General Varietal Characteristics Flashcards by Karen Wood

red
small, thick, dark skin
deep colour
full-bodied
medium acidity
medium-high tannins
black fruit (blackberry)
dark chocolate
moderate regions: herb, smoked meat, spice (black pepper)
hot regions: sweet spice (liquorice)
animal, vegetal (leather, wet leaves, earth) (aged)
oak (toast, smoke, vanilla, coconut)
needs moderate or hot climate

Syrah

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red
large, thin skins
high sugar, low acidity grapes
lighter colour
very full-bodied
red fruit (strawberry, raspberry)
spicy (white pepper, liquorice)
spicy > toffee, leather (aged)
needs a hot climate

Grenache

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white
aromatic
dry
medium-bodied
high acidity
herbaceous (grass, blackcurrant leaf, nettle)
green fruit (gooseberry, elderflower)
vegetal (green bell pepper, asparagus)
not oaked (usually)
oaked (moderate regions) (toast and spice - vanilla, liquorice)
prefers cool climate, but tolerates moderate

Sauvignon Blanc

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red
deep colour
high acidity
high tannins
strong aromas
black fruits (blackcurrant, black cherry)
herbaceous (bell pepper, mint)
oak (smoke, vanilla, coffee, cedar)
needs moderate or hot climate (fuller-bodied, softer tannins, more black cherry, less herb)

Cabernet Sauvignon

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red
international style (hot climates or over-ripe grapes in moderate climates):
- full-bodied
- low-medium acidity
- medium (gentle) tannins
- high alcohol
- black fruit (blackberry, black plum, black cherry)
- super-ripe: fruitcake, chocolate
more elegant style (moderate or cooler climates)
- more acidity
- more tannins
- red fruit (strawberry, red berry, plum)
- herb (mint)
oak (vanilla, coffee)

Merlot

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red
thin skins
light colour
medium bodied
medium-high acidity
low-medium tannins
red fruit (strawberry, raspberry, cherry)
vegetal, animal (wet leaves, mushroom, gamey) (aged)
moderate or cool climate (too hot: jammy)

Pinot Noir

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white
full-bodied
weighty, creamy texture
honey, nutty, savoury (aged)

Flavour possibilities:

dairy (butter, cream)
creamy, savoury
oak (toast, vanilla, coconut)

Cool
- green fruit, pear), citrus, maybe cucumber

Moderate
- white stone fruit (peach), citrus, melon

Hot
- tropical fruit (peach, banana, pineapple, mango, fig)

cool to hot climates

Chardonnay

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white
aromatic, floral
light-bodied
high acidity
intense fruit
honey, toast, petrol (aged)

Cool:

green fruit (green apple, grape)
floral
citrus (lemon, lime)

Moderate:

citrus
stone fruit (peach)
fresh lime

Late-harvest:

stone fruit (peach, apricot)
tropical (pineapple, mango)
dry, medium or sweet

Riesling

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white
full-bodied
dry to off-dry, medium and sweet
spicy tropical (ginger, banana, melon)
hints honey

Pinot Gris (Alsace, New Zealand)

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white
dry
light-medium bodied
medium acidity
neutral character

Pinot Grigio (Italy)

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white
medium-bodied
high acidity
lemon, fennel, bitter almond

Verdicchio

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white
high acidity
inexpensive neutral whites
sometimes varietal

Trebbiano

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white
medium-bodied
floral (chamomile)
green fruit (pear, red apple)
white pepper
unoaked

Soave (Garganega grape)

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white
light-bodied
high acidity
green apple, citrus

Gavi (Cortese grape)

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white
medium-bodied
medium sweetness
high acidity
citrus
green fruit (lemon, apple)
tropical (pineapple)
herb (green leaf)
unoaked
dry and sweet wintes also make

Chenin Blanc

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white
dry
medium-bodied
medium-high acidity
light
neutral fruit
unoaked
maybe labelled “sur lie”

Melon Blanc

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white
full-bodied
soft
aromatic
low acidity
high alcohol
delicate fruit and floral (peach, pear, apricot, violet)
spicy notes

Viognier

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white
light-medium-bodied
high acidity
fresh green fruit (apple, pear)
citrus (grapefruit)
unoaked

Albarino

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white
dry
also sweet
light-bodied (also medium-bodied)
high-acidity
low alcohol
delicate citrus, almost neutral (young)
toast, honey, nut (aged)

Semillon

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white
perfumed
dry, off-dry, medium
full-bodied
low acidity
high alcohol
floral perfume (rose, orange blossom)
tropical (lychee)
stone fruit (peach, grape)
musky sweet spices (ginger)
honey, nut (some, aged)

Gewurztraminer

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white
aromatic
dry
medium-bodied
medium acidity
high alcohol
fruity, floral (perfume, grapes, peach)

