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Pronunciation guide

How to pronounce wine grape varieties

Grape names are the words you say most often when ordering or describing wine, and they come from six languages. This page lists every grape variety in the Vinolingo guide, grouped by the language the name comes from, with the native pronunciation and an easy respelling.

39 terms. Each has native audio, IPA, an easy respelling and the meaning on its own page.

French grape names end softly: the “t” in Cabernet and Pinot is silent, “gn” in Sauvignon and Carménère’s “è” are closer to “ny” and “eh” than they look. Italian grapes are stressed on the second-to-last syllable (neb-BYOH-loh, san-joh-VAY-zay) and a “ch” is always a hard k. Spanish names are pronounced as written, one vowel per letter: tem-prah-NEE-yoh, al-bah-REE-nyoh.

German grape names put the stress on the first syllable and turn “w” into a v and “ie” into a long ee: REES-ling, geh-VURTS-trah-mee-ner. New World grapes such as Shiraz, Pinotage and Zinfandel follow English stress patterns.

  1. Albariño al-bah-REE-nyoh /alβaˈɾiɲo/ Spanish · A white grape variety from Galicia producing aromatic wines with high acidity and stone fruit flavors.
  2. Barbera bar-BEH-rah /barˈbɛːra/ Italian · A black grape variety from Piedmont producing wines with high acidity and cherry flavors.
  3. Cabernet Sauvignon kab-er-NAY so-vin-YAWN /kabɛʁnɛ soviˈɲɔ̃/ French · A black grape variety known for producing full-bodied red wines with high tannins and flavors of blackcurrant and cedar.
  4. Carignan kah-ree-NYAHN /kaʁiˈɲɑ̃/ French · A black grape variety of Spanish origin, widely planted in southern France, producing deeply colored red wines with high acidity and firm tannins, also known as Cariñena or Mazuelo.
  5. Carmenère kar-men-AIR /kaʁməˈnɛʁ/ French · A black grape variety originally from Bordeaux now grown primarily in Chile producing wines with green pepper notes.
  6. Chardonnay shar-doh-NAY /ʃaʁdɔˈnɛ/ French · A white grape variety known for producing versatile wines ranging from crisp and mineral to rich and buttery.
  7. Chenin Blanc SHEN-in BLAHNG /ʃənɛ̃ ˈblɑ̃/ French · A white grape variety producing versatile wines ranging from dry to sweet with high acidity.
  8. Cinsault san-SOH /sɛ̃ˈso/ French · A black grape variety from southern France producing light, soft, perfumed red wines, widely used in blends and for dry rosé, also spelled Cinsaut.
  9. Cortese kor-TAY-zay Italian · A white grape variety native to Piedmont in northwestern Italy, best known as the sole grape behind Gavi DOCG. It produces crisp, dry wines with citrus and almond notes and refreshing acidity.
  10. Corvina kor-VEE-nah /korˈviːna/ Italian · A black grape variety from Veneto used in Valpolicella and Amarone producing wines with cherry flavors.
  11. Furmint FOOR-mint /ˈfurmint/ Hungarian · A white grape variety from Hungary used in Tokaji producing wines with high acidity and stone fruit flavors.
  12. Gamay gah-MAY /ɡaˈmɛ/ French · A black grape variety from Beaujolais producing light wines with red fruit and banana notes.
  13. Garganega gar-GAH-neh-gah Italian · A white grape variety indigenous to the Veneto region of northeastern Italy. It is the principal grape in Soave wines, producing medium-bodied whites with notes of almond, citrus, and white flowers.
  14. Gewürztraminer geh-VURTS-trah-mee-ner /ɡəˈvʏʁtstʁaˌmiːnɐ/ German · An aromatic white grape variety producing wines with distinctive lychee and rose petal aromas.
  15. Glera GLEH-rah /ˈɡlera/ Italian · A white grape variety used to produce Prosecco with apple and pear flavors.
  16. Grenache greh-NAHSH /ɡʁəˈnaʃ/ French · A black grape variety producing wines with high alcohol and flavors of red fruit and spice.
  17. Grüner Veltliner GROO-ner felt-LEE-ner /ˈɡʁyːnɐ fɛltˈliːnɐ/ German · Austria's most planted grape variety, producing dry white wines with high acidity and flavors of citrus, green herbs and white pepper.
  18. Malbec mal-BEK /malˈbɛk/ French · A black grape variety producing dark red wines with soft tannins and flavors of blackberry and plum.
