• Gamay

• Chardonnay

Beaujolais (Bo-zho-LAY) is a French wine producing region, known internationally for its long tradition of winemaking, and more recently for the popular Beaujolais Nouveau. While considered part of the Burgundy wine region, the climate is closer to the Rhône, and the wine is unique enough to be considered separately from Burgundy and Rhône. Like most AOC wines they are not labeled varietally. Beaujolais tends to be a very light-bodied red wine, with relatively high amounts of acidity.

The Gamay grape is the most widely planted grape in Beaujolais accounting for nearly 98% of all plantings. The characteristics that the Gamay grapes adds to Beaujolais is bluish-red deep color with low acidity, moderate tannins and light to medium body. The aroma associated with the grape itself is typically red berries.

White wines from the region, which make up only 1% of production, are made mostly with Chardonnay grapes.

• Cabernet Sauvignon
• Cabernet Franc
• Merlot
• Petit Verdot
• Malbec
• Carmenere

• Semillon
• Sauvignon Blanc
• Muscadelle
• Ugni Blanc
• Merlot Blanc
• Colombard
• Ondenc
• Mauzac

Bordeaux [bohr-DOH] is an area in southwest France considered by most wine enthusiasts to be the world's greatest wine-producing region, not only because of the superiority of the wines, but also because of the large annual production.

Red Bordeaux, also know as claret, is generally made from a blend of grapes. These grapes are Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Malbec, and Carmenere. Today Malbec is very seldom used, and Carmenere is used in tiny quantities.

As a very broad generalization, Cabernet Sauvignon dominates the blend in red wines, followed by Merlot and Cabernet Franc.

White Bordeaux is predominantly, and particularly in the case of the sweet Sauternes, made from Sémillon, Sauvignon Blanc and Muscadelle. As with the reds, white Bordeaux wines are usually blends, most commonly of Sémillon and a smaller proportion of Sauvignon Blanc. Other grape varieties used are Ugni Blanc, Colombard, Merlot Blanc, Ondenc and Mauzac.

In the late 1960s Sémillon was the most planted grape in Bordeaux. Since then plantings have declined, although it still is the most common of Bordeaux's white grapes. Sauvignon Blanc's popularity has been rising, overtaking Ugni Blanc in the late 1980s as the second most planted white Bordeaux grape with an increased growing area.

Wineries all over the world aspire to making wines in a Bordeaux style.

• Pinot Noir
• Gamay

• Chardonnay
• Aligote

Burgundy (BUR-gen-dē)wine is wine made in the Burgundy region of France. Most wine produced here is either red wine made from Pinot Noir grapes or white wine made from Chardonnay grapes, although red and white wines are also made from other grape varieties, such as Gamay and Aligoté. Small amounts of rose and sparkling wine are also produced.

Burgundy is home to some of the most expensive wines in the world,

Champagne (sham-PANE) is any effervescent white wine produced exclusively within the Champagne region of France  It is made from a blend of grapes, especially Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.  Often called black grapes, Pinot Noir actually bears a skin that is blue on the outside and red on the inside.  The juice is white, and care must be taken during harvesting so that the skin does not break and color the juice.

There are three methods of production:

(1) méthode champenoise; the traditional method by which Champagne (and some sparkling wine) is produced. After primary fermentation and bottling, a second alcoholic fermentation occurs in the bottle. This second fermentation is induced by adding several grams of yeast (usually Saccharomyces cerevisiae, although each brand has its own secret recipe) and several grams of rock sugar. According to the Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée a minimum of 1.5 years is required to completely develop all the flavour. For years where the harvest is exceptional, a millesimé is declared. This means that the champagne will be very good and has to mature for at least 3 years.

(2) the tank or bulk method, in which the wine is bottled while still fermenting slightly;

(3) the addition of carbon dioxide gas while bottling.

A Field Blend is the process of making wine from different grape varieties within a single vineyard.  It used to be a common practice to intersperse complementary grapevines in a vineyard. When all the grapes are harvested together, the resulting wine is referred to as a field blend. This practice was once widely applied in Italy, but is losing popularity.

See Variety.

