Grape Varieties

Red Grapes White Grapes Non-Grapes

Red Grapes

Grape Name	Climates & Notes	Main Regions
Agiorgitiko Grape vitis vinifera		Greece
Aglianico Grape vitis vinifera	Climate(s): Hot	Italy
Alfrocheiro Preto Grape vitis vinifera		Portugal
Baga Grape vitis vinifera	Climate(s): Warm Late ripening with small, thick-skinned berries. If under ripe, wines can have high acidity and astringent tannins.	Portugal
Barbera Grape vitis vinifera	Climate(s): Moderate, Warm Late ripening grape.	United States, Italy
Blaufränkisch Grape vitis vinifera	Climate(s): Cool	Austria
Bonarda / Douce Noir Grape vitis vinifera	Late ripening	Argentina
Cabernet Franc Grape vitis vinifera		Argentina, Australia, France, United States, Canada
Cabernet Sauvignon Grape vitis vinifera	Climate(s): Moderate, Warm High tannins due to thick skin. Buds late and needs a long growing season. Often blended with Merlot to gain softness. Usually destemmed and crushed.	Argentina, Australia, Chile, France, New Zealand, South Africa, United States, Italy, Portugal, Spain, Austria, Canada
Carignan / Cariñena / Mazuelo Grape vitis vinifera	Climate(s): Warm Late ripening	France, Spain
Carménère Grape vitis vinifera	Climate(s): Warm Needs a long, sunny growing season. From Bordeaux, but widely grown in Chile. Often blended with Cabernet Sauvignon	Chile, France
Catawba Grape vitis labrusca	Cross with Sémillon	United States
Chambourcin Grape vitis interspecific crossing
Cinsaut Grape vitis vinifera	Climate(s): Warm	France
Corvina Grape vitis vinifera	Climate(s): Moderate, Warm Produces wines that are low-to-medium tannins and high acidity. Red cherry, red plum flavors.	Italy
Couderc Noir Grape vitis vinifera, vitis aestivalis (licencumii), vitis rupestris	A hybrid of Jaeger 70 and a Vitis Vinifera grape.	United States
Dolcetto Grape vitis vinifera	Climate(s): Moderate Early ripening and can be planted in cooler sites.	Italy
Dornfelder Grape vitis vinifera	Climate(s): Cool	Germany
Gamay Grape vitis vinifera	Climate(s): Moderate	Australia, France
Graciano Grape vitis vinifera	Climate(s): Moderate	Spain
Grenache / Grenacha Grape vitis vinifera	Climate(s): Warm Often used to make Roses. Often blended with Syrah or Tempranillo. Thin skin; late ripening. Garnacha in Spain; all elsewhere Grenache. Resistant to heat.	Australia, France, United States, Spain
Malbec Grape vitis vinifera	Climate(s): Warm Often blended with Cabernet Sauvignon and/or Merlot. Originally from France.	Argentina, Australia, France, United States, Spain
Mencía Grape vitis vinifera	Climate(s): Moderate Known as Jaen in Portugal. Similar to Pinot Noir	Portugal, Spain
Merlot Grape vitis vinifera	Climate(s): Moderate, Warm Aroma/Flavors vary according to ripeness. Often blended with Cab. Sauvignon to add softness. Buds and ripens early.	Argentina, Australia, Chile, France, New Zealand, South Africa, United States, Italy, Portugal, Spain, Austria, Canada
Monastrell / Mourvèdre Grape vitis vinifera	Climate(s): Warm, Hot Thick skinned. Needs hot, sunny conditions to fully ripen.	Spain
