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Champagne can combine green apple and lemon zest with warm brioche, toasted almond and faint, chalky smoke. The bread notes develop as the wine rests on spent yeast, known as lees. Some cellars under Reims occupy chalk caves first dug by the Romans. Champagne ranges from dry to sweet, so check the sweetness term on the label. Try a dry bottle with crisps: their salt and fat work well with its acidity and bubbles.

Grows Champagne, France  ·  Serve 6–8°C, try a white-wine glass  ·  Drink non-vintage often ready now; some vintage bottles develop for 10+ years

At the table fish and chips, fried chicken, oysters with shallot vinegar

If you love it, try Crémant d'Alsace, English sparkling, Franciacorta.

Prosecco is light and fruity, with pear, honeydew melon, white flowers and green apple. Champagne develops its bubbles through a second fermentation in the bottle, followed by ageing on the spent yeast. Most Prosecco gets its bubbles from a second fermentation in a pressurised tank, which helps preserve its fresh fruit character. The grape is called Glera; the name Prosecco comes from a village near Trieste. Valdobbiadene on the label points to the hills of the Conegliano Valdobbiadene denomination. Serve it well chilled.

Grows Veneto & Friuli, including the Valdobbiadene hills  ·  Serve 6–8°C, any glass you like  ·  Drink within a year of release

At the table prosciutto and melon, prawn fritters, ricotta ravioli with sage

If you love it, try Moscato d'Asti, Crémant de Loire, Cava.

Cava and Champagne can both use bottle fermentation, while their grapes, rules, ageing and prices vary. Expect quince, lime and dried apple, with earthy mushroom and fresh-bread notes in aged versions. Cava means cellar in Catalan, after the underground caves where the bottles rest, most of them around Sant Sadurní d'Anoia. The local grapes include Xarel·lo, Macabeo and Parellada. Try it with fried food.

Grows Penedès, Catalonia; nearly all of it around one town  ·  Serve 6–8°C, white-wine glass  ·  Drink now–3 years; Gran Reserva keeps longer

At the table patatas bravas, fried calamari, tortilla española

If you love it, try Champagne, Crémant de Limoux, Franciacorta.

Lambrusco is sparkling red wine from Emilia-Romagna. If you know it through the sweet style popular in the 1970s, try a dry version: dark and foamy, with sour cherry, blackberry, violets and a pleasantly bitter finish. The region is also home to Parmigiano, prosciutto and lasagne, and Lambrusco makes a refreshing match for these rich foods. Serve it chilled with charcuterie. Look for secco on the label for dry; Grasparossa versions are the darkest and grippiest.

Grows Emilia-Romagna, around Modena  ·  Serve 8–10°C, properly chilled  ·  Drink young, within 2 years

At the table lasagne al ragù, mortadella sandwiches, fennel-sausage pizza

If you love it, try Brachetto d'Acqui, sparkling Shiraz, chilled Beaujolais.

Gooseberry, passionfruit, cut grass and lime are familiar Sauvignon Blanc aromas. Compounds called pyrazines contribute green notes; the same family of compounds gives green peppers their smell. Loire wines from Sancerre and Pouilly-Fumé tend to be leaner, with citrus, flint and wet-stone notes. Marlborough, New Zealand, became known for a more tropical style in the 1980s. Try a young, chilled bottle with goat's cheese.

Grows Loire, Marlborough, Chile  ·  Serve 7–9°C, white-wine glass  ·  Drink 1–2 years; some Sancerre develops for 5

At the table goat’s cheese salad, grilled asparagus with hollandaise, sea bass ceviche

Read the full Sauvignon Blanc guide. If you love it, try Grüner Veltliner, Verdejo, Albariño.

If you enjoy Sauvignon Blanc, try Rueda's local white. Verdejo has lime, grapefruit and grassy aromas, often with softer edges and a fennel note on the finish. It nearly disappeared after fortified wine fell from fashion. In the 1970s, Rioja producer Marqués de Riscal and Bordeaux consultant Émile Peynaud helped rebuild Rueda around fresh, dry whites from its old vines. Buy a young vintage for fresh fruit, or look for lees ageing, time resting on spent yeast, if you want more texture.

Grows Rueda, north-west of Madrid  ·  Serve 7–9°C, white-wine glass  ·  Drink 1–3 years

At the table grilled sardines, chicken with tarragon, fennel and orange salad

If you love it, try Sauvignon Blanc, Assyrtiko, Vermentino.

Pinot Grigio and Pinot Gris are names for the same grape, though they often suggest different styles. The familiar Italian version is light and dry, with citrus, green apple and a slightly salty finish. In Alsace, Pinot Gris tends to be richer and almost oily, with ripe pear, honey, ginger and sometimes a little sweetness. The grape is a colour mutation of Pinot Noir with greyish-pink skins, which can give the wine a faint copper tint. Try the Italian style as an apéritif, or the fuller Alsace style with roast pork.

Grows northern Italy, Alsace, Oregon  ·  Serve 7–9°C; Alsace Gris nearer 10°C  ·  Drink 1–3 years; Alsace 5+

At the table lemon pasta, roast pork with apples, prawn cocktail

If you love it, try Soave, Vermentino, Alsace Pinot Blanc.