• Cabernet Sauvignon
• Merlot
• Cabernet Franc
• Malbec
• Petit Verdot
• St. Macaire
• Gros Verdot
• Carmenere

• Sauvignon Blanc
• Semillon
• Muscadelle (Sauvignon Vert)

In 1988, a group of American vintners formed "The Meritage  Association" to make and identify high-quality wines made in the Bordeaux style. Although most Meritage wines come from California, there are members of The Meritage Association in 18 states and five other countries, including Argentina, Australia, Canada, Israel, and Mexico.

Most American wines are labeled after the grape variety that comprises at least 75% of that wine. A label with "Cabernet Sauvignon" indicates that the wine is comprised of 75% or more of the grape variety Cabernet Sauvignon.

Many winemakers, however, believed the varietal requirement did not necessarily result in the highest quality wine from their vineyards. "Meritage" was coined to identify wines that represent the highest form of the winemaker's art - blending.  They wanted to distinguish these wines from the more generic label of "red table wine".

"Meritage," (MARE-eh-tedge) was selected from more than 6,000 entries in an international contest to name the new wine category. Meritage is an invented word that combines the words "merit" and "heritage", which reflects the spirit of members of The Meritage Association.

To obtain a license and use the term Meritage, a wine must meet the following criteria:

A red Meritage is made from a blend of two or more of the following varieties - Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, Petit Verdot, St. Macaire, Gros Verdot and Carmenere.  No single variety may made up more than 90% of the blend.

A white Meritage is made from a blend of two or more of the following varieties - Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon and Muscadelle (Sauvignon Vert).  No single variety may make up more than 90% of the blend.

Many retailers and restaurateurs are now responding to demand for Meritage wines by stocking or listing them separately in their stores and wine lists.

New World Wines are those wines produced outside the traditional wine-growing areas of Europe, in particular from Australia, Argentina, Canada, Chile, New Zealand, South Africa and the United States.

Each of these countries have separate wine-growing heritages that go back centuries, but there are some common themes. As in 'the old country', the Church often initiated imports of wine and then promoted local viticulture to provide wine for ritual purposes.

Where immigrants came from wine-growing areas, they brought their grapevines and winemaking traditions with them. Both Australia and the U.S. made wines sold as 'port' or 'Burgundy' that were often made from Syrah or other Rhone varieties, while 'Chablis' might be made from Chenin Blanc. Since much of the wine imported into the colonies was fortified to preserve it during the sea voyage, the local markets expected their domestic wine to be similar in style, so many early wines in the New World were fortified.

The 1960s were a time of revolution in wine. California wine achieved a significant breakthrough at the Paris Wine Tasting of 1976, which saw a French jury judge a Californian wine ahead of French ones in both red and white wine categories. This competition was important in giving confidence to New World producers, particularly in North America, but also reflected some of the practices of French winemaking that had already been challenged elsewhere in Europe.

The New World treats the vineyards as a giant laboratory, growing, picking and handling grapes in the most scientific ways.  Grapes are fermented in cool conditions and the wine made in stainless steel.  The objective is the purist, most fruit-driven style of wine obtainable.

Old World styles are basically Europe (France, Germany, Italy Spain, et.al.), encompassing traditional, centuries-old methods of making wine.  The old ways of growing, harvesting, fermenting and aging wine often involve extensive use of wooden barrels.  Old World styles are usually earthier and drier and depend on structure and other factors to make their wine style.

• Carignane
• Cinsault
• Counoise
• Grenache
• Mourvedre
• Muscardin
• Syrah
• Petite Syrah
• Picpoul Noir
• Terret Noir
• Vaccarese

• Bourboulenc
• Clairette Blanc
• Grenache Blanc
• Marsanne
• Muscat Blanc
• Picardin
• Picpoul
• Roussanne
• Ugni Blanc
• Viognier

The Rhône wine region is located in Southern France and is divided into two sub-regions, the Northern Rhône and the Southern Rhône. The northern sub-region produces red wines from the syrah grape, sometimes blended with white wine grapes, and white wines from viognier grapes. The southern sub-region produces a variety of both red and white wines, often blends of several grapes such as in Châteauneuf-du-Pape.

Northern Rhone

The northern Rhône has a continental climate with harsh winters but warm summers. Northern Rhône is therefore less warm than southern Rhône, which means that the mix of planted grape varieties and wine styles are slightly different.

Syrah is the only red grape variety used in red wines from this sub-region. The grape is also widely known as Shiraz in Australia and has become very popular with consumers around the world.

Viognier, Marsanne and Roussanne are used for white wines.

