TABLE OF CONTENTS
Best Western European Berries Types
Primitivo is an Italian grape variety with quite interesting origins. Research conducted in 1994 proved that the grape is identical to Californian Zinfandel, while it was later discovered that both grapes originated from an old and obscure Croatian grape Crljenak Kaštelanski.
Despite the same lineage, these grapes are influenced by their terroir, and they can slightly differ in character. In Italy, Primitivo is mostly cultivated in Apulia, where it is used in the appellation Primitivo di Manduria. Primitivo is a somewhat rustic wine, dark, intense, and rich in tannins that tend to mellow with age.
VARIATIONS OF Primitivo
Gewurztraminer is a pink-skinned grape that produces some of the most aromatic and complex white wines in the world. The exact origin of Gewurztraminer is hard to trace, but the grape is related to Traminer family that is cultivated across Europe, and although Gewurztraminer has shown success in Germany, Austria, Australia, Washington and California, the French Alsace region remains its foreground.
Alsace produces varietals that are rich and typically deeply colored, often low in acidity and high in alcohol with exotic aromas of lychee and rose petals. Their character and the body heavily depends on the terroir and ripeness of the grapes, and they may range from dry to off-dry and sweet styles.
THE BEST Gewurztraminer d'Alsace Wine Varieties
Weingut Hans Wirsching
Iphöfer Kalb Gewürztraminer Trockenbeerenauslese
Frankfurt International Trophy - Grand Gold 2022
Weingut Ökonomierat Petgen-Dahm
Petgen-Dahm Gewürztraminer-Sekt b.A. "Les deux dames" klassische Flaschengärung
Asia Wine Trophy - Grand Gold 2017
Barbera is the most common grape in Piedmont and the third most-planted grape in the country. It is used in varietals and blends. Nowadays, it is considered to have great potential to produce excellent quality wines, although it was once considered as a grape designated for rustic, everyday wine.
Dark Barbera-based wines are typically low in tannins and high in acidity. The flavors usually include a combination of raspberries, blackberries, cherries, and strawberries, sometimes with a hint of spices. Oak-aging will typically improve the tannin structure in Barbera wines.
Nero d’Avola is an indigenous Sicilian red grape, whose name, meaning the black of Avola, refers to its distinctive dark color. For most of the 20th century, Nero d'Avola was used as a blending grape, but in the 1990s winemakers started making high-quality, bold varietal wines.
Nero d’Avola wines are typically produced as dense and dark, with flavors reminiscent of black fruit and chocolate, or as young and fresh wines that are characterized by cherry and herbal notes. They are high in tannins and pair well with rich meat dishes, hearty stews, and barbecued meat.
Sangiovese is a red grape variety indigenous to Italy that is predominantly grown in Tuscany, but also in other central and southern regions, from Romagna down to Lazio, Campania, and Sicily. It is best known as the main grape used in Chianti or Vino Nobile di Montepulciano and as the only grape in the prestigious Brunello di Montalcino.
Though its flavor profile may be influenced by the terroir, Sangiovese based wines are rich in tannins and high in acidity, while their flavor is savory, and may range from rustic to fruity, with typical notes of cherries, dark stone fruit, spices, tobacco, and dry herbs.
THE BEST Sangiovese Wine Varieties
Pinot Gris, also known as Pinot Grigio and Grauburgunder, is a white grape variety whose origins are believed to be in Burgundy, but the grape has shown amazing potential in Alsace—the region with which it is mostly associated nowadays.
In Alsace, Pinot Gris is considered a noble grape. In the past, it was mistakenly related with Hungarian Tokaj, and it was often called Tokaj d'Alsace. The wines made from Pinot Gris considerably differ in character than those found in other wine-growing regions.
Viognier is a grape variety with unclear origins that found its home in the northern Rhône, where it has been cultivated for centuries. It is best known as the single varietal used in the Condrieu appellation, though it is also used as a blending variety in Côte-Rôtie.
The grape makes heavily perfumed, mostly full-bodied wines whose character may range from light to rich and creamy. Typical flavors found in most Viognier wines include peach and apricots, while the aromas may range from lighter expressions of stone fruit, honeysuckle, and spring blossom to heartier notes of vanilla and spices.
Although Syrah is an internationally known grape that is planted worldwide, it attains distinctive character in northern Rhône—which is often dubbed as Mecca for Syrah. There are several theories about the origin of the grape, but it has been widely accepted that Syrah is native to France and that it probably originated somewhere in the Rhône valley.
Syrah-based wines from northern Rhône often differ in style, but they are powerful, full-bodied reds that can age exceptionally well. They usually display aromas of dark fruit that evolve into peppery, earthy, and herbaceous nuances. Northern Rhône is also home to the premier Syrah-based appellations such as Côte Rôtie, Hermitage, Saint-Joseph, Crozes-Hermitage, and Cornas.
THE BEST Syrah Wine Varieties
Garnacha, also known as Grenache in France, is a widely cultivated red wine grape variety known for producing wines with rich, fruity flavors and high alcohol content. It is one of the most versatile and widely planted grape varieties in the world, thriving in warm, dry climates.
Garnacha grapes are typically medium to large in size with thin skins, which contribute to the grape's characteristic light color and relatively low tannin levels. Wines made from Garnacha often exhibit flavors of red fruits such as raspberry, strawberry, and cherry, along with spicy notes of white pepper, cinnamon, and hints of herbs and earthiness.
THE BEST Garnacha Wine Varieties
Nebbiolo is the highly-praised Italian grape that is mostly cultivated and gives the best results in its native Piedmont. Wines made with this red-skinned grape tend to be powerful, age-worthy, and high in tannins as well as acidity. Distinctive aromas found in Nebbiolo wines are often described as tar and roses, with the accompanying notes of cherries, violets, leather, truffles, licorice, and undergrowth.
The grape is mostly used as a varietal, and it is best known as the backbone of the exceptional and expensive Barolo and Barbaresco. A small amount of Nebbiolo is also cultivated in California and Australia. Nebbiolo-based wines should be paired with rich meat dishes, but they can also work well with acidic or mushroom-based sauces, moderately spicy Asian cuisine, truffles, and aged cheese.
THE BEST Nebbiolo Wine Varieties
TasteAtlas food rankings are based on the ratings of the TasteAtlas audience, with a series of mechanisms that recognize real users and that ignore bot, nationalist or local patriotic ratings, and give additional value to the ratings of users that the system recognizes as knowledgeable. For the “Top 100 Western European Berries” list until April 23, 2025, 1,140 ratings were recorded, of which 936 were recognized by the system as legitimate. TasteAtlas Rankings should not be seen as the final global conclusion about food. Their purpose is to promote excellent local foods, instill pride in traditional dishes, and arouse curiosity about dishes you haven’t tried.