We’re all familiar with the names of wine grapes, those names that conjure up memories associated with particular wines. For example, sauvignon blanc may invoke a character of grassy pungency, riesling a zing of lemon/lime, shiraz the aromas of pepper and spice. Rarely mentioned though is how wine grapes got their typically exotic names in the first place.

Recently the internet newsgroup, alt.food.wine, featured discussion on this topic so I’ve pillaged their contributions and cobbled them together with my own admittedly sparse knowledge to arrive at the following (non-authorised) list.

Let’s start with pinot, as in pinot noir, meunier and blanc. Pinot is related to the French for pine cone, so pinot noir could originally have meant, "the black grapes with bunches shaped like pine cones." Meunier is French for miller and not surprisingly pinot meunier used to be known as Millers’ Burgundy in Rutherglen. The name undoubtedly refers to the white, flour-like bloom of yeast found on the vine leaves and grapes of this varietal.

Chardonnay, which used to be known as pinot chardonnay and sometimes pinot blanc, may derive from the village of Chardonnay in France’s Macon region. Interestingly, DNA testing at UCLA has shown that chardonnay is a hybrid descendant of the grapes pinot noir and the gouais blanc, so perhaps the chardonnay synonyms evolved from this ancient marriage.

The grape semillon is named, apparently, after the Bordeaux district of St-Emilion and there is an obvious phonetic similarity. Gewurtztraminer is also in part geographical, gewurz meaning spicy in German and traminer referring to the Italian town of Termeno, previously known as Tramin. Similarly, shiraz was originally named for the city of Shiraz in Iran - its synonym syrah being merely a French corruption of shiraz.

Sauvignon comes from the French word sauvage, meaning wild or undomesticated. Hence the names sauvignon blanc and cabernet sauvignon for vines which may have once prospered outside vineyards. UCLA’s DNA research also indicates that cabernet sauvignon is a hybrid descendant of the red cabernet franc and the white sauvignon blanc, suggesting that cabernet sauvignon could well be an archaic combination of those respective names.

Legend has it that pedro ximenez, a grape used in the making of sherry, first arrived in Spain as vine cuttings carried by a German soldier, Pieter Siemens, which name his new chums in Jerez apparently changed to Pedro Ximenez. The list is endless and those are only some of the more obvious examples, the more obscure will have to wait for a future column.

Rewards

The fourth edition of The Rewards of Patience is published by Penfolds but the content is largely based on the views of independent critics Tim White, Andrea Immer and Anthony Rose. They, in conjunction with Penfolds winemaker John Duval and wine writer James Halliday, then a senior winemaker for Southcorp, tasted more than 300 wines of vintages spanning 50 years from Penfolds cellars.

Their reviews range from the humble Rawson’s retreat to the exalted Grange, with potted histories of each label and a suggested cellar life expectancy for each wine. An excellent, up to date reference work for the legions of Penfolds wine cellarers. RRP $27.95, including postage and handling. Order via 1300 651650 or at www.penfolds.com.au.

Tastings

Preece Sauvignon Blanc 1999
Lightish green tinge. Nose shows aromatic tropical fruits with a herbal edge. Dry, aperitif style of medium weight and acidity. Clean and refreshing fruit in the mouth finishing with citric sharpness. Rating: silver. Cellar: to 2003. Price: about $11.

Cape Mentelle Shiraz 1998
Mid-red to crimson. Enticing nose of true varietal: pepper, spice and lifted mintiness. Classy palate of a lighter style where soft tannins support berries and sweet oak. Elegant and quite delicious. Rating: gold. Cellar: to 2006. Price: around $30.

Castano Collecion Tinto 1998
Dense black to purple. From the Yecla appellation in south-eastern Spain come this monastrell (mourvedre) 80%, cabernet sauvignon 10%, and merlot 10%, blend. A subdued nose, at once plummy and leathery. The palate is assertively astringent, presenting a notably chewy mouth feel. A substantial, flavoursome red of robust constituents, suitable for well-seasoned main courses or long-term cellaring. Rating: gold. Cellar: to 2011.

© Martin Field