varietal

American  

[vuh-rahy-i-tl] / vəˈraɪ ɪ tl /

adjective

1. of, pertaining to, designating, or characteristic of a variety.

2. constituting a variety.

3. (in U.S. winemaking) designating a wine made entirely or chiefly from one variety of grape.

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noun

1. a varietal wine named for such a grape (distinguished from generic).

varietal British  

/ vəˈraɪɪtəl /

adjective

1. of, relating to, characteristic of, designating, or forming a variety, esp a biological variety

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noun

1. a wine labelled with the name of the grape from which it is pressed

Other Word Forms

• intervarietal adjective
• varietally adverb

Etymology

Origin of varietal

First recorded in 1865–70; variet(y) + -al ¹

Example Sentences

In the words of the eminent Australian viticulturalist Dr Richard Smart to World of Wine, even relatively small changes in temperature could “effectively rewrite regional reputations and varietal preferences.”

From Salon • May 1, 2024

MacLachlan’s Walla Walla tasting room for his Pursued by Bear wines, which opened in spring 2023, will add to its offerings this fall when a single varietal merlot joins the Twin Bear line.

From Seattle Times • Apr. 10, 2024

Sadly, it is almost impossible to trace a current varietal back to western Asia or the Caucasus, the two early domestication centers.

From Scientific American • Sep. 21, 2023

With its embrace of the international varietal of football, the U.S. is becoming a global sports hub in the same way it has long been a hub for music and film.

From Slate • Jun. 10, 2023

Varieties of the Black Walnut.—As with the butternut, there are no varieties of the black walnut in cultivation; at least, none propagated by means which will insure the perpetuation of their varietal characteristics.

From The Nut Culturist A Treatise on Propogation, Planting, and Cultivation of Nut Bearing Trees and Shrubs Adapted to the Climate of the United States by Fuller, Andrew S.