Agria: Has found its way into North America via British Columbia, where it is sometimes blended with Pinot Noir.

Auxerrois: Sometimes referred to as Pinot Auxerrois. A white grape valued for its low acidity, it produces exciting and long lasting wines if yields are kept low.

Bacchus: A white grape that is a cross of Riesling and Sylvaner grape varieties, it has a distinctive fruity varietal characteristic.

Baco Noir: The fruit is usually high in acid and produce wines of good quality which are usually deeply pigmented but low in tannin content.

Barbera: A few small acreages are planted in British Columbia. It produces an intense red wine with deep color, low and high acid.

Cabernet Franc: Wines made in Canada from this variety are high quality and softer than Cabernet Sauvignon. Cabernet Franc has fewer tannins and less acidity, the fruit is better suited to cooler climates.

Cabernet Sauvignon: Regarded as the top red wine grape in the world. Cabs produced in Canada are big in structure and flavour.

Cayuga: A white variety having medium body, and good balance. It lends itself to making semi-sweet wines emphasizing the fruity aromas, and is also made as a dry, less fruity wine with oak aging.

Chancellor: A red hybrid varietal once widely planted in France for table wine production.

Chardonnay: Because it is easy to grow and versatile, Canada's cooler climate regions are producing excellent Chardonnays. It is often barrel-aged but can be made in a fruit forward unoaked style as well.

Chasselas: Chasselas grapes produce light bodied, neutral wines. Home of the chasselas grape is Switzerland so they are a natural with cheese fondue. Chenin Blanc: There are small acreages in British Columbia. It makes white wines that are fragrant and high in acid. Chenin Blanc can make wines that range in style from dry to very sweet depending on decisions made by the winemaker. Because of the high acidity in wines made from Chenin Blanc, they tend to age very well.

Dornfelder: Colourful, early-ripening red producing fruity, appealing reds and grown to a limited extent in Canada.

Dunkelfelder: Its strong point is deep colour, which is useful when blended in with other grapes. On its own, the wine is fairly neutral with low acidity and is best blended with other red varieties. Grown in small amounts in British Columbia.

Ehrenfelser: Makes a good wine because of its high sugar content. Ripens earlier than Riesling and is used for table and dessert wines. Ehrenfelser has an advantage in climates like Canada, as it is less susceptible to frost. The intensely fruity, slightly muscat flavour goes well with many foods.

Gamay Noir: It produces a light lively, fruity red wine.

Gewurztraminer: Best consumed young, before 5 years. Clean, crisp and spicy perfume flavour makes it an ideal accompaniment to Asian cuisine. Late harvest grapes make tasty dessert wines.

Kerner: Originating as a cross between Trollinger, a red grape and Riesling a white grape. Wine produced has a light Muscat bouquet and a lively acidity.

Lemberger: Cold-hardy red wine grape with mild tannins and a chocolate raspberry flavour. Wines made from this grape can often have low levels of histamines.

Leon Millot: It has characteristic berry flavours and is known for its ability to increase the color intensity of red wine.

Madeleine Angevine: Designed for northern planting, it flowers late but is an early, reliable grape. It is useful for blending and it ages well. With its relative low acidity, it blends well with higher acid varieties. On its own it produces wines that are light and fruity with a pronounced muscatty bouquet.

Madeleine Sylvaner: A very early ripening varietal, it can be too early in hot locations. Produces large clusters of fruit and has a pleasant flavour with some floral notes. Best suited for the coolest sites - North Okanagan, Shuswap and Vancouver Island.

Malbec: There are small plantings of this varietal in the Okanagan Valley of BC.

Marechal Foch: Thrives in Canada as it has cold tolerance to -200 F. Medium in structure and fruity with dark berry flavours and deep, vibrant color. This hybrid varietal has had much success in some areas (Okanagan Valley).

Merlot: Wine made from this variety is similar to Cabernet Sauvignon though softer and it ages more rapidly. It is easily the most popular red grape variety in British Columbia. It is characterised by strong berry flavours and smooth tannins.

