Grape Varieties

The Major White Grape Varieties

Chardonnay

An easily cultivated grape, productive in almost all temperatures and soils, and becoming increasingly fashionable.
Smells: Tropical/citrus fruits, floral smells, apples
Flavours: Flint, butter, apple, honey, peach, vanilla (when oaked)
Common examples: Burgundy (France), Champagne (France), Australia

Sauvignon Blanc

A dry, aromatic grape, producing highly acidic but refreshing wines
Smells: Gooseberries, melon, grapefruit, lime
Flavours: Cut grass, flint, gooseberries, nettles, green peppers
Common examples: New Zealand, Bordeaux (France), Loire (France)

Riesling

An adaptable and fragrant grape which produces a variety of different styles of wines, from intensely sweet to bone dry.
Smells: Apples, peach, pine, petrol, diesel
Flavours: Apple, orange, honey, apricot, lime, petrol (when aged)
Common examples: Germany (generally sweet), Australia (generally dry), New Zealand

Chenin Blanc

Another grape capable of producing both sweet and dry wines
Smells: Green fruit, melon, sometimes hints of lemon
Flavours: Apricot, nuts, honey, vanilla, lime
Common examples: Loire (France), South Africa

Semillon

Generally blended with sauvignon blanc, producing long-lived wines
Smells: Tropical fruits, fresh grass, citrus (lemon, lime)
Flavours: Grass, citrus, toast, marmalalde
Common examples: Sauternes (France), Hunter Valley (Australia)

Viognier

A rare and unreliable grape, producing perfumed and full-bodied white wines.
Smells: Floral aromas when young, pine kernels, apricots
Flavours: Peaches, apricots, petrol (when aged)
Common examples: Rhone (France), California

Gewurztraminer

Another aromatic grape which generally produces wines of low acidity
Smells: Spice, lychees, rose petals, sometimes honeysuckle
Flavours: Lychees, pears, pineapples
Common examples: Australia, Germany, Alsace

The Major Red Grape Varieties

Cabernet Sauvignon

A widely-grown grape producing strongly flavoured and long-lasting wines
Smells: Blackcurrants, blackberries, cedar, sometimes chocolate
Flavours: Blackcurrant, tobacco, chocolate (dark), mint
Common examples: Bordeaux (France), Australia, South Africa

Merlot

Often very popular, this grape produces plummy, dark coloured wines
Smells: Plums, cassis
Flavours: Plums, roses, spice
Common examples: Bordeaux (France), Chile, South Africa

Shiraz/Syrah

An adaptable grape that produces dark coloured and powerful wines
Smells: Chocolate, black pepper, sometimes raspberries
Flavours: Spice, pepper, leather
Common examples: Australia, Rhone (France), South Africa

Pinot Noir

A fragile grape that is difficult to grow, producing perfumed, silky wines when grown well
Smells: Red cherries, mushrooms, 'barnyard'
Flavours: Strawberries, raspberries, game, earth, manure
Common examples: Burgundy (France), New Zealand, Australia

Return to the Wine Guide Contents
Buying in Bath| Buying Online| Choosing a Wine| Price Range| Types of Wine| Grape Varieties| Other Decisions