Wine Knowledge Base

High-acid, low-tannin grape from Piemonte. Approachable young but also responds well to oak ageing. Common in Barbera d'Asti and Barbera d'Alba.

Parent grape of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Carmenere. Herbaceous bell pepper aroma from methoxypyrazines. Lighter and more aromatic than Cabernet Sauvignon; key variety in Loire and Right Bank Bordeaux.

Thick-skinned, naturally tannic grape. Blended with Merlot and Cabernet Franc in Bordeaux; made as single varietal in New World regions.

Indigenous Mallorcan red grape that nearly went extinct in the 1990s. Produces aromatic, medium-bodied wines with bright red fruit, herbal complexity, and soft tannins. Often compared to Pinot Noir for its elegance and transparency. Works well as a single varietal or blended with Manto Negro and international grapes. The best examples come from old vines on limestone soils around Binissalem.

Sardinia's most planted red grape. Produces warm, generous, herbal wines with higher tannins than most mainland expressions. Old bush vines in the rugged interior produce concentrated, complex wines. Some of Europe's oldest vines.

High-yielding, late-ripening grape from Spain (Carinena). Naturally high in acidity and tannin; old-vine examples from southern France produce concentrated, characterful wines. Often softened by carbonic maceration or blending with Grenache.

Originally from Bordeaux, now a flagship variety in Chile. Rich and full-bodied with distinctive herbaceous notes that soften with full ripeness.

Light, fragrant grape widely used for rose in Provence and as a blending partner in the southern Rhone. Parent grape (with Pinot Noir) of South Africa's Pinotage. Best drunk young.

Key grape in Veneto. Made as light Valpolicella, but also dried (appassimento) to produce concentrated, full-bodied Amarone della Valpolicella and sweet Recioto.

Piedmont's everyday red grape, producing soft, fruity wines with a characteristic bitter almond finish. Best from Dogliani and Alba, where it's taken most seriously.

Light, fragrant red grape from southeast Sicily. Key component of Cerasuolo di Vittoria DOCG (blended with Nero d'Avola). Produces wines with bright red fruit, floral aromatics, and low tannins. Best drunk young and slightly chilled.

The grape of Beaujolais. Often made with carbonic maceration, producing banana and candy notes alongside fresh red fruit. Best drunk young.

Thin-skinned grape with naturally high sugar. Often blended, especially with Syrah and Mourvèdre. Also made as rosé. Key variety in southern Rhône and Rioja.

Thin-skinned grape with naturally high sugar. Often blended (especially with Syrah and Mourvèdre). Also made as rosé. Key variety in southern Rhône and Rioja.

Indigenous to Alto Adige, grown primarily around Bolzano. Produces deeply colored, concentrated reds with chocolate and berry notes. Also makes an excellent rosato (Kretzer). Related to Teroldego. Has gained international recognition as producers refine their approach to this powerful grape.

Originally from Bordeaux and Cahors; now most associated with Argentina's Mendoza region. Produces full-bodied, deeply coloured wines with velvety tannins.

The most planted indigenous red grape of Mallorca. Produces soft, fruity, easy-drinking wines with low tannins and moderate acidity. Traditionally the backbone of Binissalem reds, where DO rules require a minimum percentage. Lighter in style than Callet, it works best as a young, fresh wine or in blends where other grapes provide structure.

Native to northwest Spain (Bierzo, Ribeira Sacra). Aromatic and elegant with bright acidity. Often compared to Pinot Noir for its finesse. Old-vine hillside plantings produce concentrated, mineral wines.

Softer and more approachable than Cabernet Sauvignon. Made as single varietal or blended; produces styles from simple everyday wine to complex Pomerol.

The third grape of Champagne alongside Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. More frost-resistant and earlier ripening than Pinot Noir. Adds fruitiness and roundness to Champagne blends; rarely made as still wine.

The main red grape of Abruzzo, in central Italy. Produces deeply coloured, fruit-forward wines with firm acidity. Best known as Montepulciano d'Abruzzo.

Thick-skinned, late-ripening grape that needs heat and sun. Key blending partner with Grenache and Syrah in southern Rhone and Bandol. Adds structure, colour, and savoury complexity to blends.

The grape of Barolo and Barbaresco. Notoriously high in tannin and acidity when young; requires extensive ageing to soften. Made exclusively as a single varietal.

The name means 'black bitter' in Italian. Puglia's traditional red grape, deeply colored with earthy, savory character. Makes both powerful reds and excellent rosatos in the Salento peninsula. Bush-trained (alberello) old vines produce the most concentrated wines.

The great red grape of Mount Etna. Grown at high altitude on volcanic soils, it produces wines of remarkable elegance, with a transparency and perfume often compared to Pinot Noir or Nebbiolo. Late-ripening and high in acidity, it thrives on Etna's lava flows at elevations up to 1,000 meters.

Sicily's most important red grape. Produces robust, sun-baked wines with generous dark fruit. Ranges from simple, fruity everyday wines to complex, age-worthy single-vineyard bottlings.

Northern Puglia's noble red variety, producing deeply colored, structured wines with firm tannins. The best examples from Castel del Monte rival top southern Italian reds.

