Taxonomically, grapes belong to the genus Vitis, and there are currently more than 8,000 wine varieties in the world. Although the family is large, no less than 100 species are most commonly used.
For starters, the characteristics of the dozens of grape varieties that are truly common and appear on labels are easier to identify than the thousands of wine regions around the world.
Wine making varieties are divided into black wine grape varieties and white wine grape varieties according to color.
Black wine grape varieties include Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Syrah, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Gamay, Malbec, Nebbiolo, Barbera, Sangiovese, Grenache Noir, and Carignan , Tempranillo, Mulwick, Zinfandel.
White wine grape varieties include Chardonnay, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, Viognier, Gwürztamina, Sylvaner, Miller-Thurgau, Rosé, Pinot Grigio, Honey Scade, Ugni Blanc, Malvasi, Palomino.
——The content is excerpted from Lin Yusen's "The Complete Book of Wine"