GrapeFinder (wine & grapes)

A supporting tool for:

wine lovers to find out the grape variety of a wine by cognition with the eyes, the nose and the palate.
cooks and hosts looking for a wine with a specific structure and aroma profile.

On what base does grape?finder work?

To determine a grape variety requires trained senses, knowledge about the properties of the different grape varieties and the different methods of winemaking. According to soil, exposition, microclimate, cultivation and vinification varying type of wines may result from the same grape variety. However, most of the grape varieties show some typical colors and basic olfactory characteristics. Typical flavors of wines with ageing potential have been considered in the database of grape?finder, but it must be kept in mind that the older the wines the more difficult they can be distinguished.

Wines consisting of grape blends may show the character of a dominating variety, even if the latter is present in a low percentage. Nonetheless, a blend can generate a distinct flavor pattern which disables the recognition of the single components.

We have recorded solely wines made of a single grape variety and have assigned the aromas according to own tasting notes as well as from the literature. Flavors regarded as typical for a variety are weighted higher than other aromas which also may appear with this variety. The globalization of numerous autochthonous varieties has extended the spectrum of aroma: A nebbiolo based wine from Mexico has a deep and dense color and is far away from its original in Piedmont which shows a lighter color. Hence, grape?finder considers only tasting notes from wines which reflect most likely the basic character of a grape variety.
Which grape varieties are considered?

The BASIC version comprises well known genuine wines from 30 red and 22white grape varieties.

The ADVANCED version contains the properties from 65red and 79 white varieties.

Grape varieties almost exclusively used in blends have not been considered. Instead, varieties from regions like Croatia, Bulgaria, Georgia, Cyprus and Greece were adopted. With sweet wines, some aroma will appear more concentrated and often reflect a complete different spectrum in respect to the dry wine made from the same grape. Therefore sweet wines are not (yet) included. Grape varieties for Sherry and Madeira have been assumed if the corresponding wines were made dry and fermented without flor yeast. Rosé, white wine made from red wine grapes as well as "orange wine" (white wine fermented like reds, i.e. with mash fermentation) are not (yet) included. With sparkling wines the aromatic picture alters, whereby the vinification method (tank or bottle fermentation, i.e. carbon dioxide and / or yeast) influences nose and taste. However, some basic character gleams, so that grape?finder may bring you to the right track.
In the corner on top right hand two numbers are shown: First number: count of grape varieties which correspond to the chosen basic properties or aromas. Second number: count of number of chosen basic properties and aromas, maximum 10, thereof maximum 7 aromas. For showing the hit list of the grape varieties which best fit to the chosen spectrum of basic properties and aromas: klick on numbers in top right corner. The hit count considers a weighting of 3 (corresponding to 3 points) for matching with the basic properties and the aromas which are typical for a grape variety as programmed in the App database. 1 point will be given if the chosen level differs one level unit from the typical level. The achieved points are indicated in parenthesis.

The result list shows as first the varieties with the highest hit rate related to the typical properties for the variety. They are indicated with a distinct color from the following lower weighted and ranked hits.

Enjoy your tasting and guessing!