“You can make pudding out of anything,” said one of my esteemed bosses. So it is with wine. You can make it from strawberries, Dandelions, rice, or even tomatoes! However, nothing comes close to grapes; they have the best balance, color, sugar, acid, tannin, and juice for creating a flavorful and complex wine that can improve with age.
Not all grapes are equal.
Not all grapes make good wine. Time and experience have taught me that wine is best produced from European Vitis vinifera grapevines. The most notable and famous sub-species (aka variety) of Vitus Vinifera grapes follow, including their country of origin:
Red.
France: Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Gamay, Malbec, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Petite Verdot, Syrah Italy: Barbera, Nebbiolo, Sangiovese Spain: Tempranillo, Grenache Croatia: Zinfandel
White.
France: Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, Gewurztraminer, Pinot Gris, Sauvignon Blanc, Semillion, Viognier Germany: Riesling Austria: Gruner Veltliner Unknown: Muscat
Exceptions.
There are exceptions, and one notable exception is the Norton grape from the Vitis aestivalis species, which is native to the United States. Norton is now successfully grown in the Midwestern United States, Mid-Atlantic States, northeastern Georgia, and California. In my home state of Virginia, Norton is successfully produced by Horton Vineyards in Orange County, Virginia, and Chrysalis Vineyards in Middleburg, Virginia. Both are a must-try.
Grape anatomy.
All the components of a grape contribute to the making of wine. The skin adds color, flavor unique to the variety, and tannin. Stems and seeds also provide tannin, a natural preservative that helps wine age. As a part of red winemaking, the juice soaks or maturates with the skins, seeds, and, optionally, stems for extended periods. The pulp provides thirst-quenching tart acid, water, and sugars. As yeast (sometimes ambient, sometimes added) consumes, it creates alcohol, CO2 gas, and heat. If desired, the CO2 gas dissolves in the wine creating bubbles, the heat escapes into the atmosphere, and the alcohol remains for us to enjoy.
Grape juice
Almost all grapes produce white-clear juice. Red wine does not get its color from the juice but from the skins as it soaks with the skins. The longer they soak, the darker the wine. Rosés get limited exposure time with the skin, and white wines have minimal skin exposure.
Exceptions
Some grapes, such as Chambourcin, have dark skin, red flesh, and red juice. These are called teinturier grapes, from the French word for dye or stain.
Crosses, hybrids, and clones
Crosses occur when two grapes from the same species reproduce and create new subspecies. Crosses arise naturally or as the result of human intervention. The well-known and loved Cabernet Sauvignon is a natural cross of Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc!
Hybrids occur when grapes from two different species reproduce. This often improves resistance to disease, fungus, mildew, or pests. Vidal, Baco Noir, Seyval Blanc, and my favorite, Chambourcin, are hybrids grown in the USA with success. Note that European laws prohibit hybrids in commercial wine.
Clones are copies of their parents, but it turns out, in most cases are slightly different. When the differences are desirable, these clones are propagated and can be commercially viable. Today many vineyards successfully use clones to add unique character to their wine.
You can make pudding out of anything, but the best wine is limited to one grape species.