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Torrontés

red
light-medium-bodeid
medium-high acidity
low tannins
red fruit (strawberry, raspberry, cherry)
hint spice (cinnamon, pepper)
unoaked

Study These Flashcards

Gamay

red
medium-full-bodied
medium acidity
medium tannins (soft)
red fruit (strawberry)
oaked (sweet coconut, vanilla)
animal, vegetal (meat, leather, mushroom) (aged)

Study These Flashcards

Tempranillo (Rioja)

red
medium-full-bodied
medium acidity
black fruit (blackberry, plum)
toasty oak

Study These Flashcards

Tempranillo (Ribera del Duero)

- red - dry - deep colour - high acidity - high tannins - intense dark berry (blackberry, blackcurrant) - spices (pepper, liquorice) - oaked

Touriga Nacional

- red - full-bodied - high acidity - high tannins - high alcohol - red fruit - floral, earthy - tobacco, mushroom, tar (aged)

Nebbiolo

- red - high acidity - medium tannins - red fruit - black pepper - oaked (toast, vanilla, sweet spice)

Barbera

- red - medium-full-bodied - high acidity - hight tannins - plum, earth, red cherries, herbal (green tea)

Sangiovese

- red Inexpensive: - light body - pale-medium ruby - high acidity - low tannings - sour red cherry Expensive: - baked fruit (plums, dried red cherries, prunes)

Corvina

- red - deep colour - high acidity - medium-high tannins - medium-high alcohol - black cherry, blackberry, plum - jammy black fruit (inexpensive)

Montepulciano

- red - medium colour - medium acidity - medium tannins - jammy black fruit, liquorice

Primitivo | Negroamaro

- red - deep colour - full-bodied - high acidity - high tannins - complex floral, dark fruit

Aglianico

- red - dry (can bee off-dry fruity rosé) - full-bodied - rich - high alcohol - black fruit (blackberry) - dried fruit (prune, raisin) - sweet spice (clove, liquorice)

Zinfandel

- red - full-bodied - medium tannins - red fruit (strawberry, raspberry, cherry) - vegetal, animal (tar, leather) - moderate to hot climates

Pinotage

- red - deep colour - medium-full-bodied - medium-high acidity - medium-high alcohol - dark fruit (blackberry) - peppery spice - pungent green bell pepper, green bean (underripe) - hot climate

Carménère

- red - full-bodied - medium-high tannins - dark fruit (blackberry, black plum) - spice (clove, pepper) - oaked

Malbec

- sparkling - dry - medium body - high acidity - light alcohol (base) - green fruit (green apple) (less expensive) - green fruit (apple) - citrus (lemon) - autolytic (biscuit, bread, toast) - vegetal, nutty, honeyed (aged)

Champagne | Chardonnay, Meunier, Pinot Noir

- sparkling - medium acidity - neutral fruit (hint pear) - very little autolytic

Cava | local varieties

- sparkling - red - fruity and off-dry; dry and leathery (aged) - full-bodied - medium acidity - intense black and red berry fruit

Shiraz sparkling | Australia

- sparkling - medium-bodied - dry or off-dry - delicate stone fruit - fully or lightly sparkling

Prosecco | Glera

- sparkling - sweet - light-bodied - lower alcohol - sweet - floral and fruity (peach, grape, rose) - fully sparkling

Asti DOCG | Muscat

- sparkling - dry or medium - light-bodied - floral and fruity - simple

Sekt

- white - sweet - full-bodied - high alcohol - high acidity - citrus and stone fruit (lemon, peach) - botrytis flavours - hint new oak (vanilla, toast, coffee) - honeyed (aged)

Sauternes AC | Sémillon w/Sauvignon Blanc

- amber - sweet (also dry, medium) - full-bodied - high acidity - medium alcohol - dried fruits (orange peel, orange marmalade, dried apricots, raisins) - sweet spice (cinnamon, ryebread) - nut, coffee, caramel, honey (aged) - oak ageing

Tokaji Aszú

- sweet - medium body - high acidity - low alcohol - botrytis flavours - dried fruit (dried apricot, raisin)

Beerenauslese (BA) and Trockenbeerenauslese (TBA) | usually Riesling

- sweet - full-bodied - high acidity - varietal-fruity flavours - syrupy sweetness

Icewine

- fortified - pale - dry, but can be sweetened - medium-bodied - bready notes - citrus zest - almond

Fino (and Manzanilla) Sherries | sweetened = Pale Cream Sherries

- fortified - deep amber colour - nutty flavours - dry, but can be sweetened

Amontillado Sherries

- fortified - deep brown - full-bodied - high alcohol - intense kernel and animal (roasted nuts, coffee, meat) - dry, but can be sweetened

Oloroso Sherries | sweetened = Cream Sherries

- fortified - sweet - almost black - full-bodied - syrupy - intense dried fruit (fig, prune, raisin, sultana)

PX (Pedro Ximénez) Sherries

General Varietal Characteristics Flashcards

(50 cards)