5 Grape Variety PDF

Grape Variety OENOLOGY Objectives On completion of this lesson the learner will be expected to be able to: • To identify the different famous grape varieties in the world. • To learn the flavour notes and descriptive styles of each grape variety. • To know the differences of noble wines with Old a...

Grape Variety OENOLOGY Objectives On completion of this lesson the learner will be expected to be able to: • To identify the different famous grape varieties in the world. • To learn the flavour notes and descriptive styles of each grape variety. • To know the differences of noble wines with Old and New Wines. Albarino What does it taste like? Lime, Peach, Floral, Lemon, Sea spray, Grapefruit Where is it grown? Spain | Portugal (alvarinho) Cabarnet Sauvignon What does it taste like? Blackcurrants, Cedar Cassis, Liquorice, Roasted Coffee Beans, Green Pepper Where is it grown? Bordeaux, California, Chile, Argentina, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand Old world: these are your classic French bottles, famously shown in Bordeaux's great clarets. They tend to have a brooding character, with robust tannins adding structure and blackcurrant fruit shining through. The commonality of cabernet sauvignon, merlot and cabernet franc is a relationship that has travelled the globe, making some of the best wines in the world. New world: In California and the southern hemisphere (Chile, Argentina, South Africa, New Zealand and Australia), cabernets tend to develop a sense of fullness and weight. Rich in blackcurrant, mint and occasionally green bell pepper flavours along with firm tannins, the best wines here can age for decades too. Chardonnay What does it taste like? Apple, Tropical fruit, Honeysuckle, Buttery, Melon, Creamy Where is it grown? Burgundy, New Zealand, Australia, South Africa, California, Chile Old world: In France, chardonnay can make wines as crisp and mineral as Chablis at one end of the scale, and full-bodied, buttery Meursault at the other, both from its spiritual homeland of Burgundy. New world: In warm climates chardonnay takes on tropical fruit flavours and aromas. As winemakers seek out cooler sites for the grape, in Chile and New Zealand in particular, wines with a more linear structure and subtle nuances of flavour are emerging. What does it taste like? Gewurtzraminer Rose petals, Spice, Lychee, Peaches, Ginger, Grapefruit Where is it grown? Alsace, Germany, New Zealand, South Africa Alsace is the spiritual home of gewurz, producing some of the finest examples in the world, from dry yet perfumed and full-bodied wines, to those that boast sweetness, spice and opulent aromas. Germany also produces gewürztraminer in a whole range of styles. In the New World, gewurz can be a lot trickier to get right as high climates can lead to less balancing acidity and the risk of the perfumed fruit becoming far too pungent and overpowering. However, clever techniques such as harvesting the fruit early means that cooler sites can create wonderful examples of this wine – try New Zealand for outstanding styles, with aromas of lychee, peaches, honey and crisp acidity on the finish. Malbec What does it taste like? Blackberry, Leather, Mulberry, Red berries, Smoke, Bramble Where is it grown? South West France, Argentina Old world: The Loire Valley (where malbec is known as cot) the Bordeaux 'côtes', Bergerac and along the route of the Pilgrim's way throughout South-West France are where you'll find the French incarnations of malbec. Cahors, on the lot river, is a region famous for its tannic, rustic-tasting black wines which are made from malbec. New world: Malbec is Argentina's most popular variety, and it thrives in Mendoza. What does it taste like? Merlot Red fruits, Plums, Summer pudding, Chocolate, Baked figs, Gentle spices Where does it come from? Bordeaux, Rest of Europe, Chile Old world: Merlot is a native of Bordeaux in south-west France and its most widely grown grape. An entry-level claret will have flavours that are unoaked, simple and fruity, drinkable young and very approachable. But merlot can scale the heights too and is the majority grape in most right bank clarets (ie those made on the right bank of the Garonne river) alongside cabernets sauvignon and franc. The top wines of SaintEmilion and Pomerol are majority merlot and some of the most expensive, complex, age-worthy and sought-after wines made anywhere. New World: Chile is known for its full-bodied, plummy, spicy merlot and good examples make for very easy drinking at an anyday price. Pinot Grigio / Pinot Gris