The Grape

Appears in
Le Cordon Bleu Matching Wine with Food
Le Cordon Bleu Matching Wine with Food

By Le Cordon Bleu

Published 2010

  • About
There are some 10 000 different types of wine grape, but only a very few of these - perhaps 50 - are commonly used by international wine producers. Much emphasis is placed on the variety of grape by wine lovers, and with good reason. The grapes are the principal ingredients of every wine, and the aroma, colour and flavour (in other words the character) of the wine are largely dependent on the type of grape or grapes from which it was made.

Usually, certain grape varieties are used to make red wines, and others are used to make white wines. The classic red varieties include pinot noir, cabernet sauvignon, shiraz (also known in some regions as syrah), merlot, zinfandel and gamay. Among the most popular white varieties are chardonnay, sauvignon blanc, riesling, semillon and pinot gris (or pinot grigio). Some grapes work best on their own; others are delicious when blended with others. For more on the different varieties.