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Las Vegas Wine Tasting - Wine Tasting in Las Vegas
Beginner's Guide to Red Wine Grapes
Introduction
After the vineyard site has been
chosen, the starting point for any wine is the grape variety selected by the
winemaker. This alone is the most important factor determining the character of
the liquid swilling around in our glasses. To the complete beginner the
familiar names of Chardonnay or Shiraz may represent the first tentative steps
into the world of wine - but do you know what tastes and aromas to expect from
the bottle? Discovering your personal wine tastes and the art of matching food
& wine all depend on a basic knowledge of grape varieties. A little
background reading in this area should be the starting point for all newcomers
to wine, and will soon reap its rewards...
Varieties of vine
There are 20 or so different
varieties of vine within the genus Vitis, but only one, Vitis vinifera, is
capable of producing decent wine with any regularity. Vitis lambrusca is a
wilder variety that is grown in some parts of the Eastern USA but invariably
produces disappointing wine. Vitis rupestris is a parent of many commercially
important rootstocks due to its resistance to Phylloxera - the troublesome
little bug that infests the roots of vines and decimated the French vineyards
in the 1860s and Australian vineyards in the 1880s.
There are about 5000 varieties of Vitis
vinifera. We are not going to describe them all - partly because we're lazy but
mainly because only 60 or so of these varieties will produce wines with a
recognisable and enjoyable flavour. Of all of the factors that can influence
the character of a wine - such as soil type, viticulture, microclimate and time
of grape picking - the most easily detected is the variety of grape. This guide
aims to introduce you to some of the commoner grapes you are likely to
encounter.
Common Red Grape Varieties
Barbera
This is natively a Piemontese grape from the north-west of Italy, but is
now just about the most prolific variety across the country. It has gorgeously
round, plummy fruit but also shows a high level of natural acidity that has no
doubt helped its popularity in warmer climates. Over-production on the vine
encourages acidity, but top wineries with low
yields are producing beautiful, balanced wines. Great examples of Barbera are
now also coming from South America and certain Aussie producers, notably
Brown Brothers. Barbera also blends nicely with Cabernet Sauvignon or
Sangiovese.
Cabernet Franc
Most will have drunk Cabernet Franc
without even realising it, as one of the five varieties legally allowed in
Bordeaux reds (the others being Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Malbec and Petit
Verdot). Cabernet Franc suffers from an image problem in comparison to its
cousin, Cabernet Sauvignon , which is a crying shame as it is capable of
producing very attractive wines. Typically having lighter colour and less
dominant tannins than Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc produces fragrant,
slightly green wines with more than a hint
of blackcurrant leaves. To taste pure Cabernet Franc at its best, head
for the wine of Bourgueil, St-Nicolas de Bourgeuil, Chinon and Saumur in France's
Loire Valley. These light wines have great berry flavours and are lovely served
slightly chilled. The grape is rarely seen in New World varietal wines but
often makes an appearance with Cabernet Sauvignon and/or Merlot in areas such
as California or Australia's Margaret River.
Cabernet Sauvignon
This grape is planted just about
everywhere that wines can be made (with the exception of really cool areas that
don't provide this late-ripening variety with enough sun and warmth to ripen
sufficiently). Cabernet Sauvignon (Cab Sav) grapes have relatively thick skins,
which impart a deep colour and flavour to wines and give them a strong tannic
backbone that can bend gracefully with age. The best examples have a distinct
blackcurrant flavour, with hints of cedar wood, pencil shavings, cigar boxes,
and violets. If grown in marginal, cool, areas the wines can have a hint of
leafiness or green peppers. Cabernet Sauvignon seems to have a natural affinity
for French oak, which brings out the fruit and spice nuances of the grapes,
although certain Australian Cab Savs, notably those from the Barossa and
Coonawarra may be aged in American oak, which gives them luscious vanillin
smoothness.
Bordeaux is undeniably the home of
Cabernet Sauvignon, where it is it blended with other grapes to a greater or
lesser degree (the wines of Pauillac are dominated by Cabernet Sauvignon).
Other fine examples are available from Spain (Navarra), Bulgaria (Suhindol),
California, South Africa, and Australia, where Margaret River is challenging
Coonawarra for the title of best Cabernet Sauvignon region.
