Red Wine Varietals

Question 1

Aglianico

Answer 1

Dark-colored, intense yet velvety wines rich in tannins, Italian, best known win is Taurasi.

Question 2

Alicante-bouschet

Answer 2

Red-fleshed grape (teintuerier) planted in southern France. A cross between a petit bouschet and Grenache. Used to add color in blends.

Question 3

Aramon

Answer 3

Pale red, flat wine mass produced, France.

Question 4

Blauer Wildbacher

Answer 4

Ancient variety indigenous to Austria. Color of onionskins, and high acidity, know as Schilcher.

Question 5

Blauer Portugieser

Answer 5

Mild reds with little tannin that are faintly reminiscent of burgundies. Manufactured for mass consumption in Hungary, Yugoslavia and Germany.

Question 6

Blaufrankisch

Answer 6

Austria’s most significand red variety Dark berries and an aromatic raciness. Sometimes blended with Cabernets, the variety is known as Lemberger in Germany.

Question 7

Brachetto

Answer 7

Now used mostly for a sweet fizzante, a semisparkling red wine for sweet dessert wines. Known as Braquet in France.

Question 8

Brunello

Answer 8

A local variant of the sangiovese grosso grapevine, this grape is the source of Brunello di Montalcino, a wine in southern Tuscany.

Question 9

Canaiolo

Answer 9

Native Italian, a rustic wine of Torgiano in Umbria.

Question 10

Corvina

Answer 10

Deeply colored, basic wines for both Valpollicella and Amarone.

Question 11

Cot

Answer 11

Another name for malbec, found in southwestern France, mostly in Cahors, now rarely planted.

Question 12

Counoise

Answer 12

A good-quality, late ripening grape that contributes in small amounts to many Chateauneuf-du-Pape wines.

Question 13

Dolcetto

Answer 13

Made into purplish, fleshy dry wines. They are everyday wines in Monferrato and in the Langhe.

Question 14

Dornfelder

Answer 14

German hybrid of Helfensteiner and Heroldrebe. Dark red, with aroma and fruit.

Question 15

Durif

Answer 15

Alternate name for Petite Syrah

Question 16

Feteasca Negra

Answer 16

AKA black maiden’s grape, used a lot in Romania, not important.

Question 17

Freisa

Answer 17

Light red in color, not common, sweet sparkling wine, but capable of strong, dry reds.

Question 18

Fruburgunder

Answer 18

Thick-skinned black variety, considered a mutation of the pinot noir grape, known as Spatburgunder in Germany, can be made into excellent wines though color is weak.

Question 19

Gaglioppo

Answer 19

Calabria’s best red variety, robust, aromatic, tannin rich. Best known gaglioppo wine is Ciro.

Question 20

Juarncon Noir

Answer 20

Simple black variety now used only for blending.

Question 21

Lambrusco

Answer 21

Found throghout Italy, usrually as a sweet frizzante, but true lambrusco is a good, dry still wine.

Question 22

Marzemino

Answer 22

From Trentino, makes a simple tasty red with a cherry aroma.

Question 23

Montepulciano

Answer 23

Central Italian, produces a rough, alcohol heavy wine, often combined with sangiovese or Uva di Troia.

Question 24

Morellino

Answer 24

Only found in southern Tuscany, this is a regional variant of the sangiovese grosso variety.

Question 25

Mourvedre

Answer 25

Small, thick-skinned grapes yield dark, tannin rich wines of gamy fruitiness. Edeal for blending. In spain, variety is called monastrell. Now in Provence.

Question 26

Petit Verdot

Answer 26

Petit Verdot is planted in Bordeaux, where it has been established longer than Cabernet savignon. Wines from it are almost a black red, tannin rich, strongly acidic and a fine nose. Blended in all Margaux wines.

Question 27

Petite Sirah

Answer 27

Not related to Sirah, and no clear pedigree. Called durif in California. Blended with zinfandel and pinot noir.

Question 28

Picpoul or Piquepoul Noir

Answer 28

Anciend native grape of the Languedoc, growing in the sandy, coastal vineyards of the Mediterranean. One of 13 varieties permitted in Chateauneuf-du-Pape.

Question 29

Pinotage

Answer 29

A cross between pinot noir and cinsaut. Prevalent in South Africa. Pinotage windes are dark and in youth have a n earthy, spicy aroma. S. Africa also manufactures many low-quality wines out of pinotage grapes.

Question 30

Pinot Meunier

Answer 30

Resistant to frost, rustic and overly fruity, Pinot Meunier is part of the formula to all great champagnes. In Wurttemberg (Germany) it is called Schwarzriesling or Mullerebe. Leaves are downy.

Question 31

Plavac Mali

Answer 31

Best red variety in Slovenia and Croatia, plavac malie yields dense, fullbodeied windes of extraordinary longevity.