There are so many types of grapes cultivated around the world that remembering all of them it’s an almost impossible task. However, what you should know if you want to be a connoisseur on wine matters are the main types of wine such as Merlot, Cavernet Sauvignon or Pinot Noir.
A bottle of wine includes usually one or more varieties of the European species of grape, the well know Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Gamay and Merlot. A wine can either be produced with a predominant grape (75% or 85% of one single grape plus others) or be a mélange of different grape varieties. The difference between the two options is not related to the quality of the final product but to its taste.
Even if not very common, wines can also be produced from hybrid vines, meaning grapes that have been created using genetic crossing of two different species. Done mostly in North America, these grapes are usually used for eating but can sometimes be used for wine production too.
Nowadays, different types of vines are usually grafted (this is different from the hybrid vines). Around the world, the most popular grape is the European grape Vinifera vines but they are grafted onto the North American species which are stronger and resist better to phylloxera (this is a bug that causes root loose and eventually kills the vine).
Besides the grape type other factors will determine the flavour and the type of wine we finally taste… the terroir, or place where the vines are planted, involving parameters such as the soil, the elevation or climate.
Do you want to know how the best known grape varieties taste? Keep reading…
If you choose Merlot
This is a soft red wine that has low tannin, meaning that it will be appreciated by the novice red wine drinker.
If you choose Pinot Noir
Pinot Noir is a light-bodied red wine that appeals the most delicate palates with its fruity aromas and a perfect match with the widest variety of foods.
If you choose Chardonnay
This white grape wine is used for most sparkling wines around the world, including Champagne. Chardonnay can be matched to a wide spectrum of food but it’s mostly recommended with chicken or white meat meals.
If you choose Cabernet Sauvignon
One of the most popular red wine varieties around the world, Cabernet sauvignon is often paired with red meat dishes. This is a full bodied wine that is usually blended with Cabernet Franc or Merlot.
If you choose Sauvignon blanc
Mostly paired with salads and seafood, this white wine has French origin an usually shows a herbal taste. Dominating flavours of Sauvignon blanc are also fruits such as apples, pears or gooseberries.
If you choose Tempranillo
Traditionally cultivated in northern Spain, in the Rioja region, for centuries, this bodied red wine is often blended with Garnacha Tinta, Graciano and Mazuelo. Tempranillo grapes give the resulting wine herb, tobacco and berry scents.