Albariño has grapefruit, apricot and lemon-zest flavours, bright acidity and a slightly salty, faintly bitter finish. It grows in Rías Baixas on Spain's green, rainy north-west coast. Vines are traditionally trained up granite posts onto pergolas, leaving room for air to circulate beneath the canopy and help keep the grapes dry. Try it with mussels or other shellfish.

Grows Rías Baixas; over the Portuguese border it's Alvarinho  ·  Serve 7–9°C, white-wine glass  ·  Drink 1–3 years

At the table mussels in white wine, grilled octopus, fish tacos

If you love it, try Muscadet, Vermentino, Vinho Verde.

Austria's signature white combines green apple and lime with a distinctive white-pepper aroma. That pepper note comes from rotundone, an aroma compound also found in peppercorns. You may notice green, savoury notes reminiscent of snap peas or lentils too. Light versions from the Danube valleys make brisk apéritif wines; fuller Smaragd bottlings from the Wachau can age for a decade or more. It is also a good white to try with asparagus and artichokes, which can be awkward to pair.

Grows Austria: Wachau, Kamptal, Kremstal  ·  Serve 8–10°C, white-wine glass  ·  Drink now–5 years; Smaragd 10+

At the table Wiener schnitzel, asparagus with hollandaise, pork dumplings

If you love it, try Sauvignon Blanc, dry Riesling, Vermentino.

On Santorini, Assyrtiko grows in volcanic ash with very little rain and fierce Aegean winds. Growers train vines into low baskets called kouloura, tucking the grapes inside for shelter. The wines are bone dry, with lemon, stony and salty notes and high acidity despite the island's heat. The sandy volcanic soil has protected vines from phylloxera, the root-feeding pest, and old vines still grow on their own roots. Mainland Assyrtiko offers bright acidity too, usually at a lower price than Santorini bottles.

Grows Santorini and mainland Greece  ·  Serve 8–10°C, white-wine glass  ·  Drink 2–6 years; top Santorini 10+

At the table grilled sea bass, lemon-roasted potatoes, fried squid

If you love it, try Albariño, Muscadet, Verdicchio.

Muscadet is a light, high-acidity white with lime, green apple and shell-like, salty notes. Bottles labelled sur lie have rested on spent yeast over winter, which adds a gentle softness to the texture. The wine comes from the mouth of the Loire around Nantes and is made from Melon de Bourgogne. Try it with oysters, mussels or garlic prawns.

Grows the Loire estuary around Nantes, nowhere else  ·  Serve 7–9°C, white-wine glass  ·  Drink often 1–3 years; some sur lie bottles develop for 10

At the table oysters with lemon, moules-frites, garlic prawns

If you love it, try Chablis, Picpoul de Pinet, Albariño.

Vermentino tastes of grapefruit, lime and green pear, often with crushed-rosemary notes and a bitter-almond or citrus-pith finish. It grows in Sardinia, along the Ligurian coast and in Corsica, as well as Provence, where it is called Rolle. It has a little more body and grip than the lightest whites, which helps it pair with grilled fish, garlic and aioli. Drink it young and chilled.

Grows Sardinia, Liguria, Corsica & Provence (as Rolle)  ·  Serve 7–9°C, white-wine glass  ·  Drink 1–2 years

At the table grilled sea bream, pesto pasta, courgette fritters

If you love it, try Albariño, Picpoul de Pinet, Verdicchio.

Marche's Verdicchio combines lemon and green apple with a salty, bitter-almond finish. Castelli di Jesi is the larger, sea-influenced zone. Smaller Matelica sits inland between the Apennines and usually gives a firmer style. Verdicchio retains its acidity as it ripens, and good Riserva wines can age for ten years or more, developing honey, herbs and toasted almond. For tonight, buy a young Classico and put it beside grilled sea bass. For the cellar, look for Riserva.

Grows Castelli di Jesi and Matelica, Marche  ·  Serve 8–10°C, white-wine glass  ·  Drink 2–5 years; Riserva 10+

At the table roast sea bass, spaghetti alle vongole, lemon chicken

If you love it, try Soave, Vermentino, Sémillon.

Soave is made from Garganega in the area east of Verona. Wines from its volcanic hills can offer honeydew melon, white peach, a salty note and a bitter-almond finish. In the 1960s and 70s it outsold every other Italian wine abroad, but overproduction on the plains damaged its reputation. Look for Classico on the label: that identifies the original hillside zone. Some bottles age well, developing honey and gentle smoke.

Grows volcanic hills east of Verona  ·  Serve 8–10°C, white-wine glass  ·  Drink 1–4 years; Classico keeps going

At the table spring vegetable risotto, grilled trout, pumpkin ravioli

If you love it, try Gavi, Verdicchio, unoaked Chardonnay.

Chardonnay can taste very different depending on where it grows and how it is made. In Chablis, look for green apple, lemon, shell-like notes and bright acidity. Warmer climates can bring yellow peach and pineapple; oak can add vanilla. Butter is a separate influence: malolactic conversion softens acidity and can produce diacetyl, the compound also used in butter flavouring. If one Chardonnay does not suit you, try another style before deciding about the grape. White Burgundy includes some of its most sought-after wines.

