How to Identify Grape Varieties

Wine has been around for thousands of years. People drink it relax, others to feel sophisticated, and some drink for its luscious and bold flavor. It is an acquired taste, and there are thousands of different ways to use wine in every day life. But have you ever wondered how wine is made (other than smashing grapes in a barrel to squish out the juice)? Or how about what types of grapes make the wine you regularly drink with dinner?

Wine is produced by fermenting crushed grapes using various types of yeast. Yeast consumes the sugars found in the grapes and converts them into alcohol. Different varieties of grapes and strains of yeasts are used depending on the type of wine being produced.

Believe it or not, there are hundreds of different grape varieties all over the world. You can find them in familiar places like California, Italy, France and even Australia! They vary in color from the well-know purple, green, and red, but can also be black, dark blue, yellow, and pink.

Identifying grape varieties can seem quite a daunting task if you're a hobbiest or complete newbie to the whole idea of making this yummy alcoholic beverage. There are a few things you'll need to keep in mind when learning how to identify grape varieties:

Climate and Region:
Make note of where the vineyard are that produced your wine. Certain grapes and wines come from specific areas of the country or world. They may only grow in certain geographic locations with climates that are hot, warm, or muggy. A great example of this is Piedirosso, which is an Italian wine grape variety that grows only in the Campania region of Italy. Another example is the Concord grape. Concord grapes grown for juice and jam are produced primarily along the Great Lakes and in Washington state where cool conditions during ripening promote development of the characteristic varietal flavor. Concord grapes grown in warmer climates often fail to ripen evenly and overall quality is not so great.

Flavor:
Just like planting fruits or vegetables in your garden, grapes are a product of their environment. Fertilizers, soil, pesticides, and even cross-hybridization of the vines will change the flavor of the grape. Depending on the nutrients or how early or late the grape is harvested, it may be more acidic or less acidic than it needs to be to produce a great wine. Ripeness is key. Grapes don't continue to ripen after they're harvested so harvest timing is critical.

To see a list of grape varietes and their regions, feel free to visit the resources below: