The grape archive
Meet the grape
behind the wine.
Every grape in this archive appears in a wine currently available to taste at Het Archief. Our by-the-glass selection changes regularly; some varieties are served by the bottle.
Visual tasting guide
Colour already tells a story.
From pale straw to deep purple, look at the wine before tasting. This original HET ARCHIEF guide helps you recognise hue, ripeness and style.
Albariño
Galicia · SpainAlbariño is the Atlantic white grape of Rías Baixas: aromatic yet dry, with citrus and peach held taut by high acidity and a saline finish.
Open profile →02Alicante Bouschet
Alentejo · PortugalA deeply coloured red grape with dark plum, blackberry and firm structure, important in warm Portuguese and Spanish vineyards.
Open profile →03Aligoté
Burgundy · FranceA bright, high-acid Burgundy grape best known in fresh, mineral whites and the classic Kir aperitif.
Open profile →04Arneis
Piedmont · ItalyIn a blind Wineflight, we look for pear, almond and white flowers, combined with fresh acidity and a medium-bodied texture. The balance between fruit, freshness and mouthfeel provides the most useful clues.
Open profile →05Bonarda
Mendoza · ArgentinaArgentina’s second great red identity: supple, juicy and dark-fruited, usually with fresher acidity and softer tannin than Malbec.
Open profile →06Cabernet Franc
Loire Valley · FranceIn a blind Wineflight, we look for red cherry, raspberry and violet, followed by fresh acidity, noticeable tannin and a medium-to-full body. That combination of aroma and structure provides the most useful clues.
Open profile →07Cabernet Sauvignon
Bordeaux · FranceThe world’s most recognisable structured red variety: black-fruited, tannic and highly responsive to site and oak ageing.
Open profile →08Carignan
Aragón · SpainIn a blind Wineflight, we look for blackberry, plum and herbs, followed by fresh acidity, noticeable tannin and a medium-to-full body. That combination of aroma and structure provides the most useful clues.
Open profile →09Carménère
Bordeaux · France; now identified with ChileA late-ripening Bordeaux variety that found its modern identity in Chile. It combines dark fruit, spice and a characteristic herbal edge when fully ripe.
Open profile →10Chardonnay
Burgundy · FranceA relatively neutral grape that translates climate and winemaking with exceptional clarity, from lean Chablis to rich barrel-fermented styles and sparkling wine.
Open profile →11Chenin Blanc
Loire Valley · FranceHigh acidity and an unusual aptitude for dry, sweet, sparkling and long-lived wines make Chenin Blanc one of the most versatile white grapes.
Open profile →12Corvina
Veneto · ItalyIn a blind Wineflight, we look for sour cherry, red plum and almond, followed by fresh acidity, noticeable tannin and a medium-to-full body. That combination of aroma and structure provides the most useful clues.
Open profile →13Corvinone
Veneto · ItalyA thick-skinned Veneto grape that brings dark cherry, spice and structure to Valpolicella, Ripasso and Amarone.
Open profile →14Gamay
Beaujolais · FranceA thin-skinned red grape prized for bright fruit, perfume and supple tannin, especially on Beaujolais’ granite soils.
Open profile →15Garnatxa Blanca
Terra Alta · SpainThe white mutation of Garnacha produces broad Mediterranean whites with pear, herbs, waxy texture and a discreet mineral bitterness.
Open profile →16Godello
Galicia · SpainIn a blind Wineflight, we look for apple, pear and lemon, combined with fresh acidity and a medium-bodied texture. The balance between fruit, freshness and mouthfeel provides the most useful clues.
Open profile →17Grenache
Aragón · SpainA heat-loving Mediterranean grape with generous red fruit, alcohol and spice, used alone and in blends from Spain to the southern Rhône.
Open profile →18Grüner Veltliner
AustriaAustria’s signature white grape ranges from peppery, brisk everyday wine to concentrated, age-worthy dry whites.
Open profile →19Loureira
Galicia · SpainAn aromatic Galician white grape bringing citrus, white flowers, herbs and bright acidity to Atlantic blends.
Open profile →20Malbec
South-west France; now identified with ArgentinaDeeply coloured and dark-fruited, Malbec became Argentina’s emblem while retaining a firmer, earthier identity in Cahors.
Open profile →21Malvar
Madrid · SpainA rare central-Spanish white grape with apple, quince, herbs and a gently phenolic, savoury texture.
Open profile →22Merlot
Bordeaux · FrancePlush fruit, moderate tannin and an affinity with clay soils make Merlot both approachable young and capable of profound ageing.
Open profile →23Montepulciano
Abruzzo · ItalyIn a blind Wineflight, we look for black cherry, plum and cocoa, followed by fresh acidity, noticeable tannin and a medium-to-full body. That combination of aroma and structure provides the most useful clues.
Open profile →24Muscadelle
Bordeaux · FranceA fragrant Bordeaux white grape used in small proportions for orange blossom, grape skin and soft floral lift.
Open profile →25Muscat
Mediterranean EuropeIn a blind Wineflight, we look for grape, orange blossom and ginger, combined with fresh acidity and a medium-bodied texture. The balance between fruit, freshness and mouthfeel provides the most useful clues.