What does it taste like? White Peach, Almond, Grapefruit, Ginger, White Flowers, Apricots Where is it grown? → Pinot grigio - Northern Italy → Pinot gris – Alsace, Germany, New Zealand, Hungary What style of white wine is pinot grigio? • Pinot grigio and Pinot gris are exactly the same grape, but each region produces a very different style. • It's brilliant drunk on its own as an aperitif or with salads and creamy cheeses. What style of wine is pinot gris? • Alsace makes both lighter, dry styles (think apricot and peach with a hint of smoke and well-balanced acidity) and richer, more opulent 'late-harvest' styles. As well as ripe orchard fruit flavours, these tend to have a hint of ginger, with pastry and buttery flavours developing with a bit of age. Pinot Noir What does it taste like? Forest fruits, Gamey, Cherry, Violets, Strawberry, Forest floor Where is it grown? Burgundy, USA, Chile, New Zealand, Australia Old world: Burgundy is the spiritual home of fine pinot noir, producing wines with a silky texture haunting herbal, forest floor aromas that come with a bit of age. Germany and Austria tend to make light-bodied, cherry-scented pinot noir. New world: Cooler areas of the new world – New Zealand, the Pacific northwest and cooler areas of Chile – are best for growing this sensitive, thin-skinned grape. Expect a more velvety palate, riper fruit flavours and less herbal aromas than you'd find in European pinot noir. Riesling What does it taste like? • Lime, Mineral, Apricot, Beeswax Where is it grown? Germany, Alsace, Australia, New Zealand Old world: There's no Riesling quite like German riesling, beautifully perfumed wines with fruits, flowers, honey, herbs and spices. New world: in Australia, the Western regions of Great Southern and Southern regions of Eden Valley and Clare Valley are cool enough to retain the fresh perfumed character of the grape. Here you'll find bright, mouth-wateringly dry, lime-licked styles with excellent potential for ageing. Sauvignon Blanc What does it taste like? Gooseberry, Passionfruit, Citrus, Peardrops, Fresh-cut grass, Tropical Where is it grown? Loire Valley, Bordeaux, New Zealand, Australia, South Africa, Chile Old World: In general, sauvignon blanc is used to make dry wines, distinctive for their fresh acidity and beautiful perfume. In cooler climates the wines often have bright citrus and mineral notes combined with a green nettle character Oak ageing, lees stirring (the lees are natural yeasts leftover from fermentation) and malolactic fermentation (a chemical process which changes acidic malic acid into soft creamy lactic acid) can also produce sauvignons that are rounded rich. New world: You'll find those distinctive ripe, exotic fruit and gooseberry flavours in warmer, New World climates (Chile, New Zealand and Australia). Shiraz What does it taste like? Black fruits, Spice, Brambles, Black pepper, Plums, Leather Where is it grown? Northern Rhône, Southern Rhône, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand Old world: The Northern Rhône and Southern Rhône in France are the home of syrah in the old world. Southern Rhône is where you'll find the iconic Châteauneuf-du-Pape region, making silky, dark-fruited, soft and spicy wines with lots of elegance. Here syrah is blended with up to 13 other local grape varieties, such as grenache, mourvedre, cinsault and carignan. New world: Syrah is another red grape that the Australians have made their own, with Aussie shiraz being made in a range of styles from lighter, red-fruited, gluggable wines to deep, rich, almost chocolatey full-bodied wines for keeping. Australian winemakers also came up with the innovative and highly successful cabernet-shiraz blend. Tempranillo What does it taste like? Strawberries, Raspberries, Stewed fruit, Spice, Leather, Vanilla Where is it grown? Spain, Portugal Old world: As Spain's flagship red grape you'll find a huge range of tempranillo here, from the finest Gran Reserva Rioja to vibrantly fruity everyday bottles. New world: Because of its affinity with a Mediterranean climate, tempranillo is finding favour in hotter parts of the world such as the McLaren Vale in South Australia, Argentina and Chile, and plantings are on the increase. How Long Does Opened Wine Last? • It depends on the wine as each reacts differently to oxygen upon being unsealed. • Note that these are general as some bottles may be exceptions and last longer or shorter. 1. Sparkling Wines 1-3 days 2. Light Whites and Rose 5-7 days 3. Bold Whites 3-5 days 4. Red Wine 5-7 days 5. Fortified Wine 7-28 days Cheers!