What Varietal Is That?

A Beginner's Guide to the Most Important Wine Varieties

Beginning wine lovers usually start out familiar with just a few favourite wine varieties. But after a short while, many novices are actively seeking a broader range of varietals to learn about and taste. There are well over a thousand wine grape varieties used commercially. Learning about them is a daunting task. Best to take this exploration one step (or is it one sip?) at a time and to have a guide. With What Varietal Is That?, you will be able to understand just what grape varieties are and why they are important. It is written with beginning wine lovers who want to extend their knowledge in mind. Readers of this book will find descriptions of the most important forty-six red wine varieties and thirty-nine white wine varieties globally. Each entry is devoted to a particular variety, and it includes a pronunciation guide, a short lexicon of the flavours and aromas of the variety, a list of similar varieties, details of the origin and global importance of the variety, and an outline of the most important styles of wine made. Brief food pairing suggestions are given to underline the styles of wines commonly made from the variety. Additional material in this book includes explainers to help understand the difference between variety and styles of wine and why grape varieties are important for viticulturists, winemakers, and wine lovers. An appendix provides a brief guide to the major wine varieties used in the world’s major wine countries and regions.