Montepulciano Grape vitis vinifera	Climate(s): Warm	Italy
Mourvèdre Grape vitis vinifera	Climate(s): Warm Needs a lot of heat to ripen.	Australia, France
Nebbiolo Grape vitis vinifera	Climate(s): Moderate, Warm Produces high acidity and high tannin wines. Red fruit aromas with some herb and floral notes. Difficult to grow successfully and ripens late.	Australia, Italy
Negroamaro Grape vitis vinifera	Climate(s): Hot	Italy
Nero d'Avola Grape vitis vinifera	Climate(s): Warm	Italy
Norton / Cynthiana Grape vitis vinifera, vitis labrusca, vitis aestivalis (licencumii)	A hybrid grape	United States
Öküzgözü Grape vitis vinifera	Climate(s): Cool Large, round grapes	Turkey
Petit Verdot Grape vitis vinifera	Climate(s): Warm, Hot Only fully ripens in very hot conditions.	Argentina, Australia, France
Petite Sirah (Durif) Grape vitis vinifera
Pinot Meunier Grape vitis vinifera		France
Pinot Noir (Nero) Grape vitis vinifera	Climate(s): Cool, Moderate Low tannins due to thin skin. Susceptible to rot. Early budding and ripening.	Argentina, Australia, Chile, France, Germany, New Zealand, South Africa, United States, Spain, Austria, Canada
Pinotage Grape vitis vinifera	Climate(s): Warm Often blended with Cabernet Sauvignon and/or Merlot. Is a cross between Pinot noir and Cinsaut.	South Africa
Sagrantino Grape vitis vinifera	Climate(s): Warm, Hot	Italy
Sangiovese (Chianti) Grape vitis vinifera	Climate(s): Warm	Australia, United States, Italy
Saperavi Grape vitis vinifera		Australia
Sezão / Souzão Grape vitis vinifera	Climate(s): Moderate	Portugal
St. Laurent Grape vitis vinifera	Climate(s): Cool Similar to Pinot Noir grape	Austria
St. Vincent Grape vitis interspecific crossing	Climate(s): Warm	United States
Syrah / Shiraz Grape vitis vinifera	Climate(s): Moderate, Warm Shiraz in Australia; all elsewhere Syrah. Small with thick, dark skins.	Argentina, Australia, Chile, France, New Zealand, South Africa, United States, Italy, Portugal, Spain
Tannat Grape vitis vinifera	High acid, very high tannins, long ageing needed	France
Tempranillo / Tinta Roriz Grape vitis vinifera	Climate(s): Moderate, Warm Sometimes blended with Garnacha. Traditionally, aged in new oak. Needs significant heat to fully ripen.	Argentina, Australia, Portugal, Spain
Teroldego Grape vitis vinifera	Climate(s): Moderate	Italy
Tibouren Grape vitis vinifera
Tinta Barroca Grape vitis vinifera		Portugal
Tinta Cão Grape vitis vinifera	Climate(s): Moderate	Portugal
Touriga Francesa Grape vitis vinifera		Portugal
Touriga Nacional Grape vitis vinifera	Climate(s): Warm	Portugal
Trollinger / Schiava Grape vitis vinifera		Italy
Xinomavro Grape vitis vinifera		Greece
Zinfandel / Primitivo Grape vitis vinifera	Climate(s): Warm Ripens unevenly; a given bunch will have over ripe grapes next to under ripe grapes.	United States, Italy
Zweigelt Grape vitis vinifera	Climate(s): Cool Crossing between the St. Laurent and Blaufränkisch grapes.	Austria
Grape Name	Climates & Notes	Main Regions