  19. Merlot mer-LOH /mɛʁˈlo/ French · A black grape variety producing medium to full-bodied red wines with soft tannins and flavors of plum and chocolate.
  20. Meunier mun-YAY French · A black grape variety widely planted in Champagne, France, where it is one of the three permitted grapes alongside Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. It contributes fruity, round, and approachable characteristics to Champagne blends and ripens earlier than Pinot Noir.
  21. Montepulciano mon-teh-pool-CHAH-noh /ˌmontepulˈtʃaːno/ Italian · A black grape variety from Abruzzo (not to be confused with Vino Nobile di Montepulciano) producing rustic wines.
  22. Mourvèdre moor-VEDR /muʁˈvɛdʁ/ French · A black grape variety producing full-bodied, tannic red wines with dark fruit and savory, gamey notes, also known as Monastrell in Spain and Mataro.
  23. Muscat moos-KAH French · A large and ancient family of grape varieties grown worldwide, producing wines that range from dry to very sweet and still to sparkling. Muscat is distinctive for its intensely grapey, floral aroma and is one of the few grapes whose wines actually smell like fresh grapes.
  24. Nebbiolo neb-BYOH-loh /nebˈbjɔːlo/ Italian · A black grape variety from Piedmont producing age-worthy wines with high tannins and flavors of tar and roses.
  25. Pinot Grigio PEE-noh GREE-joh /ˈpiːnoʊ ˈɡriːdʒoʊ/ Italian · A white grape variety (same as Pinot Gris) producing light-bodied wines with citrus and mineral notes.
  26. Pinot Gris PEE-noh GREE French · A white grape variety with greyish-pink skins, a mutation of Pinot Noir grown widely in Alsace, northern Italy (as Pinot Grigio), Oregon, and New Zealand. In Alsace it produces rich, full-bodied wines; in Italy it yields lighter, crisper styles.
  27. Pinot Noir PEE-noh NWAR /pino ˈnwaʁ/ French · A black grape variety producing elegant red wines with delicate tannins and flavors of red cherry and earth.
  28. Pinotage PIN-oh-tahj /ˈpɪnətɑːʒ/ English · A South African grape variety (Pinot Noir x Cinsault cross) producing wines with smoky and earthy flavors.
  29. Primitivo pree-mee-TEE-voh /primiˈtiːvo/ Italian · A black grape variety (genetically identical to Zinfandel) from Puglia producing fruity wines with high alcohol.
  30. Riesling REES-ling /ˈriːslɪŋ/ German · A white grape variety producing aromatic wines ranging from dry to sweet with high acidity and flavors of stone fruit and petrol.
  31. Sangiovese san-joh-VAY-zay /sandʒoˈveːze/ Italian · A black grape variety from Italy producing wines with high acidity and flavors of cherry and tomato.
  32. Sauvignon Blanc so-vin-yawn BLAHNG /soviɲɔ̃ ˈblɑ̃/ French · A white grape variety known for producing crisp wines with high acidity and flavors of gooseberry and grass.
  33. Sémillon say-mee-YOHN /seˈmijɔ̃/ French · A white grape variety from Bordeaux producing wines with lanolin and citrus notes often affected by noble rot.
  34. Shiraz shih-RAZZ English · The Australian name for the Syrah grape, a full-bodied red variety that produces bold, fruit-forward wines with flavors of blackberry, plum, pepper, and chocolate. Australia's most widely planted red grape, it is the signature variety of regions like the Barossa Valley.
  35. Syrah see-RAH /siˈʁa/ French · A black grape variety producing full-bodied red wines with flavors of blackberry and black pepper.
  36. Tempranillo tem-prah-NEE-yoh /tempɾaˈniʝo/ Spanish · A black grape variety from Spain producing medium to full-bodied wines with flavors of strawberry and leather.
  37. Verdicchio ver-DEE-kyoh /verˈdikkjo/ Italian · A white grape variety from Marche producing wines with almond and citrus notes.
  38. Viognier vee-own-YAY /vjɔˈɲe/ French · A white grape variety producing aromatic wines with flavors of peach and apricot.
  39. Zinfandel ZIN-fan-del English · A versatile black grape variety most associated with California, genetically identical to the Croatian Crljenak Kaštelanski and the Italian Primitivo. It produces robust red wines with jammy fruit, pepper, and high alcohol, as well as the off-dry rosé style known as White Zinfandel.

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