Wine grape varieties: a description of which are best for home use

To create high-quality homemade wine from grapes, it is recommended to use special varieties of wine destination. Each variety is unique, the grapes differ in the amount of natural sugars, juiciness, and astringency of the skin. It is necessary to process grapes into wine manually, it is not necessary to wash the berries and remove the skin. Consider the most popular wine varieties of red and white grapes used in home winemaking.

Features of technical grades

The vine of technical grape varieties is able to withstand frosty winters (up to -40 ^{С), is unpretentious in care, resistant to fungal and bacterial infections.}

Breeders have bred a large number of universal species suitable for wine production and fresh consumption of berries.

A huge role in the final taste of grapes is played by:

Composition of the soil where the vine is grown.
Precipitation.
Influence of direct sunlight.
Vine care and grape growing conditions.

Note! The berries of grapes of technical varieties contain a large amount of sugars and juice, the fruits are distinguished by a pronounced aroma, which creates the basis for the taste of future wine.

How are wine grapes different?

Wine varieties of grapes are used mainly for making wine, cognac, brandy and other alcoholic beverages. There are early, late, nutmeg, sweet, table grapevine varieties.

For the production of elite wines, time-tested grape varieties and hybrids are used.

Berries of wine varieties, as a rule, are small in size, have a discreet appearance, dense skin. At the same time, a ripe berry contains a large amount of juice and sugar in its composition.

Which grapes make white wine?

The method of making white wine differs from the classic technology for making red wine.

To get white wine? it is necessary to use wine material directly from white varieties and types of grapes and to know their characteristics. The selection of such species is huge, the vine for growing is selected suitable for the natural and climatic conditions of the region where it is planned to plant a vineyard. Consider the popular and main varieties of the white vine and the names of the varieties.

Pino Blanc

White grape variety with an exquisite multifaceted bouquet. Suitable for making champagne, dessert sweet wines. The homeland of the fragrant vine is Burgundy.

The taste of Pinot Blanc wine is distinguished by pronounced apple notes, with a slight almond tinge. Inexperienced winemakers may confuse Pinot Blanc with Chardonnay. Wine Pinot Blanc is called quiet. This wine grape gained particular popularity in the USA, Argentina, Canada.

Chardonnay

Chardonnay grapes are classified as technical types, they are not used fresh for food. Clusters of Chardonnay are an excellent versatile wine material for sparkling, dry and sweet white wines. The birthplace of the vine is Burgundy.

Feature of the species: if the grapes are grown in regions with a cool climate, the wine will acquire a light walnut-lemon taste, if the vine was cultivated in the south and received a lot of sunlight, the wine will turn out to be dense, with a pronounced honey-fruity taste.

The vine is unpretentious, but does not differ in high yield, it belongs to one of the most ancient varieties of wine grapes.

Riesling

German favorite for making white wines. Riesling is self-sufficient, the taste characteristics are unique, the vine ripens for a long time, it feeds on the warm sunshine of autumn, it is grown in the northern regions of Europe.

Riesling's bouquet deserves special attention: floral notes open up and then turn into herbal notes (the aroma of freshly cut grass). If Riesling is aged, the so-called "petroleum notes" are distinguished in it - the smell of rubber, kerosene, tar, which is especially appreciated by winemakers all over the world. In Russia, Riesling is not popular, inexperienced winemakers often consider it too "sour".

Bianca

Unpretentious grapes come from Hungary. Suitable for growing regions with a warm southern climate. From Biyanki wine material, excellent cognac and delicious dry white wine are obtained.Cognac has a pronounced almond flavor with delicate hints of vanilla. In Russia, spiced vodka is made from Bianka.

Distinguished by stable yield and high productivity.

Sauvignon Blanc

French white grapes. A distinctive feature of Sauvignon Blanc berries is a white waxy coating that forms on the fruit by the time of full maturity. The wine of this variety is tasty, distinguished by minerality and pronounced "smoky" shades and the smell of gunpowder. Sauvignon Blanc is often infused in oak vats with other wine grapes added.

