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Select 101 - Grape Varieties

As we have different kinds of apples and potatoes, there are many types of grapes. Wine grape varieties represent only a small portion of all existing kind of grapes. Only a few grapes that offer the right combination of characteristics such as color, size, skin thickness, acidity, yield and flavors have found their way into the world's wines.

The type of grapes used determines a large part of the character of a wine. The characteristics of the most common grape varieties are presented below. However, note that not all Chardonnays or Cabernet Sauvignon taste the same. The environment in which it is grown (climate, terrain...), wine making, aging and other men intervention make it unique.