Description of wine grape varieties, which is best for home use
To create quality homemade wine from grapes, it is recommended to use special wine varieties. Each variety is unique, grapes differ in the amount of natural sugars, juiciness, tartness of the skin. It is necessary to process grapes into wine by hand; you do not need to wash the berries and remove the skin. Consider the most popular red and white wine varieties used in home winemaking.
Features of technical grades
The vine of technical grape varieties is able to withstand frosty winters (up to -40 C), is characterized by unpretentious care, resistant to fungal and bacterial infections.
Breeders have bred a large number of universal species suitable for wine production and fresh berries.
A huge role in the final taste of grapes is played by:
- The composition of the soil where the vine is grown.
- The amount of precipitation.
- Influence of direct sunlight.
- Vine care and grape growing conditions.
On a note! The 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.
What makes wine grapes different?
Wine grape varieties are mainly used for making wine, cognac, brandy and other alcoholic beverages. There are early, late, nutmeg, sweet, table grape varieties.
For the production of elite wines, time-tested varieties and hybrids of grapes are used.
Berries of wine varieties, as a rule, are small in size, differ in a discreet appearance, dense skin. At the same time, a ripe berry contains a large amount of juice and sugar.
What grape varieties are used to make white wine?
The method for 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 know their characteristics. The selection of such species is huge, the vine for cultivation is selected suitable for the natural and climatic conditions of the region where it is planned to plant the vineyard. Consider the popular and main varieties of white vine and variety names.
Pinot Blanc
White grape variety with an exquisite multifaceted bouquet. Suitable for making champagne, sweet dessert 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 tint. Inexperienced winemakers may confuse Pinot Blanc with Chardonnay. Wine Pinot Blanc is called quiet. This wine grape has gained particular popularity in the USA, Argentina, Canada.
Chardonnay
Chardonnay grapes are technical types, they are not used fresh in food. Bunches of Chardonnay are an excellent versatile wine material for sparkling, dry and sweet white wines. The homeland 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 nutty-lemon flavor; 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-fruit 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
A German favorite for making white wines. Riesling is self-sufficient, the taste characteristics are unique, the vine ripens for a long time, feeds on the warm sun rays of autumn, and is grown in the northern regions of Europe.
The Riesling bouquet deserves special attention: the floral notes unfold and then transform into herbal shades (the scent of freshly cut grass). If Riesling is matured, so-called "oil notes" are distinguished in it - the smell of rubber, kerosene, tar, which is especially appreciated by winemakers around the world. Riesling is not popular in Russia, inexperienced winemakers often consider it too "sour".
Biyanka
An unpretentious grape native to Hungary. Suitable for growing regions with warm southern climates. Biyanka wine material is used to produce excellent cognac and delicious dry white wine. Cognac has a pronounced almond flavor with delicate notes of vanilla. In Russia, spicy vodka is made from Biyanka.
Differs in stable yield and high level of productivity.
Sauvignon Blanc
French white grapes. A distinctive feature of Sauvignon Blanc berries is a white waxy bloom that forms on the fruit by the time of full ripeness. 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 containers with the addition of other wine grapes.
White Muscat
Belongs to the nutmeg group of table use with early fruiting. Refers to capricious, whimsical species. White Muscat wine is light, with pronounced citrus notes and a white rose aroma.
It is recommended to grow a capricious vine on the southern slopes; potash dressings are required.
Aligote
Burgundy variety of early ripening. The vine is resistant to frost, vineyards are planted in the northern regions. Basically, dry wines are prepared from Aligote. The wine has a high acidity and a pronounced floral aroma.
Keeping Aligote in a barrel is not recommended, there are technologies for making red wine of the Aligote variety.
Viura (Maccabeo)
Spanish white grapes. Dry and sweet white wines are made from Viura bunches. Differs in 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, Viura's taste is neutral; grapes are often included in blends.
Shasla white
Unpretentious, resistant to fungal diseases species, capable of growing and bearing fruit in regions with different climates. Refers to table hybrids. The homeland of the variety is France. The wine has a neutral taste.
Grillo
An autochthonous Sicilian grape variety.A distinctive feature is the high sugar content. On the basis of Grillo wine material, Italians traditionally made fortified wines with complex aromas.
Dry white wines based on Grillo are distinguished by bright flavors of citrus, nettle and green pepper. Sparkling wines are also produced from this Italian variety.
friendship
Belongs to the Bulgarian-Russian selection. Druzhba grapes are adapted to the natural and climatic conditions of Russia, are 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 in Russia type of domestic selection for universal use. Fruiting in a temperate climate, the pulp is juicy, sweet, with a bright nutmeg aroma. Winemakers appreciate Crystal for its 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, intense, with a golden hue.