Grows Burgundy, California, and everywhere in between  ·  Serve 10–13°C, big glass  ·  Drink 2–10 years depending on style

At the table roast chicken, lobster rolls, mushroom risotto

Read the full Chardonnay guide. If you love it, try Viognier, white Rioja, Marsanne blends.

Viognier combines apricot, honeysuckle and tangerine aromas with a rich, almost oily texture and low acidity. By the mid-1960s, plantings in Condrieu in the northern Rhône had shrunk to barely a dozen hectares, and the grape came close to disappearing. Growers rescued it, and it now grows in Australia and California too. Its low acidity can make a very ripe example feel heavy. In Côte-Rôtie, a little Viognier is sometimes fermented with red Syrah to lift the aroma.

Grows northern Rhône (Condrieu), Australia, California  ·  Serve 10–12°C, big glass  ·  Drink 1–4 years

At the table chicken korma, crisp pork belly, apricot-glazed chicken

If you love it, try Roussanne, Fiano, oaked Chardonnay.

Young Hunter Valley Sémillon from Australia is picked early and bottled at barely eleven per cent alcohol, with delicate lemon and fresh-grass flavours. After ten years it can turn golden and develop toast and lanolin notes, a waxy, wool-like aroma, despite never touching oak. In Bordeaux it is blended with Sauvignon Blanc for full, waxy dry whites, and it is the main grape in the sweet wine Sauternes. Look for lemon, chamomile and beeswax when young, then honey and roasted nuts with age.

Grows Bordeaux, Hunter Valley  ·  Serve 9–12°C, white-wine glass  ·  Drink young, or 10+ years for Hunter

At the table smoked trout, roast chicken with thyme, pork terrine

If you love it, try white Bordeaux blends, dry Furmint, Marsanne.

Marsanne and Roussanne often appear together in northern Rhône whites. Marsanne brings body and a full texture, while Roussanne adds perfume and acidity. The blend can taste of ripe pear, quince, beeswax, chamomile and honeysuckle, with a waxy texture and gentle acidity. Try these full, savoury whites with roast chicken. Some become less expressive for a few years in middle age, then develop honey and hazelnut at ten or fifteen years. Australia's Tahbilk still farms Marsanne vines planted in 1927.

Grows northern Rhône (Hermitage), southern France, Australia  ·  Serve 10–13°C, big glass  ·  Drink 1–3 years, or hold past 10

At the table roast chicken, pumpkin ravioli, pork with fennel

If you love it, try Viognier, white Châteauneuf-du-Pape, aged Sémillon.

Riesling ranges from bone dry to dessert sweet, with high acidity that helps even sweet versions taste fresh. Look for lime, green apple, apricot and honey. A petrol-like aroma comes from TDN, which often increases with age but can also occur in young wine. It does not establish age or quality. Germany's Mosel makes light examples at eight per cent alcohol, while Australia's Clare Valley is known for dry, lime-flavoured wines. Riesling is almost never oaked, and some bottles age for decades. If the label says trocken, it is dry.

Grows Mosel & Rheingau, Alsace, Clare Valley  ·  Serve 8–10°C, white-wine glass  ·  Drink now–20+ years

At the table pork schnitzel, Thai green curry, gravlax with mustard sauce

Read the full Riesling guide. If you love it, try Grüner Veltliner, Chenin Blanc, dry Furmint.

Furmint is the main grape in Tokaji Aszú, the honeyed sweet wine made from berries affected by noble rot. It also makes dry whites with pear, lime, smoky notes and high acidity. After Hungary's state winery era ended, growers began bottling dry Furmint more widely in the 2000s, often from the same volcanic vineyards that supply the sweet wines. Try the dry style if you enjoy Riesling or Chablis. With five years in bottle, good examples can soften and develop wax, nuts and smoke.

Grows Tokaj and Somló, Hungary  ·  Serve 8–10°C, white-wine glass  ·  Drink 2–8 years; sweet Tokaji for decades

At the table smoked trout, chicken paprikash, mushroom pierogi

If you love it, try dry Riesling, Chenin Blanc, Sémillon.

Gewürztraminer is intensely aromatic, with lychee, rose petals, ginger and baking spice. The grape and lychee fruit share several aroma compounds, which helps explain the resemblance. Gewürz means spice in German, though Alsace is a major home for the grape. Its wines are often rich, with a little sweetness, low acidity and high alcohol. Try it with Thai food or a strong Munster cheese.

Grows Alsace, Alto Adige, Germany  ·  Serve 8–10°C, white-wine glass  ·  Drink 1–5 years

At the table Thai red curry, Munster cheese tart, pork with apple

If you love it, try Torrontés, dry Muscat, Viognier.

Chenin Blanc makes sparkling wine, dry and off-dry whites, and sweet wines that can age for many years. High acidity runs through these styles, alongside flavours such as quince, baked apple, chamomile and sometimes a wool-like aroma. Vouvray in the Loire can be any of these styles, so check the label for sweetness and bubbles. South Africa, where the grape long went by the name Steen, is one of the world’s leading homes for Chenin Blanc, with important old-vine plantings.

