What are the Vinifera grape varieties?
There are fewer than 60 species of the Vitis grapes. Of these, there are more than 1400 recognized grape varieties in the United States. The Vitis Vinifera family, called the “European Grape”, is the predominate grape used for wine production. “Vinifera” means “wine bearing”. Other variations are the Native grapes – such as Concord, the native Hybrids – such as Elvira, the Vinifera/ Native hybrids – such as Catawba, and the French/ American Hybrids – such as Seyval. The names of the grapes in the Vinifera family should be familiar to most people who drink wine. Examples of these grapes are Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, Sauvignon Blanc, Viognier, Cabernet Franc, etc. While the non-Vinifera grapes aren’t as desirable for making quality wine, they are used in cooler growing regions for their winter hardiness and higher yields.