White Muscat

Belongs to the Muscat table group with early fruiting. Refers to capricious, whimsical species. White Muscat wine is light, with pronounced citrus notes and the aroma of a white rose.

It is recommended to grow a capricious vine on the southern slopes, potassium supplements are required.

Aligote

Burgundy early maturing variety. The vine is resistant to frost, vineyards are planted in the northern regions. Basically, dry wines are made from Aligote. The wine is characterized by high acidity and a pronounced floral aroma.

Aligote aging in a barrel is not recommended, there are technologies for making red wine of the Aligote variety.

Viura (Maccabeo)

Spanish white grapes. Viura grapes are used to make dry and sweet white wines. It has a high stable yield, you can age the wine in barrels. The taste of the finished product is dense, floral, with nutty notes. In general, the taste of Viura is neutral, grapes are often included in blends.

Chassela white

Unpretentious, resistant to fungal diseases species that can grow and bear fruit in regions with different climates. Refers to table hybrids. The homeland of the variety is France. The wine has a neutral taste.

Grillo

Autochthonous variety of Sicilian grapes. A distinctive feature is the high sugar content. Based on the Grillo wine material, Italians traditionally made fortified wines with complex aromas.

Dry white wines based on Grillo have bright flavors of citrus, nettle and green pepper. This Italian variety is also used to make sparkling wines.

Friendship

Belongs to the Bulgarian-Russian selection. Druzhba grapes are adapted to the natural and climatic conditions of Russia, unpretentious in cultivation, and have a high stable yield.

Ripe grapes are suitable for fresh consumption. Druzhba is successfully used in winemaking, the finished wine has a nutmeg taste, ripe berries contain a large amount of sugars.

Crystal

A popular type of domestic selection in Russia for universal purposes. It bears fruit in a temperate climate, the flesh is juicy, sweet, with a bright nutmeg aroma. Winemakers appreciate Crystal for a noble and balanced combination of acidity and sugar content.

Traminer white

Austrian vine that has successfully taken root in Russia. Belongs to the group of Muscat grape varieties. The taste of wine based on Traminer is distinguished by a rich individual pronounced taste of apricot, rose, violet and peony, there are notes of saffron and honey.

The color of the finished product is bright yellow, saturated, with a golden hue.

Which grape makes the best red wine?

Red wine is produced from dark grape varieties, there are technologies for distillation of red wine and from white varieties. Consider the most popular and favorite types of grapes that are suitable for making dry red wine.

Grenache Noir

The flagship dark grape variety in Spain. Created on the basis of Grenache Noir, the wine has a rich raspberry flavor with hints of herbs. Rose wines are produced on the basis of this variety.

In some countries, homemade port wine is made from Grenache Noir. Grenache Noir is drought tolerant, hardy and suitable for growing in arid regions.

Pinot Noir

Burgundy grape, common in wine cultures around the world. It is believed that getting a decent quality wine based on Pinot Noir is not so easy, but if the winemaker succeeded, the result will surprise even the most experienced tasters. The palate of Pinot Noir is multifaceted: from candy aromas to the deepest and most delicious notes of the best wines on the planet, fresh notes of strawberries are combined with aromas of violets and cherries.

Mourvedre (Mourvedre Noir)

Spanish red grapes. A distinctive feature of the wine from Mourvedre is the color: a rich blackberry-burgundy hue and a dense structure of the wine. It belongs to technical varieties, in Russia it is grown on the territory of the Crimea. The vine is characterized by vigorous growth and poor resistance to fungal diseases.

Saperavi

Georgian variety of red grapes. Refers to varieties of universal purpose. The acidity of the berries is high, while there is an optimal balance with sugar content. A distinctive feature of the variety is the presence of a coloring pigment in the berries. After drinking this wine, purple spots remain on the lips.