Grows Loire (Vouvray, Savennières), South Africa  ·  Serve 8–10°C, white-wine glass  ·  Drink dry 2–5 years; sweet for decades

At the table roast pork with apple, goat’s cheese tart, chicken tagine

If you love it, try Riesling, Sémillon, Grüner Veltliner.

Muscat is especially recognisable for fresh-grape and floral aromas, which can survive fermentation. Expect orange blossom, ripe grape, honeysuckle and mandarin. Styles range from bone-dry Alsace Muscat to Moscato d'Asti, the gently fizzy Piedmont wine at five and a half per cent alcohol. Muscat is among the oldest cultivated grape families, with varieties found across the Mediterranean. Try sweet versions with fruit and cake, and dry ones with asparagus.

Grows Alsace, Piedmont, and all round the Mediterranean  ·  Serve 6–8°C, well chilled  ·  Drink young, within 2 years

At the table asparagus tart, peach galette, lemon drizzle cake

If you love it, try Torrontés, Gewürztraminer, Riesling Spätlese.

Torrontés shows why aroma and sweetness need separate attention. This Argentine white can smell of roses, peaches and lemon blossom, like Gewürztraminer, yet taste dry with bright citrus acidity. Around Cafayate in Salta province, vineyards rise above 1,700 metres, with strong sun and cold nights. The wines can be intensely aromatic while retaining acidity. DNA testing shows that Muscat is a parent, which helps explain the floral aromas. Try it with ceviche.

Grows Argentina: Salta (Cafayate), La Rioja, Mendoza  ·  Serve 7–9°C, white-wine glass  ·  Drink within 2 years

At the table sea bass ceviche, beef empanadas, Thai basil chicken

If you love it, try Gewürztraminer, dry Muscat, Viognier.

Provence rosé is usually pale pink, with strawberry, melon and pink-grapefruit flavours and a dry, slightly salty finish. Grenache, Cinsault and other grapes spend a short time with their skins before cool fermentation helps preserve freshness. Clear, curved bottles are familiar on shop shelves. Colour alone tells you little about quality. Check the newest vintage, avoid bottles stored in a sunny window and serve chilled with lunch.

Grows Provence, especially Côtes de Provence  ·  Serve 8–10°C, white-wine glass  ·  Drink the youngest vintage you can find

At the table salade niçoise, grilled prawns, tomato and mustard tart

If you love it, try Tavel & Bandol, Vermentino, Txakoli rosado.

Tavel and Bandol make rosés with enough body for a full meal. Tavel, across the Rhône from Châteauneuf-du-Pape, gives Grenache longer skin contact, producing a darker wine with red cherry, orange peel and herbs. Bandol, on the Provençal coast, uses Mourvèdre for a firmer texture, with wild strawberry, spice and a faintly meaty note. These dry wines suit garlic, grilled meat and rich sauces. Some age well, especially Bandol, developing dried herbs and savoury flavours over five or ten years.

Grows Tavel in the Rhône; Bandol in Provence  ·  Serve 10–12°C, medium-bowled glass  ·  Drink 2–8 years

At the table lamb chops with rosemary, bouillabaisse, garlic roast chicken

If you love it, try Mourvèdre, Grenache, Provence rosé.

White Zinfandel is a sweet pink wine with flavours of strawberry sweets, watermelon and soft spice, low alcohol and a gentle texture. The style began at Sutter Home in 1975, when a tank of pale Zinfandel stopped fermenting and left sugar behind. Its popularity gave growers a reason to keep California's old Zinfandel vines, many of which later supplied red wines. Buy a fresh bottle and serve it cold.

Grows California, from red Zinfandel grapes  ·  Serve 6–8°C, any glass you like  ·  Drink within a year of release

At the table glazed ham, spicy chicken wings, pulled-pork sliders

If you love it, try Zinfandel, Provence rosé, Lambrusco.

Pinot Noir is often pale, with red cherry, raspberry and dried-rose aromas. A few years in bottle can bring earthy notes reminiscent of a forest floor after rain. Its thin skins and sensitivity to climate make it demanding to grow. Compare Pinot Noir from Bourgogne, Oregon or Central Otago. Notice the fruit first, then how the acidity and tannin feel; the grape stays the same while the place and winemaking change.

Grows Burgundy, Oregon, Central Otago  ·  Serve 14–16°C, big-bowled glass  ·  Drink most within 5 years, grand cru Burgundy for decades

At the table duck breast, mushroom risotto, salmon with dill

Read the full Pinot Noir guide. If you love it, try Gamay, St-Laurent, Zweigelt.

Gamay has tart cherry, raspberry and violet aromas, with a banana note in fresh styles made using carbonic maceration, fermentation within uncrushed grapes. Cru Beaujolais wines such as Morgon or Moulin-à-Vent can be darker and pepperier. A Burgundian ducal decree in the late fourteenth century is commonly associated with Gamay’s removal from the Côte d’Or; the grape has flourished farther south for six centuries. Serve it lightly chilled with charcuterie or roast chicken.

