6 Noble Grapes Of The Wine World (Best Bottles to Buy in 2024)

Out of around 1300 Vitis vinifera wine grape varieties, only 6 enjoy the exalted “noble grape” status. 

They are called so because they’re widely grown and the wines are hugely popular worldwide.

Apart from the six, some contemporary wine lists also mention other wine grapes like Sangiovese and Pinot Grigio as well as “noble”. Let’s explore all the prestigious red and white wine noble grapes with their characteristics and the best bottles to buy. We’ll also tell you about their aging potential and whether you should invest in them.

Red Noble Grapes 

These are the noble grapes used to produce red wine:

A. Cabernet Sauvignon

Cabernet Sauvignon is the world’s most widespread red grape, grown in almost every major wine region. It is grown across Bordeaux, Napa Valley, Italy, Spain, Australia, South Africa, and Chile.

It is the star grape of Bordeaux and the king of California wine, producing some of the most investment-worthy bottles in the world.

This grape variety is also highly versatile, displaying the potential to blend excellently with other varieties like Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Tempranillo, and Malbec.

Cabernet Sauvignon wines are full-bodied and savory red wines with high tannin and acidity. They are generally aged in oak barrels for an earthy flavor.

Best Cabernet Sauvignon Wines:

• 1992 Screaming Eagle Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley USA ($23,892): With a nose of oak and blackcurrant, this red wine has intense ripe fruit flavor, good balance, and rich tannin.

• 2013 Ghost Horse Vineyard 'Spectre' Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, USA ($5,296): This aromatic wine has elegant dark fruit and spice notes with incredible balance and a long finish.

B. Pinot Noir

Even though it is a little fussy about the terroir, Pinot Noir grapes are cultivated in all major wine regions, including Burgundy, Champagne, Oregon, California, New Zealand, and Chile.

The most celebrated Pinot Noir wines hail from Burgundy. They are elegant and luscious and reflect the region’s complex terroir. The finest Burgundies can effortlessly age for 2-3 decades, making them perfect for cellaring.

However, California, Oregon, and New Zealand are also emerging as leading Pinot Noir regions.

Pinot Noir is used to make red, white, and rose still and sparkling wines.

These wines are typically silky with low tannin and medium acidity. A winemaker may age the wines in oak barrels to balance the dark fruit flavor with earthy notes.

Best Pinot Noir Wines:

• 2011 Domaine Leroy Musigny Grand Cru, Cote de Nuits, France ($57,731): This red wine has blackberry, pomegranate, cedar, and mineral notes with lighter tannin and a dark plum finish.

• 2015 Domaine de la Romanee-Conti Romanee-Conti Grand Cru, Cote de Nuits, France ($32,166): It offers spice, toast, and ripe red and black fruit notes with silky textures and fine acidity.

C. Merlot

The world’s second most-planted red grape, Merlot produces excellent varietal wines but also works well as a blending grape.

Merlot wine is generally smooth and fruity with low tannins, medium acidity, and displays tobacco, mocha, and vanilla flavors when aged in oak barrels.

The best expression of Merlot comes from Bordeaux, especially Pomerol, where it is produced as a varietal wine. It is a key grape of the Bordeaux blend.

Merlot is also produced extensively in Northern Italy and Chile, where it is cherished as an easy-drinking and food-friendly wine. 

Furthermore, California, Washington, Australia, and South Africa craft some great Merlots as well.

Best Merlot Wines:

• 1982 Le Pin, Pomerol, France ($12,380): The 1982 Le Pin is a velvety, rich, and fruity red wine with a glorious bouquet of blackcurrant, caramel, coffee, and toast.

• 2000 Petrus, Pomerol, France ($6,326): This great wine has an aromatic nose of black cherry, truffle, liqueur, and spice, with silky tannins and a plum flavor.

D. Other Red Noble Grapes

Some red noble grape varieties include:

• Syrah: Syrah produces dry wines with flavorful pepper and dark fruit notes with medium acidity and a delicate finish.
• Grenache: Grenache produces candied wines that are light and fruity.
• Sangiovese: Sangiovese wines are aromatic with black cherry flavor and high tannin.
• Nebbiolo: Nebbiolo produces savory wines with high acidity and rich tannins.
• Tempranillo: Tempranillo makes earthy wines with tobacco notes and high tannin.
• Malbec: Malbec producescandied wines with bold blueberry and blackberry flavors.

White Noble Grapes 

Here are the white noble grapes, their characteristics, and the finest bottles to buy now:

A. Chardonnay

The most famous white wine grape, Chardonnay is regarded as a winemaker’s grape because it can adapt to diverse climates.

Chardonnay grape varietals are one of the most widely planted varieties worldwide, found in regions like Burgundy, Champagne, South America, Australia, and California.

