Variety Versus Varietal

Who doesn’t love a good wine-themed grammar question? In our Name That Wine mailbox, we recently received just such a question from one of our viewers. A certain Thom Heil asked us about the difference between the words “variety” and “varietal.”

I was very excited to receive this question, because goodness knows, I see the word “varietal” misused time and time again, even by highly respected wine writers. Many people feel free to use the words “variety” and “varietal” interchangeably, but no such freedom exists. The words mean two different things, and they are two different parts of speech.

Alas, the incorrect use of “varietal” has become quite common, and it’s likely only a matter of time before dictionaries capitulate and accept the change. I know I’m fighting a losing battle against varietal abuse. But I keep praying to St. Jude in the hope that he will come to my aid.

To find out what the difference between a variety and a varietal is, check out our short and mostly non-judgmental video on the subject:

For more hot wine vocabulary action, check out this post about Potentially Confusing Wine Terms.

Videos