Grows Beaujolais, Loire, Switzerland  ·  Serve 12–14°C, lightly chilled, big-bowled glass  ·  Drink within 3 years, crus up to 10

At the table köttbullar, roast chicken, sausage and lentils

If you love it, try Pinot Noir, Frappato, Zweigelt.

Merlot often has soft tannins and flavours of plum, black cherry, cocoa and bay leaf. Its name probably comes from merle, French for blackbird. The film Sideways famously dismissed Merlot, although the hero's treasured Cheval Blanc relies heavily on the grape alongside its relative Cabernet Franc. Pomerol and Chile show different styles of Merlot, both worth exploring at the dinner table.

Grows Bordeaux, Chile, northern Italy  ·  Serve 15–17°C, medium-bowled glass  ·  Drink within 5 years, top Pomerol for decades

At the table shepherd’s pie, roast duck, mushroom lasagne

If you love it, try Cabernet Franc, Carménère, Cabernet Sauvignon.

Sangiovese is Italy's most planted grape and the main red grape of Tuscany. Expect sour cherry, tomato leaf, dried oregano and leather, with bright acidity and a dry, savoury finish. Its name translates roughly as blood of Jove. Everyday Chianti can be brisk and cherry-flavoured, while Brunello di Montalcino, made entirely from Sangiovese, is often darker and firmer. If the acidity feels sharp on its own, try the wine with pasta.

Grows Tuscany, Emilia-Romagna, Corsica  ·  Serve 16–18°C, medium-bowled glass  ·  Drink 3–10 years, Brunello for 20+

At the table spaghetti bolognese, bistecca alla fiorentina, aubergine parmigiana

Read the full Sangiovese guide. If you love it, try Montepulciano, Barbera, Nebbiolo.

Grenache is often full and high in alcohol, with ripe strawberry, stewed raspberry, white pepper, dried herbs and orange peel. It is a main grape in Châteauneuf-du-Pape, but its origins lie in Spain's hot, windswept Aragon, where it is called Garnacha. Some old bush vines there have survived a century of drought. The grape tolerates heat and poor soils well. Check the alcohol percentage when choosing a bottle, especially if you prefer lighter reds.

Grows southern Rhône, Spain, Australia  ·  Serve 15–17°C, medium-bowled glass  ·  Drink within 5 years, top Châteauneuf longer

At the table lamb kofte, sausage cassoulet, mushroom pizza

If you love it, try Zinfandel, Mourvèdre, Cinsault.

DNA testing connected California's Zinfandel, Puglia's Primitivo and Croatia's Tribidrag. These names belong to the same grape variety, whose wines often have jammy blackberry, raspberry, liquorice, black pepper and sweet-tobacco flavours, with alcohol close to 15 per cent. California has important old-vine bottlings; Puglia's examples tend to be plush and more affordable. The pale pink White Zinfandel popular in the eighties is made from this grape too.

Grows California, Puglia, Croatia  ·  Serve 15–17°C, medium-bowled glass  ·  Drink within 5 years

At the table barbecue ribs, pepperoni pizza, beef chilli

If you love it, try Grenache, Negroamaro, Petite Sirah.

Barbera is a familiar everyday red in Piedmont, with dark sour cherry, blackberry and dried herbs. Its bright acidity and low tannin make it a good match for pizza, salumi, mushroom risotto and tomato dishes. Barbera d'Asti tends to be lighter and fresher, while Barbera d'Alba often has more body. If you find Nebbiolo's tannin too firm for an everyday bottle, try Barbera.

Grows Piedmont, Lombardy, California  ·  Serve 15–17°C, medium-bowled glass  ·  Drink within 5 years

At the table pizza margherita, sausage ragù, osso buco

If you love it, try Dolcetto, Sangiovese, Gamay.

Blaufränkisch combines sour blackberry, black cherry and pepper with bright acidity and noticeable tannin, despite its medium body. In Austria, look to Burgenland, including the limestone and slate around Leithaberg and the warmer Mittelburgenland. It is called Kékfrankos in Hungary and Lemberger in Germany. An unoaked Burgenland bottle lets you explore the fresh fruit. Compare it with a single-vineyard wine to see how the aromas, tannin and acidity differ.

Grows Burgenland, Austria; Hungary as Kékfrankos  ·  Serve 14–16°C, medium-bowled glass  ·  Drink 3–10 years

At the table duck confit, beetroot tart, pork schnitzel

If you love it, try Pinot Noir, Mencía, Zweigelt.

Austria's most planted red was created in 1922 by crossing Blaufränkisch with St-Laurent. Zweigelt combines bright sour cherry and a little spice with relatively soft tannins. It can be made in a dark, oaked style, but a young, fruity bottle is good served lightly chilled; try twenty minutes in the fridge. The grape was named after breeder Friedrich Zweigelt, whose Nazi involvement is documented, and some producers use the original crossing name Rotburger instead. Look for a recent vintage and a style with little oak.

Grows across Austria, especially Burgenland  ·  Serve 12–14°C, lightly chilled  ·  Drink 1–5 years

At the table köttbullar, roast chicken, mushroom pasta

If you love it, try Gamay, Blaufränkisch, Pinot Noir.