Muller Thurgau: A white grape, usually produces dry to semi-dry wines and is lightly aromatic. Muller-Thurgau is a variety that was created in the late 19th century as a cross between Riesling and Sylvaner. It is early maturing and can grow well in cool climates.

Muscats: A wide family of white grapes that produce very aromatic, almost floral notes in wines from dry to very sweet.

Optima: A white varietal An early ripening variety that achieves high must weights, and therefore suitable for 'late harvest' wines. Ortega: This vine suits a more northerly climate with a shorter growing season (North Okanagan BC, Vancouver Island). It produces very full flavours and high natural sugars and has been used for late harvest wines.

Petite Verdot: A quality red varietal grown on small acreages in British Columbia. It is used mostly as a blending component in Meritage style blends.

Pinot Blanc: This is a mutation of Pinot Gris. There are various strains of this grape. The grape produces wine with good and full fruit flavours and crisp acidity with notes of apple and pear.

Pinot Gris: White grape produces wines that are medium bodied with nice floral aromas. It can be made in a barrel-aged or unoaked style.

Pinot Meunier: Red grape primarily used for Champagne. It resembles Pinot noir and is among the most winter hardy of the red Pinot family. Produces a light, fruity wine in British Columbia.

Pinot Noir: The grape can yield spicy, complex wines or fruity, light to medium wines with notes of red cherry and berry. With delicate yet intense flavour, Pinot Noirs go well with most foods.

Pinotage: It was developed and is grown in South Africa primarily. It makes smooth textured wines with lots of fruit flavours, but can be high in tannins. Pinotage is a cross of Pinot Noir and Cinsault. Small plantings of this varietal exist in the Okanagan. Riesling: Regarded as the world's greatest white table wine variety. Of all white grape varietals can age successfully for decades. Can be made into excellent quality ice wine.

Rotberger: A cross between Trollinger and Riesling grapes that produces a light, lively wine. Usually made into rose´ wine.

Sangiovese : Planted in very small acreages in the southern Okanagan Valley with good success.

Sauvignon Blanc: Sharp, tangy, gooseberry flavour. Often blended with Semillon to make White Meritage.

Scheurebe: A white grape variety cross of Riesling and Sylvaner varieties. It produces wines that are crisp due to its lively acidity, very aromatic and very fruity.

Schonburger: Found in cool climates. Other names are Rosa Muskat and Geisenheim. Produces full-flavoured, fruity wines.

Semillon: It is the second most important white wine variety used in the Bordeaux. Often blended with Sauvignon Blanc to make white Meritage, it generally produces a dry white wine with lemon and pear flavours and occasionally green herbaceous notes.

Seyval Blanc: Well suited to cool climates. Reliably productive and early ripening, Seyval Blanc is made into crisp white wines, or sometimes into off-dry versions where the tart nature of the variety is balanced with residual sugar.

Siegerrebe: A white grape rhat ripens very early and has good winter cold hardiness. The wine is very fruity.

Saint Laurent: A highly aromatic dark wine grape of the same family as Pinot Noir. Wine produced from St. Laurent is said to be similar to the higher-quality> It products a medium body wine with aromas of forest berries and black cherries.

Syrah or Shiraz: A red grape stronger and more age worthy than Cabernet Sauvignon. Wines produced hold the flavours of blackberries, black currants and plums. Silky texture and gamey when fully mature.

Traminer: It has spiciness and fruity character. It is prone to bud damage in hard winters, and the vines have a somewhat shorter life span than other varieties. Grown in very small amounts in the central Okanagan Valley.

Vidal Blanc: A hybrid, the fruit produces a wine that is Riesling like in taste. The wine is balanced between fruity and floral.

Viognier: This white wine grape is experiencing resurgence in popularity. Layered flavours of apricots, peaches, mandarin orange and flowers are characteristic. The wines produced have a medium body, perfumed and exotic taste.

Zweigelt: A red grape widely grown onsmall acreages grown in Canada. Wine produced in Canada from this grape is light, fruity and spicy with a long finish. Most Zweigelt is drunk young.