Although Cabernet Sauvignon is often
drunk as a pure varietal, some examples are somewhat ‘hollow' in the middle
palate and for this reason it is often blended with Shiraz or Merlot, both of
which help to give add more character and complexity.
Dolcetto
This is another Italian native of
Piedmont but, unlike Barbera and Nebbiolo, both of which benefit from bottle
aging, Dolcetto has light tannins and is meant to be drunk within a few years
of vintage. An early ripening, low-acid red, it produces vibrantly soft and
fruity wines with liquorice, bitter almond and black cherry flavours. As with
many other Italian varieties, a number of Aussie producers are starting to have
considerable success with this grape.
Gamay
Gamay will never make a massive tannic beast of a
wine but produces deliciously vibrant, pear-drop scented, light reds. Gamay is
the sole red grape of Beaujolais in
South Burgundy. Here the grapes
undergo carbonic maceration (fermentation takes place in whole bunches of
grapes, under a carbon dioxide seal and in the absence of yeast) to produce
wines with very little tannin and smooth fruit flavours of berries and even
bananas that are best-drunk young. For better wines head for the 38 communes
grouped under the Beaujolais Villages appellation or step even further up the
ladder for one of the 10 Beaujolais crus (Brouilly, Chénas, Chiroubles, Côte de
Brouilly, Fleurie, Juliénas, Morgon, Moulin-à-Vent, Régnié and St Amour). Other
good Gamay wines are produced in California, South Africa and Australia.
G renache
Perhaps surprisingly, this is the
world's second most widely planted grape variety, growing across huge areas of
southern France, Spain (where it is called Garnacha) and Australia. This is a
very high-yielding variety, and if over-cropped, can produce thin wines with
little character. However, if subjected to fairly heavy pruning and even
bunch-thinning the vines produce fruit that makes dense, peppery, earthy wines.
In Rioja, Garnacha is blended with the more austere Tempranillo, and in nearby
Navarra it is by the far the dominant grape variety and is used to make much
lighter styles. In France, Grenache appears in two guises - in age-worthy vin
doux naturels such as Banyuls and Rivesaltes, and in the spicy wines of the
southern Rhône and Midi. In the Rhône valley, Grenache is used, either as a
varietal or blended, to produce reds such as Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Gigondas and
Vacqueras and also rosés in Lirac and Tavel.
Due to its affinity for warm
climates, Grenache is often grown in the New World but is typically
over-cropped and under-rated. Only recently have a handful of Australian
vignerons paid due attention to their gnarled old Grenache vines and are making
some great wines such as Charles Melton's NinePopes and Rose Of Virginia.
Grenache tends to produce wines with high alcohol content.
Malbec
Malbec is officially one of the five
Bordeaux red grape varieties but is playing an increasingly smaller part in the
blends. This is largely because it is prone to poor fruit set and is
susceptible to rot, frost and downy mildew (the same difficulties are
encountered when growing Merlot). It is, however, also widely planted in
Argentina, the Loire (where it's known as Côt), Cahors (known as Auxerrois) and
Australia. The wines have a spicy, earthy, almost rustic quality, and can be
particularly dark in colour.
Me rlot
Merlot, when grown under decent
conditions, has an inherent plummy, silky suppleness that can make great
varietals or else is blended, typically with Cabernet Sauvignon, to produce
less aggressively tannic wines that are more approachable when young. However,
as with Malbec, Merlot is very sensitive to growing conditions (and as such it
seems crazy that so much Merlot is being planted on unsuitable land in
California's Central Valley).
Merlot dominates Bordeaux blends in all appellations except the
particularly well-drained soils of the Médoc
and Graves, and is especially prominent in the silky wines of Pomerol
and St-Émilion. There are huge amounts of Merlot planted in northern Italy,
where is produces thin, vaguely fruity wines. The variety is also important to
Italian vignerons in Switzerland but quality is highly variable. Other notable
growing regions
include Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria
and Moldova. Outside of these traditional strongholds winemakers have been slow
to utilise Merlot, particularly in warmer Mediterranean areas where the lack of
acidity in the grapes can tend to produce flabby wines. That said, Merlot
produces some lovely plummy wines in Chile and is starting to look interesting
in New Zealand.