Cabernet Franc is a parent of both Cabernet Sauvignon, through a cross with Sauvignon Blanc, and Merlot, through a cross with Magdeleine Noire. On its own it tends to be leaner and more aromatic, with raspberry, red bell pepper, gravel-like and pencil-shaving notes. That leafy character divides opinion. In the Loire, Chinon and Bourgueil make reds you can serve slightly chilled with food. In Bordeaux, you will often meet Cabernet Franc in a blend.

Grows Loire, Bordeaux, Niagara  ·  Serve 14–16°C, medium-bowled glass  ·  Drink 3–8 years

At the table herb-roast chicken, grilled pork chops, lentil stew

If you love it, try Mencía, Merlot, Carménère.

Carménère arrived in Chile from Bordeaux in the 1800s and became mixed into Merlot vineyards. For roughly a century it was picked, made and sold as Merlot; growers thought it was a late-ripening strain. In 1994 a visiting French ampelographer, a specialist in identifying vines, recognised it. Today it is closely associated with Chile. Look for plum and raspberry with green peppercorn, paprika and cocoa. Try it if you enjoy Merlot but want more green, savoury spice.

Grows Chile, especially Colchagua and Maipo  ·  Serve 15–17°C, medium-bowled glass  ·  Drink 3–6 years

At the table beef empanadas, lamb burgers, rice-stuffed peppers

If you love it, try Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Malbec.

Montepulciano the grape is different from Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, the wine made chiefly from Sangiovese and named after a Tuscan town. The grape grows mainly in Abruzzo, where it makes deep purple-black wines with boysenberry, ripe plum, oregano and a little smoke. The tannins often feel soft and dusty. Try it with a weeknight ragù; an affordable bottle can still offer plenty of flavour and body.

Grows Abruzzo, Marche, Molise  ·  Serve 15–17°C, medium-bowled glass  ·  Drink within 5 years

At the table lasagne al forno, lamb ragù, salami pizza

If you love it, try Sangiovese, Negroamaro, Barbera.

Nero d'Avola was long used in anonymous bulk blends, but it is now widely bottled under its own name. Look for ripe plum and black cherry with a slightly salty edge. The name means black grape of Avola, a town in the south-east, though the grape grows across Sicily. Warm vineyards can produce jammy wines with high alcohol. For a fresher style, look to higher ground or coastal sites, and do not assume that more oak means better wine. It remains a good source of affordable reds for dinner.

Grows across Sicily, especially the south-east  ·  Serve 15–17°C, medium-bowled glass  ·  Drink 2–6 years

At the table pasta alla Norma, grilled sausages, tuna with capers

If you love it, try Montepulciano, Grenache, Syrah.

Mencía from north-west Spain can have sour cherry, pomegranate, liquorice, floral and wet-slate notes. Those floral aromas once led to confusion with Cabernet Franc. In Ribeira Sacra, steep terraces above the river Sil require hand work where tractors cannot reach. The wines often have a freshness that makes them worth trying if you usually choose lighter reds from Burgundy.

Grows Bierzo, Ribeira Sacra, Dão (as Jaen)  ·  Serve 14–16°C, medium-bowled glass  ·  Drink 3–6 years

At the table grilled pork, mushroom croquetas, lentils with chorizo

If you love it, try Cabernet Franc, Blaufränkisch, Pinot Noir.

Cabernet Sauvignon began as a natural cross between red Cabernet Franc and white Sauvignon Blanc in seventeenth-century Bordeaux. DNA testing in 1996 established its parentage. Now widely planted, it is known for blackcurrant, cedar, graphite and mint, with green-bell-pepper notes in cooler years. Firm tannin is common, though growing conditions and extraction also matter. Many examples spend time in oak and can benefit from ageing. Try it with rare steak, or compare bottles from Pauillac, Napa and Coonawarra.

Grows Bordeaux, Napa, Coonawarra  ·  Serve 16–18°C, large glass  ·  Drink 5–15 years, top wines for decades

At the table ribeye steak, beef Wellington, aged Cheddar toastie

Read the full Cabernet Sauvignon guide. If you love it, try Merlot, Malbec, Aglianico.

Syrah and Shiraz are names for the same grape. Northern Rhône Syrah often has blackberry, black olive, violets, smoked meat and black pepper. Rotundone, an aroma compound also found in peppercorns, contributes the pepper note. Australian Shiraz can have riper fruit and dark chocolate, especially in warm areas such as Barossa. Hermitage and Côte-Rôtie can develop for decades. Comparing a Northern Rhône wine with Barossa Shiraz shows how widely the grape's style can vary.

Grows Northern Rhône, Barossa, South Africa  ·  Serve 16–18°C, large glass  ·  Drink 5–10 years, top Rhône for decades

At the table slow-roast lamb shoulder, venison stew, harissa aubergine

Read the full Syrah guide. If you love it, try Malbec, Petite Sirah, Touriga Nacional.

