There are over 10,000 grape varieties, red and white, a number that keeps increasing due to new grapes obtained through grafting and other mtehods to adapt them to different “terroir”, a French word that indicated an area with unique climate and soil characteristics. The terroir is like a stamp; the terroir is what makes the same grape producing different, sometimes very, wines.

If, until a few years, there was a clear dinstinction between native and international grapes, nowadays, this distinction is becoming more and more subtle due to native grapes being “planted” all around the world. Sometimes a grape could be native in a certain area, but considered international in a different country. Examples of native grapes are Nebbiolo or Lacrima di Morro D’Alba.

International grapes on the other hand, are those that are found all over the world thanks to their versatility and adaptability. These grape varieties produce wines that possess the grape’s characteristics plus the terroir. Classic examples of internation grapes are Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot.