The ultimate A-Z of grapes: P
Palomino
A white grape widely grown mainly in Spain. It’s best known for its use in the manufacture of Sherry and is split into the sub-varieties Palomino Fino, Palomino Basto, and Palomino de Jerez, of which Palomino Fino is by far the most important, being the principal grape used in the manufacture of Sherry.
Parellada
Primarily grown in Catalonia and the main grape variety for the most well-known Spanish sparkling wine, Cava.
Pecorino
Pecorino is an early-ripening white wine grape mainly grown in the Marche, Abruzzo, Umbria and Lazio regions of Italy. Not the cheese, but may be named after the sheep who graze nearby.
Pedro Ximénez
Awhite grape grown in certain regions of Spain, and also a varietal wine, an intensely sweet, dark, dessert sherry.
Petit Manseng
Petit Manseng is a white grape variation of Manseng and produces the highest quality wine of any grape in the Manseng family.
Petit Verdot
Petit Verdot is a red grape, principally used in classic Bordeaux blends. It ripens much later than the other varieties in Bordeaux, often too late, so it somewhat fell out of favour in its native region. But, when it does eventually ripen, it is added in small amounts to add tannin, colour and flavour to the blend.
It has been adopted by the New World (USA being one) where it's far better behaved, ripening more readily and is made into single varietal wine.
Petite Sirah
Petite Sirah (also called Durif) produces dark, inky colored wines that are relatively acidic with firm texture and mouth feel. The bouquet has a herbal and peppery overtone. Compared to Syrah, the wine is darker and purplish in color. The wines are very tannic with good aging ability.
Pinot Blanc
A grape from Alsace, where it is used for both still white wines and the most common variety used for sparkling wine, Crémant d’Alsace.
Pinot Grigio/Pinot Gris
A major grape in Alsace, where it is markedly different from Pinot Grigio found elsewhere. Wines made from the Pinot Gris differ quite a bit and are really dependent on the region and wine making style. Alsatian Pinot gris are medium to full bodied wines with a rich, somewhat floral bouquet.
Pinot Grigio from Italy is, generally speaking, light-bodied, lean and light in color, and often crisp and acidic.
Pinot Meunier
Pinot Meunier is a variety of red wine grape most frequently used in the production of Champagne.
Pinot Noir
Pinot noir grapes are grown around the world, mostly in cooler climates, but the grape is chiefly associated with the Burgundy region of France, particularly Côte-d’Or.
Generally, Pinot Noir tends to be of light to medium body with an aroma reminiscent of black cherry or raspberry . Traditional red Burgundy is famous for its fleshy, ‘farmyard’ oir sous bois funky aromas, but changing fashions and new easier-to-grow clones have favoured a much lighter, fruitier style.
It is also used in the production of Champagne, usually along with Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier.
Pinotage
Has a bit of a Marmite, love/hate reputation. Bred in South Africa in 1925 as a genetic cross between Pinot Noir and Cinsault.
It typically produces deep red varietal wines with smoky, bramble and earthy flavors, sometimes with notes of bananas and tropical fruit.
Piquepoul
A white wine grape grown primarily in the Rhone Valley and Languedoc regions of France. It exists both in dark-skinned (Piquepoul noir) and light-skinned (Piquepoul blanc) versions. Piquepoul blanc is the most common. In Languedoc, Piquepoul blanc is used both for blending and for varietal wines. Picpoul de Pinet is a designation or "Cru" which may be used within the Languedoc appellation for white wines made exclusively from Piquepoul blanc.
Plavac Mali
Plavac Mali is the primary red wine grape grown along the Dalmatian coast(Croatia). The name refers to the small blue berries that the vines produce. Plavac Mali is known for producing wines that are rich in flavor and high in both alcohol and tannins. Common flavors and aromas include blackberries, pepper, and spices.
Primitivo
Grown in Puglia, southern Italy. It is a very close, if not identical genetic match to Zinfandel.