vinifera grape
- common European grape cultivated in many varieties; chief source of Old World wine and table grapesThe grapevine Vitis vinifera originally native to east Asia is now the most common cultivated species around the world. There are over 10,000 varieties. Yet only around 200 are recorded as been significant. The most important part of the vines cycle is the process of ripening. When the juice for the wine is created. Once veraison occurs ( stage at which the grape's skin turns black, or translucent for white) The vine has enough reserve sugar. It goes into the grape and is converted to alcohol thus grape juice can be made into wine.
This too is the key period for the acidity and variouss compounds to develop. Developing grapes are high in acidity but lessen as they ripen. Tannins also increase at this time.
Red Grape Varieties include
Barbera
Cabernet Franc
Gamay
Grenache
Lambrusco
Malbec
Nebbiolo
Petit verdot
Pinotage
Pinot Meunier
Pinot Noir
Sangiovese
Syrah/shiraz
Zinfandel
Whites Includes
Chardonnay
Chenin Blanc
Gewürztraminer
Muller- thurgay
Pinot blanc
Pinot gris
Riesling
Sauvignon grape
Sauvignon Blanc
Semillion
Trebbiano
Viognier
Hybrid grapes are grape varieties that are the product of a crossing of two or more Vitis species.
Due to their often excellent tolerance to powdery mildew, other fungal diseases, nematodes, and phylloxera, hybrid varieties have, to some extent, become a renewed focus for European breeding programs. The recently developed varieties, Rondo, and Regent are examples of newer hybrid grape varieties for European viticulturalists. Several North American breeding programs, such as those at Cornell and the University of Minnesota, focus exclusively on hybrid grapes, with active and successful programs, having created hundreds if not thousands of new varieties. Hybrids allow the colder regions to grow vines.
These include
Alexander
Baco Noir
Chancellor
Chelois
L'Acadie blanc A Nova Scotia favourite
Frontenac
Prairie Star
Please see Grape Varietal