White Burgundy is regarded as the pièce de résistance of French white wine due to its high quality and crispy flavors.

In Champagne, Chardonnay is blended with Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier to give the wine a characteristic elegance and bright citrus flavor. Furthermore, the exquisite Blanc de Blanc Champagnes are usually made with 100% Chardonnay.

Chardonnay wines can be crisp and fruity or creamy and buttery.

Best Chardonnay Wines:

• 1997 Leroy Domaine d'Auvenay Chevalier-Montrachet Grand Cru, Cote de Beaune, France ($41,601): This iconic white wine is sumptuous, buttery, and complex with great balance and striking minerality.

• 2004 Domaine Leflaive Montrachet Grand Cru, Cote de Beaune, France ($35,078): The 2004 Domaine Leflaive offers elegant floral, fruit, and spice aromas with integrated acidity, piercing mineral flavor, and a precise finish.

B. Sauvignon Blanc

A parent variety of Cabernet Sauvignon, Sauvignon Blanc is also one of the most widely planted white grape varieties. 

It is grown in Loire, Bordeaux, New Zealand, California, South Africa, and Canada.

The most famous Sauvignon Blancs include French Sancerre Blanc, Austria’s Muskat-Silvaner, and California’s Fume Blanc.

French Sauvignon Blanc is renowned for its rich mineral notes, while other Sauvignon Blancs have more fruit-forward and grassy characteristics.

These wines are full-bodied and dry with good acidity and citrus fruit flavors.

Best Sauvignon Blanc Wines:

• 2013 Screaming Eagle Sauvignon Blanc, Oakville, USA ($7,980): This Sauvignon Blanc is bold with smoky blackcurrant notes and well-integrated acidity.

• 2015 Louis-Benjamin - Didier Dagueneau Pouilly-Fume Asteroide, Loire, France ($1,618): This 2015 vintage Sauvignon Blanc wine has an intense citrus aroma, vibrant freshness, and a pure mineral expression.

C. Riesling

Riesling is one of the world’s finest and oldest white grapes.

These wine grapes are tough and drought-resistant, making them easy to grow. They are cultivated in Germany, Alsace, Italy, Austria, Australia, and Canada.

Germany’s Riesling is renowned for being among the greatest and longest-lived wines in the world. Similarly, Alsace is also widely famous for producing world-class dry Riesling wines that are wonderful expressions of the region’s terroir.

Riesling wines can be either dry or sweet. A dry Riesling wine may have citrus and mineral notes, while a sweet wine may have stone fruit and honey notes.

Best Riesling Wines:

• 2003 Egon Muller Scharzhofberger Riesling Trockenbeerenauslese, Mosel, Germany ($28,850): This dessert wine has apricot and peach aromas with good balance and a long finish.

• 1959 Joh. Jos. Prum Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Trockenbeerenauslese, Mosel, Germany ($8,689): This noble rot wine has an intense nose of orange, grapefruit, and spice with a silky mouthfeel, medium acidity, and a long mineral finish.

D. Other White Noble Grapes

These are the wine characteristics of the other white noble grapes:

• Pinot Grigio (Pinot Gris): They are dry and light-bodied wines with citrus and white fruit notes.
• Chenin Blanc: These dry to sweet wines have honeyed and floral aromas, citrus notes, and good acidity.
• Moscato (Muscat): Muscat sweet wines have low acidity and fragrant stone and citrus fruit aromas.
• Gewürztraminer: They are medium-bodied wines with complex ginger and honey notes.
• Sémillon: Semillon wines are dry to sweet with rich texture, good acidity, and citrus notes.
• Viognier: They are medium-bodied wines with intense floral and fruit aromas and a creamy mouthfeel.

Now, let’s look at whether noble grape wines make for good investments?

Should You Invest In Wines Made From Noble Grapes?

The best part about all these wines is that you’ll find options at any price point imaginable - from light, easy-drinking ones to the most expensive investment-grade bottles.

Some of the best wines made from the noble grape varieties can improve slowly over time, making them good long-term investments.

The finest Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Merlot, and Syrah red wines can age for at least a decade.

Furthermore, some of them also have an extraordinary potential as wine collectibles. The 1992 Screaming Eagle Cabernet Sauvignon was sold at $500,000 at a charity auction in 2000 after the wine achieved cult status.

Similarly, excellent quality white wines like Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, and Riesling can age for at least a decade, if not longer!

Some rare botrytised Riesling wines like the Joh. Jos. Prum can be kept for over 100 years when cellared properly.

Sign up with Vinovest to add investment-grade wines like a rare Merlot or Riesling to your portfolio.

Add A Fine Noble Grape Wine To Your Collection Now

Noble grapes are elite grape varietals that produce some of the finest and richest wines in the world.

Want to add a Pinot Noir, Syrah, Chenin Blanc, or Moscato to your collection?

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