Envoy at 06:49, 20 September 2007

2007-09-20T06:49:50Z

New page

{{unreferenced|date=August 2006}}
'''Varietal''' describes [[wine]]s made primarily from a single named [[grape]] [[Variety (biology)|variety]].<ref>The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition, 2000.</ref> Similarly, the term can be used to describe [[cider]] made from a single variety of [[apple]]. This term is also used to describe particular subspecies of [[coffee]].

As [[vintner]]s and consumers have become aware of the characteristics of individual varieties of wine grapes, wines have also come to be identified by varietal names. Varietal wines are made primarily from a single variety of grape, and identify this variety on the label.

==Marketing relevance==

The alternatives to the marketing differentiation of wines by grape variety are [[branded wine]], such as [[Hearty Burgundy]], or geographical [[appellation]]s, such as [[Champagne (wine region)|Champagne]] or [[Bordeaux]]. The poor quality and unknown provenance of many branded wines and the multitude of potentially confusing, sometimes difficult to pronounce appellations leaves varietal labeling as perhaps the most popular for quality wines in many markets. This is much less the case in places where appellations have a long and strong tradition, as for instance in [[France]]. In the past, the grape variety was very uncommonly mentioned on the labels of French [[wine bottle]]s, and was forbidden for almost all [[Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée|AOC]] wines. New World varietal wines from newcomers like Australia and Chile have made a significant dent in traditional French export markets like the [[United Kingdom|UK]], and so the French are adopting varietal labeling in some cases, particularly for [[vin du pays]]. Also, in its own way, [[Chardonnay]] is now a powerful [[brand]].

==USA==

In the [[USA]], the [[Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau]] regulations specify a minimum variety content of 75% of the labeled grape, for ''[[Vitis vinifera]]'' wines, and 51% for ''[[Vitis labrusca]]'' wines. There is no restriction on the identity of the balance. Many states in the United States require specific compositions to qualify for sale under a particular varietal labels. For example, in [[Oregon]], wines subject to its regulation must be identified by the grape variety from which it was made, and certain varietals must contain at least 95% of that variety, although the new "Southern Oregon" sub-AVA allows for the minimum 75% figure.

==Australia==

Australia has virtually completed a three decade long transition from labelling by style, eg "claret", "burgundy", "hock", "chablis" to a varietal system. While this has been done in response to pressure from the EU, particularly France, it has paved the way for growing interest among Australian consumers for so called alternative varietals, such as [[Pinot Gris|Pinot Grigio / (Pinot Gris)]], [[Sangiovese]] and [[Tempranillo]].

==France==

In most regions of [[France]], [[terroir]] is thought to surpass the impact of variety, so most French wines have no variety listed at all. Champagne, for instance, is typically a blend of [[Chardonnay]], [[Pinot Noir]] and [[Pinot Meunier]], but this is not indicated anywhere on the label. In [[Alsace]], [[winemaker]]s adopt the [[German wine|German]] custom of varietal labeling, and varietal wines must be 100% made from the named grape.

==See also==
* [[List of grape varieties]]

==External links==
* [http://www.frenchscout.com/types-of-wines Wine varietals]

==References==
<references />

[[Category:Wine terms]]

Varietal - Revision history

Envoy at 06:49, 20 September 2007