Identifying a wine grape variety is not easy, especially when you are not a true connoisseur. More than a hundred varieties are used to make wine in France, but only about ten of them account for more than 80% of the planted vineyard area. Thanks to this article, we will give you all the tips you need to start identifying grape varieties and determine which ones you like or dislike.
The basics
To begin, you need to observe the wine’s color. Its hue can help indicate the wine’s vintage and length of maceration. It can also help you identify a grape variety directly, but be careful not to jump to conclusions, as age and terroir can affect the color.
Next, you need to assess the nose, and from this point onward, we can distinguish five families:
- Flowers, fresh fruit, spices
- Cooked fruit
- Musk, undergrowth, animal aromas
- Empyreumatic (woody, toasted)
- Faults (vinegar smell, cork taint)
The color and nose provide certain indications about the grape varieties used to make the wine, but everything comes down to the taste.
And what does it taste like?
On the palate, red and white wines can be distinguished by two things: tannins (found in red wines) and acidity (particularly prominent in white wines). These two elements make it possible to identify the grape varieties found in wines of their respective colors.
Red wines
The main characteristic of red wines is their tannins, meaning the astringency they produce. This is what dries out the mouth, making the tongue feel rough and causing it to cling to the palate. When this sensation is very pronounced, the wine can be described as tannic. Otherwise, the wine is supple and the tannins are silky.
As for grape varieties, we will mention only the best-known ones, as listing them all would be impossible:
- Merlot is characterized by aromas of plum and blackberry, and, in rare cases, leather and truffle.
- Cabernet Franc has aromas of raspberry, blackberry, licorice, and sometimes green bell pepper.
- Pinot Noir is characterized by red-fruit aromas, particularly cherry. With age, it can develop vegetal or animal nuances.
- Grenache is known for its pronounced licorice and pepper aromas, as well as its strawberry and raspberry aromas.
- Cabernet Sauvignon offers easily identifiable aromas of blackcurrant, blackberry, mint, and green bell pepper. With aging, it develops aromas of spices and cedar.
- Syrah, meanwhile, has aromas of olives, pepper, blackcurrant, and violet.
- Gamay is rather sweet, thanks to its aromas of cherry, strawberry, and raspberry.
White wines
For white wines, the process is the same as for red wines, with one detail… White wines contain very little tannin because they do not macerate with the grape skins. However, it is acidity that allows you to identify the grape variety.
As with red wines, we will mention only the most famous varieties:
- Chardonnay has aromas of green fruit, such as apple.
- Sauvignon, meanwhile, tends to offer aromas of blackcurrant and citrus.
- Riesling may have aromas of flowers, citrus, and apple. As it develops, however, it acquires aromas of petrol.
- With Gewürztraminer, you can detect notes of lychee, spices, and rose.
- Viognier, meanwhile, reveals aromas of fresh fruit such as peach and apricot.
- Finally, Chenin tends to offer notes of apricot and apple.
It is important to keep in mind that these aromas are merely “theoretical” and provide only clues when identifying the grape variety being tasted. Climate and terroir can alter the characteristics of certain grape varieties and, consequently, their aromas.
Feel like tasting new grape varieties?
At Domaine du Goût, we offer a very wide selection of wines, carefully chosen by our sommelier Thierry Dorge. All you have to do is try to identify the grape varieties at home during your tasting. If you need help or cannot find the information, simply go directly to your wine’s page, where you will find a detailed sheet listing all the aromas as well as the grape variety of the wine being tasted.
