The 4 Black Grape Varieties You Need to Know for Level 2
2026-05-10 · 5 min read
🍇 Cabernet Sauvignon
GIs within the EU:
- PGI: Pays d'Oc (France)
- PDO: Bordeaux, Haut-Médoc, Pauillac, Margaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan (France)
GIs from other countries:
- USA: California, Napa Valley (Oakville, Rutherford, Calistoga), Sonoma
- Chile: Central Valley, Maipo Valley, Colchagua Valley
- South Africa: Stellenbosch
- Australia: Coonawarra, Margaret River
- New Zealand: Hawke's Bay
What it tastes like: The king of structure. High tannins, high acidity, full body. Blackcurrant (cassis), black cherry, cedar, mint, eucalyptus. Oaked — vanilla, toast, smoke. Ages into tobacco, leather, earth.
Key labelling terms: Bordeaux Grand Cru Classé, Cru Bourgeois, Bordeaux Supérieur
Exam tip: Cab Sauv is almost always oaked. The cassis note is the single most reliable identifier. Bordeaux blends it with Merlot to soften the tannins. Left Bank = Cabernet-dominant.
🍇 Merlot
GIs within the EU:
- PGI: Pays d'Oc (France)
- PDO: Bordeaux, Saint-Émilion, Pomerol (France)
GIs from other countries:
- USA: California, Napa Valley, Sonoma
- Chile: Central Valley
- South Africa: Stellenbosch
- Australia: Margaret River
- New Zealand: Hawke's Bay
What it tastes like: Softer and rounder than Cabernet. Medium to high tannins, medium acidity, medium to full body. Plum, blackberry, black cherry, chocolate. Oak adds vanilla and mocha.
Exam tip: Merlot ripens earlier than Cabernet — that's why it dominates Right Bank Bordeaux (cooler clay soils). Left Bank = Cabernet-dominant, Right Bank = Merlot-dominant. Saint-Émilion and Pomerol are the classic Merlot PDOs.
🍇 Syrah / Shiraz
GIs within the EU:
- PGI: Pays d'Oc (France)
- PDO: Crozes-Hermitage, Hermitage, Côte Rôtie (Northern Rhône); Minervois (Languedoc-Roussillon)
GIs from other countries:
- Australia: South Eastern Australia, Barossa Valley, Hunter Valley
What it tastes like: Two personalities. Syrah (Rhône): High tannins, high acidity, medium to full body — black pepper, blackberry, violet, smoked meat. Shiraz (Australia): High tannins, medium acidity, full body — ripe blackberry, plum, chocolate, liquorice, sweet spice.
Exam tip: The pepper note is the giveaway. Cool-climate Syrah = more pepper, more elegance. Warm-climate Shiraz = riper, jammier, higher alcohol. Hermitage and Côte Rôtie are the benchmark Northern Rhône crus.
🍇 Pinot Noir
GIs within the EU:
- PDO: Bourgogne/Burgundy, Gevrey-Chambertin, Nuits-Saint-Georges, Beaune, Pommard (France)
GIs from other countries:
- USA: Sonoma, Los Carneros, Santa Barbara County, Oregon
- Chile: Casablanca Valley
- South Africa: Walker Bay
- Australia: Yarra Valley, Mornington Peninsula
- New Zealand: Martinborough, Marlborough, Central Otago
What it tastes like: Delicate and perfumed. Low tannins, high acidity, light to medium body. Red cherry, raspberry, strawberry, mushroom, forest floor. With age — farmyard, game, truffle. Oak is subtle.
Key labelling terms: Burgundy Premier Cru, Grand Cru
Exam tip: The only principal black grape that's never blended (except sparkling wine). Thin-skinned = low tannin. Burgundy is the benchmark — know the price ladder: Bourgogne → Village → Premier Cru → Grand Cru. Gevrey-Chambertin and Nuits-Saint-Georges are classic village-level PDOs.
📝 Final Exam Tips
The Level 2 exam is 50 multiple-choice questions. Here's what to focus on for black grapes:
- Structure profile — For each grape, memorise: tannin level, acidity, body. These three attributes answer multiple questions.
- Old World vs New World — Know which is which and why they taste different. Climate, tradition, and labelling all change between France and Australia.
- Oak & ageing — Cabernet = oaked. Pinot Noir = lightly oaked. Syrah/Shiraz = oaked. Merlot = oaked. All four principal black grapes see oak in their classic expressions.
- Labelling terms — Bordeaux classification terms (Grand Cru Classé, Cru Bourgeois, Bordeaux Supérieur) and Burgundy's Premier/Grand Cru are exam material.
Quick reference:
🍷 Cabernet Sauvignon — Full body, high tannin, high acid. Blackcurrant (cassis). Left Bank Bordeaux, Napa, Coonawarra.
🍇 Merlot — Medium to full body, softer tannins. Plum, black cherry. Right Bank Bordeaux (Saint-Émilion, Pomerol).
🌶 Syrah/Shiraz — Medium to full body, high tannin. Pepper, blackberry. Rhône (Hermitage, Côte Rôtie) vs Barossa.
🍒 Pinot Noir — Light body, low tannin, high acid. Red cherry, mushroom. Burgundy, Central Otago, Oregon.
Master these four and you'll crush the red wine questions. 🍷