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Grape Varieties
Wine tastes are often compared to other items of food and drink, and these are used in tasting notes as below.
| Red Grape Variety |
Common Sensory Descriptors |
| Cabernet Franc |
Tobacco, Green Bell Pepper, Raspberry, Freshly-Mown Grass |
| Cabernet Sauvignon |
Blackcurrants, Eucalyptus, Chocolate, Tobacco |
| Gamay |
Pomegranate, Strawberry |
| Grenache |
Smoky, Pepper, Raspberry |
| Malbec |
Violet, Plums, Tart Red Fruit, Earthy Minerality |
| Merlot |
Black Cherry, Plums, Tomato |
| Mourvèdre |
Thyme, Clove, Cinnamon, Black Pepper, Violet, Blackberry |
| Nebbiolo |
Leather, Tar, Stewed Prunes, Chocolate, Liquorice, Roses |
| Norton |
Red Fruits, Elderberries |
| Petite Sirah (Durif) |
Earthy, Black Pepper, Dark Fruits |
| Petit Verdot |
Violets (later), Pencil Shavings |
| Pinot Noir |
Raspberry, Cherry, Violets, “Farmyard” (with age), Truffles |
| Pinotage |
Bramble Fruits |
| Sangiovese |
Herbs, Black Cherry, Leathery, Earthy |
| Syrah (Shiraz) |
Tobacco, Black/White Pepper, Blackberry, Smoke |
| Tempranillo |
Vaniila, Strawberry, Tobacco |
| Teroldego |
Spices, Chocolate, Red Fruits |
| Zinfandel |
Black Cherry, Pepper, Mixed Spices, Mint |
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| White Grape Variety |
Common Sensory Descriptors |
| Albariño |
Lemon, Minerals |
| Breidecker |
Apple, Pear |
| Chardonnay |
Butter, Melon, Apple, Pineapple, Vanilla (if oaked, for example, vinified or aged in new oak aging barrels) |
| Chennin Blanc |
Wet Wool, Beeswax, Honey, Apple, Almond |
| Gewürztraminer |
Rose Petals, Lychee, Spice |
| Grüner Veltliner |
Green Apple, Citrus |
| Marsanne |
Almond, Honey Suckle, Marzipan |
| Melon de Bourgogne |
Lime, Salt, Green Apple |
| Muscat |
Honey, Grapes, Lime |
| Palomino |
Honeydew, Citrus, Raw Nuts |
| Pinot Gris (Pinot Grigio) |
White Peach, Pear, Apricot |
| Prosecco |
Apple, Honey, Musk, Citrus |
| Riesling |
Citrus Fruits, Peach, Honey, Petrol |
| Sauvignon Blanc |
Gooseberry, Lime, Asparagus, Cut Grass, Bell Pepper (Capsicum), Grapefruit, Passionfruit, Guava |
| Sémillon |
Honey, Orange, Lime |
| Trebbiano (Ugni Blanc) |
Lime, Herbs |
| Verdicchio |
Apples, Minerals, Citrus |
| Vermentino |
Pear, Cream, Green Fruits |
| Viognier |
Peach, Pear, Nutmeg, Apricot |
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