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Vines and Wines: Exploring the World's 250 Most Celebrated Grape Varieties

With an abundance of over a thousand wine grape varieties flourishing across the globe, the world of wine presents an intricate tapestry of flavors, aromas, and textures waiting to be explored. In this comprehensive guide, I have meticulously curated a selection of more than 250 of the most celebrated wine grapes, each contributing to the rich diversity and fascinating complexity that make wine a truly captivating subject. The myriad of varieties available offers an endless journey of discovery, inviting enthusiasts and connoisseurs alike to delve into the unique characteristics and stories behind each vine.

Wine Grape Varieties

Aglianico : A bold Italian red, with dark fruits and firm tannins.
Albana : An Italian white, can be dry or sweet, with a full body.
Albariño : A Spanish white with high acidity and stone fruit flavors.
Aleatico : An aromatic Italian red, often used for sweet wines.
Alfrocheiro : A Portuguese red with ripe fruit flavors and good acidity.
Alicante Bouschet : A red-fleshed grape, gives deeply colored wines.
Aligoté : A white Burgundy grape, making crisp, acidic wines.
Altesse : Aromatic French white, with floral and nutty notes.
Alvarelhão : Light Portuguese red with fresh, berry-like flavors.
Alvarinho : Same as Albariño, used in Portugal for Vinho Verde.
Antão Vaz : A Portuguese white, tropical and full-bodied.
Aragonês : Portuguese name for Tempranillo, with concentrated reds.
Aragonez : Another name for Aragonês/Tempranillo in Portugal.
Arinto : Portuguese white, known for brightness and citrus flavors.
Arneis : An aromatic Italian white with peach and almond notes.
Assyrtico : A Greek white, high in acidity with citrus and mineral notes.
Assyrtiko : Alternative spelling for Assyrtico, same grape characteristics.
Auxerrois : A white grape from Alsace, similar to Pinot Blanc.
Avesso : Portuguese white, often used in Vinho Verde, with stone fruit flavors.
Baco Noir : A hybrid red grape with bold, fruity flavors.
Baga : A Portuguese red, known for its high tannins and acidity.
Barbera : An Italian red with high acidity and cherry notes.
Bical : A Portuguese white, producing aromatic and balanced wines.
Black Muscat : A red grape with floral and musky aromas.
Blanc du Bois : An American white, resistant to pests, with a range of styles.
Blaufränkisch : An Austrian red, offering spicy, dark-fruited wines.
Bobal : A Spanish red, known for robust and fruity wines.
Bonarda : An Argentine red with soft tannins and plum flavors.
Brachetto : An Italian red, often sweet and lightly sparkling.
Braucol : A French red with rustic charm and dark fruit.
Bual : A white grape, used in medium-sweet Madeira wines.
Cabernet Franc : A red grape with herbaceous and berry notes.
Cabernet Sauvignon : A widely planted red, known for its depth and complexity.
Cannonau : Sardinian name for Grenache, with rich, hearty wines.
Carignan : A red grape with high acidity and berry flavors.
Carignano : Italian name for Carignan, especially in Sardinia.
Carmenère : A Chilean red with soft tannins and spicy fruit.
Carricante : A Sicilian white, high in acidity with citrus flavors.
Casavecchia : An ancient Italian red with intense flavors.
Castelão : A Portuguese red, yielding berry-flavored, rustic wines.
Catarratto : A Sicilian white, offering citrus and floral notes.
Cencibel : A Spanish name for Tempranillo, especially in La Mancha.
Cerceal : A white grape in Portugal, producing crisp, light wines.
Chambourcin : A hybrid red grape, yielding fruity, versatile wines.
Charbono : A rare red grape with deep color and robust flavors.
Chardonnay : A globally popular white, versatile in style from buttery to mineral.
Chasselas : A white grape, mainly for fresh, neutral wines.
Chenin Blanc : A white grape, versatile, from honeyed sweet to crisp.
Ciliegiolo : An Italian red, known for cherry-like flavors.
Cinsault : A red grape for light, aromatic wines, often blended.
Clairette : A white grape in Rhône blends, producing floral wines.
Claret : British term for red Bordeaux wines.
Coda di Volpe : An Italian white, with subtle, fruity wines.
Colombard : A white grape, used in brandy and fresh, tangy wines.
Cortese : The grape for Gavi, producing crisp, clean whites.
Corvina : Key in Valpolicella, giving reds with cherry notes.
Counoise : A Rhône red, adding spice and brightness to blends.
Dolcetto : An Italian red, offering fruity, early-drinking wines.
Dornfelder : A German red, for deeply colored, fruity wines.
