Wine Grape Varieties

                                                                                         

A growing number of home winemakers are searching for information on quality grape varieties to grow in the backyard. Selection of the right varieties is important and several can be found in trade literature, university publications, nursery sales catalogs, and over the Internet.

Wine can be produced from any grape, but some varieties are better suited for winemaking than others in terms of their acid, sugar, flavor and aromatic components. Varietal wine produced from red French hybrids (e.g., Chambourcin, Leon Millot, Foch, DeChaunac, Baco Noir) will have robust aromatic flavors and full-body expression of tannins. White French hybrids (e.g., Seyval, Vidal, Vignoles, Traminette) tend to have a fruitier taste than do reds. You may pick up a peach, apple, apricot or even banana flavors and have floral aroma as you swirl and sniff the wine. The tannin flavors commonly found in red wines are due to phenolic compounds extracted grape seeds and skins during crush and fermentation. They provide a strong, distinct taste in the mouth. Some may describe it as bitter or pungent and other may view it as a fullbodied character found in dry to semi-dry wines produced from French hybrids.

Europeans developed French hybrid grapes through very successful plant breeding programs. The intent was to improve insect and disease resistance in vinifera grapes through the use of American varieties without losing wine quality. This required very careful selection for taste, aroma and resistance genes. However, wine purists do not care for the Labrusca flavors found in the French hybrid wines, thus more interest is paid to vinifera grapes.

Vinifera varieties are still considered by many to be the best for producing world-class wines. Ohio gardeners who wish to grow high quality wine grapes can rely on Chardonnay, Cabernet ranc, Riesling, Gewurztraminer, or Pinot Gris vines to plant in their backyards. Resistance to diseases and insects is an important negative to growing viniferous.

Winelines was founded by Martin de Rusett, an established Wine Merchant and lecturer in London. The Company aims to expose the mystery that surrounds wine tasting as well as wine making, storing and serving, in order to educate and entertain.

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