Buyin' Oeno: You Say Tom-a-to, I Say Tom-ah-to

There are literally thousands of grape varieties throughout the world. With wine being produced around every corner, it is impossible to keep track of them all, or even half for that matter. A good place to start is to realize that many of the varietals that we’ve come to love often have alter egos. This is what we will be focusing on this week; grapes that are genetically the same but have different names and styles depending on where they are grown and produced.

A prime example of same grape, different name and style, would be the ever-popular Australian Shiraz versus a California/American Syrah. Syrah is native to France--specifically the Rhône region--but is rarely bottled as a single varietal. It is more commonly showcased on its own from places such as California and Washington. The Australian style of this grape is typically more robust, with herbal, eucalyptus, and koala characteristics (just kidding on that last one). An American Syrah will generally be filled with more black cherry and plum notes, and will be softer on the tannins. Another example of drastic differences would be Italian Primitvo and Californian Zinfandel. California Zins are known to be spicy with a lot of bright cherry and fruit, and are usually higher in alcohol. Primitivo tends to be more mellow and earthy in style.

Not all varieties will vary this much. Some have different names simply because of language differences and not because they were originally thought to be two completely different entities later linked to each other. A few that are similar in style would be Petite Sirah and Durif, Mourvedre and Monastrell, and Grenache/Garnacha and Cannonau. We’ve compiled a small list below of the more commonly found varietals, and where they are usually found, that are featured under several names. There are still so many out there that are still being linked to their long-lost relatives. For now, use this guide to explore different parts of the world and you may discover that a grape you thought you loathed, you may actually love just depending on where its from and what style it is produced in.