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The most popular white Rhone variety, Viognier is often compared with Chardonnay despite its more aromatic, perfume qualities and smaller production. The clusters are much smaller than Chardonnay, but are just as susceptible to mildews and rot. It is a cold tolerant variety, but requires a full growing season to achieve optimum ripeness. It is sometimes co-fermented with Syrah.
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One of the six main Bordeaux varieties, Malbec, or Cot as it is called in France, is a great stand-alone variety but normally used as a blender. It is fairly productive and provides deep color. It is grown throughout the world including France, the U.S., Argentina and Chile. However, it is not very winter hardy, so it is not recommended for regions dipping below 20 degrees F.
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More popular as Petite Sirah in the U.S., this variety produces inky, black, full bodied wines. It is often used as a blender with Zinfandel. But, it is also blended in small amounts with other varieties to add color, and structure. The berries are small (petite) and the clusters are tightly packed making it highly susceptible to bunch rot. It is not considered a cold tolerant variety.
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Often called White Riesling, it produces aromatic wines with high acid. It has small clusters and small berries and can be left on the vine to produce late harvest wine with noble rot. The vines are very cold hardy and are grown the coolest regions of Germany, France, Austria, and Canada. It is popular on the East Coast as well.
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Sauvignon Blanc is a high producing white wine variety that is not very winter cold tolerant. It is grown in every grape growing region from hot to cool climates. It has medium disease tolerance. Harvested early, it will make a wine with grassy, citrus fruit flavors. Harvested later will produce more tropical fruit flavors.
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Grenache is a late ripening variety that prefers hot and dry climates. Given the right conditions this variety can produce a large crop that will need to be balanced in the vineyard for quality wine production. The wines produced from this variety usually show bright red fruit and subtle spice characteristics.
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Another Bordeaux variety, Merlot is one of the most widely planted varieties in the world. It produces medium tannic wines with black fruit characteristics. It is consistently productive with loose clusters and large berries. It is suitable in hot and cooler climates and has good winter hardiness.
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Zinfandel is an American grape variety that performs differently in the field, but is genetically the same as Primitivo. It can be used to make red and white (rose) wine. Zinfandel is not as winter cold hardy as other varieties but can be planted where temperatures stay above 15 degrees F. It is a high producing variety that makes fruity wines that can be consumed at a young age.
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A parent to Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc is another of the Bordeaux varieties. Cab Franc is lighter than Cab Sauv with different flavor profiles. It ripens a little earlier than Cab Sauv and is very popular on the East Coast of the U.S. as it has a good tolerance for cold winter temperatures. Like Cab Sauv, Cab Franc has small, thick skinned berries that have a high tolerance to diseases.
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Chardonnay is our most popular white wine variety and is the most widely planted commercial white wine variety in the United States. It is suitable for all growing regions where grapevines are grown. Chardonnay has medium disease tolerance and is very tolerant to winter cold temperatures. It has medium to large clusters and berries and produces very well.