Campania's second red grape after Aglianico, often blended with it for added aromatics and freshness. The name means "red foot" for the color of its stems.

Grown in Alto Adige, Lombardy (Oltrepò Pavese), and Friuli. Used both for still reds and as a base for Franciacorta and Trento DOC sparkling wines.

Thin-skinned grape with naturally low tannin. Typically made as a single varietal; also used extensively for Champagne and other sparkling wines.

A South African crossing of Pinot Noir and Cinsaut. Distinctive and polarising; oak-influenced styles show coffee and chocolate; unoaked versions show fresh red fruit.

A delicate, thin-skinned grape unique to Jura, giving pale, translucent reds with ethereal perfume. Often compared to a lighter Pinot Noir, with red fruit and floral notes.

Genetically identical to Zinfandel. Grown primarily in Puglia, southern Italy. Produces rich, full-bodied wines with ripe dark fruit and often high alcohol. Can also make sweet passito-style wines.

Essential blending grape in Valpolicella and Amarone, prized for its thick skin which makes it ideal for the appassimento drying process. Rarely bottled alone.

Indigenous to Montefalco in Umbria. Produces some of Italy's most tannic, deeply colored reds. Needs years of aging to soften. Often compared to Nebbiolo and Aglianico for structure, but with even more tannin. Also used for sweet passito wines.

Italy's most planted grape. Forms the backbone of Chianti and Brunello di Montalcino. Often blended with other varieties to add structure and complexity.

Germany's most important red grape, grown mainly in Baden, Pfalz, and Ahr. German styles tend to be lighter and more delicate than Burgundy, though top producers now make fuller, oak-aged examples.

A rediscovered Puglian grape that was nearly lost to history. Produces rich, deeply colored wines with ripe dark fruit and a spicy finish. One of southern Italy's most exciting revivals.

Single varietal in Rhône (Syrah) and Australia (Shiraz). Cool-climate versions are peppery and savoury; warm-climate versions are richer with jammy fruit.

Single varietal in Rhone (Syrah) and Australia (Shiraz). Cool-climate versions are peppery and savoury; warm-climate versions are richer with jammy fruit.

Spain's most important red grape. Styles range from young unoaked Joven wines to heavily oaked Gran Reserva. Made as single varietal or blended.

Rare Provencal grape of Greek origin, prized for rose production. Contributes distinctive earthy, garrigue-scented aromatics to blends. Difficult to cultivate due to irregular yields from coulure sensitivity.

A native Jura red grape producing structured, deeply colored wines with spicy, peppery character. More tannic than Poulsard, it ages well and develops complex earthy notes.

High-sugar grape with uneven ripening. Made as rosé, red, or late-harvest dessert wine.

The signature grape of Rías Baixas in Galicia, Spain. High natural acidity and refreshing citrus and stone fruit make it a natural match for seafood.

White Spanish grape planted primarily in Ribera del Duero, where it is sometimes blended into red wines for added complexity. High glycerol content gives a smooth, rounded texture. Neutral in flavour with light perfume.

Burgundy's "other" white grape. Produces crisp, citrusy wines with high acidity. Traditionally used in Kir (white wine with blackcurrant liqueur). Best from Bouzeron appellation.

Piedmont's best dry white grape, once nearly extinct and now revived in the Roero hills. Produces aromatic, medium-bodied wines with a distinctive almond note.

Arguably the world's most versatile white grape. Takes on the character of where it grows and how it is made, from steely, mineral Chablis to rich, oaky New World styles.

Extraordinarily versatile grape from the Loire Valley. Naturally high acidity preserves freshness across dry, off-dry, sparkling, and luscious botrytis styles.

White grape of Piemonte, best known as Gavi (or Cortese di Gavi). Light and crisp with delicate floral aromatics; best drunk young.

Fresh, floral Campanian white that has become one of southern Italy's most popular varieties. Two distinct types exist: Flegrea (coastal) and Beneventana (inland).

Ancient white grape from Campania in southern Italy. Full-bodied with rich texture and nutty, floral complexity. Can age on lees for added depth.

Formerly called Tocai Friulano until EU rules prohibited the name (to avoid confusion with Hungarian Tokaji). Produces aromatic, almond-scented whites with a distinctive bitter finish. The signature white grape of Friuli, especially in Collio and Colli Orientali.

The principal grape of Hungary's Tokaj region. Highly susceptible to botrytis; used to make the legendary Tokaji Aszú dessert wine. Increasingly made as a dry wine.

Principal grape of Soave in the Veneto. Also used to make the sweet Recioto di Soave via air-drying (passito method). Almond and blossom notes are hallmarks.

One of the most distinctive aromatic white grapes. Easily recognised by its intense lychee and rose character. Low acidity makes it feel rich and heady.

The grape of Prosecco. Produces light, aromatic sparkling wines via the Charmat (tank) method. Formerly called Prosecco; renamed Glera in 2009 to protect the Prosecco geographical designation.

Umbria's versatile white grape, central to Orvieto blends and increasingly impressive as a single-varietal wine. Fresh and nutty with good structure.

