Sémillon
Type: White
Region: France – Bordeaux , Australia
Characteristics: Dry and sweet. Low acid and sometimes described as so rich that there is an oily quality.
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Schioppettino
Type: Red
Region: Italy – Friuli
Characteristics: Medium bodied to light. High acidity and low alcohol. Violet, raspberry, and pepper notes – can often be compared to lighter Pinot Noirs and can be a good Italian substitute.
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Syrah / Shiraz
Type: Red
Region: France – Cotes du Rhone, Italy – Sicily, California, South Africa, Australia
Characteristics: A big wine that varies in style. It can be fruity, spicy, and even gamey or earthy in some instances. It usually has smooth tannins and big flavors.
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Tempranillo
Type: Red
Region: Spain – Rioja, Ribera del Duero
Characteristics: This is the grape that makes up Rioja. Rioja is a wine that can be had young (these will be smooth, easy to drink, and fruity) or aged – it is very low in acidity and in sugar. Rioja is aged in oak barrels and have flavors of berries, plum, tobacco, vanilla, and leather.
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Torrontés
Type: White
Region: Argentina
Characteristics: Torrontes is a delightful white wine with a distinctly peachy or apricot nose. It has low acid and a smooth body yet is crisp and bright.
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Verdejo
Type: White
Region: Spain – Rueda
Characteristics: Soft, full bodied with notes of honey and nuts.
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Viognier
Type: White
Region: France – Rhone, California
Characteristics: Strong floral perfume. This is a dry wine with low acidity and soft body. Notes of honey, apricots, and marmalade.
Pairs well with:
Zinfandel (see Primitivo)
this is great! a student of wine is a special thing in this world. Love to help you grow this out.
Where is Carmennere?