Grape Varieties

Wine tastes are often compared to other items of food and drink, and these are used in tasting notes as below.

Red Grape Variety	Common Sensory Descriptors
Cabernet Franc	Tobacco, Green Bell Pepper, Raspberry, Freshly-Mown Grass
Cabernet Sauvignon	Blackcurrants, Eucalyptus, Chocolate, Tobacco
Gamay	Pomegranate, Strawberry
Grenache	Smoky, Pepper, Raspberry
Malbec	Violet, Plums, Tart Red Fruit, Earthy Minerality
Merlot	Black Cherry, Plums, Tomato
Mourvèdre	Thyme, Clove, Cinnamon, Black Pepper, Violet, Blackberry
Nebbiolo	Leather, Tar, Stewed Prunes, Chocolate, Liquorice, Roses
Norton	Red Fruits, Elderberries
Petite Sirah (Durif)	Earthy, Black Pepper, Dark Fruits
Petit Verdot	Violets (later), Pencil Shavings
Pinot Noir	Raspberry, Cherry, Violets, “Farmyard” (with age), Truffles
Pinotage	Bramble Fruits
Sangiovese	Herbs, Black Cherry, Leathery, Earthy
Syrah (Shiraz)	Tobacco, Black/White Pepper, Blackberry, Smoke
Tempranillo	Vaniila, Strawberry, Tobacco
Teroldego	Spices, Chocolate, Red Fruits
Zinfandel	Black Cherry, Pepper, Mixed Spices, Mint

White Grape Variety	Common Sensory Descriptors
Albariño	Lemon, Minerals
Breidecker	Apple, Pear
Chardonnay	Butter, Melon, Apple, Pineapple, Vanilla (if oaked, for example, vinified or aged in new oak aging barrels)
Chennin Blanc	Wet Wool, Beeswax, Honey, Apple, Almond
Gewürztraminer	Rose Petals, Lychee, Spice
Grüner Veltliner	Green Apple, Citrus
Marsanne	Almond, Honey Suckle, Marzipan
Melon de Bourgogne	Lime, Salt, Green Apple
Muscat	Honey, Grapes, Lime
Palomino	Honeydew, Citrus, Raw Nuts
Pinot Gris (Pinot Grigio)	White Peach, Pear, Apricot
Prosecco	Apple, Honey, Musk, Citrus
Riesling	Citrus Fruits, Peach, Honey, Petrol
Sauvignon Blanc	Gooseberry, Lime, Asparagus, Cut Grass, Bell Pepper (Capsicum), Grapefruit, Passionfruit, Guava
Sémillon	Honey, Orange, Lime
Trebbiano (Ugni Blanc)	Lime, Herbs
Verdicchio	Apples, Minerals, Citrus
Vermentino	Pear, Cream, Green Fruits
Viognier	Peach, Pear, Nutmeg, Apricot