Nebbiolo
Also known as Spanna, Inferno and
Grumello. This small, thick-skinned Piemontese grape from northwest Italy
produces the famously individual, tannic, acidic and brutish wines of Barolo
and Barbaresco. Notably late ripening, this is often left on the vine well into
October. These wines are almost undrinkable when young but after 4 years in
bottle they mature into perfumed (roses, bitumen, roasting meat), complex,
full-bodied and expensive reds (Barolo is the ‘larger' of the two wines). There
are experimental plantings in the New World regions, though for now Nebbiolo
remains an Italian classic.
Pinot Noir
Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are the
two grapes of Burgundy, but whereas Chardonnay is kind to both producers and
drinkers, Pinot Noir can be a nightmare to cultivate - growing well on one hill but failing miserably on the next. In Burgundy
the main problem tends to be a lack of sufficient warmth, resulting in
thin wines with little tannin to help them age gracefully. The opposite problem
can afflict New World producers - excessive heat can lead to jammy,
characterless wines. However, if you find a good bottle of Pinot Noir it can
entirely seduce you with its velvety, berry-fruit flavours and
farmyard/undergrowth/game undertones! Burgundy produces some beautiful wines
but you will have to pay dearly for the quality. Elsewhere in France, head for
the Loire (Sancerre rouge or rosé) or Alsace. Italy makes a few good examples,
otherwise try Australia (Mornington Peninsula, Gippsland, Yarra Valley - best
are Bass Philip and Mount Mary), New Zealand (Martinborough), Oregon and Chile.
Pinot Noir also makes an appearance in Champagne, where it
is often used to add length and body to the blend of Chardonnay and Pinot
Meunier.
Sangiovese
As Italy's most common grape, this
is responsible for many of the wines of Tuscany (particularly Chianti),
Brunello di Montalcino, Emilia-Romagna and a host of popular Vino da Tavola
wines. Sangiovese can produce lightly fragrant wines with a distinct bitter
cherry taste, tight tannins (best enjoyed with food) and the capacity to age.
Blending often softens its austerity. Varietal Californian examples are a bit
disappointing but Australia is doing well, particularly in warm areas such as
McLaren Vale (where it is sometimes blended with a little Cabernet Sauvignon).
Syrah
There are two main strongholds for this stunning grape: The
Rhône Valley, where it is known as Syrah, and Australia, as Shiraz. In both
areas Syrah is famous for producing big spicy blockbusters, exemplified in the
Rhône by Hermitage and Côte Rôtie (sometimes blended with up to 20% Viognier (a
white grape) to give a hedonistic perfumed nose of orange peel, cinnamon and
plums). These wines tend to have an intense, almost inky black colour, and are
capable of considerable aging.
It was fortunate that one of the
founding fathers of the Australian wine industry, James Busby, visited the
Rhône in the early 1800's as Shiraz loves the warm Australian climate and is
now the country's most planted variety (though Chardonnay produces a higher
volume of wine). Some table wine was made with the early Shiraz plantings
although the majority was used to produce fortified wines such as port. When
Australia's fortified wine exports declined in the 1950's and 1960's there was
such a glut of Shiraz grapes that many old vines were torn from the ground and
grapes were even made into muffins! Then people started to clamber over the
handful of Shiraz wines that had been produced during the difficult periods and
a new style was born. The really big Australian Shiraz wines hail from Barossa
Valley, Eden Valley, McLaren Vale, and Clare Valley, with slightly more elegant
wines coming from Coonawarra, Margaret River, the Grampians, Bendigo and
Langhorne Creek (among others).
Shiraz can produce far more than
spicy fruit-bombs - it also produces some leaner reds with white-pepper
characters in cooler areas and is also used to make superb sparkling reds that
are great partners for chocolate, fruit desserts or duck. Shiraz has a great
affiliation with American oak, giving the wines an unctuous vanilla richness
and full mouthfeel. French oak can also be used and this tends to let the fruit
shine through, exaggerating the spice notes.
South Africa
produces a few good Shiraz wines, as does California, but neither of these areas have been able to produce
wines that have the concentration or character of the Australian wines. New
Zealand is starting to produce some very interesting examples.