Duras : A red grape from Southwest France, producing tannic and robust wines.
Durif : Known as Petite Sirah in the US, it makes rich, full-bodied red wines.
Encruzado : A white Portuguese grape, often yielding complex and aromatic wines.
Falanghina : An Italian white grape, creating crisp, citrusy wines with a floral nose.
Fer Servadou : A red grape from France, noted for spicy, red-fruit-flavored wines.
Fernão Pires : Portugal's aromatic white grape, producing peachy, tropical wines.
Feteasca Neagra : A Romanian red grape, known for plum and blackberry notes.
Fiano : An Italian white grape variety, with wines that have a nutty and honeyed profile.
Frappato : A red Sicilian grape, known for light-bodied wines with a red berry character.
Friulano : A white grape from the Friuli region of Italy, noted for almond and herbal notes.
Fumé Blanc : A term coined in the US for Sauvignon Blanc that's often oak-aged, with smokey flavors.
Furmint : A white Hungarian grape, key in Tokaji wine, with high acidity and honeyed notes.
Gaglioppo : A red grape from Calabria, Italy, often producing wines with soft tannins and berry flavors.
Gamay : A red grape known for light, fruity wines, most famously Beaujolais.
Garganega : The main white grape of Soave, offering wines with citrus and almond flavors.
Garnacha : Known as Grenache elsewhere, a red grape yielding spicy, berry-flavored wines.
Garnacha Blanca : The white variant of Garnacha, creating rich and full-bodied wines.
Gewürztraminer : An aromatic white grape with lychee and rose petal flavors, often off-dry.
Glera : The primary grape of Prosecco, offering light, frothy wines with green apple notes.
Godello : A Spanish white, yielding peachy and sometimes mineral-driven wines.
Graciano : A Spanish red, used in Rioja for deep color and aromatic complexity.
Grauburgunder : Known as Pinot Gris elsewhere, it makes full-bodied, often rich wines.
Grecanico : A Sicilian white grape, often contributing to crisp, citrusy wines.
Grechetto : An Italian white grape, giving herbal and nutty flavors.
Greco : A southern Italian white, producing peachy and citrusy wines.
Greco Bianco : An Italian white grape, often associated with crisp, fresh wines.
Grenache : A red grape yielding spicy, berry-flavored wines, often with warmth.
Grenache Blanc : The white counterpart of Grenache, creating rich, smooth whites.
Grenache-Syrah-Mourvèdre : A blend of red grapes, often giving powerful, spicy wines.
Grillo : A Sicilian white grape with bold, tropical fruit flavors.
Gros Manseng : A French white grape from the southwest, often with robust acidity and exotic fruit tones.
Grüner Veltliner : An Austrian grape, producing peppery and zesty white wines.
Hárslevelű : A Hungarian white, important in Tokaji, with honeyed and floral aromas.
Hondarrabi Zuri : A white Basque grape, primarily for Txakoli, light and zesty.
Inzolia : A Sicilian white, contributing nuttiness and crispness to wines.
Jacquère : A French white grape from Savoie, producing light, dry, and floral wines.
Jaen : A Portuguese red grape, known for producing fruit-forward, aromatic wines.
Kalecik Karasi : A Turkish red grape producing elegant, light-bodied wines with red fruit flavors.
Kékfrankos : Known as Blaufränkisch in Austria, it makes spicy, tannic red wines.
Kerner : A white aromatic grape from Germany, producing wines with high acidity and floral notes.
Lagrein : An Italian red grape with wines showing dark berry flavors and earthy notes.
Lambrusco : An Italian red grape used for sparkling wines, ranging from sweet to dry.
Lemberger : Known as Blaufränkisch in Austria, yielding wines with cherry and spicy pepper notes.
Loin de l'Oeil : A French white grape producing floral and fruity wines.
Loureiro : A Portuguese white grape known for its fragrant, fresh wines with citrus and floral notes.
Macabeo : A white grape used in Cava and still wines, known for its fresh acidity and floral character.
Magliocco : An Italian red grape, often giving robust and tannic wines with berry notes.
Malagousia : A Greek white grape known for its aromatic peach and herbal flavors.
Malbec : A full-bodied red grape known for its plump, dark fruit flavors and smoky finish.
Malvasia : A group of wine grape varieties yielding aromatic wines, ranging from dry to sweet.
Mantonico : An Italian white grape, often used for late-harvest dessert wines.
Manzoni : A cross of Riesling and Pinot Bianco, producing aromatic wines in Italy.
Marsanne : A Rhône white grape, creating full-bodied wines with nutty and pear notes.
