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Meet the wine grapes with different names

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Posted 04 Sep 2025

By
J’aime Cardillo

An image of a hand pouring white wine in the wine glass

Your cheatsheet to navigating six varieties that have other aliases.

What’s in a name? That which we call a grape by any other name would smell as sweet. Sorry – how could we not? But seriously, let’s talk about the many names often given to the same wine varieties. This isn’t about those European wines that get labelled by their regional appellation rather than variety, but actual also-known-as names. For example, did you know shiraz and syrah are the same grape? What about pinot gris and pinot grigio? Ever seen spätburgunder on a wine list? That’s actually pinot noir (mind blown!).

So, what’s with all the pseudonyms? Are they interchangeable, or does it depend on the region, country or climate? Well, the answer is yes to all of the above, so here’s your cheatsheet to some of the key wine grapes that often fly under an alias (or six, as is the case for tempranillo).

1. Shiraz vs syrahIn a nutshell, shiraz and syrah are the same grape, but they are different styles of wine (that’s a very important piece of information). Syrah’s homeland is France, while its Aussie nom de plume is shiraz. James Busby (IYKYK) is the mastermind behind bringing shiraz (well, syrah at the time) down under – and aren’t we lucky he did?! – though no one really knows how the word ‘shiraz’ popped up. While syrah is native to France, it grows all over the world and generally represents cooler-climate styles – think countries like France (obv), New Zealand, the US and Chile. Shiraz flies the flag for our warmer climates. But do they taste different? Shiraz is full-bodied (usually a touch higher in alcohol) and fruit-forward with notes of blueberries and blackberries, along with that iconic peppery note. Syrah is slightly more refined (it is French, after all) and known for its earthy and herbaceous notes, blueberries, black plums, some chocolate and a little tobacco.
2. Pinot grigio vs pinot grisOkay, so it’s no secret that pinot gris and pinot grigio are the same grape, but what you might not know is that this white wine grape – which is, in fact, a greyish-purple colour – is a mutation of the beloved pinot noir (the perfect tidbit for trivia night). So, what's with the two names? Gris and grigio are the French and Italian names respectively. Pinot grigio is light and crisp with high acidity and notes of lime, while gris is fuller-bodied and richer with higher sugar levels and notes of honey. What do the two have in common? Flavours of pear, apple, citrus and honeysuckle.
3. Grenache vs garnachaGarnacha is the Spanish name for this very food-friendly red wine variety (insert emoji of woman dancing in the red dress). Outside of Spain, where this grape is believed to have originated – though don't ask the Sardinians who call it cannonau – garnacha goes by the name grenache. Flavours? Expect strawberries, raspberries and cherries, herbs and spices like oregano and cinnamon, a little leather and tobacco. Garnacha produced from warmer regions is packed with juicy red fruits and generally has a higher ABV, while grenache from cooler regions champions those herbal notes.
4. Tempranillo vs tinta rorizAnother hero of Spain (especially in Rioja) is tempranillo. Depending on the region, this red variety can go by the following aliases: Ull de Llebre (Catalan), Cencibel (La Mancha), Tinta del Pais or Tinto Fino (Ribera del Duero) and Tinta de Toro (Toro). Over in neighbouring Portugal, where there are a lot of plantings – especially in the Douro Valley, tempranillo is known as tinta roriz (or sometimes aragonéz) and is often blended with touriga nacional to produce port wine. So yes, this is another case of the same grape and (quite) a few names, but whatever it’s called, expect flavours of cherry, dried fig, cedar, dill and tobacco. Naturally, tempranillo is crying out to be paired with your favourite tapas dishes, and it doesn’t mind a paella, either.
5. Pinot noir vs spätburgunder vs pinot neroWhat is spätburgunder? Very simply, it’s the German name for pinot noir, which, when translated, means ‘late Burgundy’ (where pinot noir originated). Pinot fans might be aware that it also goes by the nickname ‘heartbreak grape’. Why? Pinot is a tricky grape, it’s prone to disease and requires specific conditions to thrive (we have that in common), but it rewards patience. In Italy, pinot noir goes by pinot nero, for the very simple reason that ‘nero’ in Italian means black (we love a logical explanation). Whether you call it pinot noir, spätburgunder or pinot nero, it’s generally medium-bodied with higher acidity and lower tannins. You’ll taste raspberries, cherries, mushrooms and vanilla.
6. Mourvèdre vs mataro vs monastrellWhy have one name when you could have three? Mourvèdre, mataro and monastrell are each the same grape variety, just named according to region. Need the lowdown? Say no more. Mourvèdre is the French name (especially in the Rhône region); in Australia and often the US, it’s labelled under mataro (we also often use mourvèdre, too); monastrell is its Spanish name. Whichever one of the M names you go with, you can be sure to land a tannic red that loves warm climates – in Australia it thrives in the Barossa, McLaren Vale and Langhorne Creek. You may also recognise mataro as the M from your favourite GSM (grenache, shiraz, mataro – or mourvèdre).
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Authour image
J’aime CardilloJ’aime is the Editorial Content Lead at Dan’s Daily, a Western Bulldogs tragic, and has been known to swap a protein shake for a Margarita.
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LearnWinePinot GrigioGrenachePinot GrisTempranilloShirazPinot NoirRed WineWhite Wine
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