Carmenère

Favorite variety of Chilean winemakers. Requires a long summer and warm autumn to achieve full ripeness of berries, besides, the vine is prone to thickening and falling of young berries. The taste of Carmenere wine is similar to Merlot with a meaty bouquet and a light cedar aroma.

Cabernet Sauvignon

Cabernet Sauvignon comes from France. The berries are large, round, blue in color with a wax coating. A distinctive feature is the smell of nightshade, which ripened bunches smell of and which remains in the created wine.

Cabernet Sauvignon is a late-ripening variety with strong immunity to fungal diseases and resistance to cracking. Forms a strong vine, resistant to berry fall.

Sira (Shiraz)

Ancient French grape variety. Suitable for growing only in warm southern regions. The wine has a rich dark purple color. The aroma is bright, spicy, with hints of dark chocolate and black pepper.

Syrah fruits are large, round, almost black. The vine is weak, the grapes tend to fall off.

Merlot

The most popular technical variety for French winemakers. In Russia, it is grown on the territory of the Krasnodar Territory, Crimea. Not suitable for fresh consumption. The berries are round, blue, with a dense skin and a white wax coating.

The vine is formed vigorous, leafy, the yield is stable. The taste of wine is light, balanced, delicate, fresh, there are aromas of blackberries, coffee and chocolate. The taste characteristics of the finished product vary and are determined by the region where the vine grew.

Sangiovese

Italian red grapes. Wine from Sangiovese is characterized by tannins and high acidity. Taste range - combinations of cherry, freshly cut grass and almond aromas. The variety has many doubles, but they differ in later maturation.

In general, Sangiovese is a rather capricious variety prone to fungal infections.

Richelieu

Hybrid of table grapes of Russian selection, obtained on the basis of Moldovan varieties. It has poor frost resistance, therefore it is grown on the territory of our country only in the southern regions.

The vine is high-yielding, the fruits serve as a good basis for making homemade wine. The berries are large, blue-violet with a slight wax coating.

Bobal

Red unpretentious grapes of Spanish origin. Dry and table red wines are produced on the basis of Bobal wine material. The acidity is high, the berries contain a coloring pigment that stains the lips black. The finished wine product has a juicy fresh taste. Some winemakers age their wine in barrels.

Isabella

Favorite variety of Russian winemakers of American selection. Isabella is unpretentious, easily tolerates heat and frost. The peculiarity of the berries is the mucous pulp, which is able to pop out entirely, in the form of a ball, when pressed on the fruit. The taste of wine is berry, with hints of strawberry.

Malbec

A French red grape variety that has achieved particular popularity in Argentina. Wines aged in oak barrels are made from Malbec. The wine is distinguished by tannins, density and even a certain roughness in taste. Argentinean Malbec has hints of violet and plum.

Festival

Belongs to the Russian selection of species with early maturation. Refers to wine species. It is not afraid of sub-zero winter temperatures, it is distinguished by strong immunity to grape infectious diseases. Recommended for home winemaking. Fruit pulp is juicy, tender, with a pleasant grape flavor.

Marquette

Belongs to American selection, successfully grown in Russia. Progenitor - Pinot Noir. The bush is frost-resistant, the vine is grown in regions with a harsh climate of the northern regions, it belongs to technical varieties.

Dobrynya

Popular Russian grape variety of early ripening. The fruits of Dobrynya are juicy, sugary. Dobrynya has a high yield, suitable for growing in the northern regions and home winemaking. Juice is also harvested from the fruits.

August

Frost-resistant type of grape recommended for cultivation in our country. Strong immunity to fungal diseases is combined with high yields and unpretentiousness in cultivation.

Odessa Black

The second name is Aliberne. Belongs to the Ukrainian grape selection. On the territory of Russia it is grown in a warm climate, in the southern coastal regions, created on the basis of the Cabernet Sauvignon vine. Aliberne is productive, belongs to the wine varieties. Wine from Odessa Black has a tart blackthorn taste combined with hints of nightshade aroma. Finished product color is bright ruby.