---

---

---

---

---

---

• • Shiraz (Syrah)
• • Chardonnay
• • Cabernet Sauvignon
• • Merlot
• • Sauvignon Blanc
• • Pinot Noir
• • Riesling
• • Semillon
• • Pinot Gris
• • Grenache
• • Malbec
• • Fiano
• • Nero d'Avola
• • Tempranillo

---

• • Thompson Seedless
• • Menindee Seedless
• • Crimson Seedless
• • Red Globe
• • Flame Seedless
• • Scarlotta Seedless
• • Sweet Celebration
• • Autumn Crisp
• • Dawn Seedless

 

Australia grows and sells a wide variety of grapes, divided into two main categories: wine grapes and table grapes. The most popular wine grape varieties are Shiraz and Chardonnay, while the most common table grapes are Thompson Seedless, Menindee Seedless, Crimson Seedless, and Red Globe. Other significant wine grapes include Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc, and Pinot Noir.

 

Wine grapes

 

Shiraz (Syrah): 

Syrah also known as Shiraz, is a dark-skinned grape variety grown throughout the world and used primarily to produce red wine. In 1999, Syrah was found to be the offspring of two obscure grapes from southeastern France, Dureza and Mondeuse Blanche. Syrah should not be confused with Petite Sirah, a cross of Syrah with Peloursin dating from 1880.

The style and flavour profile of wines made from Syrah are influenced by the climate where the grapes are grown. In moderate climates (such as the northern Rhone Valley and parts of the Walla Walla AVA in Washington State), they tend to produce medium to full-bodied wines with medium-plus to high levels of tannins and notes of blackberry, mint and black pepper.

In hot climates (such as Crete, and the Barossa Valley and McLaren Vale regions of Australia), Syrah is more consistently full-bodied with softer tannin, jammier fruit and spice notes of licorice, anise and earthy leather.

In many regions the acidity and tannin levels of Syrah allow the wines produced to have favourable aging potential.

Syrah is used as a single varietal or as a blend. Following several years of strong planting, Syrah was estimated in 2004 to be the world's 7th most grown grape at 142,600 hectares (352,000 acres).

It can be found throughout the globe from France to New World wine regions such as: Chile, South Africa, the Hawke's Bay and Waiheke in New Zealand, California and Washington.

It can also be found in several Australian wine regions such as the Barossa, Heathcote, Coonawarra, Hunter Valley, Margaret River, Adelaide Hills, Clare Valley and McLaren Vale.

 

Chardonnay: A dominant white wine grape in Australia.

Chardonnay a green-skinned grape variety used in the production of white wine. The variety originated in the Burgundy wine region of eastern France, but is now grown wherever wine is produced, from England to New Zealand. For new and developing wine regions, growing Chardonnay is seen as a 'rite of passage' and an easy entry into the international wine market.

 

Cabernet Sauvignon: Another key red wine grape grown in large quantities.

Cabernet Sauvignon is one of the world's most widely recognized red wine grape varieties. It is grown in nearly every major wine producing country among a diverse spectrum of climates from Australia and British Columbia, Canada to Lebanon's Beqaa Valley.

This grape variety appeared in France in the 17th century as a result of natural crossbreeding. Its popularity is often attributed to its ease of cultivation—the grapes have thick skins, and the vines are hardy and naturally low yielding, budding late to avoid frost and resistant to viticulture hazards.

The classic profile of Cabernet Sauvignon tends to be full-bodied wines with high tannins and noticeable acidity that contributes to the wine's aging potential. In cool areas, it has Flavors of blackcurrant and green pepper; in warmer places, it may taste like black cherry and olive; in very hot climates, it can have a jammy flavour.

 

Merlot: Widely planted for red wine production. 

Merlot is a dark-blue-coloured wine grape variety that is used as both a blending grape and for varietal wines. The name Merlot is thought to be a diminutive of merle, the French name for the blackbird, probably a reference to the colour of the grape. Its softness and "fleshiness", combined with its earlier ripening, make Merlot a popular grape for blending with the sterner, later-ripening Cabernet Sauvignon, which tends to be higher in tannin.

Along with Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, and Petit Verdot, Merlot is one of the primary grapes used in Bordeaux wine, and it is the most widely planted grape in the Bordeaux wine regions. Merlot is also one of the most popular red wine varietals in many markets. This flexibility has helped to make it one of the world's most planted grape varieties. As of 2004, Merlot was estimated to be the third most grown variety at 260,000 hectares (640,000 acres) globally. The area dedicated to Merlot has continued to increase, with 266,000 hectares (660,000 acres) in 2015.