Mourvèdre ripens late and needs plenty of sun. In Bandol on the Provençal coast, it gives blackberry, black olive, smoked meat and wild thyme, with firm tannins that can benefit from a decade in the cellar. In Spain it is called Monastrell; hotter vineyards in Jumilla and Yecla tend to produce broader, riper wines. It is also the M in GSM blends with Grenache and Syrah, adding colour, tannin and savoury flavour. Try Bandol for ageing or Spanish Monastrell for value, and serve either with a rich dish.

Grows Bandol; Jumilla and Yecla as Monastrell  ·  Serve 16–18°C, large glass, decant young bottles  ·  Drink 5–15 years

At the table rosemary lamb shoulder, duck cassoulet, pork ribs

If you love it, try Syrah, Grenache, Tannat.

Malbec comes from France, where medieval Cahors produced wines so dark that the English called them black wine. A severe frost in 1956 destroyed most of Bordeaux's Malbec, but the grape became widely established in Argentina. Mendoza's vineyards include sites above 1,500 metres. Its wines can be plush and aromatic, with blackberry, plum, violets, cocoa, sweet tobacco and soft tannins. Steak is a familiar match.

Grows Mendoza, Cahors, Salta  ·  Serve 16–18°C, large glass  ·  Drink 3–8 years

At the table skirt steak with chimichurri, beef empanadas, mushroom burgers

If you love it, try Syrah / Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Tannat.

Nebbiolo can be as pale as Pinot Noir, with violets, roses, sour cherry and tar on the nose, yet have very firm tannins. Its name is often linked to nebbia, the Italian word for fog, familiar in Piedmont's hills during the late October harvest. Barolo and Barbaresco can need a decade to soften and age for several more. Young Langhe Nebbiolo is a gentler introduction. Try the grape with braised meat or truffle dishes.

Grows Piedmont, Valtellina, a little in Australia  ·  Serve 16–18°C, large glass, decant when young  ·  Drink young Langhe Nebbiolo; some Barolo develops for decades

At the table brasato al Barolo, truffle risotto, tajarin with ragù

Read the full Nebbiolo guide. If you love it, try Sangiovese, Aglianico, Xinomavro.

If you know Barolo, Xinomavro offers a revealing comparison: pale colour, firm tannin and high acidity, with dried cherry, tomato leaf and black olive. Its classic home is Naoussa in northern Greece, on slopes below Mount Vermio where altitude keeps the nights cool. Give young bottles some air and serve them with food. With age, the tannin softens and dried fruit, leather and herbs become more noticeable. Entry-level Naoussa is often less expensive than comparable Nebbiolo and can introduce you to this firm, savoury style.

Grows Naoussa, Amyndeon and Goumenissa, Greece  ·  Serve 16–18°C, large glass, decant when young  ·  Drink 5–20+ years

At the table lamb stifado, moussaka, tomato-braised beef

If you love it, try Nebbiolo, Aglianico, Tannat.

Tempranillo takes its name from temprano, meaning early in Spanish, because it ripens weeks before neighbouring varieties. In Rioja, look for dried cherry, tobacco and leather, often with dill and coconut from American oak. Crianza, reserva and gran reserva identify ageing categories; gran reserva spends years in barrel and bottle before release. These terms describe ageing, not sweetness. In Portugal, the grape is called Tinta Roriz and is used in Port blends.

Grows Rioja, Ribera del Duero, Portugal  ·  Serve 16–18°C, large glass  ·  Drink crianza now, gran reserva for 20+ years

At the table lamb chops, jamón croquetas, patatas riojanas

If you love it, try Sangiovese, Montepulciano, Touriga Nacional.

Aglianico is a southern Italian red grape grown around Naples. In Taurasi and around Monte Vulture, it grows on volcanic soils and makes wines with black cherry, dried plum, white pepper, smoke and ash-like notes. High tannin and acidity have earned it comparisons with Barolo. Young bottles can feel very firm; eight or ten years can soften the tannin and bring out savoury flavours and a long finish.

Grows Campania, Basilicata  ·  Serve 16–18°C, large glass, decant when young  ·  Drink some ready from year 5; others develop for 20+

At the table braised beef, wild-boar ragù, lentils with aged pecorino

If you love it, try Nebbiolo, Sagrantino, Tannat.

Tannat can produce deeply coloured wines with firm tannins and blackberry, plum and cocoa flavours. In Madiran in south-west France, the wines have traditionally needed years to soften. Uruguay adopted the grape in the nineteenth century and made it a national speciality. Examples from Uruguay often have riper fruit and gentler tannins than those from Madiran. Decant young bottles, serve them below room temperature and try them with a rich dish.

Grows Madiran, France; across Uruguay  ·  Serve 16–18°C, large glass, decant  ·  Drink 5–15 years

At the table grilled ribeye, duck confit, beef short ribs

If you love it, try Cabernet Sauvignon, Aglianico, Mourvèdre.

Petite Sirah has small, thick-skinned berries that give deep colour and firm tannin. It is also called Durif, a cross of Syrah and Peloursin raised by French botanist François Durif in the 1860s, and is now closely associated with California. The wine can be almost black, with blueberry, dark chocolate, black tea and black pepper. Its full body and tannin suit ribs or brisket.