The appellations in the northern Rhône are:

• Côte-Rôtie AOC - reds with Syrah and up to 20% Viognier.
• Condrieu AOC - whites with only Viognier.
• Château-Grillet AOC - whites with only Viognier.
• Saint-Joseph AOC - reds with Syrah and up to 10% Marsanne and Roussanne, whites with only Marsanne and Roussanne.
• Crozes-Hermitage AOC - reds with Syrah and up to 15% Marsanne and Roussanne, whites with only Marsanne and Roussanne.
• Hermitage AOC - reds with syrah and up to 15% Marsanne and Roussanne, whites with only Marsanne and Roussanne.
• Cornas AOC - reds with only Syrah.
• Saint-Péray AOC - sparkling and still whites with only Marsanne and Roussanne.

Northern Rhône reds are often identified by their signature green olive and smoky bacon aromas.

Southern Rhone

The southern Rhône sub-region has a more Mediterranean climate with milder winters and hot summers. Drought can be a problem in the area, but limited irrigation is used.

The southern Rhône's most famous red wine is Châteauneuf-du-Pape, a blend containing up to 13 varieties of wine grapes.  The grapes blended into southern Rhône reds may include Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre, Carignan and Cinsaut.

White wines from the southern Rhône sub-region, such as in Châteauneuf-du-Pape whites, are also typically blends of several wine grapes. These may include Ugni Blanc, Roussanne, Bourboulenc, Picpoul, and Clairette.

Sparkling Wine is a wine (not to be confused with Champagne) with a significant level of carbon dioxide making it fizzy. The carbon dioxide may result from natural fermentation, (either in a bottle, as with the méthode champenoise, or in large tanks designed to withstand the pressures involved, as in the Charmat process) or as a result of carbon dioxide injection. Wine produced outside the Champagne region of France may not be called champagne, even if made by the same methods.

The United States is a significant producer of sparkling wine. California in particular is famous for its rosé sparklers. Recently the United Kingdom has started producing world-class Champagne-style wines. Sparkling wine is usually white or rosé but there are many examples of red Australian sparkling Shiraz, some of high quality.

Super-Tuscan wines originated in the Chianti zone of Italy in the 1970s. These wines are predominantly Sangiovese combined with other grape varieties, such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Super-Tuscan wines vary greatly in style because of the different grape varieties and climates. They can vary from really good Chianti-like wines to California Cabernet-type wines, depending on the amounts of Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc and the specific vineyard areas.

Terroir (ter-wahr) is a French word used to describe special characteristics of geography. There is no fixed definition of terroir. The modern meaning of the word goes beyond mere geography to impart plant variety, the vintage and production methods and other local influences that are transmitted into the character of the wine. 

The components of terroir may include soil, drainage, sun, rain, altitude and vineyard management practices (vine spacing, fertilization, irrigation, pruning, harvesting and history of the land).  The concept of terroir means that wines from that terroir are unique and that wine produced in a particular terroir cannot be duplicated anywhere else.

Some arguments dispute that local characteristics create a wine that is truly unique and better. Terroir may cause wines to be different, but has no impact on the overall quality of the wine.

Variety refers to the grapes themselves. Such as Cabernet Sauvignon or Grenache. A wine can be made from different grape varieties and be blended together. Examples would be Meritage wines or wines from Bordeaux.

See Also: Varietal.

Varietal refers to the wine only. Varietal is used to describe a wine made from 100 percent of a single grape variety, or is legally allowed to be labeled as a wine made from a single grape variety.

In the U.S., to meet the federal requirement for a wine to be labeled as a varietal, the wine must be made from at least 75% of the grape variety stated on the label. For example, if a bottle of wine is labeled Merlot, then it is a varietal wine.  This means that it is made from at least 75% of the grape variety, merlot.

U.S. federal law allows the remaining 25% of the wine to be made from any other grape varieties. However, this does not mean that all wineries do that. Some makers will make varietal wines from 100% of one grape variety. In addition, a wine may be legally allowed to be labeled as a varietal wine, but the winery may opt for a proprietary name.

Many states in the U.S. have additional varietal wine regulations.  Oregon, as an example, requires that wines made in its borders must be made from at least 90% of a single grape variety in order for a wine to be labeled as one made from a single grape variety, i.e. a "varietal wine". 

See Also: Variety.