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International variety

International variety is a science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand International variety rather than just read about it. In short: An international variety is a grape variety that is widely planted in most of the major wine producing regions and has widespread appeal and consumer recognition. These are grapes that are highly likely to appear on wine labels as varietal wines and are often considered benchmarks for emerging wine industries.

International variety — main illustration
International variety — illustration

Key takeaways

  • International variety belongs to science; place it in that map before memorising details.
  • Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
  • Connect International variety to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
  • Reproduce the core statement of International variety from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

An international variety is a grape variety that is widely planted in most of the major wine producing regions and has widespread appeal and consumer recognition. These are grapes that are highly likely to appear on wine labels as varietal wines and are often considered benchmarks for emerging wine industries. There is some criticism that the popularity of so-called international varieties comes at the price of a region's indigenous varieties. The majority of declared international varieties are French in origin (most notably Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay), though in recent years the popularity of Spanish (such as Tempranillo) and Italian varietals (like Sangiovese and Nebbiolo) has seen an increase in worldwide plantings and these may also be considered "international varieties".

Classic varieties

Wine expert Karen MacNeil describes an international variety as a "classic variety" which has a long established reputation for making premium quality wines in locations across the globe. The origins for many of these grapes trace back to France which has had a long history of influencing global viticulture and winemaking thought. The nine classic international varieties that MacNeil lists are Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Chenin blanc, Merlot, Pinot noir, Riesling, Sauvignon blanc, Semillon and Syrah.

Other varieties As the wine industry expands across the globe, particularly in the New World, more varieties beyond the nine classic varieties listed above have been gaining recognition as "international varieties". These include French as well as Spanish, Italian and German varieties such as Muscat, Malbec, Mourvedre, Tempranillo, Sangiovese, Nebbiolo, Gewürztraminer, Pinot blanc, Pinot gris, Pinotage (South-Africa) and Viognier.

Noble grapes

Noble grapes are any grapes traditionally associated with the highest quality wines. Noble grapes are said to retain their character no matter where they are planted. This concept is not as common today, partly because of the proliferation of hybrid grape varieties, and partly because some critics feel that it unfairly prioritizes varieties grown within France. Historically speaking, the noble grapes comprised only six varieties. The white noble grapes were Sauvignon blanc, Riesling, and Chardonnay. The red noble grapes were Pinot noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot.

Consumer recognition The popularity and presence of international varieties in winemaking regions throughout the world have contributed to high levels of consumer recognition for some of these varieties that often appear on wine labels as varietal wines. The recognition is so great for varieties like Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay that many consumers believe these names are either wine regions or brand names themselves. Wine expert Frank Prial of The New York Times notes that the name recognition of a grape like Chardonnay is so powerful that it "transcends the product or its producers".

Criticism

International varieties have been criticized as both a symbol and instigator of the globalization of wine, in which local indigenous grape varieties are grubbed up in favor of the big names demanded by international markets. In the late 20th century, during the "Chardonnay-boom", vineyards throughout the world and particularly in emerging wine industries rushed to plant acres of Chardonnay in order to capture some of the market. Examples of this occurred in south Italy and Spain where ancient Negroamaro, Primitivo, Grenache and Mataro vineyards were ripped up in favor of new Chardonnay plantings. This created a backlash of sorts against not only Chardonnay, but also other international varieties. Wine expert Oz Clarke described a view of Chardonnay in this light as "...the ruthless coloniser and destroyer of the world's vineyards and the world's palates." Even within the industry, there are protests against the trend of planting international varieties at the expense of local varieties with winemakers such as the Languedoc producer Aimé Guibert comparing the trend to "burning cathedrals".

See also Mondovino – a film about the globalization of wine that deals with the topic of international varieties

External links The Original Red Noble Grapes - infographic on DryRedWines.com

References

Illustrations

International variety: The international variety Pinot noir growing in Moldova
The international variety Pinot noir growing in Moldova
International variety: Merlot grapes growing in the La Mancha region of Spain
Merlot grapes growing in the La Mancha region of Spain
International variety: A Californian Cabernet Sauvignon
A Californian Cabernet Sauvignon
International variety: The familiar flavors and name recognition of Chardonnay have seen the variety pop up in regions throughout the world.
The familiar flavors and name recognition of Chardonnay have seen the variety pop up in regions throughout the world.

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with International variety

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what International variety claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to International variety before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about International variety ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of International variety

In research
International variety appears in science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry
Engineering practice reuses International variety in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom
International variety is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Grape varieties, Wine terminology, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life
Look for International variety outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.
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How to study International variety in 20 minutes

  1. Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
  2. Close the page and write down what International variety means in your own words.
  3. Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
  4. Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
  5. Explain International variety out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is International variety in simple terms?

An international variety is a grape variety that is widely planted in most of the major wine producing regions and has widespread appeal and consumer recognition. These are grapes that are highly likely to appear on wine labels as varietal wines and are often considered benchmarks for emerging wine…

Why does International variety matter?

Because it connects several science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study International variety?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on International variety.

Tags

  • Grape varieties
  • Wine terminology

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