Encyclopedia · Grapes
Know the grape.
Profiles for every grape we teach — structure, signature, and the regions where each one speaks most clearly. Cross-linked with our portfolio so you can read about a grape and book a tasting with a producer working with it.
Albariño
Defined by orange blossom, saline minerality, and bitter almond on the finish. Atlantic coastal grape — high natural acid, moderate alcohol, always bone dry.
Chardonnay
A neutral fruit platform shaped almost entirely by site and winemaking. Low aromatic compounds of its own — acidity, oak treatment, and terroir do the talking.
Chenin Blanc
Defined by beeswax and lanolin phenolic texture, quince, and chamomile. Piercing acidity is constant — residual sugar ranges from bone dry (Savennières) to luscious sweet (Vouvray Moelleux) within the same appellation.
Gewürztraminer
Maximum aromatic intensity: rose petal, lychee, ginger, and Turkish delight. Low acid, oily texture, phenolic bitterness on the finish. Unmistakable — nothing else smells like it.
Grüner Veltliner
Defined by rotundone — white pepper — combined with citrus and mineral. The pepper note is the diagnostic tell across all Austrian regions. Structure and weight vary by site classification.
Pinot Gris
The Alsatian expression: rich, smoky, and oily. Stone fruit richness and a characteristic lard-like smokiness distinguish it from all other white grapes. Low acid, high extract, phenolic weight.
Pinot Grigio
The Italian expression: lean, crisp, and neutral. Skin contact possible in serious Friuli examples, adding phenolic grip and copper tint. Structurally opposite to Alsatian Pinot Gris despite being the same grape.
Riesling
Defined by TDN (petrol/kerosene with age), piercing acidity, and the capacity to express site with precision. Residual sugar varies widely — structure is always acid-driven, never weight-driven.
Sauvignon Blanc
High pyrazine and thiol expression. Site and winemaking determine whether the herbal or tropical register dominates, but bright acid and an aromatic top note are constants across all regions.
Torrontés
Argentina's signature white: Muscat-derived floral intensity — rose petal, jasmine, peach blossom — over a crisp, dry structure. The aromatic profile suggests sweetness the palate never delivers.
Viognier
Defined by linalool — peach blossom, apricot, honeysuckle, and violet. Naturally low acid and full body. The aromatic intensity fades quickly; wines are most expressive young.
Cabernet Franc
Loire's dominant red: green bell pepper (pyrazine), violet, and iron-inflected red fruit. Lighter and more herbal than Cabernet Sauvignon. Chalky tannin, medium weight, often cool and precise.
Cabernet Sauvignon
Defined by pyrazine (bell pepper, graphite, tobacco) and dark fruit. Firm tannin and high acid give it the structure to age. Oak treatment and climate determine whether cedar or vanilla dominates.
Carménère
Chile's adopted signature red: green bell pepper and dark chocolate over plum and cassis. Pyrazine-driven like Cab Franc but riper and more velvety. Often misidentified as Merlot in the glass.
Corvina
The appassimento grape: bunches dried for 90–120 days before fermentation, concentrating sugar, tannin, and flavor. Produces one of Italy's most powerful and distinctive reds.
Gamay
Defined by carbonic maceration and light, transparent fruit. Low tannin, high acid, and a distinctive banana-candy note in simple expressions. The crus show true depth beneath the lightness.
Grenache
Thin-skinned, low tannin, high alcohol. Kirsch, dried cherry, garrigue herbs, and lavender. Southern Rhône dominant grape — almost always blended (GSM) but the primary aromatic and structural voice.
Malbec
Argentina's signature red: dark plum and violet over mocha and vanilla. Naturally high tannin softened by altitude and new oak. More approachable than Old World Malbec (Cahors).
Merlot
Softer tannin, lower acid, and riper plum fruit than Cabernet Sauvignon. Clay soils maximize its velvety texture. Iron mineral in top Pomerol. Often blended but dominant in its best appellations.
Nebbiolo
Defined by tar and roses, very high acid, and ferocious tannin in youth. The most age-demanding Italian red. Pale garnet color deceives — the structure is massive. Never approachable young at the serious level.
Pinot Noir
Pale garnet, thin-skinned, low tannin, high acid. The most terroir-transparent red grape. Forest floor, dried rose, and red fruit are constants — site determines everything else.
Sangiovese
Sour cherry, iron, and dried herb. The backbone of Tuscany. High acid, firm tannin, and an oxidative aging profile that produces leather and tobacco over time. Always food-driven.
Syrah
Black pepper (rotundone), violet, and smoked meat define Northern Rhône Syrah. Australian Shiraz shifts to dark fruit, chocolate, and vanilla. Same grape — climate determines which register dominates.
Tempranillo
Spain's noble grape. Dried cherry, tobacco, and leather. Oak is diagnostic: American oak (Rioja) gives vanilla and dill; French oak (Ribera) gives cedar and structure. Both are medium-bodied and food-driven.
Zinfandel
California's heritage grape (genetically Primitivo). High alcohol is the constant — grapes ripen unevenly, requiring late harvest. Dark fruit, dried fig, peppery spice, and bramble. Always generous, rarely restrained.