Red Wine Grapes Grape Varieties
12 grape varieties from Red Wine Grapes.
Cabernet Sauvignon
Vitis vinifera (Red)
The king of red wine grapes. Small, thick-skinned berries with high tannin and deep color. Cabernet Sauvignon thrives in warm climates with well-drained soils, and it ripens late in the season. It is the foundation of Bordeaux blends and Napa Valley's reputation. Vigorous vines that need careful canopy management to keep yields in check.
$3 - $8 per vine
Merlot
Vitis vinifera (Red)
Softer and rounder than Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot is the blending partner that smooths out hard tannins. It also makes excellent single-varietal wines with plum and cherry flavors. Ripens earlier than Cabernet, which makes it a safer bet in cooler vintages. The thin skins mean it is more vulnerable to rot in wet years.
$3 - $7 per vine
Pinot Noir
Vitis vinifera (Red)
The most demanding and rewarding red grape. Pinot Noir has thin skins, tight clusters, and zero tolerance for poor farming. It wants cool climates with long hang time and well-drained soils. When it works, nothing else in red wine comes close for complexity and elegance. When conditions are wrong, it shows you immediately.
$4 - $10 per vine
Syrah / Shiraz
Vitis vinifera (Red)
A dark, thick-skinned grape that goes by Syrah in France and Shiraz in Australia. Makes deeply colored, full-bodied wines with pepper, dark fruit, and smoked meat notes. It handles heat well and can produce in a wide range of climates, from the cool Northern Rhone to the hot Barossa Valley. Vigorous grower that benefits from crop thinning.
$3 - $7 per vine
Zinfandel
Vitis vinifera (Red)
California's signature red grape, genetically identical to Croatia's Tribidrag and Italy's Primitivo. Zinfandel clusters ripen unevenly, with raisined berries sitting next to green ones, which is both its charm and its challenge. Old-vine Zinfandel from dry-farmed vineyards produces concentrated, spicy wines that define California's wine identity.
$3 - $8 per vine
Cabernet Franc
Vitis vinifera (Red)
Parent of Cabernet Sauvignon and a key Bordeaux blending grape in its own right. Cabernet Franc ripens earlier and tolerates cooler conditions better than its offspring. It brings herbal, violet, and red fruit notes to blends. Increasingly bottled as a single varietal, especially in the Loire Valley and in New York's Finger Lakes region.
$3 - $7 per vine
Malbec
Vitis vinifera (Red)
Originally a Bordeaux blending grape that found its real home in Argentina's Mendoza region. Malbec at high altitude produces intensely colored, velvety wines with dark fruit and a touch of spice. It needs sun and warmth to ripen fully. In France it is still grown in Cahors, where it goes by Cot and makes a more tannic, rustic style.
$3 - $7 per vine
Tempranillo
Vitis vinifera (Red)
Spain's most important red grape, the backbone of Rioja and Ribera del Duero. The name comes from 'temprano' (early), as it ripens before most other Spanish reds. Makes medium-bodied wines that take well to oak aging. Performs best in continental climates with hot days and cool nights. Now planted increasingly in Oregon, Texas, and Australia.
$3 - $7 per vine
Sangiovese
Vitis vinifera (Red)
Italy's most planted red grape and the soul of Chianti, Brunello di Montalcino, and Vino Nobile. Sangiovese is a late ripener that needs warm, dry conditions to avoid underripe tannins. It produces medium-bodied wines with bright cherry acidity and earthy undertones. Clonal selection matters a lot with Sangiovese; the wrong clone on the wrong site makes thin, astringent wine.
$3 - $8 per vine
Nebbiolo
Vitis vinifera (Red)
The grape behind Barolo and Barbaresco, two of Italy's greatest wines. Nebbiolo is notoriously site-specific. It excels in the Langhe hills of Piedmont and struggles almost everywhere else. Pale color, massive tannins, and haunting aromatics of tar, roses, and dried cherry. It buds early, ripens late, and demands south-facing slopes with just the right exposure.
$5 - $12 per vine
Grenache / Garnacha
Vitis vinifera (Red)
One of the world's most widely planted red grapes, though rarely bottled on its own outside of Spain's Priorat and Aragon regions. Grenache is the lead grape in Chateauneuf-du-Pape and GSM blends across the southern Rhone and Australia. It thrives in hot, dry, windy conditions and produces high-alcohol wines with sweet fruit and soft tannins. Old bush vines on dry-farmed land give the best results.
$3 - $7 per vine
Petit Verdot
Vitis vinifera (Red)
A minor Bordeaux blending grape used in small percentages for its intense color, firm tannins, and violet aromatics. Petit Verdot ripens very late and often fails to ripen fully in Bordeaux. In warmer New World regions like Virginia, Australia, and Spain, it ripens completely and is increasingly bottled as a single varietal with strong results.
$3 - $8 per vine