One of Campania's great white grapes, producing Greco di Tufo DOCG. Known for its mineral backbone and ability to age, unusual for a southern Italian white.

Austria's signature white grape, known for its distinctive white pepper note and fresh, herbal character. Ranges from light, peppery everyday wines in Weinviertel to powerful, mineral-driven Smaragd bottlings from Wachau that can age for a decade or more. Naturally high acidity and a savory finish make it one of the most food-friendly white grapes.

The most planted of the Cava trio, contributing freshness and floral aromatics to blends. As a still wine it produces simple, pleasant whites best enjoyed young. Oxidizes easily, so careful handling is essential.

White Rhone grape often blended with Roussanne. Full-bodied and rich with low acidity; can feel heavy without careful winemaking. Also grown in Australia (particularly Victoria).

The grape of Muscadet in the western Loire. Neutral in flavour but gains texture and savoury complexity from lees ageing (sur lie). A natural match for oysters and shellfish.

Aromatic grape producing lightly sparkling, low-alcohol sweet wines. Moscato d'Asti from Piedmont is the benchmark, with delicate fizz and intense floral aromas.

A crossing of Riesling and Madeleine Royale, created in 1882. Widely planted in Germany (where it was formerly the most planted grape), Austria, and northern Italy. Produces soft, easy-drinking wines with floral aromatics.

The most delicate of the three Cava grapes, grown at the highest altitudes in upper Penedès. Contributes finesse, floral aromatics, and acidity to Cava blends. Rarely made as a varietal wine. Sensitive to heat, it needs altitude to retain freshness.

A mutation of Pinot Gris (itself a mutation of Pinot Noir). Produces clean, apple-scented wines with moderate acidity. Important in Alsace and Alto Adige; also used for Cremant d'Alsace sparkling.

Light, simple, and refreshing style produced in northern Italy (Friuli, Veneto). High volume, high acidity, low flavour intensity. Best drunk young and well-chilled.

A single grape with two styles: light, crisp Pinot Grigio in Italy and richer, spicier Pinot Gris in Alsace. Skin colour is greyish-pink despite being a white wine grape.

The richer, more complex expression of the Pinot Gris / Grigio grape, associated with Alsace. Spicy, full-bodied wines with lower acidity and often a hint of sweetness.

Mallorca's signature white grape, also known as Moll. Produces fresh, floral wines with stone fruit and a subtle almond note. Naturally moderate in acidity for a warm climate grape, which makes it easy to drink young. Some producers ferment in clay amphorae or old oak for added texture. The grape is also used in the island's sparkling wines.

Ancient Friulian grape that became the poster child of Italy's natural wine movement. Pioneers like Gravner and Radikon make extended skin-contact 'orange' wines in clay amphorae. Also made in a fresh, conventional style. High acidity makes it excellent for both approaches.

Highly aromatic with naturally high acidity. Produced across a full sweetness spectrum from bone-dry to botrytis-affected dessert wines. Susceptible to noble rot.

White Rhone grape that adds acidity and aromatic complexity when blended with Marsanne. More elegant and herbal than its blending partner. Difficult to grow due to disease susceptibility.

Highly aromatic and assertively herbaceous. Almost always made unoaked and drunk young. Blended with Sémillon in Bordeaux; single varietal in Marlborough and Loire.

The signature white grape of Jura. When aged under a veil of yeast (voile), it produces the legendary Vin Jaune with its intense walnut and curry character. Also made in a fresh, topped-up (ouillé) style.

Thin-skinned grape highly susceptible to botrytis. Dry styles can be made unoaked (Hunter Valley) or oaked; blended with Sauvignon Blanc in Bordeaux for both dry wines and Sauternes.

Traditional grape of Franken in Germany, where it is bottled in the distinctive Bocksbeutel flask. Subtler and earthier than Riesling with moderate acidity. Also important in Alsace (as Sylvaner).

Italy's most widely planted white grape. Typically produces neutral, high-acid wines used for everyday drinking or distillation (Cognac, Armagnac in France). Best examples come from Abruzzo.

The signature white grape of Rueda in central Spain. Aromatic and herbaceous with a distinctive bitter-almond finish. Best drunk young to preserve its fresh, grassy character.

Native white grape of Marche in central Italy. Notably high acidity with herbal notes and a characteristic bitter finish. Best known as Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi.

Mediterranean white grape grown across Sardinia, Liguria, Corsica, and Provence (as Rolle). Crisp and saline with herbal notes; a natural partner for seafood. Thrives in coastal, sunny climates.

Tuscany's signature white grape, famous as Vernaccia di San Gimignano, Italy's first DOC (1966). Produces crisp, mineral wines with a distinctive bitter almond finish.

Richly aromatic, floral white grape. Classic in Condrieu and Château-Grillet (northern Rhône). Low acidity; can feel opulent and heavy without careful winemaking.

The most characterful of the three traditional Cava grapes. Increasingly made as a still varietal wine, where it shows herbal, slightly bitter complexity. Provides body and structure in Cava blends. Some producers age it in oak or on skins for textured, gastronomic whites.