Grapes

Wine Grape Overview

The following overview of grapes commonly used in winemaking is not meant to be comprehensive. Rather, it is to provide you, the reader with a brief yet informative look at the major grape varieties used in wine making in the United States and throughout the world. The list will be continually edited and updated as to expand the list to lesser known varieties as well as to keep current any information regarding the represented varieties. For more information and a more comprehensive look at wine grapes, the best resource online that I have seen is at WinePros.org (click here!).

Cabernet Franc- One of the parent grapes of the black Cabernet Sauvignon (along with the green Sauvignon Blanc), Cabernet Franc is less widely consumed and very underrated. The grape itself has a thinner skin than the Cabernet Sauvignon while taking on some of the acidity of the Sauvignon Blanc and showing ripe fruits of raspberry, cherry and plum.

The grape is most planted in the St. Emilion area of Bordeaux where it is one of only five approved varietals used in making Bordeaux red wines. In California, Cab Franc is mostly planted in Sonoma and Napa Valley. It is often used as a blend with Cab Sauvignon or Merlot. Two outstanding wines that utilize this grape to it’s fullest potential are the famous Bordeaux red Cheval Blanc, or the Napa Valley made Dalle Valle. Wines based on Cabernet Franc usually pair well with pizza, duck, turkey, or even lasagna.

Cabernet Sauvignon- In a word association game, if someone gave you the words “California wine” and told you to say the first thing that comes to mind, there’s a good chance you would say “Cabernet Sauvignon”. This staple of California wine making became world renown in 1976 when in a blind tasting in Paris a 1973 California Cabernet took the grand prize beating out the French Bordeaux’s (the wine was a 1973 Stag’s Leap Cabernet). Since the late 1970’s wine makers have flocked to California to find excellent terroir and try their luck with growing grapes.

In Sonoma and Napa Valley, Cabernet Sauvignon shines. Other great regions producing Cabernet Sauvignon include Italy, and in recent years Washington State as well as Chile. The thick skinned grapes are quite resilient to mediocre growing conditions but perform best in slightly dry and warm climates with soil type that allows for good drainage and requires the grape to struggle a bit to become concentrated. The thick skins result in high tannin concentration, the feature that makes the wine “dry” out the palette and gives Cabernet Sauvignon the ability to age well.

On the nose Cabernet Sauvignon show notes of blackberry, black currants, and bell pepper. On the palette the wines show big dark fruits and often, when aged properly, buttery notes. Cabernet Sauvignons tend to have medium to large tannins and are often paired with grilled red meats, barbequed pork and most hearty stews and pasta dishes.

Chardonnay- Depending on what you call this varietal, White Burgundy or Chablis, or just Chardonnay, you’ll see very different approaches to making wine from this “most-famous” of the white wines. This green-skinned grape is grown around the world and can be found in a over-oaked style that many have associated with some of the California wines, to the elegant and world class wines of Chablis as well as sparkling wines in Champagne.

The grape itself can withstand a wide variety of conditions and depending on location will result in quite unique wines. For instance white Burgundies are moderately oaked and usually exposed to slightly warm growing conditions. This results in wines that are rich and show “warmer” flavors with less acidity and good structure. In contrast, the wines of Chablis are crisp and show green fruits and mineral/flint notes (a hallmark characteristic of Chablis). Then again, growers in California have been some times criticized for the use of too much oak, which results in wines with a lot of smoked wood and little or no fruits. It is because of this that many wine drinkers quickly moved on from Chardonnay grown in the New World style. Fortunately many winemakers have figured out the right balance of oak and the new California Chardonnays are quite elegant and well structured, and allow for nice expression of their fruits.

On the nose, Chardonnay can show a variety of well defined fruits which include peach, apple, pear, citrus fruits and apricot. The immediate appearance “wood” can indicate a wine that has been over-oaked. On the palette, again there can be quite a variety of flavors not limited to apple, peach, pear, smoke, oak and vanilla. Chardonnay is versatile when it comes to matching with foods and does well with many types of chicken, turkey, duck, fish and pasta dishes, as well as ethnic cuisine.

Malbec- These days when many people think Malbec, they may first think about Argentina. But it is in France where the grape first appeared as a world-class varietal. One of the five grape varieties allowed in Bordeaux red wines, Malbec is a black, thin-skinned grape that contributes flavors of plum and a touch of spice as well as moderate tannins to some of the best wines in the world. As a single varietal, the wines are concentrated, inky, and often heavily oaked.

Unlike Merlot or Cabernet, the Malbec grape performs best with moderate to high heat and high levels of sunlight. Further, swings from warm days to cool nights allow this early ripening grape variety to develop concentrated flavors. These required elements of terroir which make areas such as Napa Valley or the Mendoza region of Argentina ideal. A Malbec is best enjoyed with red meat, especially grilled steaks.

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