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Wine word Wednesday: buzzworthy grape varieties
- There are roughly 24,000 names for varieties of wine grapes
- It is believed these represent about 5,000 truly different varieties, since most varieties have numerous names, depending on where they are grown
- Of those 5,000 grape varieties, only 150 are planted in commercially significant amounts
- Of these 150 varieties, only nine are considered classic:
*chardonnay
*sauvignon blanc
*chenin blanc
*riesling
*semillon
Red grapes
*cabernet sauvignon
*merlot
*pinot noir
*syrah
(source: The Wine Bible, Karen MacNeil)
Three grape varieties getting alot of ink these days in the world of wine grape production are:
Tempranillo- Spain's most famous grape, producing a pretty well-defined red wine. It has flavors reminisant of cherries when young. Upon ageing, usually two-plus years, in American oak, tempranillo evolves to a vanilla, earthy flavor. Tempranillo grapes are grown in north central Spain, in the region of Rioja. The grape is also gown in Argentina, Portugal, and other parts of north central Spain, known by different name in these other regions and is also used in port wines. Tempranillo grapes need moderate rainfall, they ripen early and produce wines of relatively low acidity with low tannins. Thy are sometime used to blend--to boost their tannins--with Cabernet sauvignon.
Nebbiolo- In Italy, the prime red grape variety of the Piedmont district, the key grape for Barbaresco and Barolo wines. A distinguished grape, despite the fact that the grape is barely grown outside of Italy. Piedmont's nebbiolo vineyards are hazy and hilly in the fall, and cold in the winter. Nebbiolo grapes ripen late in the season, the grapes are tough-skinned, dark, and high in acidity. Ageing in wood is critical, to 'tame' the resulting wine. High in tannins, Nebbiolo wines need time in the bottle, and when poured, in the glass to bring out their bouquets and soften their tannins.
Viognier- One of the rarest and finest French white grapes. The grape's main home is the northern Rhone where less than 300 acres are planted. Viognier's appeal exploded in popularity in the '90's. In five years, the numebr of California wine growers specializing in the grape grew from a mere few to over thirty. By 1998 there wer more than 1,000 acres of viognier planted in the state. The grape's viscous nature with honeysuckle, musky fruit, and medium-body gives it alluring appeal.
Topics: viognier , nebbiolo , tempranillo
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