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...
Regent is a relatively new German hybrid, mostly vinifera, with good fungal disease resistance. Regent wines can have intense color, high tannins, moderate acidity, and show aromas of cherry and black currant.
Riesling is the noble grape variety of Germany, one of the most hardy vinifera varieties best suited for cooler climates and highly susceptible to Botrytis infection. Riesling is made in a wide range of wine styles depen...
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...
Seyval Blanc is one of the most widely planted white hybrid varieties in cooler regions of the eastern US. Vines are typically overly fruitful and require some cluster thinning.
Shiraz is the Australian synonym for Syrah, an ancient, noble variety capable of producing outstanding wines with long aging potential. The wines have a wide range of flavor depending on the climate and soils where the g...
An important variety in Uruguay, Tannat produces deeply colored wines that are astringent and often blended with other varieties such as Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon.
Tempranillo is one of Spain's most important varieties, it can produce wines that are deeply-colored and long-lasting, typically not high in alcohol content.
Traminette is a Gewürztraminer hybrid that produces excellent wines similar to Gewürztraminer but with much more winter hardiness than its parent. Wines are distinctive and spicy and may be finished dry or semi-dry.
Valvin Muscat produces a highly aromatic, high quality muscat wine with improved winter hardiness and disease resistance over its vinifera parent (Muscat Ottonel). Only sold as grafted vines as own-rooted vines typically...
Verdelet produces large, loose bunches with egg-shaped, whitish or grey-yellow to yellow-gold fruit. Verdelet is typically used to make a clear, delicate white wine.
Vidal Blanc is a productive white wine grape with medium-sized berries borne on very large, compact tapering clusters. Vidal can produce a semi-dry varietal wine and is often blended with other white hybrids. Fruit has...
Vignoles produces small, compact clusters highly susceptible to Botrytis bunch rot. Fruit can develop high sugar content while maintaining acidity, so Vignoles can be used to make late harvest desert wines in addition t...
Viognier is a Rhone variety that produces small clusters of yellow and amber fruit. Viognier can make excellent wines with distinctive aromatic characteristics, but vines tend to have low vigor and produce relatively sm...
Zinfandel is known as an exotic black variety predominantly grown in California and recently found to be identical to the Italian variety Primitivo. Typically made into varietal wines that can age well.
Zweigelt is widely grown in Austria where it was developed and is now the country's most popular dark-skinned grape. Zweigelt ripens earlier than Lemberger but buds out later than St. Laurent and tends to produce liberal...
Schuyler is extremely productive, with large clusters of soft, juicy black berries largely lacking Labrusca flavors. Used as a table grape and for the production of a neutral light red wine.
A component of many Bordeaux blends, Cabernet Franc matures earlier than Cabernet Sauvignon and is more suitable for cooler climates. One of the more winter hardy vinifera varieties, it is becoming more popular in easte...
The standard of white wine grapes, Chardonnay can be used to make a wide range of wine styles from "fruit forward" wines fermented in stainless, to buttery wines fermented or finished with oak. Chardonnay is the primary ...
Blanc du Bois is a Pierce's disease tolerant cultivar with very good wine quality potential. Grown successfully where temperatures do not drop below +10F (USDA hardiness zone 8). Grown in coastal areas in the southeast U...
Not to be confused with cheese, Lemberger is used to produce low acid, varietal wines. It is gaining a reputation in the Finger Lakes region of NY as a variety with good wine potential and easier to grow than Pinot Noir.
Teroldego is a red vinifera originating in north east Italy that shares a parent, Dureza, with Syrah. Wines are described as dark and fruity with low tannins.