Tempranil
lo
Grown throughout Spain under various
pseudonyms (Cencibel, Tinta de Toro), this grape forms the backbone of famous
Iberian wines such as Rioja and Ribera del Duero. Its ability to thrive in the
most unfavourable climates has led to Tempranillo now being cultivated in
nearly all major red wine producing regions. A versatile grape, Tempranillo can
produce light, early drinking wines right through to full-bodied, age-worthy
styles. Its thick skin is largely responsible for the latter, giving deep
coloured, tannic wines with tobacco, spice and strawberry flavours. It is most
often found in blends with juicier varieties (commonly Grenache) and takes well
to oak giving the smooth vanilla notes commonly found in the wines of Rioja.
Zinfandel
The origins of American Zinfandel
are unclear, though DNA testing has shown it to be related to Italy's Primitivo variety from the southern region of Puglia.
It has now become California's very own grape variety, producing
port-style fortified wines, sweet ‘blush' rosés (produced by blending with
white Muscat) and big ‘Zins' red-berry, blueberry-fruited reds. Many everyday
wines hail from Central Valley, with the finest bottles being produced in
Sonoma. Since the 1980's there has been a considerable improvement in the
quality of red Zinfandels and many are capable of medium term cellaring. Cape
Mentelle, in Australia's Margaret River region, produces a dark, rich,
fruitcake Zinfandel and fledgling plantations are appearing in South Africa and
South America.
Las Vegas Wine Tasting - Wine Tasting in Las Vegas
Beginner's Guide to White Wine Grapes
Common
White Grape Varieties
Chardonnay
This ubiquitous, fashionable white
grape is now found growing in almost every wine producing country. However,
this popularity can make it hard to define due to the myriad variations in soil
type, climate, clone and viticulture that influence the final wines. Chardonnay
is particularly user-friendly to the winemaker, growing almost anywhere and
able to be moulded into various styles ranging from classy long-lived white
Burgundy, to Champagne, to rich buttery Aussie whites. The flavours associated
with Chardonnay depend upon the winemaking. While there is an enormous amount
of non-descript peachy, oaky dry white made from the grape, better examples
taste of lemon, green apples and grapefruit in unoaked and lightly oaked
styles, through to melon, white peach and cashew nuts in medium-bodied wines,
and on to rich butter and toast in the barrel-fermented or barrel-aged wines.
Chardonnay may also be put through malolactic fermentation - when harsh malic
acid (think green apples) is converted to lactic acid - thus giving the wine a
more creamy finish. While many Chardonnay aficionados look to Burgundy for
their tipple, there are a number of producers in other countries that arguably
make wines of similar complexity at more reasonable prices. South African stars
include Vergelegen, Rustenberg, De Wetshof, Hamilton Russel, and Bouchard
Finlayson, while great Aussie wines are made by Leeuwin Estate, Petaluma and
Coldstream Hills, among numerous others.
Colombard
Widely grown in California and South
Africa (where it is also known as Colombar), the origins of this grape stem
from its' distillation for the famous brandies of Cognac and Armagnac in
France. Its susceptibility to rot in France's moderate climate led to the
decline in plantings for still wine production. However, the hot climates of
California and South Africa have welcomed the grape, where it produces plain,
crisp, dry whites. These are often blended with Chenin Blanc or Chardonnay.
Chenin Blanc
Chenin blanc is one of the mainstays of the Loire Valley in
France, and is the most widely planted variety in South Africa (where it is
occasionally called Steen), with a few wines hailing from California,
Australia, and New Zealand. When made well, Chenin Blanc wines can taste
superb, but often they are unripe, flabby, or over-sulphured. The grape has a
naturally high acidity and thus lots of sun is required to bring out the fruit
flavours. Chenin Blanc is very
versatile and can be used to produce sparkling wines or dry, demi-sec and sweet
still wines. The latter wines from Vouvray, Bonnezeaux, Quarts de Chaume,
Jasnières and Coteaux du Layon in France's Loire Valley, can have incredible
sublime flavours of beeswax, marzipan, honey, pralines and spice with a
tremendous capacity to age. South Africa also occasionally makes great
long-lived sweet wines. In the New World Chenin is often used to bulk up
blended white wines, as it is often fairly neutral, fruity stuff.