Open profile →26Nebbiolo
Piedmont · ItalyPale in colour but formidable in tannin and acidity, Nebbiolo produces perfumed, transparent and exceptionally long-lived wines.
Open profile →27Negroamaro
Salento · ItalySalento’s dark, heat-loving red combines black fruit, dried herbs and an appetising bitter edge.
Open profile →28Pecorino
Abruzzo · ItalyA high-acid Adriatic white grape with lemon, ripe pear, herbs and enough texture for serious gastronomic wine.
Open profile →29Petit Verdot
Bordeaux · FranceA late-ripening Bordeaux grape that contributes deep colour, violet, spice and muscular tannin to blends.
Open profile →30Pinot Blanc
Burgundy mutation; important in Alsace and Central EuropeA subtle member of the Pinot family, typically offering apple, pear and almond with moderate acidity and a rounded texture.
Open profile →31Pinot Gris
Burgundy mutation; important in Alsace and north-east ItalyA grey-pink-skinned Pinot mutation spanning crisp Pinot Grigio and richer, spicier Alsace Pinot Gris styles.
Open profile →32Pinot Noir
Burgundy · FranceThin-skinned, early-ripening and site-sensitive, Pinot Noir can deliver haunting perfume, silky texture and transparent expressions of place.
Open profile →33Primitivo
Puglia · ItalyPrimitivo ripens early in Puglia and produces deeply coloured, full-bodied reds with ripe blackberry, dried fruit and generous alcohol; fresher examples retain a savoury, spicy line.
Open profile →34Riesling
Rhine region · GermanyA highly aromatic, high-acid grape capable of bone-dry, sweet, sparkling and exceptionally long-lived wines with precise site expression.
Open profile →35Rondinella
Veneto · ItalyA dependable Veneto grape used with Corvina and Corvinone, bringing colour, red fruit and suitability for appassimento.
Open profile →36Sangiovese
Central ItalyItaly’s most planted red grape is defined by sour cherry, lively acidity and savoury tannin, with styles ranging from juicy to monumental.
Open profile →37Sauvignon Blanc
Loire Valley / Bordeaux · FranceA pungently aromatic grape combining citrus, green herbs and bright acidity, from restrained Loire styles to exuberant New Zealand wines.
Open profile →38Sémillon
Bordeaux · FranceIn a blind Wineflight, we look for lemon, pear and lanolin, combined with fresh acidity and a medium-bodied texture. The balance between fruit, freshness and mouthfeel provides the most useful clues.
Open profile →39Susumaniello
Salento · ItalyA once-neglected Puglian red with vivid acidity, deep purple colour and flavours of blackberry, plum and pepper.
Open profile →40Tannat
South-west FranceIn a blind Wineflight, we look for blackberry, plum and cocoa, followed by fresh acidity, noticeable tannin and a medium-to-full body. That combination of aroma and structure provides the most useful clues.
Open profile →41Tempranillo
Iberian Peninsula · SpainSpain’s leading quality red grape combines red and dark fruit with savoury leather and tobacco notes, especially after oak ageing.
Open profile →42Torrontés
ArgentinaIn a blind Wineflight, we look for muscat, peach and rose, combined with fresh acidity and a medium-bodied texture. The balance between fruit, freshness and mouthfeel provides the most useful clues.
Open profile →43Touriga Nacional
Douro · PortugalIn a blind Wineflight, we look for blackberry, violet and plum, followed by fresh acidity, noticeable tannin and a medium-to-full body. That combination of aroma and structure provides the most useful clues.
Open profile →44Treixadura
Ribeiro · SpainRibeiro’s signature white grape combines ripe pear, apple and blossom with polished acidity and a gently rounded palate.
Open profile →45Verdejo
Rueda · SpainA distinctive Spanish white grape combining citrus, herbs and texture, often finishing with a characteristic bitter-almond note.
Open profile →46Verdicchio
Marche · ItalyA structured central-Italian white grape marked by lemon, green apple, herbs and a characteristic almond finish.
Open profile →47Vermentino
Liguria / Sardinia · ItalyIn a blind Wineflight, we look for lime, pear and herbs, combined with fresh acidity and a medium-bodied texture. The balance between fruit, freshness and mouthfeel provides the most useful clues.
Open profile →48Viognier
Northern Rhône · FranceA low-acid, intensely perfumed white grape known for apricot, blossom and a broad, oily texture.
Open profile →49Viura
Rioja · SpainIn a blind Wineflight, we look for green apple, lemon and pear, combined with fresh acidity and a medium-bodied texture. The balance between fruit, freshness and mouthfeel provides the most useful clues.
Open profile →50Welschriesling
Burgenland · AustriaA Central-European white grape with crisp acidity, green apple, citrus and a talent for both light dry and noble-sweet wine.
Open profile →51Zinfandel
Croatian origin; strongly identified with CaliforniaA genetically Croatian grape that became a Californian classic, producing everything from pale rosé to powerful, jammy old-vine reds.
Open profile →