Marzemino : An Italian red grape with fruity wines often showing a slight almond note.
Mataro : Known as Mourvèdre in France, producing rich, meaty wines with high tannins.
Maturana : A rare Spanish red grape, recently revived for its bold, unique profile.
Mauzac : A white grape from Southwest France, primarily used in sparkling Blanquette de Limoux.
Mavrodaphne : A Greek red grape known for sweet, fortified wines with rich, raisin flavors.
Mavrud : A Bulgarian red grape producing robust wines with blackberry and spice notes.
Melon : Also known as Melon de Bourgogne, used for Muscadet wines with crisp minerality.
Mencía : A Spanish red grape yielding fragrant, cherry-flavored wines with herbal hints.
Meritage : A Bordeaux-style blend of red or white grapes, not a grape variety itself.
Merlot : A popular red grape with soft, velvety wines featuring plum and berry notes.
Mission : Also known as País in South America, used for rustic, earthy red wines.
Molinara : An Italian grape often used in Valpolicella blends, adds brightness and acidity.
Monastrell : Known as Mourvèdre in France, producing powerful, tannic red wines with dark fruit flavors.
Mondeuse : A French red grape with spicy, dark-fruited wines.
Monica : An Italian red grape from Sardinia, known for soft and fruity wines.
Montepulciano : A widely planted Italian red grape, offering smooth, berry-flavored wines.
Morillon : A synonym for Chardonnay in parts of Austria, producing rich, full wines.
Moscadello : A sweet Italian white wine from the grape Muscat.
Moscatel : A musky white grape used in sweet and fortified wines, same as Muscat.
Moscatel Roxo : A rare, Portuguese, pink-skinned Muscat variety, often sweet and aromatic.
Moscato : An Italian Muscat grape, producing sweet, lightly sparkling wines with a grapey aroma.
Moschofilero : A Greek white grape with spicy and floral aromatic wines.
Mourvèdre : A meaty and tannic red grape known for its contribution to GSM blends.
Mtsvane : A white Georgian grape variety that yields floral and citrus-accented wines.
Müller-Thurgau : A white German grape producing light wines with floral and peach notes.
Muscadel : Another name for Muscat, known for sweet, aromatic wines with a grapey flavor.
Muscadelle : A white Bordeaux grape, often used in sweet wines like Sauternes, with floral notes.
Muscat : A family of grapes yielding perfumed wines, from dry to sweet, with a musky bouquet.
Narince : A Turkish white grape with wines that have citrus and floral characteristics.
Nascetta : An aromatic white grape from Piedmont, Italy, producing mineral-driven wines.
Nebbiolo : An Italian grape known for Barolo and Barbaresco, with tar and rose flavors.
Negrette : A French red grape with violet and red fruit notes, primarily grown in Fronton.
Negroamaro : A southern Italian grape making robust, bitter wines with dark fruit flavors.
Nerello Cappuccio : A Sicilian red, often blended with Nerello Mascalese, offering roundness.
Nerello Mascalese : Produces elegant reds with fine tannins on the slopes of Mount Etna, Sicily.
Nero d'Avola : Sicily's most important red grape, known for its bold, fruity profile.
Nero di Troia : A Puglian red grape with bold tannins and berry flavors.
Neuburger : An Austrian white grape, offering rich, somewhat nutty wines.
Norton : An American native grape, producing full-bodied wines with dark fruit flavors.
Nosiola : A Trentino white grape, Italy, making nutty and crisp wines.
Nuragus : An ancient white grape from Sardinia, yielding dry, light-bodied wines.
Öküzgözü : A Turkish red grape producing wines with a bright acidity and red fruit flavors.
Orange Muscat : A Muscat variety with orange blossom aromas, often used for sweet wines.
Pallagrello : An Italian grape varietal used to produce both white and red wines, known for its subtle flavors.
Palomino : The primary grape for Sherry production in Spain, yielding dry and crisp wines.
Pansa Blanca : A white Spanish grape, also known as Xarel·lo, used in Cava and still wines.
Passerina : An Italian white grape with citrus and floral notes, often crisp and refreshing.
Pecorino : A high-acidity Italian white grape with citrus and mineral notes.
Pedro Ximénez : A white Spanish grape used for sweet Sherry with rich raisin and fig flavors.
Perricone : A Sicilian red grape yielding robust wines with dark fruit and spice notes.
Petit Manseng : A French white grape known for sweet wines with tropical and honey flavors.
Petit Verdot : A Bordeaux red blending grape, adding color and tannic structure.
Petite Sirah : Known for producing full-bodied red wines with spicy, dark fruit flavors.
