Grape varieties

Do you have any idea how many grape varieties there are in the world? Certainly 10,000 and possibly a few more. How many of them can you name without thinking?

Most people don't manage more than ten. This is completely normal, because while the world of wine has become ever larger, the opposite has happened with the diversity of grape varieties.

The ten most commonly cultivated grape varieties alone, including Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Chardonnay, Tempranillo, Grenache, Syrah, Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir, now account for more than a quarter of the world's total vineyard area at around two million hectares - and the trend is rising. Naturally, these grape varieties also play a decisive role in our region. But we love diversity and would like to gradually introduce you to the whole wealth of varieties.

Cabernet Franc

Cabernet Franc is a red grape variety that originated in France, particularly in Bordeaux and the Loire Valley. The grape - a parent of Cabernet Sauvignon - produces medium-bodied wines with moderate tannins but high acidity.

Cabernet Sauvignon

Cabernet Sauvignon is one of the best known and most widely grown red grape varieties in the world. Originally from Bordeaux, France, it has found success in many wine-growing regions, such as California, Chile and Australia.

Chardonnay

Chardonnay is the most widely cultivated white premium grape variety. Its origins probably lie in Burgundy, but today it is grown all over the world. One of the reasons for its success is its enormous ability to adapt to a wide range of conditions.

Chenin Blanc

Chenin Blanc is a white grape variety that originated in the French Loire Valley and is known for its versatility. Chenin can be vinified both dry and sweet, still and sparkling. Its flavour is characterised by high acidity and lots of fruit such as green apple, pear or quince, often complemented by honey notes. Depending on the terroir and vinification, the grape can also show both mineral and floral tones.

Frühburgunder

Frühburgunder, also known as Pinot Madeleine, is a red grape variety that is closely related to Pinot Noir. It is also cultivated in France, but mainly in Germany. The grape ripens - nomen est omen - earlier than Pinot Noir and produces somewhat richer wines with velvety tannins and good acidity.

Pinot Gris

Pinot Gris, also known as Pinot Gris or Pinot Grigio, is a white grape variety grown in many wine regions such as France, Italy and Germany.

Grenache

Grenache is a red grape variety grown mainly in southern France and Spain (where it is known as Garnacha). The wines are typically medium to full-bodied, with low tannins and high acidity.

Grüner Veltliner

Grüner Veltliner is a white grape variety grown mainly in Austria and is the country's best-known grape. The wines are light to medium-bodied, with moderate acidity and a characteristic pepper aroma that is often compared to white peppercorns or radishes.

Malbec

Malbec is a red grape variety that originally comes from France and is now mainly cultivated in Argentina. The wines are deep red in colour and full-bodied, with medium to high tannin and acidity. Malbec wines typically show flavours of dark fruits such as plum and blackberry, complemented by spicy and chocolate notes.

Merlot

Merlot is a red grape that is one of the three major Bordeaux varieties. It is cultivated worldwide, but is particularly widespread in France and California. The wines are medium to full-bodied, with rather soft tannins and moderate acidity. Merlot wines typically show aromas of red and black fruits such as cherry, plum and blackcurrant, complemented by notes of vanilla, chocolate and spices. The grape is often used in cuvees such as Bordeaux wine.

Müller-Thurgau)

Müller-Thurgau is a white variety that is mainly cultivated in Germany and Austria. The wines are light to medium-bodied, with moderate acidity and a strong flavour, usually with a typical muscat tone. Müller-Thurgau wines are usually dry or semi-dry and vinified in steel tanks.

Muscat/Muskateller

Muscat, also known as Muscat or Moscato, is not so much a single grape variety as a fairly large family of grape varieties that is widespread throughout the world and includes both wine grapes and table grapes.

Nebbiolo

Nebbiolo is one of Italy's great noble grape varieties. It is mainly cultivated in Piedmont. The wines are medium to full-bodied, with extremely strong tannins, usually very rough when young, and high acidity. Nebbiolo wines typically show flavours of red fruits such as plum, cherry and red berries, accompanied by more edgy tones such as tobacco and leather.