What grapes make the best red wine?
Red wine is obtained on the basis of dark grape varieties; there are technologies for distilling red wine and from white varieties. Consider the most popular and beloved by winemakers grapes that are suitable for making red dry 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. On the basis of this variety, rosé wines are produced.
In some countries, homemade port is made from Grenache Noir. Grenache Noir is drought tolerant, highly resilient, suitable for growing in regions with arid climates.
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 a winemaker succeeds, then the result will surprise even the most experienced tasters. The taste palette 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 the aromas of violets and cherries.
Mourvedere (Mourvedere Noir)
Spanish red grapes. A distinctive feature of Mourvèdre wine is its color: rich blackberry-burgundy hue and dense structure of the wine. It belongs to technical varieties, in Russia it is grown on the territory of Crimea. The vine is distinguished by its vigorous growth and weak resistance to fungal diseases.
Saperavi
Georgian red grape variety. Refers to varieties of universal use. 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 stains remain on the lips.
Carmenere
Favorite variety of Chilean winemakers. It requires a long summer and warm autumn to achieve full ripeness of the berries, moreover, the vine is prone to thickening and falling off 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 is originally from France. The berries are large, round, blue with a waxy coating. A distinctive feature is the smell of nightshade, which smells of ripe bunches and which remains in the created wine.
Cabernet-Sauvignon is a late-ripening variety characterized by strong immunity to fungal diseases and resistance to cracking.Forms a strong vine, resistant to berry dropping.
Sira (Shiraz)
The oldest French grape variety. Suitable for growing only in warm southern regions. The wine has a deep dark purple color. The aroma is bright, spicy, with hints of dark chocolate and black pepper.
Syrah fruits are large, round, almost black in color. The vine is weak and 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 waxy coating.
The vine is formed vigorous, leafy, the yield is stable. The taste of the wine is light, balanced, delicate, fresh, there is an aroma of blackberry, 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 distinguished by tannins and high acidity. Taste range - combinations of aromas of cherries, freshly cut grass and almonds. The variety has many doubles, but they differ in later ripening periods.
In general, Sangiovese is a rather capricious variety, susceptible to diseases with fungal infections.
Richelieu
A hybrid of table grapes of Russian selection, obtained on the basis of Moldovan varieties. It has a weak 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, bluish-purple in color with a weak waxy bloom.
Bobal
Red unpretentious grape of Spanish origin. On the basis of Bobal wine material, dry and still red wines are produced. The acidity is high, the berries contain a coloring pigment that makes the lips black. The finished wine product has a juicy fresh taste. Some winemakers age their wine in barrels.
Isabel
Favorite variety of Russian winemakers of American selection. Isabella is unpretentious, easily tolerates heat and frost. The peculiarity of the berries is the slimy pulp, which can pop out entirely, in the form of a ball, when pressed on the fruit. The taste of wine is berry, with hints of strawberries.
Malbec
A French red grape variety that has gained particular popularity in Argentina. Malbec is used to prepare wines aged in an oak barrel. The wine is distinguished by tannins, density and even a certain roughness in taste. In Argentine Malbec, notes of violet and plum stand out.
Festival
Belongs to the Russian selection of species with an early maturity. Refers to wine types. It is not afraid of subzero winter temperatures, it is distinguished by its strong immunity to grape infectious diseases. Recommended for home winemaking. The pulp of the fruit is juicy, tender, with a pleasant grape aroma.
Marquette
Belongs to American selection, successfully grown in Russia. The progenitor is Pinot Noir. The bush is frost-resistant, the vine is grown in regions with a harsh climate of the northern regions, belongs to the technical varieties.
Dobrynya
A popular variety of Russian grapes of early ripening. Dobrynya fruits are juicy, sugary. Dobrynya has a high yield, suitable for growing in northern regions and home winemaking. Juice is also harvested from the fruit.
August
Frost-resistant type of grape, recommended for cultivation in our country. Stable immunity to fungal diseases is combined with high yield and unpretentious cultivation.
Odessa black
The second name is Aliberne. Belongs to Ukrainian grape selection. It is grown on the territory of Russia in a warm climate, in the southern coastal regions, created on the basis of the Cabernet-Sauvignon vine. Aliberne is productive, belongs to wine varieties.Wine from Odessa black has a tart thorny taste combined with notes of nightshade aroma. The color of the finished product is bright ruby.
