Grapes Used for Wine

by Nancy Yos

Overview

Of the thousands of grape varieties that exist, those belonging to two major species, and their hybrids, are the ones most used to make wine. Varieties of the species vitis labrusca, native to North America, make very sweet wines. Varieties of vitis vinifera make the fine wines famous in Europe and in California. Labrusca-vinifera hybrids make wines that are relatively little known except among people who seek out the product of Midwestern American or New York state vineyards.
Labrusca wines

Examples of labrusca grapes are concord and catawba. Labrusca wines' uniformly jelly-like taste is called "foxy."

Vinifera wines

Vitis vinifera, native to Europe and possibly the Near East, produces the fine wine grapes chardonnay, cabernet sauvignon, pinot noir, riesling and many others. They make complex, dry, subtly flavored wines often capable of aging.
Hybrids

Hybridizers attempt to unite the labrusca vines' vigor with the vinifera grapes' subtle flavors. Chambourcin (red) and Seyval blanc (white) are two well-known hybrids.
One exception

Probably the best native North American grape, the Norton, is not a labrusca, vinifera or a hybrid. It is most likely a variety of another species, vitis aestivalis.
Climate makes the difference

Vinifera grapes don't like lush soil and warm, summery climates---it makes them overproduce flavorless grapes. This is why chilly, rocky vineyards in Europe produce fine wines, while the American Midwest makes simpler labruscas and hybrids instead.

References & Resources