Gewürztraminer
One of the most easily recognised
grapes, both on the vine and in the glass. The grapes are characteristically
pink while the wines have an unmistakable aroma of flowers and spice (in German
Gewürz means spice), flavours of lychees, rosewater, ginger, and cinnamon, and
an oily mouthfeel. Good Gewürztraminer is so obvious that people either love it
or hate it. Unfortunately, most Gewürz is drunk as a sweet blend with Riesling
and, while this is a fabulously easy-drinking style, it does not let the true
nature of the grape shine through. The best examples, from Alsace and Germany's
Pfalz region, are dry wines that combine the amazing perfume with a complex
spicy palate, and make perfect partners to Asian food. To experience truly
outstanding Gewürztraminer wines, try a late harvested (vendange
tardive) or
botrytised example (sélection des grains nobles) from Alsace, both of which are
unctuously sweet. Outside these regions, Gewürztraminer is also grown widely in
Italy and Austria, with New World plantings in California, Chile and New
Zealand.
Grenache Blanc
The white grape sister of the
red-skinned Grenache Noir. While originally a Spanish variety (where it still
play a role in north-eastern whites from Rioja, Navarre, etc.) this grape is
now most widely planted in France's Rhône Valley (especially as the most
important grape in white Châteauneuf-du-Pape) and Languedoc-Roussillon.
Frequently blended with other southern French varietals such as Marsanne and
Viognier, the grape can produce good quality, fat, richly flavoured wines.
Marsan ne
Not one of the most widely-seen
varieties, but justifies inclusion due to its importance as a key grape in the
white wines of the Rhône Valley. It has a floral, herby, limey flavour and is
quite aromatic (again floral). In the Rhône, Marsanne is usually blended with a
host of other white grapes, as in the long-lived Hermitage wines, or may even
be blended with Syrah to give red wines a floral lift. Marsanne may also be
encountered as a varietal, especially from Aussie producers in the Goulbourn
Valley (Chateau Tahbilk or Mitchelton), and in this guise it can age well to
produce wines with intense honeysuckle aromas.
Muscat
The dead-giveaway for wine made from grapes of the Muscat
family is that they actually smell of grapes. In those areas where Muscat is
made into dry table wines - northeast Italy, Southern France, and Alsace -
flavours and aromas of grapes, apples and mandarins may be encountered. Muscat
grapes are also used to produce fizzy styles of wine, as in Asti, Moscato
d'Asti and Clairette de Vie. However, to my mind, the
most exciting Muscats are the sweet
ones. There are two styles of sweet Muscat - the unfortified, as in Moscatel de
Valencia (Spain), and the many fortified wines of Australia, the Rhône (notably
Muscat de Beaumes-de-Venise) and Southern France. The Australian examples in
particular can taste strongly of raisins and Demerara sugar, while French vins
doux naturels may have more barley sugar and orange character.
Pinot Blanc
Pinot Blanc could perhaps be likened
to a light, unoaked Chardonnay, without the upfront fruit. If over-cropped it
can produce very neutral, acid wines - a perfect base for sparkling wines such
as Crémant D'Alsace. However, good examples of still Pinot Blanc wines from
Alsace or Italy (where it is known as Pinot Bianco) are attractively creamy,
often with a nutty flavour. Germany also produces some Pinot Blanc, known as
Weissburgunder, but the majority of Californian Pinot Blanc is actually Muscadet.
Pinot Gris
This grape is also known as Tokay
Pinot Gris, but bears no relation to the Tokay found elsewhere in the world
(Hungarian Tokaji being made from a variety of grapes, while Australian Tokay
is Muscadelle). In Italy, Pinot Gris (called Pinot Grigio) is used to made
light-bodied, fairly neutral wines that are good partners for seafood. Alsace
vignerons make an entirely different beast of a wine - most is dry,
full-bodied, aromatic, spicy stuff, while some is beautiful, sweet late
harvested (vendange tardive) or botrytised (sélection des grains
nobles) with a characteristic smoky smell. A number of wineries in Oregon,
Australia and New Zealand are experimenting with this variety.
