Popularized by Robert Mondavi, once famous for its premium winery in the Napa Valley, varietal wines caught on with wine consumers not only in North America but everywhere in the world except in traditional wine producing regions in Europe.

Bordeaux always blended its wines to achieve balance and harmony, whereas in Burgundy pinot noir is the sole red grape variety, except in Beaujolais where gamay reigns supreme.

R. Mondavi, an old marketing professional, reasoned that American wine drinkers ignorant of European geography will have no difficulty remembering a few grape varieties rather than hundreds of regions, sub-regions and single-vineyard designations. He was right, and today even some French, German, Bulgarian, Greek, Romanian, Spanish and Italian wineries market many of their wines by variety. Think of Languedoc-Roussillon in southern France, pinot grigio from Veneto, Friuli-Venezia-Giulia and Alto Adige in northern Italy.

Here are some brief descriptions of some of the most popular grape varieties:

Chardonnay, the white grape variety of Burgundy, is in vogue as a dry full-bodied oaked or un-oaked wines. Chardonnay, by many connoisseurs, is considered a chameleon grape variety that can be manipulated to taste differently by barrel aging, using cultured yeasts, and using other techniques.

Chardonnay wines smell of apples, pears, citrus, peach, or melons, pending on their region of origin.

Many regions produce chardonnay wines. Some taste minerally, and may be medium-to-full bodied. Others smell of tropical fruits and are full bodied.

In the New World, the following countries produce chardonnay. Some may be blended with semillon and others.

Australia, New Zealand, the U S A, Canada, Chile, Argentina, and South Africa are the most important New World wine prodcers of chardonnay.

In Europe the following countries/regions are famous for their chardonnay- Burgundy, Languedoc-Roussillon in France, Spain, Portugal and Greece. Italy, Bulgaria, Romania and Germany also produce chardonnay but in relatively small quantities.

Semillon provides the backbone of dry white Bordeaux and sweet Sauternes and Barsac wines. In youth it develops flavours akin to “wax”. Aromatically, semillon exudes charming grapiness, but, if grown on appropriate soil, it develops butterscotch and toast flavours. Semillon is often blended into bulk wines, but in Bordeaux, where it originates, it goes into Entre-deux_Mers, dry wines, and Sauternes and Barsac blends, both of which are sweet. South Africa, Australia, the U S A in the New World have large Semillon plantings.

In Europe only France has thousands of hectares planted to Semillon.

Sauvignon blanc is the other white grape variety of Bordeaux. Loire and Langiuedoc-Roussillon also have large vineyards planted to this popular grape variety.

It has a crisp acidity, with cut grass and gooseberry aromas. When aged in barrels, it is called fume blanc, another marketing ploy invented by R. Mondavi. Sauvignon blanc rarely develops depth of color, and should be consumed within two to three years of harvest, since it loses it appeal after this period.

In the New World New Zealand, Australia, Chile, Argentina, Canada and the U S A are famous for their sauvignon blanc, whereas in Europe only France and Italy have significant areas devoted to this grape variety.

Riesling often called Johannisberg Riesling or Rhineriesling to denote its German origin. Around the Rhine and Mosel Rivers, riesling yields phenomenally flavoured, succulent wines which cellar well. Riesling wines smell of citrus, apples, pears, and kerosene. German Rieslings may be low in alcohol and light, but in other countries rieslings contain significantly more alcohol and may have completely different tastes and textures.

In Europe, Germany, Alsace in France, Alto Adige, Friuli-Venezia-Giulia in Italy, Bulgaria and Romania produce fine Riesling wines.

In the New World south Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Washington, Oregon, California and New York (U S A) and British Columbia and Ontario (Canada) are well known for their fragrant Rieslings.

There are many other grape white grapes like aligote, gruner veltliner, silvaner, muller-thurgau, viognier, marsanne, roussanne, moscat or moscato, feteasca, leanyka, palomino, pedro ximenez, albarino, arien, viura, chenin blanc, chasella, furmint, and verdicchio just to name a few.

Some are widely planted but most are go into blends or distillation.

Viognier has become quite popular of late with aromas of peach and apricot, and subtle fruit flavours.

Pinot noir is the so-called “heartbreak” grape because of its very terroir sensitive characteristics. It is generally unstable and mutates over time. Thin skinned pinot noir, requires a moderately warm growing but long season to give of its best. When fully ripe, pinot noir wines from Burgundy smell of strawberries, forest undergrowth, and are succulent. Simply put, fine pinot noir cannot be adequately described. It must be tasted and appreciated. Aging potential depends on vintage and intensity of the wine, and varies from four to 15 years.

Pinot noir is the indigenous red wine grape of Burgundy, but is also planted in the Loire Valley, Alsace, Champagne and Languedoc-Roussillon in France. Elsewhere in Europe, Germany, Spain, Switzerland, Spain, Piedmont, Lombardy, Alto Adige in Italy, Austria, Hungary and Romania produce pinot noir.

In the New World, Tasmania, Victoria in Australia, New Zealand, Chile, California, Oregon, Washington (the U S A), Canada and South Africa are well known for their flavourful pinot noirs.

