Varieties & Tastes
Cabernet Sauvignon
Cabernet Sauvignon is the worlds most commonly planted red wine grape variety its fruity flavour has been described as black cherry, blackcurrant and raspberry. The acids and tannins found in Cabernet Sauvignon wines help form the basis of its structure and longevity, resulting in medium to full bodied wines with big flavours.
Chardonnay
Chardonnay is an easy grape to grow and quite versatile. Chardonnay flavours can be described as buttery, creamy, nutty and smokey. Fruit comparisons are apple, lemon, peach and pineapple. Chardonnay can be made into a crisp sparkling wine or a full bodied white wine.
Semillon
Semillon goes well with oak ageing and is often paired with Sauvignon blanc.
It tends to produce high alcohol wines that have good extract and texture but have no aroma, which is why it is blended with Sauvignon Blanc. Semillon grapes are also used to produce desert/sweet wines due to its susceptibility to a mold which shrivels the grapes and intensifies the sugar and acid levels.
Shiraz
Shiraz is the most popular grape variety planted in Australia and is often blended with Cabernet Sauvignon to produce full heavy fruited wines with a slight taste of blackberry. Shiraz wines are slow to mature but as they do so they take on the characteristics of blackberries, blackcurrants and plums with a hint of smokiness. When drunk young expect tannic with strong tar, spice and pepper qualities.
Merlot
Merlot wines are generally higher in alcohol and softer in taste than Cabernet Sauvignons due to their lower tannin levels and higher sugar content.
Merlot is medium to dark red in colour, rich and fruity with characteristics of cherry and mint. Merlot wines can be enjoyed younger than Cabernets and Shiraz’s though sometimes Merlot is blended with cabernet Sauvignon to give it more structure.
Pinot Noir
Pinot Noir is a difficult variety of grape to grow as it likes long cool periods for its growing season and is therefore an unreliable and frustrating variety to use. A young good Pinot Noir should be fruity and have hints of plums cherries raspberries and strawberries. The pinot noir grape is also an important component of sparkling wines.
Riesling
Riesling is a white grape grown in Germany, Alsace and Australia. It is considered to be one of the worlds great white wine grapes and delivers a floral bouquet with hints of spicy, fruity citrus flavours.
Chianti
Chianti is a black grape widely grown in central Italy and is the main component of Chianti wine. It delivers wines with pronounced tannins and acidity, though not always with depth of colour, and carries hints of red cherries and plums.
Sauvignon Blanc
Sauvignon Blanc is grown mainly in France and produces great dry white wines. It is best, drunk young, unless blended with Semillon. It is also blended to produce desert wines.
Tempranillo
Tempranillo based wines have a herby/spicy like character accompanied by ripe strawberry and red cherry fruits. It can be drunk young or oak aged as the top Riojas producing wines that can be very long lived. It is mainly grown in Spain and the main grape used in all Rioja wine.
Chenin Blanc
Chenin Blanc is a grape variety from the Loire Valley in France but is the most widely planted grape variety in South Africa. The best Loire Chenin Blancs posses a concentrated rich, honeyed fruit flavours whereas in South Africa it is used as a blending option with Chardonay but is also bottled unblended and produces an impressive dry white wine.
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