Grows California, Mexico, Israel  ·  Serve 16–18°C, large glass  ·  Drink 5–15 years

At the table barbecue ribs, brisket sandwiches, black-bean chilli

If you love it, try Syrah / Shiraz, Zinfandel / Primitivo, Malbec.

In 1925, Stellenbosch professor Abraham Perold crossed Pinot Noir with Cinsault in his garden. A colleague later rescued the seedlings before the plot was cleared. The resulting Pinotage can have dark plum, smoked meat, liquorice and rooibos notes; some modern styles deliberately emphasise mocha and coffee. Rubbery aromas in some wines contributed to the grape's difficult reputation, but its range is broader than that suggests.

Grows Stellenbosch, Swartland, Paarl  ·  Serve 16–18°C, large glass  ·  Drink 3–8 years

At the table boerewors rolls, smoked pork ribs, lamb bobotie

If you love it, try Syrah / Shiraz, Zinfandel / Primitivo, Grenache / Garnacha.

Touriga Nacional is a Portuguese grape used in Port blends and dry reds. Its small berries and low yields can give concentrated flavours of blueberry, blackcurrant and violets, with a bergamot aroma reminiscent of Earl Grey tea. On the Douro's steep schist terraces, it also makes floral dry reds with firm tannins.

Grows Douro, Dão  ·  Serve 16–18°C, large glass  ·  Drink 5–10 years

At the table grilled lamb skewers, beef stew, arroz de pato

If you love it, try Syrah / Shiraz, Malbec, Aglianico.

Port is sweet because grape spirit is added during fermentation, stopping the yeast before it uses all the sugar and raising the alcohol to around 20 per cent. Ruby Port has youthful fruit such as blackberry, with cinnamon notes; wood-aged tawny styles develop caramel, fig and walnut. Vintage Port is declared in exceptional years, roughly three times a decade, and can age for many years in bottle. Try Port with blue cheese or dark chocolate.

Grows Douro Valley, Portugal  ·  Serve 16–18°C, small port glass  ·  Drink ruby and tawny now; vintage for decades

At the table Stilton on toast, chocolate tart, sticky toffee pudding

If you love it, try Madeira, Banyuls, Recioto della Valpolicella.

Compare Ruby and Tawny Port in pictures →

Sherry ranges from dry fino and manzanilla to sweet cream styles and rich, fig-flavoured Pedro Ximénez. Fino and manzanilla are pale and dry, with green almond, bread dough and salty notes. They mature under flor, a layer of living yeast that protects the wine from oxygen. The solera system gradually blends younger wine into older stocks, so a bottle can contain wine from many years. Serve fino well chilled with salted almonds and jamón.

Grows Jerez and Sanlúcar, Spain  ·  Serve fino 7–9°C, white-wine glass; oloroso 12–14°C  ·  Drink fino young and fresh; finish an open bottle within a week

At the table garlic prawns, jamón croquetas, tortilla with alioli

If you love it, try Madeira, Marsala, Jura vin jaune.

Madeira's heated ageing began with sea travel. In the 1600s, barrels from this Atlantic island grew warm in ships crossing the tropics, and merchants noticed how the wine changed. Producers now use warm cellars and controlled heat on land. Look for caramel, roasted walnut, burnt orange peel and salted toffee, balanced by high acidity. Styles range from dry Sercial to sweet Malmsey. Madeira is unusually stable after opening, though storage and bottle condition still matter.

Grows Madeira, Portugal  ·  Serve 13–15°C, small glass  ·  Drink ready on release; some bottles age for generations

At the table mushroom soup, caramelised onion tart, walnut cake

If you love it, try tawny Port, oloroso Sherry, Marsala.

Autumn mists from the river Ciron help Botrytis cinerea develop on Sémillon and Sauvignon Blanc grapes. Known as noble rot, the fungus shrivels the berries and concentrates their contents. Pickers make repeated passes through the vines, selecting affected grapes as they are ready. The shrivelled berries give little juice, which helps explain the cost of making these wines. Sauternes can taste of apricot, honey, saffron, ginger and orange marmalade, with acidity balancing its sweetness. Try it with Roquefort or foie gras as well as dessert.

Grows Sauternes and Barsac, Bordeaux  ·  Serve 6–8°C, small white-wine glass  ·  Drink enjoyable young; some bottles develop for 10 to 30 years

At the table Roquefort tart, foie gras toast, apricot tarte tatin

If you love it, try Tokaji, Monbazillac, late-harvest Riesling.

Louis XIV reportedly called Tokaji the wine of kings, king of wines. The region classified its vineyards in the 1730s, more than a century before Bordeaux. Its famous sweet style, Tokaji aszú, is made with Furmint berries shrivelled by noble rot and gathered individually. Historically, baskets called puttonyos measured the berries added to the blend; the term also appears on labels to indicate sweetness. Expect apricot, honey, orange marmalade, saffron and beeswax, with high acidity that can keep a fifty-year-old bottle fresh.

Grows Tokaj, Hungary  ·  Serve 8–10°C, small white-wine glass  ·  Drink aszú ages for decades

At the table duck liver parfait, blue cheese tart, apricot crumble

If you love it, try Sauternes, Beerenauslese Riesling, ice wine.