Picolit : An Italian white grape, often sweet, with floral and stone fruit aromas.
Picpoul : A French grape with high acidity, producing crisp, lemon-flavored wines.
Piedirosso : An Italian red grape with light tannins and berry flavors, often blended in Campania.
Pignoletto : An Italian white grape, used for sparkling and still wines, with floral and nutty notes.
Pinot Bianco : Known as Pinot Blanc, a white grape producing dry, full wines with apple-like flavors.
Pinot Blanc : A versatile white grape with fresh, subtle flavors.
Pinot Grigio : A white grape known for its light, zesty wines, also called Pinot Gris.
Pinot Gris : The same as Pinot Grigio, but often indicates a richer, fuller style.
Pinot Meunier : A grape used in Champagne, contributing freshness and fruitiness.
Pinot Nero : Known as Pinot Noir in France, producing elegant red wines with red fruit and earthy notes.
Pinot Noir : Renowned for delicate, complex red wines with berry and floral notes.
Pinotage : A South African red grape, known for smoky, brambleberry flavors.
Plavac Mali : A Croatian red grape, parent of Zinfandel, with dense, dark wine production.
Posip : A Croatian white grape, yielding aromatic wines with notes of citrus and tropical fruit.
Prié Blanc : An Italian white grape, producing fresh and zesty wines often in the Valle d'Aosta.
Prieto Picudo : A Spanish red grape, known for fruity, aromatic wines with good acidity.
Primitivo : Italian red grape, genetically identical to Zinfandel, with robust, fruity wines.
Prosecco : Italian white grape used for sparkling wines, synonym for Glera, with apple and pear flavors.
Prugnolo Gentile : A synonym for Sangiovese, used for Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, with elegant tannins.
Raboso : An Italian red grape with wines that have high acidity and berry notes.
Refosco : An Italian red grape, creating rich and tannic wines with dark fruit flavors.
Ribolla Gialla : An Italian white grape, known for its crisp acidity and floral character.
Rieslaner : A German cross of Riesling and Silvaner, producing sweet and fruity wines.
Riesling : A German noble grape, producing wines from dry to sweet, with high acidity and stone fruit flavors.
Rivaner : Another name for Müller-Thurgau, a white grape with gentle floral and fruity wines.
Rkatsiteli : A white grape from Georgia, known for its sturdy structure and nutty character.
Robola : A Greek white grape variety, creating crisp, mineral-driven wines.
Roditis : A pink-skinned Greek grape, producing light, lemony white wines.
Rolle : Also known as Vermentino, a white grape with herbal and citrus notes.
Rosé : Not a grape but a style of wine made from red grapes with minimal skin contact.
Roter Veltliner : An Austrian white grape, yielding rich, sometimes spicy wines.
Rotgipfler : An Austrian grape, making aromatic wines with a balance of spice and acidity.
Roussanne : A Rhône white grape, often blended, with pear and honey flavors.
Ruché : A red Italian grape, producing aromatic wines with berry and spice notes.
Sagrantino : An Italian grape with tannic, robust wines, often from Montefalco.
Sämling : Another name for Scheurebe, producing aromatic wines with racy acidity.
Sangiovese : Italy's most planted red grape, the basis of Chianti, with tart cherry flavors.
Saperavi : A Georgian red grape, yielding deeply colored, tannic wines with dark fruit notes.
Sauvignon Blanc : A white grape known for its crisp, grassy, and citrus-forward wines.
Sauvignon Gris : A pink-skinned mutation of Sauvignon Blanc with rounder and richer wines.
Savagnin : A French grape, not to be confused with Sauvignon, used in Jura wines.
Savatiano : Greece's most planted white grape, used in Retsina, with a mild, fruity profile.
Scheurebe : A German cross of Riesling and Bukett, producing aromatic and often sweet wines.
Schiava : A light Italian red grape with soft berry flavors, primarily grown in South Tyrol.
Sémillon : A Bordeaux white grape, often blended with Sauvignon Blanc, with waxy, honeyed notes.
Seyval Blanc : A hybrid white grape used in England and North America, with crisp, citrusy wines.
Sherry : A fortified wine from Spain made from white grapes like Palomino, not a grape variety.
Shiraz : Known as Syrah in France; in Australia, it produces rich, full-bodied wines.
Silvaner : A German white grape with subtle, earthy wines that are often dry.
Siria : Known as Roupeiro in Portugal, yielding aromatic and crisp white wines.
Sousão : A Portuguese red grape, used in port production, known for deep color.
Spätburgunder : The German name for Pinot Noir, producing elegant, red-fruited wines.
