California

It's not rare to see a wine's country of origin listed as "California." A country into itself in the wine world, California makes enough varieties and styles to match many European wine countries. While it must settle for being only a state, that does not affect the high quality and diversity of its wines.

Washington

 

Oregon

 

 

Other US Regions

 

Australia

 

 

New Zealand

 

 

France - Bordeaux

 

Bordeaux. The name itself conjures up images of old, dusty bottles and decanters. And, while it is the region known for the most ageable, not to mention pricy, red wines of the world, Bordeaux has fallen from the "king of red wine" throne after a few poor vintages, rising prices and more value-driven competitors. However, once a good Bordeaux is tasted, particularly if it's an old one, you know what the hubbub is all about.

Bordeaux is most often separated into two parts –the right bank and the left bank. On the left bank, Cabernet Sauvignon rules, and the Médoc region hugs the west side of the Gironde river. Within the Médoc are the four top communes of (from north to south) St.-Estèphe, Paulliac, St.-Julien and Margaux. These communes make some pretty sought-after red wines. Below the Médoc, following the river as it turns, lies the Graves region. Named as such for its gravelly soils, Graves is home to some top white wine regions like Pessac-Léognan (for dry whites) and the sweet wine regions of Sauternes and Barsac.

The right bank of Bordeaux is where Merlot and Cabernet Franc shine best. Merlot is typically used more in the blends, particularly in the surrounding satellite regions of Bordeaux. The heart of the right bank is the city of St.-Émilion and the wine region that surrounds it. Next door is Pomerol, a small but intense red wine producer. Other areas include Côtes du Bourg & Côtes du Blaye, Fronsac & Canon-Fronsac, and Côtes de Castillon. Bordeaux has other regions that are making wine – some of it great value!

France - Rhone

 

The Rhône is separated into two parts, the Northern Rhône and the Southern Rhône. The two are vastly different. The Northern Rhône is steep and cool while the Southern Rhône is flat and hot.

Northern Rhône stretches from Vienne to Valence and contains the regions of Côte-Rotie, Hermitage, Crozes-Hermitage, Cornas, Condrieu, Château Grillet, St.-Joseph & St.-Péray. The red wines are easy to remember – they are all made from Syrah. The one and only red grape of the region. Whites are typically Viognier, although some Marsanne & Roussanne can be added in certain regions.

Southern Rhône is about 60 miles south of the Northern Rhône and there are almost no vineyards in-between. The Southern Rhône area contains the appellations of Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Tavel, Gigondas, Vacqueras, and the best known, the Côtes-du-Rhône. While Syrah is the main, and only, player in the North, the South has a slew of red varieties to use. 23 grapes (white and red) in all. Grenache is usually the primary grape in the blend, followed by Mourvèdre, Syrah and Cinsault.

France - Other Regions

 

 

Italy

 

This country has about as many wines as its had governments. With 20 different regions, hundreds of DOCs and even more indigenous varieties, the amount of wine made in Italy is mind-boggling. Luckily most of it remains in the country for thirsty Italians. Wine is food in Italy and its rare that a meal is consumed without a glass of vino. That said, it's not common to find many folks drinking wine without food either. In turn, it's a match, and a mighty good one at that. In fact, it's safe to say that Italian wine is a foodie wine – terribly food friendly.

For regions, the most popular are Tuscany (home of Chianti), Piedmont and the Tre-Venezie, which includes Veneto, Trentino Alto-Adige and Friuli. Other communes of note are in Southern Italy, and a few good wines are made elsewhere in the country. The islands of Sardinia and Sicily are members of the Italian winemaking community as well.

Spain

 

The third largest country in production, Spain ranks first in land under vine. Diversity and innovation are the key factors bringing Spain back into the world wine market.

The most popular red varieties of Spain include Tempranillo and Garnacha (Grenache). Whites don't garner quite as much recognition, but there are some regional varieties not to be missed, like Albarino and Verdejo. The popular red regions of Spain include Rioja, known for its outstanding wines of the Tempranillo grape; Ribera del Duero, producing high quality reds from Tempranillo and Garnacha; Galacia, with the sub-region of Rias Baixas, home to the deliciously crisp and floral Albarino grape; and Priorat, a region increasing in popularity with its high-quality cult reds. Other regions of note are Rueda, growing the Verdejo grape, La Mancha, a wide desert region, covered in the most planted white variety in the world, Airen, and Jumilla, making wines based on Monestrell (Mourvedre).

Spain's wine laws are based on the Denominacion de Origen (DO) classification system, devised in the 1930's. A four tiered system, the most basic level is Vina de Mesa (table wine) followed by Vino de la Tierra (country wine), DO and at the top DOC. Currently, only Rioja and Priorat have DOC status, while over 55 Dos scatter the country.

Most DO regions are classified and regulated by how long they age the wines. On a red wine label, one may find the terms Crianza, Reserva or Gran Reserva, denoting the wine's barrel and bottle time. Crianza is usually two years between barrel and bottle (the time in each depends on the DO and/or the winemaker), Reserva up to 4 years and Gran Reserva 5 – 6 years. Classifications of each region and wine are controlled by the region's Consejo Regulador.

