Grape Varieties

Often called the Barolo of the south. The noble red grape of Campania and Basilicata, producing Taurasi DOCG and Aglianico del Vulture. Late-ripening with powerful tannins and high acidity, it thrives on volcanic soils and demands years of aging to reveal its depth. One of Italy's most age-worthy varieties.

Aromatic, spicy red with bright acidity, native to the Dão region. Key blending partner for Touriga Nacional, adding perfume, freshness, and a distinctive peppery note. Also used in sparkling wine production.

A teinturier grape (red flesh as well as skin) producing intensely colored, powerful wines. While considered ordinary elsewhere, old-vine Alicante Bouschet in the Alentejo produces some of Portugal's most sought-after reds, with extraordinary concentration and complexity.

The Alentejo name for Tempranillo/Tinta Roriz. Widely planted across southern Portugal, producing fruit-forward, approachable reds. Handles the Alentejo heat well, giving generous, ripe wines with soft tannins.

Bairrada's signature grape, producing some of Portugal's most age-worthy reds. Thick-skinned with naturally high acidity and tannin, Baga needs the clay soils and maritime climate of Bairrada to reach its potential. Modern winemaking has tamed its rustic edge, revealing a grape of real complexity.

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.

Austria's most important red grape, producing structured, spicy wines with bright acidity and dark fruit. At its best in Burgenland, especially Mittelburgenland (the "Blaufränkischland") and around Lake Neusiedl. Also grown in Germany (as Lemberger) and Hungary (as Kékfrankos).

Deep-colored Spanish red with high acidity, firm tannins, and dark fruit. Old bush vines on limestone in Utiel-Requena produce age-worthy wines.

The world's most famous red blend. Left Bank wines (Médoc, Pauillac) are Cabernet Sauvignon-dominant with firm structure. Right Bank wines (Saint-Émilion, Pomerol) lean on Merlot for plushness and roundness.

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.

Traditional blending partner of Sangiovese in Chianti. Adds softness, fruit, and drinkability. Was once more prominent but has declined in favor of Sangiovese and international varieties. Some producers are rediscovering old-vine Canaiolo.

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.

Portugal's most widely planted red grape in the south. Produces soft, cherry-fruited, medium-bodied reds that are approachable and food-friendly. At its best on the sandy soils of Setúbal and across Lisboa, where it shows more complexity than its everyday reputation suggests.

A rare, deeply colored red grape that found a second life in California after nearly disappearing from its origins in France's Savoie (where it's called Douce Noire) and Argentina (Bonarda). Produces rustic, tannic wines with dark fruit. A handful of old-vine plantings survive in Napa Valley.

Sangiovese dominates (minimum 80% in Chianti Classico), with Canaiolo adding softness and Colorino contributing color. Modern Chianti may also include small amounts of Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot.

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.

Deep-colored Tuscan grape used to add color and body to Chianti blends. The name literally means "little colored one." Makes intensely pigmented wines with good structure. Rarely seen as a varietal.

Rare Swiss red from the Valais. Deeply colored, spicy, rustic. Notoriously difficult to grow, low yields.

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.

Germany's most planted red grape crossing (Helfensteiner × Heroldrebe, created 1955). Prized for deep, inky color and accessible dark fruit. Ranges from simple, fruity everyday reds to serious, oak-aged wines with structure. Thrives in Pfalz, Rheinhessen, and Württemberg.

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.

The Spanish name for Grenache. Spain's most planted red grape, thriving in hot, dry conditions. Key variety in Rioja, Priorat, and Campo de Borja. Produces generous, warm wines with high alcohol and soft tannins.

Aromatic, tannic Rioja grape that adds color, acidity, and perfume to blends. Low-yielding and disease-prone, which has kept plantings small. Increasingly valued by quality-focused producers for its intense character.

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.

Grenache-Syrah-Mourvèdre, the classic Southern French and Australian blend. Grenache provides generous fruit and alcohol, Syrah adds color, structure and peppery spice, and Mourvèdre contributes tannin and savory depth.

The Dão name for Mencía. Produces lighter, fruit-driven reds with bright acidity and aromatic charm. Often blended with Touriga Nacional and Alfrocheiro, adding freshness and red fruit character.

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.

The Spanish name for Carignan (Cariñena). Used in Rioja blends for color, tannin, and acidity. High-yielding grape that needs old vines and warm sites to produce quality. Old-vine Mazuelo from Rioja can be impressive.

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.

Traditional Valpolicella grape that adds lightness, acidity, and an almond note. The name means "miller," referring to the white bloom on the berries that looks like flour. Has declined in importance as producers favor Corvina and Corvinone.

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.

