Grapevine research and ampelography, the science of identifying and classifying grapevines, rely on a small set of databases and reference works used worldwide by breeders, researchers and wine students alike. This page lists the ones worth knowing if you are working through the topics on the grapevine science page.
Because grape varieties exist in enormous numbers, with many synonyms, regional names and look-alikes, a reliable identification resource matters more here than in most other wine subjects. The sources below range from large institutional databases to a widely used reference book, each suited to slightly different questions.
Vitis International Variety Catalogue (VIVC)
The Vitis International Variety Catalogue is maintained by the Julius Kühn Institute's grapevine breeding research centre in Siebeldingen, Germany, and functions as the most comprehensive public database of grapevine varieties, breeding lines and wild Vitis species. It draws on contributions from institutions in dozens of countries and includes passport data, genetic marker information, synonyms and photographs for tens of thousands of entries. For questions like "is this variety the same as that one under a different name," VIVC is usually the first place to check.
OIV ampelographic descriptors
The International Organisation of Vine and Wine (OIV) publishes a standardized list of ampelographic descriptors, used internationally to characterize grapevine varieties by measurable physical traits (leaf shape, berry colour, cluster form, and so on). These descriptors underpin much of the structured data you will find in catalogues like VIVC, and are the reference point when researchers need a consistent, comparable way to describe a variety across countries and languages. Current descriptor lists and related technical documents are published through oiv.int.
Wine Grapes by Jancis Robinson, Julia Harding and José Vouillamoz
Wine Grapes: A Complete Guide to 1,368 Vine Varieties, Including Their Origins and Flavours, by Jancis Robinson, Julia Harding and José Vouillamoz, combines ampelographic and genetic research with practical tasting and winemaking context. It is written for a wine-literate but not necessarily academic audience, making it a useful bridge between a dense scientific database and a general wine course. Its entries draw heavily on DNA parentage research, much of which also feeds into catalogues like VIVC.
Checklist: verifying a grape variety claim
- Check the variety's entry in VIVC for synonyms before assuming two regional names refer to different grapes.
- When a claim involves parentage or genetic origin (e.g. "variety X is a cross of Y and Z"), look for DNA-based research cited in Wine Grapes or a peer-reviewed source, rather than older ampelographic guesses based on appearance alone.
- Use OIV descriptor terminology when comparing physical traits across sources, since informal descriptions vary widely by region and language.
- Be cautious with variety counts and figures from any single source; databases are updated at different paces and totals can shift between editions.
- Distinguish a named clone from the variety itself; clonal catalogues are a separate layer of detail from variety-level identification.
Comparing resources
| Resource | Best for | Format |
|---|---|---|
| VIVC | Variety identification, synonyms, passport and genetic marker data | Online database, continuously updated |
| OIV ampelographic descriptors | Standardized trait terminology for comparison across sources | Technical reference documents |
| Wine Grapes (Robinson, Harding, Vouillamoz) | Readable variety profiles with origin, parentage and flavour context | Printed reference book |
For microbiology, ageing and other subject-specific resources, see the general resources page.
