Wine making grapes are not just what you see in your local Walmart coming in only several varieties. Those being red, green, and then with our without seeds. There are in fact thousand's of types of grapes as well as many hybrids of those as well. It is the responsibility of the wine maker to choose the proper wine making grapes which will allow him to make that ever delightful bottle of wine.
Most people would think that a grape is simply that, a grape.Any wine making professional will tell you that grapes are hands down, the most important part of creating the best wine possible. The different varieties allow for different sweetness, taste, and aroma, among many other things. Contained in the rest of this article are some descriptions of various types of grapes and their resulting wine.
The next group is called Native Wine Grape, or can also be referred to as Vitis Lambrusca. In this group, wine making grapes such as Concord, Catawba, Niagara and Delaware grapes are included. The grapes contained within this group are completely indigenous to the North American continent. And while their flavor and aroma are not as strong as that of Native Wild Grapes, their acidity level can be remarkably high.
This acidity is of concern to grower's as it could potentially make their finished bottle of wine too sharp tasting. Also, grapes in this grouping typically have a higher sugar content and can be much sweeter than Native Wild Grapes. The third and final group are called European Wine Grapes, which are also referred to as Vitis Vinifera.
Grapes contained in this category are ones such as Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Chardonnay, just to name a few. In this classification also contains the majority of the most popular hybrid grapes such as Reliance, Foch, Chambourcin and Vignoles. Compared to the other two grape groups, this is considered to be the sweetest group of all having a much higher concentration of sugar.
Typically, the Merlot grape is grown in France, Italy, and Australia. However more recently, vineyards have begun to grow this grape in California and Washington states. Last and certainly not least on this list of wine making grapes is Zinfandel. Most of this type of grape are grown in California. Depending on grow time and fermentation cycle, this wine may have either a fruity or spicy taste in either the red wine or white wine categories. Wine making and grapes go hand in hand and without grapes, wine is literally impossible