While Merlot is made across the globe, there tend to be two main styles. The "International style" favoured by many New World wine regions tends to emphasize late harvesting to gain physiological ripeness and produce inky, purple-coloured wines that are full in body with high alcohol and lush, velvety tannins with hints of plum and blackberry. While this international style is practiced by many Bordeaux wine producers, the traditional "Bordeaux-style" of Merlot involves harvesting Merlot earlier. This maintains the acidity and produces more medium-bodied wines with moderate alcohol levels that have fresh, red fruit flavours (raspberries, strawberries) and potentially leafy, vegetal notes.

 

Sauvignon Blanc: A popular white wine grape. 

Sauvignon blanc is a green-skinned grape variety that most likely originated in the Loire Valley wine region in France, though it has also been historically cultivated in Bordeaux. The grape most likely gets its name from the French words sauvage ("wild") and blanc ("white") due to its early origins as an indigenous grape in Southwest France. It is possibly a descendant of Savagnin. Sauvignon blanc is planted in many of the world's wine regions, producing a crisp, dry, and refreshing white varietal wine. The grape is also a component of the famous dessert wines from Sauternes and Barsac. Sauvignon blanc is widely cultivated in France, Chile, Romania, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Bulgaria, the states of Oregon, Washington, and California in the US. Some New World Sauvignon blancs, particularly from California, may also be called "Fumé Blanc", a marketing term coined by Robert Mondavi in reference to Pouilly-Fumé.

Depending on the climate, the flavour can range from aggressively grassy to sweetly tropical. In cooler climates, the grape has a tendency to produce wines with noticeable acidity and "green Flavors" of grass, green bell peppers and nettles with some tropical fruit (such as passion fruit) and floral (such as elderflower) notes. In warmer climates, it can develop more tropical fruit notes but risks losing much aroma from over-ripeness, leaving only slight grapefruit and tree fruit (such as peach) notes.

Wine experts have used the phrase "crisp, elegant, and fresh" as a favourable description of Sauvignon blanc from the Loire Valley and New Zealand. Sauvignon blanc, when slightly chilled, pairs well with fish or cheese, particularly chèvre. It is also known as one of the few wines that can pair well with sushi.

Along with Riesling, Sauvignon blanc was one of the first fine wines to be bottled with a screwcap in commercial quantities, especially by New Zealand producers. The wine is usually consumed young and does not particularly benefit from aging, as varietal Sauvignon blancs tend to develop vegetal aromas reminiscent of peas and asparagus with extended aging. Dry and sweet white Bordeaux, including oak-aged examples from Pessac-Léognan and Graves, as well as some Loire wines from Pouilly-Fumé and Sancerre are some of the few examples of Sauvignon blancs with aging potential.

The first Friday in May is International Sauvignon Blanc Day.

 

Pinot Noir: A significant variety, particularly in cooler regions. 

Pinot noir also known as Pinot nero, is a red-wine grape variety of the species Vitis vinifera. The name also refers to wines created predominantly from Pinot noir grapes. The name is derived from the French words for pine and black. The word pine alludes to the grape variety having tightly clustered, pinecone-shaped bunches of fruit.

Pinot noir is grown around the world, mostly in cooler climates, and the variety is chiefly associated with the Burgundy region of France. Pinot noir is now used to make red wines around the world, as well as Champagne, and sparkling white wines such as the Italian Franciacorta, along with English sparkling wines. Regions that have gained a reputation for red Pinot noir wines include the Willamette Valley of Oregon; Carneros in Napa and Sonoma, Central Coast, Sonoma Coast, and Russian River AVAs of California; the Elgin and Walker Bay wine regions of South Africa; the Mornington Peninsula, Adelaide Hills, Great Southern, Tasmania, and Yarra Valley in Australia; and the Central Otago, Martinborough, and Marlborough wine regions of New Zealand. Pinot noir is the most planted varietal (38%) used in sparkling wine production in Champagne and other wine regions.

Pinot noir is a difficult variety to cultivate and transform into wine. The grape's tendency to produce tightly packed clusters makes it susceptible to several viticultural hazards involving rot that require diligent canopy management.

The thin skins and low levels of phenolic compounds lend pinot to producing mostly lightly coloured, medium-bodied and low-tannin wines that can often go through phases of uneven and unpredictable aging. When young, wines made from Pinot noir tend to have red fruit aromas of cherries, raspberries, and strawberries. As the wine ages, Pinot has the potential to develop more vegetal and "barnyard" aromas that can contribute to the complexity of the wine.

