GRAPE Varieties and their Signature Aromas & Flavours

When smelling and tasting a wine you’ll very often detect a particular aroma or flavour that stands out from the rest. These are often the first impressions you get of the wine and can help you quickly identify the grape and even region fairly quickly.

See Reds See Whites

Reds

Cabernet Sauvignon (blend)

Bordeaux

austere, blackcurrant, high tannin, high acidity, bell pepper, cedar, herbaceous, hint of oak..

Napa Valley

soft ripe tannin, deep ruby, black cherry, fruit forward, oak flavours.

Chile

soft, medium alcohol & tannin, pronounced herbal & aromatic, intense black cherry & blackberry, mocha.

Argentina

more concentrated and fuller bodied

Coonawarra Australia

eucalyptus, cassis, mint

Margaret River Australia

high tannin & herb aromas

Pinot Noir

fragrant, floral, raspberry, strawberry, earthy, mushroom

Syrah/Shiraz

dark, tannic, peppery, chocolate, violets, blackcurrant

Merlot

juicy, violet, silky, plum, blackberry

Aglianico

intense, chocolate, plums, spice, leather

Dolcetto

fruity, almonds, deep purple, plum & blackberry

Montepulciano

spicy, fleshy, blackberry

Cabernet Franc

herbal, scented, leather. Pencil shavings

Barbera

lip smacking high acidity, cherry

Aglianico

austere, blackcurrant, high tannin, high acidity, bell pepper, cedar, herbaceous, hint of oak..

Grenache

raspberry, mineral, white pepper, gamey.

Malbec

Argentina

austere, blackcurrant, high tannin, high acidity, bell pepper, cedar, herbaceous, hint of oak..

Cahors France

plummy, sinewy, gamey, tannic

Zinfandel/ Primitivo

deep ruby, briary, blackberry

Nebbiolo

brick hue, tar & roses.

Nero d’Avalo

dark, brooding, floral, violets, spicy

Pinotage

rubber, smokey, horsey

Sangiovese

cold tea, rose petals, oily

Tempranillo

ush strawberry, sweet cherry, vanilla ages to tobacco, leather

Corvina (Valpolicella)

light ruby, sour cherry, aromatic

Gamay

fruity, bubble gum

Carmenere

bell pepper, sweet & sour, soy

Whites

Albarino

salty

Chenin Blanc

wet wool, quince, floral

Burgundy

lean, green Chablis, damp stones; apples, melons in plumper Chalonnais & Maconnais and creamier, nuttier expensive wines.

Cortese (Gavi)

sappy, sinewy, mineral

Chardonnay

neutral, solid mouthfeel with variations according to region & winemaking

New World

oak; vanilla; full body, rich and intense through to leaner, citrus, green tinge to gold colour.

Semillon

low acidity, high alcohol, lusciously sweet or pale & lemony

Torrontes

lively, perfumed

Marsanne

pear drop, thick texture

Gewurztraminer

spicy, tropical, lychee, perfumed

Gruner Veltliner

spritz, white pepper, aromatic

Muller Thurgau

bland, elderflower

Muscat

orange blossom

Sauvignon Blanc

 herbaceous, lime cordial, “cats pee on a gooseberry bush”

Riesling

petrol, acidity

Viognier

fruit basket of peach & apricot