Grape Varieties in Italy.

The grape variety used will affect the flavour of a wine as mush as the variation in taste between a Granny Smith and a Golden Delicious apple, say. The northwest is blessed with a large number of grape varieties, both red and white and most wines are made from single varieties, without blending, so the character of the grape clearly determines the character of the wine. The features of each are described as they are encountered along the wine routes. Producers are, in general, strongly convinced of the high quality of their grape varieties and proud of their characteristics. That, however, does not stop them experimenting and the international varieties Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and so on crop in a number of wines, sometimes in intriguing blends with the native grapes.