Mourvèdre-dominant blend. Dense, meaty, earthy with firm tannins.

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.

Deep-colored, tannic grape used in small amounts in Bordeaux blends for color, structure, and spice. Rarely bottled as a varietal in France, but increasingly successful in warm climates like Spain, Australia, and California where it can fully ripen.

Inky, massive, tannic red. A cross of Syrah and Peloursin, thriving in California. Darker and more structured than Syrah.

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.

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.

Port uses a blend of indigenous Douro varieties, with Touriga Nacional providing intensity and structure, Tinta Roriz (Tempranillo) adding fruit, and Touriga Franca contributing perfume. Fortified with grape spirit to retain natural sweetness.

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.

Classic Left Bank style: Cabernet Sauvignon-dominant with Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot. Structured, age-worthy.

Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre in varying proportions. Warm, spicy, full-bodied.

Tempranillo dominates (typically 60-90%), providing cherry fruit and elegance. Garnacha adds warmth and body, Graciano contributes perfume and acidity, and Mazuelo (Carignan) brings color and tannin. Traditional Rioja sees extensive oak aging.

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

A rare, aromatic red grape grown almost exclusively around Castagnole Monferrato in Piedmont. Produces intensely perfumed wines with floral and spice notes that can be mistaken for Gewürztraminer at first sniff. Granted DOCG status in 2010. One of Italy's most distinctive and underappreciated reds.

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.

A natural mutation of Schwarzriesling (Pinot Meunier) found almost exclusively in Württemberg. The name means "velvet red," describing its soft, round tannins and velvety texture. Produces medium-bodied, approachable reds with gentle fruit and a smooth finish.

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

A light, fragrant red grape native to Alto Adige, where it's known as Vernatsch in German. Once the region's most planted variety, it produces pale, delicate wines with a distinctive almond note. Best served slightly chilled. The main grape of St. Magdalener and Kalterersee.

An indigenous Corsican red grape found almost exclusively on the granite slopes around Ajaccio. Produces lighter, aromatic reds with peppery, herbal notes and a distinctive smoky spice. Lower in color and tannin than Nielluccio, often compared to a wild, rustic Pinot Noir. Best drunk relatively young.

Deeply colored, high-acid grape prized for adding backbone, color, and freshness to Douro blends. Small, thick-skinned berries produce intensely pigmented juice. Increasingly valued as climate change makes its natural acidity more precious.

Southern Rhône reds can include up to 13 permitted varieties in Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Grenache dominates, with Syrah and Mourvèdre adding complexity. Cinsault contributes perfume and lighter fruit.

Born in the 1970s when Tuscan producers broke DOC rules to blend Sangiovese with international varieties. Sassicaia, Tignanello, and Ornellaia defined the category. Now classified as IGT Toscana, these wines combine Italian character with Bordeaux structure.

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.

One of the most tannic grapes in the world. Dense, dark, powerful. The signature grape of both Madiran (France) and Uruguay.

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.

Soft, aromatic red adding perfume and early accessibility to Douro blends. One of the five recommended Port grapes. Ripens earlier than Touriga Nacional, making it useful in cooler, higher-altitude vineyards.

Tempranillo under its Douro name. Adds bright fruit, structure, and early accessibility to blends. One of the five recommended Port grapes, also widely planted in the Alentejo (as Aragonez) and Dão.

One of the five recommended Port grape varieties, prized for elegance, perfume, and high acidity. Low-yielding and difficult to grow, making it rare despite its quality. Adds freshness and aromatic complexity to Port blends.

The most planted grape in the Douro, valued for its floral aromatics, reliable yields, and ability to add perfume and softness to blends. Rarely bottled alone but essential to the character of both Port and Douro reds.

Portugal's noblest red grape, producing deeply colored, aromatic wines with firm structure and excellent aging potential. At its most powerful in the Douro, more elegant and floral in the Dão. Essential for both Port and dry reds.

Aromatic, spicy red that thrives in hot conditions. Essential in traditional Alentejo blends, where it adds perfume, complexity, and a distinctive herbal character. Can be challenging to grow (prone to rot in wet years) but rewarding when conditions are right.

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.

Corvina is the star, providing cherry fruit and structure. Rondinella adds color and body. Basic Valpolicella is light and fresh. Ripasso gains richness from refermentation on Amarone lees. Amarone uses dried grapes for intense, concentrated wines.

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

Austria's most widely planted red grape, created in 1922 by Fritz Zweigelt as a cross of Blaufränkisch and St. Laurent. Produces approachable, fruit-forward wines with soft tannins. Versatile and food-friendly, ranging from light everyday reds to more serious, oak-aged examples.