Grafted Vinifera

Widely grown in Galacia (northwest Spain) and Portugal (where it is known as Alvarinho), Albariño produces distinctive, aromatic, high quality wines, one of the few Spanish white varieties used to produce a varietal win...

Auxerrois is a full sibling of Chardonnay. Widely grown in the Alsace region of France where it produces a relatively low acid wine used for blending and as a varietal.

Grown primarily in the Piedmont, Barbera is the second most planted variety in Italy. It has a high level of natural acidity even when fully ripe, so is best suited for hot climates.

Cabernet Sauvignon is a vigorous, variety with late bud break and late maturity. It is one of the world's most widely renowned red wine varieties, grown in nearly every major wine producing country among a diverse spectr...

An old Bordeaux variety largely replaced by Merlot in France, but widely grown in Chile where vines planted as Merlot turned out to be Carmenère. Ripens later than Merlot but earlier than Cabernet Sauvignon.

Chambourcin is a late ripening grape that can produce a highly rated red wine when fully mature. It requires a long growing season and at least 3000 GDD to fully mature. Vines tend to over-produce, so some cluster thinni...

Dornfelder is considered to be the most successful red German vinifera cross with substantial plantings in the late 20th Century. The wine is notable for its depth of color, good acidity, attractive aromatics, and abili...

Gewürztraminer is a musqué mutation of Traminer that produces compact clusters of small, spicy, pinkish-red grapes with high natural sugar and low acidity, so is best suited for cooler climates. The best wines exhibit ...

Gruner Veltliner is Austria's most widely planted grape and a staple in Eastern Europe, prized for producing dry, spicy, and peppery white wines. This late-ripening variety is well-suited for warmer regions, though it’...

Considered a success story of modern German vine breeding, Kerner became widely planted in Germany in the 1990s. Typically used to make high quality wines similar to Riesling in many respects including high acidity, but...

Malbec was once popular in Bordeaux, but plantings have declined as it is susceptible to various viticultural hazards such as frost, coulure, and bunch rot. Known to require a milder climate than varieties such as Merlot...

Merlot is Bourdeaux's most planted grape variety, known for its smooth texture and outstanding varietal wines, but often blended with Cabernet Sauvignon. Earlier ripening than Cabernet Sauvignon, but not as winter hardy.

Mourvédre is Spain's second-leading red variety (after Grenache) and is also a popular variety in southern France, and has been grown in California since the 1870s. Mourvédre needs a very warm climate with long summers...

Nebbiolo is native to the Piedmont region in northern Italy where it produces the region's most distinguished wines, and some of Italy's best, long-lived wines.

Petit Manseng is a high quality wine grape with small, thick-skinned berries that yield little juice but can hang well.

Petit Verdot is one of the classic black Bordeaux varieties. It is known for high quality where it can fully ripen, which is later than that of Cabernet Sauvignon.

Petite Sirah became popular in France for its resistance to downy mildew but have since fallen from favor there. Today, Petite Sirah grape vines  are being planted experimentally in many locations across the United Stat...

Likely discovered in Burgundy in the late 19th century as a sport of Pinot Gris (itself a sport of Pinot Noir), Pinot Blanc is widely planted in central Europe. Sometimes confused with Chardonnay but often known for its ...

Pinot Gris is a lighter-skinned mutation of Pinot Noir that produces small, compact clusters of berries ranging in color from pink, to coppery-gray, to brownish-pink, even within the same cluster. Its low acidity makes t...

Pinot Noir is the classic red Burgundy cultivar, it ripens best under cool, dry conditions and is best suited for cool but moderate climates. Wines are lower in tannins and pigments than the other great French wine varie...

Riesling, the noble grape of Germany, is renowned for its versatility in producing white wines. This hardy vinifera variety excels in cooler climates Though highly susceptible to diseases like black rot, downy mildew, po...

Sangiovese is the most planted grape variety in Italy, the principal variety for fine red wine in Tuscany, and the base wine for the production of Chianti. It is a late-ripening red that produces wines with pronounced t...

Sauvignon Blanc is responsible for some of the world's most distinctive dry white wines with a wide range of aromatics. It produces a wide range of wine styles from dry aromatic wines to desert wines in France, to ripe f...

Shiraz, the Australian synonym for Syrah, is an ancient and noble variety known for producing exceptional wines with long aging potential. Depending on the climate and soil, Shiraz wine grapes yield a wide range of flavo...

Tannat grape is an important variety in Uruguay, known for producing deeply colored, astringent wines. These wines are often blended with other varieties like Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon to enhance their comple...