Which Grapes are Used in Making of Wine?

Perhaps you might like to know which grapes are used in Making of Wine. The list of grape varieties below isn’t comprehensive, but it does give a look into the world of wine grapes.

Auxerrois

This grape is also known as Malbec or Côt. The Auxerrois grape creates a neutral wine which is fruity and soft and is mainly to be found in Luxembourg and Canada. In Alsace it is often blended with the Pinot Blanc grape.

Barbarossa

This is a red wine grape variety that can be found in Italy, France and the Balkan regions. The wines it produces are robust and age very well.

Barbera

An intense, deep colored red wine, produced mainly in northern Italy, and now in the USA.

Cabernet Franc

This grape variety partly gave rise to the ever popular Cabernet Sauvignon. This variety is mainly found in cooler and damper conditions than the Cabernet Sauvignon grape.

Cabernet Sauvignon

This is known as one of the “noble” grape varieties, and is famous as one of the main varieties, along with Merlot, Cabernet Franc and others used to create the magnificent French Bordeaux region blended red wines.

Carmenère

Found in the Médoc region of Bordeaux, France. It is used to produce deep red wines occasionally used for blending purposes.

Chardonnay

This variety is the best-known white wine grape producer in France, and is mainly to be found in the Burgundy and Chablis regions. Australia and New Zealand have also succeeded in producing great wines from the chardonnay grape.

Chenin Blanc

It is also known as Pineau de la Loire in the Loire region of France, as Steen in South Africa, and as White Pinot (Pinot Blanco) elsewhere in the world. This grape is made into fine sweet wines that age well for at least ten years.

Freisa

This grape is used to make spumante style sweet red wines, and is grown in the Piedmont region in Italy. This is generally used to make sparkling wines.

Gamay

Gamay Noir, Gamay Beaujolais and Napa Gamay are the three different types of grape that are allowed to use the Gamay name for labeling purposes. At time they were all thought to be a true Pinot Noir variety of Burgundy.

Gamay Beaujolais

If the grape is picked immediately it produces a good red wine. It has also been found to be a clone of Pinot Noir, albeit an early ripening one.

Gewürztraminer

One of the more difficult wine and grape names to pronounce, it nevertheless makes an excellent wine. It is also a known clone of the Traminer variety of grapes.

It has also been likened to the Johannisberg Riesling in flavor and aroma. In Australia the grape is also known as Traminer Musque, Red Traminer, and Aromique.

Grenache

This grape is also known as Alicante in southern France and Campania in Italy, although these days it grows mainly in Spain where it is also known as Garnacha. It is also used to make some of the better rosé wines of Provence in southern France.

Johannisberg Riesling

Is a white wine grape and is grown mainly along the Rhine river and its tributaries.

Malbec

This grape is grown in the Bordeaux region in France, and also has other names such as Médoc Noir, Pressac or Côt. This grape is also known as Auxerrois.

It is used in wine blends to create the French Bordeaux claret blend of wines.

Merlot

This is a classic grape and can be found mainly in the Bordeaux region of France, although it is widely grown elsewhere as well. The wine from this grape bears a resemblance to the Cabernet Sauvignon wine.

Muscat

This grape variety makes both red and white wines. Muscat wines include Muscat Blanc, Muscadel and Moscato di Canelli.

Nebbiolo

This grape is to be found in the Piedmont region of Italy.

Petite Sirah

Produces dark red wine rich in tannins. It is thought that the name originated as a result of confusion in labeling with the Syrah grape.

Pinot Noir

This grape produces a red wine lighter in color to that of the Bordeaux type of wines. This is also the premier grape of the Burgundy region of France.

Pinotage

This grape has been successfully and widely grown in South Africa, and can also be found in Brazil, Canada, the USA and Zimbabwe.

Pinot Gris

This is a clone grape of the Pinot Noir variety, and has a variety of names in different regions. This grape is grown virtually around the world and produces quality wines according to the climate.

Riesling

True Riesling wines come from Germany, and can be found under the names of Johannisberg Riesling and White Riesling. Riesling grapes produce dry and sweet wine varieties.

Sangiovese

Grown in the Tuscanny region of Italy. This grape is used to produce Chianti and other Tuscan wine varieties.

Sauvignon Blanc

This grape produces the classic white wine of the same name, and can commonly be found in the Bordeaux and Loire regions of France.

Sémillon

Grown widely in the Bordeaux region of France. This grape is also sometimes used to create dry white wines.

Shiraz

This is a clone grape of the French Syrah grape, and is found in Australia. It was also known under the alias name of Hermitage.

Syrah

This grape variety is mainly associated with the Rhone Valley region of France which is famous for creating the Hermitage red wine.

Tempranillo

This grape is used only in the best quality red wines produced in Spain. It has a staggering thirty synonym names to its credit that we know of.

Traminer

In France and in California this grape is better known as Sauvignon Blanc, although most countries now use the Gewürztraminer grape instead.

Viognier

This grape displays the full spicy flavors which are somewhat similar to that of Muscat. It is grown in the Rhone Valley in France, and in California.

Zinfandel

Is a popular grape wine grown in California, and produces robust red wines. You will also find white Zinfandel varieties of wines along with the popular blush varieties of wines.