Riesling
Without doubt the king of white
grapes, and one that best reflects terroir (the special vineyard
combination of soil, climate, aspect etc. that gives a wine its' particular
character). Yet despite this it remains surprisingly unpopular on the world market.
The grape has a high acidity and is best without the influence of oak. It can
be grown in a wide variety of climatic conditions and is susceptible to
infection by Botrytis, thus leading to a huge variety of different
styles. The best examples hail from Germany, usually from the slate soils of
the Mosel and Rhine. These typically have a low alcohol (~8%) and very fresh
taste of crunchy green apples, lime, flint, and floral notes. The advanced
honeyed fruit flavour (and occasional petrol nose - not a fault!) of mature
German Riesling is deliciously memorable. New World examples from hot climates have noticeably higher alcohol levels and much
bolder fruit flavours of lime and passion fruit, though easily become
too fat. Australian examples often develop a very strong kerosene nose after a
few years in bottle - a trait not to everyone's liking. Irrespective of its
origin, all Riesling should have a racy balanced acidity, which confers good
quality wines with substantial capacity to age.
Sauvignon Blanc
If you like really fresh and clean wine then you'll love Sauvignon Blanc
- the perfect antidote to fat, over-oaked Chardonnay. The best Sauvignon Blanc
is produced in cool areas, where the grapes retain enough acidity to make great
crisp, zingy whites. The two main strongholds are the Loire Valley in France,
and New Zealand (Hawkes Bay
and further north in the North
Island and Wellington regions in the South Island). Wines from North Island New
Zealand tend to be richer, with more passionfruit and gooseberry character
whereas those from the South Island, particularly Marlborough, are often
‘greener', with blackcurrant leaf aromas and flavours of green pepper and cut
grass. The Loire wines, such as those of Sancerre and Tourraine, are typically
more subdued, displaying flavours of nettles and asparagus, and often smelling
quite strongly of cat's pee on a gooseberry bush (a classic description - just
try to imagine it!) South Africa and Chile also make some nice wines. While
most Sauvignon Blanc is drunk as an unoaked varietal, it may also be
encountered as an oaked varietal or as a blend. The oaked wines, such as Cloudy
Bay's Te Koko are slightly softer, with a smoky edge and creaminess. Sauvignon
Blanc is often blended with Sémillon and has become a regional speciality for
Margaret River in Western Australia. The grape may also be blended with a range
of other varieties, such as Chardonnay and Viognier, in Southern France.
Sémillon
There are two main homes for this
variety. In Bordeaux it is used both for dry wines (often blended with
Sauvignon Blanc) and sweet botrytised Sauternes (blended with Sauvignon Blanc
and Muscadelle). Secondly, in Australia, where it is also used for dry wines,
both oaked (Barossa Valley) and unoaked (Hunter Valley), and for amazing botrytised
styles from Riverina. The thin skin of this grape makes it particularly
susceptible to Botrytis cinerea infection, making it the perfect starting point
for some of the world's finest dessert wines. Good sweet Bordeaux and Aussie
Sémillons are bursting with flavours of candied peel, but many suffer from
being over-sulphured. The hallmark flavours of dry Sémillon are lemon, beeswax
and honey. The unoaked Australian wines of the Hunter Valley are especially
noteworthy, which, although taking between 10 and 20 years to develop, can show
incredibly complex flavours of toast, lanolin and honey - almost tasting oaked.
Viognier
Pronounced vee-yon-ee-ay, this grape
is an absolute stunner. Originally hailing from the tiny Northern Rhône
appellations of Condrieu and Château Grillet, Viognier produces rich, memorable
wines bursting with musky peach blossom aromas and a palate of apricots and
spice. The vine is a poor yielder and difficult to grow. This, coupled with
demand for wines from these two appellations, makes for rare and expensive
wines. Luckily Viognier is rapidly becoming fashionable and is now grown in a
whole host of countries such as Australia, California, Chile and South Africa.
Unfortunately, a lot of these wines are pretty plain. To be guaranteed a
decent, affordable example, try Fairview from South Africa, Yalumba from
Australia, Chile's Cono Sur, or Fetzer from California.
© 2001 James Warbrick-Smith &
Edward Fitzgerald Oxford
University Wine Society
www.oxfordwinesociety.org
