Wines from Around the World
FRANCE ITALY SPAIN PORTUGAL GERMANY AUSTRIA
AUSTRALIA NEW ZEALAND SOUTH AMERICA SOUTH AFRICA USA
While certain foods and beverages carry a general notation of their origin, like Idaho potatoes and Sumatra coffee, wine can be narrowed down to the precise plot of land where the grapes grew.
Wine makers must choose only the best, most suitable grape varieties for their type of soil, climate and locale to have a good shot at making a great wine.
And in many countries, if wine makers want their wine to wear the region’s prestigious name, they must plant only the grape varieties approved for their specific, legally defined region. This is especially true in France and Italy.
Wine regions can be categorized into Old World and New World. Old world wine regions date back to the Roman Empire era and include France, Italy, Germany, and Spain. These European regions had years to witness the impact of terroir (local soil, climate, geography, etc.) on wine production and refine their wine making methodology. They emphasize terroir and traditions in their wine making.
The New World wine regions include Australia, America, Latin America, South Africa, and New Zealand. Without years of terroir knowledge, these regions rely on technology to obtain good yield and quality wines. For example, many Austalian and Californian vineyards rely heavily on oak aging and natural compounds to enhance structure and flavor.
In general:
Old World wines, emphasizing traditions and terroirs, are earthier, more minerally, and more tannic. Relying more on technology than traditions, New World wines are fruiter, less tannic, and creamier.
Labeling:
Most New world regions label their wines by grape variety. Most Old World wine regions label their wines by appellations (regions) and not by the variety of grape used.
Many of these Old World regions have become synonymous with the wine itself. Burgundy, Bordeaux, Chablis, Chianti… all of these are regions in France or Italy famous for producing their specific brand of wine.
Rule of thumb: the more specific the appellation, the better you can expect the wine to be.