Pinot Noir

Pinot Noir, or Pinot Noir, is a red grape variety that is widely grown around the world today and is also the basis for some of the rarest and most exquisite wines in the world. The variety has a very long tradition of excellence, particularly in France (especially in Burgundy) and Germany (in the Ahr and Baden regions).

Riesling

Riesling is one of the best-known white grape varieties and is cultivated all over the world - first and foremost in Germany, of course. It is more flexible and versatile than almost any other grape.

Sauvignon Blanc

Sauvignon Blanc is one of the best-known white grape varieties in France. It actually originated in the Loire - but is now cultivated worldwide as the second most important noble variety after Chardonnay. New Zealand in particular has become the second home of Sauvignon Blanc.

Schwarzriesling

Schwarzriesling, also known as Pinot Meunier or Müllerrebe, is a red grape variety that is mainly native to France and Germany. In France, it plays an important role as a traditional component of the cuvée in Champagne in particular, while in southern Germany it is also often found as a rather simple, single-varietal still wine.

Silvaner

Silvaner is a white grape variety that originated in Austria, but is now most widespread in Germany, where it plays an important role alongside Riesling. Other noteworthy stocks can still be found in Alsace in France. The wines are known for their freshness, minerality and sometimes strong, earthy character.

Syrah

The French Rhone Valley is the home of Syrah, a red grape variety that can also be found in the USA and especially in Australia, where it is usually known as Shiraz. The two names are as different as the respective styles with which the genetically identical grape varieties are vinified.

Tempranillo

Tempranillo is a red grape variety that is mainly grown in Spain and forms the basis of many well-known Spanish wines, such as in Rioja and Ribera del Duero. The early-ripening vine usually produces wines with a strong, deep red colour and aromas of red fruits such as cherries and plums as well as spices such as cinnamon and cloves.

Trebbiano/Ugni Blanc

The Italian Trebbiano is one of the most widely cultivated grape varieties in the world and is known for its lively acidity and freshness. The wines have a light, straw-yellow colour and a light, fresh aroma of citrus fruits and apples.

Weißburgunder

The Pinot Blanc grape - called Pinot Blanc in France and Pinot Bianco in Italy - is the lightest-coloured member of the large Burgundy family. The variety produces fresh, fruity wines whose acidity can vary from moderate to strong depending on the style and which develop delicate fruit flavours such as apples, pears or citrus fruits, often complemented by nutty notes such as almonds.

Welschriesling

Welschriesling is a white grape variety that is mainly cultivated in Austria and the wider Danube region of the former Austro-Hungarian Empire. Despite its name, it is not related to Riesling.

Zweigelt

Zweigelt is a highly successful new red variety from Austria, whose parents are Blaufränkisch and St. Laurent. It produces violet/red wines with a deep colour and intense aromas such as cherry, red and blackcurrant or blackberry, as well as spicy notes such as vanilla or cinnamon.

Descriptions of the different grape varieties.

A-G

Aglianico

Airén

Barbera

Bobal

Cabernet Franc

Cabernet Sauvignon

Carignan

Carmenère

Catarratto

Chardonnay

Chasselas

Chenin Blanc

Cinsault

Dolcetto

Dornfelder

Elbling

Frühburgunder

Gamaret

Gamay

Garganega

Grenache

Grüner Veltliner

H-M

Lambrusco

Lemberger/Blaufränkisch

Macabeo

Malbec

Merlot

Montepulciano

Mourvèdre/Monastrell

Müller-Thurgau)

Muscat/Muskateller

N-T

Nebbiolo

Negroamaro

Petit Verdot

Pinot Gris

Pinot Noir

Pinotage

Portugieser

Regent

Riesling

Sangiovese

Sauvignon Blanc

Schwarzriesling

Sémillon

Silvaner

Syrah

Tempranillo

Traminer/Savagnin Blanc

Trebbiano/Ugni Blanc

Trollinger

Trousseau Noir/Bastardo

U-Z

Verdicchio

Viognier

Weißburgunder

Welschriesling

Zinfandel

Zweigelt