Typical Flavours - The 9 Most Important Grape Varietals

Can you differentiate between wines based on their representative flavours?

Not every wine tastes the same. The flavours arise from the vineyards and choices of the winemakers, but the grape varietal is always the most important factor. What are the representative flavours of each type of wine? Some grape varieties have a similar character making them difficult to distinguish between, but most have very typical properties. The differences are sometimes very large, but can often only be nuances. That's why it is necessary to use a special combination of several aromas to determine a grape variety. For red wine, in particular, many grape varieties have prominent berry aromas. With these, we must make a distinction on the basis of the other facets and, as such, it is often difficult to accurately identify a wine.

An overview of the representative flavours of 9 of the most important red wines

• Cabernet Sauvignon - typical aroma of blackcurrants, sometimes green peppers
• Merlot - dark berries, cherry and tobacco
• Syrah - plums, black pepper, leather and violets
• Nebbiolo - Barolo grape - herbs, tobacco, cherry, plums
• Tempranillo - blackberries, liquorice, cherry, leather
• Blaufränkisch - cherry, sour cherry
• Zweigelt - sour cherry, blackberry, vanilla
• Pinot Noir - red berries, strawberries, leather
• Sangiovese - sour cherries, herbs, leather

There are also considerable differences between white wines. These can likewise sometimes only be identified through the combination of different aromas. Burgundy varietals, in particular, show similar profiles and require a little practice to be able to differentiate between them. The acid plays a big role. For example, Chardonnay usually has more acidity than the other two varieties - Pinot Gris and Pinot Blanc. That's why it often takes some experience with these grape varieties to reliably identify them. Anyone who accurately recognises Burgundy varieties has a lot of wine knowledge.

The 9 most important white wine types and their representative flavours

• Chardonnay - often exotic fruits, nut flavours, banana, melon
• Riesling - very clear peach aroma, stone fruit, high acidity
• Grüner Veltliner - very wide range, often spicy, pear, apple and exotic notes
• Sauvignon Blanc - depending on the characteristics, cut grass, green peppers
• Welschriesling - fruity, green apple, citrus-heavy
• Pinot Blanc - flowery, nutty, exotic fruits, pineapple
• Pinot Gris - pear, dried fruits, nuts
• Roter Veltliner - fruity, oranges, spicy
• Neuburger - flowery, peach, hazelnut,

It is particularly difficult to distinguish between wines in a blind tasting - a lot of experience is required to reliably identify the type of wine.

Conclusion

Different types of wine have very specific aroma profiles and even if it's not always easy for a beginner to accurately identify them, it is still fun to try. In the worst-case scenario, you'll have drunk a couple of very good wines and, ultimately, drinking is about enjoyment regardless of the grape variety and style. The most important factor is always whether or not you love the wine in your glass.

You can also find an overview of the grape varieties in Austria on the Austrian Wine Marketing website.