912 20 Alcoholic Beverages
Table 20.12.Major grape cultivars of selected countries
Country Grape cultivar Comments about cultivation area and quality
France White wine cultivars
Aligote Bourgogne, a “vin ordinaire”, modest quality wine
Chardonnay Cultivated in Champagne and Bourgogne area (Chablis, Montra-
chet, Pouilly), a very good quality wine
Chemin blanc Cultivated in regions of Tourraine, Anjou and Loire
Folle blanche Wine used for brandy production in Cognac and Armagnac
Grenach blanc Midi
Melon blanc
(Muscadet) Mellow refreshing wine with a slight muscat bouquet
Muscadelle Cultivated in Bordeaux and Charente regions, 5–10% blended into
Sauternes and Graves wines
Pinot blanc Cultivated in Alsace, Champagne, Loire and Cote d’Or
Pinot gris Alsace wine
Roussane (Rouselle) Cultivated in Rhone region, a full-bodied, pleasing fragrancy wine
Sauvignon Wine of Bordeaux, Loire and Cher regions, a full-bodied fragrant
wine, with Semillon used forproduction of Sauternes wine
Semillon blanc AsSauvignon, used for production of Sauternes wine
Red wine cultivars
Cabernet Franc Spread in Bordeaux and Loire regions, a superior, strong pleasing
wine, with Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot is an ingredient of
Bordeaux wines
Cabernet Sauvignon As Cabernet Franc, aroma rich, a superior quality wine
Carignan Grown in Rhone, Midi and Provence regions
Cot (Malbec) Bordeaux, one of the best grape cultivars
Cinsaut Grown in Southern France
Grenach noir Grown in Southern France
Gamay noir Beaujolais, Maconnais; fruity pleasant, refreshing wine
Merlot A Bordeaux wine, full-bodied, rich and mellow; as Cabernet
Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon is an ingredient of Bordeaux wines
Petit Verdot Grown in Bordeaux region, component of Bordeaux wines
Pinot noir Bourgogne, and wine of Cote d’Or
Syrah Grown in Southern France
Italy White wine cultivars
Malvasia, bianca An important cultivar across Italy
Mascato, bianco Grown mostly in Northern Italy, a wine of Asti region
Trebbiano Widely grown across Italy
Vermentino Grown along Italian riviera, a very good white wine
Weissterlaner Wine of South Tyrol
Red wine cultivars
Aleatico Widely grown in Italy
Barbera One of the most important cultivars
Freisa Grown in Piemont and Vercelli regions, one of the best Italian
cultivars
Gross-Vernatsch
(Trollinger) The wine of Bolzano, Trento and Como
Lagrein Grown in South Tyrol
Merlot
Nebbiolo A prefered cultivar of Piemont and Lombardy regions
Pinot Nero Grown in Northern Italy with Rome as Southern limit
San Giovese Spread from Toscana till Latium; major constituent of Chianti
wine