St. Laurent : An Austrian red grape with wines that are velvety and cherry-flavored.
Susumaniello : A red Italian grape with rich, robust wines, mainly grown in Puglia.
Sylvaner : An alternative spelling for Silvaner, especially in Alsace.
Symphony : An American hybrid grape, aromatic with peach and tropical fruit notes.
Syrah : A noble red grape, known for structured and spicy wines, same as Shiraz.
Tannat : A red grape with robust tannins, known for rich, full-bodied wines from Madiran and Uruguay.
Tempranillo : Spain's star red grape, central to Rioja wines, with flavors of cherry and leather.
Tempranillo Blanco : A white mutation of Tempranillo, producing fresh and fruity wines.
Teran : A red grape from the Adriatic region, known for its tart, berry-flavored wines.
Teroldego : An Italian red grape producing deeply pigmented wines with dark fruit flavors.
Tinta de Toro : A Tempranillo clone from Toro, Spain, known for potent, full-bodied wines.
Tinta Fina : A regional name for Tempranillo in Ribera del Duero, yielding concentrated wines.
Tinta Roriz : The Portuguese name for Tempranillo, used in Port and table wines.
Tinto del Pais : Another regional name for Tempranillo in Spain, particularly Ribera del Duero.
Tinto Fino : Yet another synonym for Tempranillo, producing high-quality red wines in Spain.
Tokaji : Not a grape but a wine from Hungary, primarily made from Furmint and Hárslevelű grapes.
Tokay : An old name for wines from Alsace made from Pinot Gris, not used anymore due to EU regulations.
Torrontés : An aromatic white grape from Argentina, with floral and peach flavors.
Touriga Franca : A Portuguese grape used in Port and dry reds, with floral and red fruit notes.
Touriga Nacional : Considered Portugal's finest grape, dense with dark fruits and floral notes.
Traminer : Aromatic family of grapes including Gewürztraminer, with lychee and spice flavors.
Traminette : An American hybrid with Gewürztraminer parentage, producing aromatic wines.
Trebbiano : Italy's most planted white grape, producing high-acid, light-bodied wines.
Trepat : A Spanish red grape, often used in rosé Cava, with light red fruit flavors.
Trincadeira : A Portuguese red grape, contributing color and berry flavors to blends.
Trousseau : A red grape from the Jura region of France, known for light-bodied, elegant wines.
Turbiana : The local name for Trebbiano di Lugana, producing full-bodied white wines near Lake Garda.
Uva di Troia : An Italian red grape known for bold, tannic wines with dark fruit flavors.
Valdiguié : A French grape producing juicy red wines with bright acidity, also found in California.
Verdeca : An Italian white grape, often used in blends for its fresh acidity and citrus notes.
Verdejo : A Spanish white grape with melon and peach flavors, often with a herbal touch.
Verdelho : A Portuguese white grape, making crisp, aromatic wines with tropical fruit flavors.
Verdicchio : An Italian white known for its high acidity and green apple and almond notes.
Verduzzo : A white Italian grape used for both dry and sweet wines, with a honeyed character.
Verduzzo Friulano : Same as Verduzzo, commonly used in Friuli-Venezia Giulia.
Vermentino : A white grape producing aromatic wines with citrus and herbal flavors, found in Italy and France.
Vernaccia : An Italian white grape, notably from San Gimignano, with crisp, mineral wines.
Vidal Blanc : A versatile white hybrid grape, often used for ice wines in Canada.
Vignoles : An American white hybrid, producing wines with tropical fruit flavors.
Vilana : A Cretan white grape, yielding light, citrusy wines.
Viognier : A fragrant white grape with notes of peach, apricot, and honeysuckle.
Viura : Another name for Macabeo, a white grape used in white Rioja and Cava.
Vranec : A red grape from the Balkans, known for powerful, dark, and tannic wines.
Weissburgunder : German for Pinot Blanc, producing full-bodied wines with apple-like flavors.
Welschriesling : A white grape unrelated to Riesling, with zesty wines, found in Central Europe.
Xarel-lo : A Spanish white grape used in Cava, with stone fruit and citrus notes.
Xinomavro : A Greek red grape yielding wines with high acidity and robust tannins, similar to Nebbiolo.
Zibibbo : Sicilian name for Muscat of Alexandria, used for sweet and aromatic wines.
Zierfandler : An Austrian white grape, often blending with Rotgipfler, producing rich wines.
Zinfandel : A red grape known in California for jammy, robust wines with a spicy finish.
Zweigelt : Austria's most planted red grape, yielding juicy, cherry-flavored wines.