Cabernet sauvignon is the backbone of red Bordeaux wines. It its youth its colour is purplish black, with rough tannic flavours. The wine exudes blackberry and blackcurrant and is assertive. Some smell faintly of oak, even before aging. With barrel age, cabernet sauvignon may develop minty, strawberry, chocolaty, coffee, tobacco, lead pencil, licorice flavors, pending on barrel size, shape, region of origin of the oak and toasting levels of the barrel.

Cabernet sauvignon ages well, within anywhere from five to 15 years in exceptional vintages longer.

In Europe, Bordeaux, Languedoc-Roussillon, Loire Valley, Veneto in Italy, Greece, Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary, and Spain boast large plantings.

Australia, New Zealand, Chile, Argentina, Washington State, California, Okanagan and Ontario in Canada, South Africa and Brazil are large producers. Many winemakers are getting better at vinifying this grape variety. Cabernet sauvignon in cool seasons yields wines that smell of vegetables.

Merlot is the primary grape used to soften cabernet sauvignon in Bordeaux. Where cabernet sauvignon is aloof and angular, merlot is accessible, soft and round. It exudes, when picked ripe, red currant aromas and is generally ready to enjoy within two to three years of harvest. As a standalone well-aged varietal, it yields fabulous wines with floral bouquet and velvety texture, as is the case in St Emilion, a sub-regions of Bordeaux. Here a little cabernet franc and cabernet sauvignon may be used in the blend to provide longevity and complexity.

In Europe merlot is popular in Bordeaux, Languedoc-Roussillon in France, Veneto, Friuli-Venezia-Giulia, Lombardy in Italy, Bulgaria, Romania, Spain, Hungary, Portugal and Greece.

Australia, New Zealand, Chile, Argentina, South Africa, California, Washington State and Ontario produce remarkable merlots when the weather co-operates.

Cabernet franc is one the three most important red grape varieties of Bordeaux. It provides a pleasant acid backbone to the blend. When ripe, it tastes of ripe red berries with spicy undertones. Rarely do wineries use cabernet franc to produce a varietal wines, but a few do quite successfully. Cabernet franc requires a warm and long growing season. France in Bordeaux, Loire Valley, Languedoc-Roussilon has large tracts of cabernet franc.

Northern Italy boasts a few thousand hectares, which they erroneously call cabernet, a confusing practice, which leads many to believe it is cabernet sauvignon.

In New Zealand, Oregon, Ontario cabernet franc grows well. Occasionally it is also used to produce ice wine.

Shiraz indigenous to southern France is an excellent warm climate grape. Shiraz a petit grain has thick skin and yields extremely flavourful, dark and intense wines. Good shiraz is deep in colour, fruity, and tannic in its youth with peppery and raspberry aromas. After aging, it softens into an intense spicy wine, with cedar, tar and smoke in the bouquet. Shiraz wines cellar well, if well made and carefully aged. Inexpensive shiraz wines are meant to be consumed within a few years of vintage. If well made and aged shiraz has great aging potential which varies anywhere from six to 12 years.

In Australia winemakers blend shiraz often with cabernet sauvignon to provide backbone. These blends consist of weak shiraz wines in need of “support”. Cotes du Rhone in France, Campania in Italy, Greece and Spain have thousands of hectares devoted to shiraz.

The Australian industry thrives on shiraz and produces many versions from extraordinary to banal. New Zealand, Chile, Argentina, Washington State, Okanagan, Ontario, and South Africa have significant shiraz plantings.

Mourvedre (monastrell in Spain) is generally used in blends to give structure to red wines because of its astringency, crisp acidity and deep colour. Its blackberry aromas are appealing, but best suited to blending.

Grenache (garnacha) of Spanish origin yields pale and low-tannin wines with intriguiging spicy flavours. Grenache is an excellent red grape for rose wines, which should be consumed within a year or two of harvest. In Australia, winemakers like to blend grenache, shiraz and mourvedre, calling it G S M. These blends can be very appealing.

In France Cotes du Rhone winemakers use grenache in their Chateauneuf-du-Pape blends, to make Tavel rose and other types of wines.

In Spain garnacha is used for roses in Navarra, but in Priorat garnacha wines are deeply coloured, full-bodied and extremely flavourful.

Zinfandel is one of the most popular red wine grape varieties of California. It originates from southern Italy (Apulia) but has muted to yield completely different wines in California. New research has concluded that zinfandel originated in Croatia, east of the Adriatic Sea.

It has a thick skin, ripens early and can yield high sugar content fruit in warm to hot climates. Pending on yield per hectare the wines can be high or low in alcohol, colour and flavour.

In California several wineries produce a very pale rose using zinfandel and call it white zinfandel. It is off-dry faintly fruity and easy to drink.

There are many red wine grapes, but the above are the most popular. Some of the lesser known are: barbera, tempranillo, nebiollo, sangiovese, xinomavro, gamza, misket, zierfandler, kadarka, bonarda, carmenere,malbec, zweigelt, petit verdot, tannat just to name a few.

Now he consults and writes to increase wine, beer and liquor awareness. He conducts seminars and would be pleased to consider your requests. To peruse the list of his published books and order please contact him at hirayrberberoglu_3@sympatico.ca

Hryar Berberoglu www.littlefatwino.com