Portugal

 

The country best known for Port, Madeira and corks is often overlooked when consumers think of red and white still wines – but take note! The table wines of the region have improved dramatically in the past few decades. The winemaking areas trickle down the country's narrow shape, bordered by the Atlantic on the west and Spain on the east.

Furthest to the north lies the region Minho, which produces the slightly spritzy white wine, Vinho Verde. Translated, it means green wine, not because the wine is green, but because it is meant to be drunk in its youth. Vinho Verde is a light, refreshing wine, low in alcohol and with a slight spritz. It can be made with a number of grapes, but the best whites are made with Alvarinho (yep, same as Spain's Albarino). Red Vinho Verde exists too, but not on the export market. For other red table wines, the three most common regions are the Douro, Dao, Bairrada and Alentejo.

In the Douro, home of Port, red wines are made from a few grape varieties including the primary port grape, Touriga Nacional as well as Tinta Roriz (Tempranillo). Still red wines from the area are good quality and contain fruity, spicy notes. The Dao and Bairrida areas use Port grapes and the local tempranillo and make high quality, good value red wines. Bairrida also makes a few sparklers. Alentejo is a super big and super hot region in the south of Portugal making reds and whites.

Israel

 

Quite possibly the region that wine was first drunk (or close to the region), Israel is not on the top of most lists for best wine regions. In fact, the conditions in the country are perfect for growing grapes, but reasons such as money, inexperience and apathy have kept the area from becoming a world-recognized wine region. That said, Israel makes some top-notch wines and the amount of vine area and quality wine production continues to increase.

In the late 1800's, Baron Edmond de Rothschild gave a generous donation to wine making in Israel. He also sent over some French grapes, including Carignan, Chenin Blanc and Muscat. These grapes are found growing throughout the country. There are five main regions in Israel, the two best known being Galilee and Samaria. The region with the most wineries and wine potential is Galilee. Within Galilee lies Golan Heights, both a sub-region and a company. As a sub-region, Golan Heights has perfect altitude and soils to grow international varieties and the wines coming out of the region are excellent. As a company, Golan Heights exports the most wine out of Israel including Yarden, Gamla and Golan. Other notable producers include Recanati, Tishbi and Barkan. These producers are making wines that are dry, complex and high-quality.

Germany

 

White Wine Guru

With some of the steepest and northernmost vineyards in the world, as well as the coolest climate, Germany does not stand out as the ideal growing region for grapes. And yet, the country is famous for producing some of the best white wines in the world, mainly Riesling. Delicate, age-worthy, intense and elegant are the typical descriptions for wines from Germany. Note that “sweet” is not a common descriptor because the idea that most German wines are sweet is just not so. More recently, the country is exporting value wines that are easy to drink, extremely food friendly and, luckily for some, containing labels that are easier to read!

The classification system of Germany is somewhat confusing. Then again, which countries are not? Wines are put into quality categories based on their ripeness level at harvest. Like the rest of the old world, there's some hierarchy to it all. The categories (that do not base on ripeness level) are: Tafelwien (table wine), Landwein (land wine, similar to France's Vin de Pays) and the first “Q” level. The next level up from Landwien, QbA wines are easy-drinking and inexpensive – the only requirement being that the wine must come from one of Germany's thirteen official wine growing regions. The final level is QmP, which is the strictest level of German wines. The qualification consists of 6 levels, based on ripeness, which may help you in picking out the wines and understanding how they might taste.

Here are a few definitions to help in picking out a German QmP wine:

 

Kabinett

The driest level, Kabinett is usually light-bodied, low to medium in alcohol, and fairly dry. Great everyday wine and able to go with most foods.

 

Spatlese

Grapes here are picked a bit later than Kabinett (Spatlese means late harvest) and have a fuller, more intense body. Most wines of this level are dry although some have a bit of sugar left over. Even still, the sugar is well-balanced by the corresponding acidity.

 

Auslese

Wines of this level are made from select grapes harvested even later than Spatlese. The grapes are selected in bunches to make sure they are of the perfect ripeness level. One step up in both body and sweetness, Auslese wines are balanced but with a bit more sweetness – they are perfect with spicy Indian food.

 

Beerenauslese

The longer the words get, the higher up in sweetness level you rise. Like Auslese, the grapes are selected individually, but while Auslese is selected bunches, Beerenauslese are selected berries, and usually berries affected by botrytis, or noble rot, so you have an even more specific wine, which, in turn, increases both its sweetness level and its price.

 

Trockenbeerenauslese

Okay, so Trocken means dry in German and yet this wine is the sweet

 

Greece

 

Much of the wine drinking culture in Europe comes from the early Greek settlers. Home to Dionysus, the God of Wine, Greece has long touted the virtues of drinking wine. With over 400 indigenous varieties, you won't find many Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay wines, although the grapes do grow here and are occasionally blended. The climate of Greece is good for growing grapes, with very warm summers and little rainfall. Most wines exported today are owned by bigger companies, like Boutari and Kourtakis. Smaller wineries are producing higher quality wine, but much of it is drunk in Greece.