 

 

Other popular varieties 

Grenache - is one of the most widely planted red wine grape varieties in the world. It ripens late, so it needs hot, dry conditions such as those found in Spain, where the grape is believed to have originated.

Malbec - is a purple grape variety used in making red wine. The grapes tend to have an inky dark colour and robust tannins and are known as one of the six grapes allowed in the blend of red Bordeaux wine.

Pinot Gris - is a white wine grape variety of the species Vitis vinifera. Thought to be a mutant clone of the pinot noir variety, it normally has a pinkish-grey hue, accounting for its name, but the colours can vary from blue grey to pinkish brown. 

Riesling - is a white grape variety that originated in the Rhine region. Riesling is an aromatic grape variety displaying flowery, almost perfumed, aromas as well as high acidity. It is used to make dry, semi-sweet, sweet, and sparkling white wines.

Semillon - Sémillon is a golden-skinned grape used to make dry and sweet white wines, mostly in France and Australia. Its thin skin and susceptibility to botrytis make it dominate the sweet wine region Sauternes AOC and Barsac AOC.

 

Alternative varieties

Australia also cultivates many "alternative" varieties from countries like Spain, Portugal, and Italy, such as Fiano, Nero d'Avola, and Tempranillo, which are well-suited to the local climate.

Fiano - is a white Italian wine grape variety that is grown primarily in the Campania region of southern Italy and on the island of Sicily. In Campania, this fairly strong flavoured white wine grape.

Nero d'Avola - is "the most important red wine grape in Sicily" and is one of Italy's most important indigenous varieties. It is named after Avola in the far south of Sicily, and its wines are compared to New World Shirazes, with sweet tannins and plum or peppery flavours.

Tempranillo - is a black grape variety widely grown to make full-bodied red wines in its native Spain. Its name is the diminutive of the Spanish temprano ("early"), a reference to the fact that it ripens several weeks earlier than most Spanish red grapes. Tempranillo has been grown on the Iberian Peninsula since the time of Phoenician settlements. It is the main grape used in Rioja and is often referred to as Spain's noble grape. The grape has been planted throughout the globe's wine regions.

 

 

Table grapes

 

Thompson Seedless: The most common table grape in Australia.

Flavour: Thompson Seedless grapes have a sweet, mild, and sometimes slightly tart flavour. They are known for being very sweet with a juicy, firm, and crisp texture and are a popular choice for fresh eating, drying into raisins, and juicing. 

Menindee Seedless: A popular seedless variety.

Flavour: Menindee Seedless grapes are a light green, seedless table grape known for a crisp texture and a balanced, sweet, and slightly tart flavor. They offer a refreshing burst of flavour with each bite and are often compared to Thompson seedless grapes in taste and texture. 

Crimson Seedless: A widely grown red table grape.

Flavour: Crimson Seedless grapes have a sweet, but slightly tart or spicy flavour with a crisp, firm texture. Their taste is often described as being mild and well-balanced, making them a versatile choice for fresh eating, salads, cheese platters, and cooking. 

Red Globe: A large, seedless red grape that is a popular choice. 

Flavour: Red Globe grapes have a very sweet, delicate flavour with a crisp and firm texture. They are large, round, and have pinkish-red skin, but their large seeds can have a bitter taste if chewed. Their sweetness and juicy flesh make them ideal for eating fresh. 

 

Other varieties

Other types sold, especially in regions like the Swan Valley, include Flame Seedless, Scarlotta Seedless, Sweet Celebration, Autumn Crisp, and Dawn Seedless. 

Autumn Crisp: Grapes is a white grape variety that is always sweet and juicy with a subtle muscat flavour.
They are an extra-large grape berry, with a firm crisp texture.

Dawn Seedless: These pale green, seedless grapes are perfect for enjoying fresh, adding to fruit salads, or even drying into delicious raisins.

Flame Seedless: The Flame Seedless Grape is a well-loved variety, known for its bright red colour, juicy texture, and sweet, slightly tangy flavour.

Scarlotta Seedless: Scarlotta Seedless grapes are described as having a sweet, mild, and aromatic flavour with low acidity and a soft-crisp texture. They are known for being "sensationally sweet" and a "crowd-pleaser" with a beautiful balance of Flavours. The grapes are a late-season variety, resulting in larger berries with enhanced sweetness due to long ripening times. 

Sweet Celebration: Sweet Celebration is a very sweet and crisp grape with the excellent acid balance, especially when pink, and will have wide appeal among consumers.

 

---

---

---

---

---

---

References

---

---

For More Information

---