Grape guide
Your no-nonsense guide to 25 common grapes, and the wines they make - with suggestions of great food matches.
Red wine
Barbera
Can be cheap and cheerful or rich and complex - a good all rounderCabernet Sauvignon
A global classic - perhaps the most noble of the noble great varieties
Gamay
The grape behind Beaujolais - perfect summer drinking
Grenache
The flavour of summer holidays
Malbec
An increasingly popular grape after falling out of favour in recent years
Merlot
Produces hugely popular, easy to drink wines - perfect for a Friday night in
Nebbiolo
The James Dean of the Italian wine industry
Negroamaro
A regional speciality that's gaining international fame
Pinot Noir
A worldwide charmer, hard to grow but can produce wine of exceptional quality
Pinotage
South Africa's unique grape, created in 1925
Sangiovese
The basis of Tuscany's Chianti wine
Syrah / Shiraz
One of the international celebrities on the grape scene
Tempranillo
The most popular of Spanish red grapes
Zinfandel
A grape with a long history that produces dark, plummy wines
White wine
Albariño
Spain's seafood white - drink it young, fresh and cold
Chardonnay
One of the few grape varieties that's become more famous than the wines made from it
Chenin Blanc
Could easily be classified as one of the great 'noble' grapes - find out about this grape's range
Colombard
An easy-to-grow stalwart of the supermarket bracket - the wine blender's favourite
Gewürztraminer
The wine student's favourite - packed with exotic aromas
Muscat
A grape with a long history - it actually tastes and smells of grapes
Pinot Gris
A grape that produces delicately floral wines
Riesling
The wine writer's favourite - this grape has capacity to produce great wines across the world
Sauvignon Blanc
Produces mouthwatering and fresh wines in a global charm offensive
Semillon
A chameleon grape and great mixer
Viognier
One of the great success stories of recent times
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