The regions of Greece might remind you of reading Homer or studying ancient history. The two main larger grape-growing regions are Macedonia and Peloponnese. Some of the regional grapes to know include the whites, Assyrtico and Moscofilero as well as the reds, Agiorgitiko and Xynomavro. In the Peloponnese, there are a few sub-regions making white wines from the pink-skinned Moscofilero grape. These wines are aromatic, dry and a bit spicy in flavor. The most popular red of Peloponnese is Agiorgitiko, which can make both dry and sweet, port-like wines. Xynomavro is the red grape of Macedonia, where it produced deep, dense, earthy red wines that are often oak-aged.

South America

Chile & Argentina are the regions producing the most wine coming out of the continent. The wines from this area are good value with a distinctive taste. They create new world wines with old world character.

 

Chile

Long and thin, Chile has a lot of land north to south. The wine region here is a series of districts based near Santiago. The vineyards are protected by the Pacific on the west and the Andes mountains on the east. This could help explain why the climate changes more from east to west than north to south – also why the country has remained phylloxera free. There are many wineries in the country that were founded by large French wine companies. Seeing the potential of the country, vineyards were bought and planted by these French folks and the results tell of a smart investment. Some of these wineries include: Los Vascos, Casa Lapostolle and Cousino Macul. The inspiration may have been French, but the wines here are quite Chilean.

The main regions of Chile include Maipo (pronounced MY-poh), known for reds like Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Carmenere; Casablanca Valley, a newer region producing delicious Sauvignon Blanc, as well as other whites & some reds; Colchaugua, an even newer district creating amazing red wines from Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon, particularly in the Apalta sub-region; and Rapel Valley, settled right under Maipo and producing the same red varietals. Chilean wines are growing in exports and more consumers are enjoying the delicious values coming from the country. Red wines of the region, though they cannot be generalized, make the whole gamut of wine quality – quaffable to collectible. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot & Carmenere are the main players, some Cabernet Sauvignon showing as age-worthy as its California & French counterparts. Often at a better value. As for whites, Sauvignon Blanc is typically crisp, herbal and racy, while Chardonnay is richer in style with full-bodied texture and tropical fruit flavors.

 

Argentina

Now fifth in the world for wine production, Argentina is catching up in the quality wine sector. A long time wine producer, Argentina used to make wine in order to drink it, not export it. And so the wines produced were quaffable and rustic and made for the local's everyday dinner. Yet it's hard not to get caught up in the wine market of the world and some winemakers decided it was time for Argentina to show its stuff. Better winemaking technology was brought in, new winemaking techniques were learned and good viticulture practices flourished. The result? World-class wines with unique style and variety.

Unlike its Chilean neighbor, Argentina's vineyards are spread out around the country. The best known region is Mendoza, almost parallel to Santiago to the west. Mendoza contains the sub-regions of Maipu (pronounced MY-pu) and San Rafael. Grape-wise, the most important white is Chardonnay, making wine similar to California'a style on the variety. Another fun white grape to find is the Torrontes. Almost only grown in Argentina, Torrontes makes wines that are crisp, aromatic and easy-drinking. As for the reds, Cabernet Sauvignon is the main grape for many wines leaving the country, but Malbec, the grape Argentinians like to call their own, makes very distinctive wines that are structured, dense and velvety. Many more varieties happily grow in the country, but for export, and consistent quality, these are the primary grapes.

South Africa

A long history of growing grapes and making wine, but less of a history on exporting it, and even lesser on the quality aspect. At the turn of the century (1900, that is), a surplus of wine in South Africa created a hierarchy of cooperatives, the biggest and best known being KWV. This organization seemed to favor quantity over quality and had most control over wines and vineyards until the late 1980's. Now, with a bit more competition, quality is coming around. Yet, South African wine was not even seen in American wine stores until the mid-1990's – the trade embargo on the country for their racial apartheid laws kept South African wine out of the US. When apartheid fell, so did the embargo, and SA bottles began showing up on US shelves.

White wine has always been the cash crop of South Africa, with much of it distilled to make brandy. More white than red is planted, much of it the Steen variety – known elsewhere in the world as Chenin Blanc. Good producers are making top quality dry wines from this grape. Another grape gaining some raves is Sauvignon Blanc, producing whites that are dry and crisp, yet rounder than many of its Southern Hemisphere counterparts. For reds, the top grapes are Syrah/Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon (& blends) and Pinotage. Cabernet Sauvignon and Bordeaux blends was once the favorite and most-produced, but Shiraz is taking over as wineries crank out high quality wines from the variety. Pinotage, which used to be a grape only your mother could love, has improved dramatically and is often as delicious as it is distinctive. The most popular regions of the country include Stellenbosch and Paarl.