White Grapes

Grape Name	Climates & Notes	Main Regions
Airén Grape vitis vinifera	Climate(s): Warm	Spain
Albariño Grape vitis vinifera	Climate(s): Moderate Thick skinned, fungus resistant	United States, Portugal, Spain
Aligoté Grape vitis vinifera	Climate(s): Moderate	France
Arinto Grape vitis vinifera	Climate(s): Moderate Thick skinned, fungus resistant	Portugal
Assyrtiko Grape vitis vinifera		Greece
Chambourcin Grape	A teinturier grape with ping juice	United States
Chardonel Grape
Chardonnay Grape vitis vinifera	Climate(s): Cool, Moderate, Warm	Argentina, Australia, Chile, France, New Zealand, South Africa, United States, Italy, Spain, Austria, Canada
Chenin Blanc Grape vitis vinifera	Climate(s): Cool, Moderate, Warm Susceptibility to Noble Rot. Suitable for late harvest (vendanges tardives)	Argentina, Australia, France, South Africa, United States
Clairette Blanche Grape vitis vinifera	Often has high sugar levels.	France
Colombard Grape vitis vinifera	Climate(s): Warm, Hot	South Africa, United States
Cortese Grape vitis vinifera	Climate(s): Moderate, Warm Cortese produces light body, high acidity wines.	Italy
Fiano Grape vitis vinifera	Climate(s): Warm Produces medium acidity, medium-to-full body wines. Stone (peach) and tropical (melon, mango) fruit flavors.	Italy
Furmint Grape vitis vinifera	Climate(s): Moderate Susceptible to Noble Rot	Hungry
Garganega Grape vitis vinifera	Climate(s): Moderate, Warm Produces dry, medium body, high acidity wines. Flavors of green (apple/pear), citrus (lemon), and stone (peach) fruits.	Italy
Gewurztraminer Grape vitis vinifera	Climate(s): Cool, Moderate This is an aromatic grape; its nose intensity will likely be pronounced.	Chile, France, New Zealand, United States, Italy, Spain
Glera (Prosecco) Grape vitis vinifera		Italy
Grechetto Grape vitis vinifera	Climate(s): Warm, Hot	Italy
Greco Bianco Grape vitis vinifera	Climate(s): Hot	Italy
Grenache Blanc Grape vitis vinifera	Climate(s): Moderate	France, South Africa, Spain
Grüner Veltliner Grape vitis vinifera	Climate(s): Cool	Austria
Hárslevelu Grape vitis vinifera	Climate(s): Moderate Late ripening	Hungry
Kerner Grape vitis vinifera
Loureiro Grape vitis vinifera	Climate(s): Moderate Thick skinned, fungus resistant	Portugal
Malvasia Grape vitis vinifera	Climate(s): Warm	Italy
Marsanne Grape vitis vinifera	Climate(s): Moderate	Australia, France
Melon Blanc / Muscadet Grape vitis vinifera	Climate(s): Cool	France
Moscato (Muscat) Grape vitis vinifera	Climate(s): Cool, Moderate This is an aromatic grape; its nose intensity will likely be pronounced. Prone to poor fruit set and rot.	Australia, France, Hungry, Italy
Müller-Thurgau Grape vitis vinifera	Climate(s): Cool	Germany, Austria
Muscadelle Grape vitis vinifera	Climate(s): Moderate	France
Muscat of Alexandria Grape vitis vinifera		Chile, South Africa, Spain
Niagara Grape vitis labrusca	A sweeter grape	United States
Palomino Grape vitis vinifera	Climate(s): Warm Lacks obvious varietal aromas	Spain
Parellada Grape vitis vinifera	Largely grown to make Cava	Spain
Pedro Giménez Grape vitis vinifera		Argentina
Pedro Ximénez (PX) Grape vitis vinifera	Little varietal flavor	Spain
Petit Manseng Grape vitis vinifera		France
Pinot Blanc Grape vitis vinifera	Climate(s): Cool, Moderate	France, Germany, Italy, Austria
Pinot Gris (Grigio) Grape vitis vinifera	Climate(s): Cool, Moderate Early budding and ripening. Two main styles: 1. Harvested early. Dry, light body, medium-to-high acidity and simple flavors. 2. Delayed harvesting. Full body, medium acidity and complex flavors.	Australia, Chile, France, Germany, New Zealand, United States, Italy, Canada
Piquepoul Grape vitis vinifera	Climate(s): Warm	France
Riesling Grape vitis vinifera	Climate(s): Cool, Moderate Susceptible to botrytis	Australia, Chile, France, Germany, New Zealand, United States, Austria, Canada
Roussanne Grape vitis vinifera	Climate(s): Moderate, Warm Ripens late	France, United States
Sauvignon Blanc Grape vitis vinifera	Climate(s): Cool, Moderate This is an aromatic grape; its nose intensity will likely be pronounced.	Argentina, Australia, Chile, France, New Zealand, South Africa, United States, Spain, Austria
Sauvignonasse / Friulano Grape vitis vinifera		Italy
Semillon Grape vitis vinifera	Climate(s): Moderate, Warm Think skin makes it susceptible to Noble Rot. Commonly blended with Sauvignon Blanc to add body	Argentina, Australia, France, United States
Seyval Blanc Grape vitis vinifera, vitis aestivalis (licencumii), vitis rupestris		United States
Silvaner Grape vitis vinifera	Climate(s): Cool Can be used for dry to sweet wines. Can sometimes have a earthy quality. Early flowering and ripening.	Germany
Torrontés Grape vitis vinifera	This is an aromatic grape; its nose intensity will likely be pronounced.	Argentina
Traminette Grape vitis interspecific crossing		United States
Trebbiano Grape vitis vinifera	Climate(s): Warm, Hot Thick skinnned	Italy
Verdejo Grape vitis vinifera	Similar to Sauvignon Blanc	Spain
Verdelho Grape vitis vinifera	Climate(s): Moderate	Australia
Verdicchio Grape vitis vinifera	Climate(s): Warm Produces dry, high acidity, medium body wines. Green (apple, pear), citrus (lemon), and herbal (fennel) aromas.	Italy
Vidal Blanc Grape vitis interspecific crossing		United States, Canada
Vignoles Grape vitis interspecific crossing	Late bud break	United States
Viognier Grape vitis vinifera	Climate(s): Moderate Aromatic grapes, so likely the nose is pronounced. Ripens late in the season so will have high sugar and low acidity.	Argentina, France, South Africa, United States
Viura / Macabeo Grape vitis vinifera	Climate(s): Warm	Spain
Welschriesling Grape vitis vinifera	Climate(s): Cool Susceptible to botrytis due to thin skins. Makes simple, fruity wines.	Austria
Xarel·lo Grape vitis vinifera	Largely grown to make Cava	Spain
Grape Name	Climates & Notes	Main Regions