An international variety is a grape variety that is widely planted in most of the major

wine producing regions This list of wine-producing regions catalogues significant growing regions where vineyards are planted. Wine grapes mostly grow between the 30th and the 50th degree of latitude, in both the Northern and Southern hemispheres. Grapes will sometimes ...

and has widespread appeal and consumer recognition. These are grapes that are highly likely to appear on wine labels as varietal wines and are often considered benchmarks for emerging wine industries. There is some criticism that the popularity of so-called international varieties comes at the price of a region's indigenous varieties. The majority of declared international varieties are

French French (french: français(e), link=no) may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France, and its various dialects and accents ** French people, a nation and ethnic group identified with Franc ...

in origin (most notably

Cabernet Sauvignon Cabernet Sauvignon () is one of the world's most widely recognized red wine grape varieties. It is grown in nearly every major wine producing country among a diverse spectrum of climates from Australia and British Columbia, Canada to Lebanon' ...

and

Chardonnay Chardonnay (, , ) is a green-skinned grape variety used in the production of white wine. The variety originated in the Burgundy wine region of eastern French wine, France, but is now grown wherever wine is produced, from English wine, Englan ...

), though in recent years the popularity of Spanish (such as Tempranillo) and Italian varietals (like Sangiovese and Nebbiolo) has seen an increase in worldwide plantings and these may also be considered "international varieties". J. Robinson (ed.), ''"The Oxford Companion to Wine"'', Third Edition, p. 358, Oxford University Press, 2006,

Classic varieties

Wine expert

Karen MacNeil Karen MacNeil (born 1954) is an American author, journalist, wine educator and consultant. Career MacNeil's first article, on the subject of the best butter on offer in New York delis, was published in ''The Village Voice.'' She transitioned to wi ...

describes an international variety as a "classic variety" which has a long established reputation for making premium quality wines in locations across the globe. The origins for many of these grapes trace back to France which has had a long history of influencing global viticulture and winemaking thought. The nine classic international varieties that MacNeil lists are

, Chenin blanc,

Merlot Merlot is a dark blue–colored wine grape variety, that is used as both a blending grape and for varietal wines. The name ''Merlot'' is thought to be a diminutive of ''merle'', the French name for the blackbird, probably a reference to the ...

Pinot noir Pinot Noir () is a red-wine grape variety of the species ''Vitis vinifera''. The name may also refer to wines created predominantly from pinot noir grapes. The name is derived from the French language, French words for ''pine'' and ''black.' ...

, Riesling,

Sauvignon blanc is a green-skinned grape variety that originates from the Bordeaux region of France. The grape most likely gets its name from the French words ''sauvage'' ("wild") and ''blanc'' ("white") due to its early origins as an indigenous grape in ...

, Semillon and

Syrah Syrah (), also known as Shiraz, is a dark-skinned grape variety grown throughout the world and used primarily to produce red wine. In 1999, Syrah was found to be the offspring of two obscure grapes from southeastern France, Dureza and Mondeuse B ...

. K. MacNeil, ''The Wine Bible'', pp. 48–59, Workman Publishing 2001

Other varieties

As the wine industry expands across the globe, particularly in the New World, more varieties beyond the nine classic varieties listed above have been gaining recognition as "international varieties". These include French as well as Spanish, Italian and German varieties such as Muscat, Malbec, Mourvedre, Tempranillo, Sangiovese, Nebbiolo, Gewürztraminer, Pinot blanc, Pinot gris, Pinotage (South-Africa) and

Viognier Viognier () is a white wine grape variety. It is the only permitted grape for the French wine Condrieu in the Rhône Valley.J. Robinson ''"The Oxford Companion to Wine"'' Third Edition pg 754 Oxford University Press 2006 Outside of the Rhôn ...

Noble grapes

Noble grapes are any grapes traditionally associated with the highest quality wines. Noble grapes are said to retain their character no matter where they are planted. This concept is not as common today, partly because of the proliferation of hybrid grape varieties, and partly because some critics feel that it unfairly prioritizes varieties grown within France. Historically speaking, the noble grapes comprised only six varieties. The white noble grapes were Sauvignon blanc, Riesling, and Chardonnay. The red noble grapes were Pinot noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot.

Consumer recognition

The popularity and presence of international varieties in winemaking regions throughout the world have contributed to high levels of consumer recognition for some of these varieties that often appear on wine labels as varietal wines. The recognition is so great for varieties like Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay that many consumers believe these names are either wine regions or brand names themselves. Wine expert

Frank Prial Frank J. Prial (November 4, 1930 – November 6, 2012) was a journalist and author, and the wine columnist for ''The New York Times'' for 25 years, writing the weekly "Wine Talk" column largely since 1972 until his retirement in 2004.Asimov, Eric, ...

of '' The New York Times'' notes that the name recognition of a grape like Chardonnay is so powerful that it "transcends the product or its producers".

Criticism

International varieties have been criticized as both a symbol and instigator of the globalization of wine, in which local indigenous grape varieties are grubbed up in favor of the big names demanded by international markets. In the late 20th century, during the "Chardonnay-boom", vineyards throughout the world and particularly in emerging wine industries rushed to plant acres of Chardonnay in order to capture some of the market. Examples of this occurred in south Italy and Spain where ancient Negroamaro, Primitivo,

Grenache Grenache () or Garnacha () is one of the most widely planted red wine grape varieties in the world. Niels Lillelund: ''Rhône-Vinene'' p. 25, JP Bøger – JP/Politikens Forlagshus A/S, 2004. . It ripens late, so it needs hot, dry conditi ...

and Mataro vineyards were ripped up in favor of new Chardonnay plantings. Oz Clarke, ''Encyclopedia of Grapes'', pp. 63–73, 119, Harcourt Books, 2001, This created a backlash of sorts against not only Chardonnay, but also other international varieties. Wine expert Oz Clarke described a view of Chardonnay in this light as "...the ruthless coloniser and destroyer of the world's vineyards and the world's palates." Even within the industry, there are protests against the trend of planting international varieties at the expense of local varieties with winemakers such as the Languedoc producer

Aimé Guibert Mas de Daumas Gassac is a French wine producer from the wine region Languedoc, classified as Vin de Pays de l' Hérault due to its use of grape varieties outside specifications of its AOC. The winery, producing both white and red wine, is lo ...

comparing the trend to "burning

cathedrals A cathedral is a church that contains the '' cathedra'' () of a bishop, thus serving as the central church of a diocese, conference, or episcopate. Churches with the function of "cathedral" are usually specific to those Christian denomination ...

".J. Lichfield,
The film-maker who took on the wine world
, ''The Independent'', November 6, 2004

External links

The Original Red Noble Grapes - infographic on DryRedWines.com

References

{{Wines Grape varieties Wine terminology