White And Red Wine From Around The World

By Anita Hale


The grapes used in the wine-making process are known as Vitis Vinifera. There are a particular group of grapes that are most common in this. They are called "noble". These consist of a variety of red and white grapes. The names of these grapes are used in naming individual wines. Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling and Pinot Grigio are all white noble grapes. Conversely, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Grenache, Pinot Noir and Shiraz are all red noble grapes. However, there are actually thousands of different varieties of grapes that can be used to make wine.

Obviously, you can buy wine that comes from countries all over the world. However, these countries have been split into two categories. For the purpose of identification they are known as Old World and New World wine countries. Old World wine includes wine made in France, Germany, Spain, England, Romania, Austria, Greece and Italy. New World wines are made in countries that include Australia, new Zealand, America, Chile and Argentina.

France contains many famous wine-making regions. Arguably the most popular region is Bordeaux. Bordeaux produces many red wines. These are usually called Claret. It is also known for having the oldest wine classification system. This goes all the way back to 1855. But this is only used on wine made on the left bank of the Dordogne. The Loire Valley is another famous wine region in France. This is where Sancerre comes from. The appellation of Sancerre lies almost entirely on the left bank of the Loire river. It is famed mainly for producing Sauvignon Blanc. However, Pinot Noir also comes from there.

There are many other famous wine regions in Europe. One example of this is La Rioja in Spain. This produces highly sought-after red wine. However, white wine is also made in there in smaller quantities. Chianti Classico is a famed region in Italy. It produces premium quality medium-bodies wines.

We shall focus on New World wine now. California is one of the biggest New World wine-producing regions. Most wine is produced in Napa or the Sonoma Valley. Cabernet and Zinfadel are commonly grown here. However, California has also established a reputation for numerous varieties of Chardonnay. Many examples are deemed as being over-oaked and bloated.

Australia is home to the famous brand of wine known as "Jacob's Creek." But it would be unfair to class this as Australia's prime wine export. The truth is it produces many premium New World wines. For example, Shiraz is grown in McLaren Valley and the Barossa Valley. Both of these regions are in the South of Australia. You can also find some lovely examples of Semillon in the Hunter Valley. This is located in New South Wales.

In New Zealand the grape of choice is Sauvignon Blanc. It has been cultivated in the Marlborough region to produce a fresh tasting wine. Wine critics often cite this as the best tasting Sauvignon Blanc the world has to offer. In addition, the Central Otago region is getting a name for its Pinot Noir.




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