French Wine - A Guide to the Wines of France French Wine Shop all wines from France Join the France group Perhaps no country evokes such strong associations with fine wine as does France. Its reputation has led to worldwide imitation. Many varieties that are now considered international, such as Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay, are French, and winemaking pioneers in New World regions such as California and Chile look to the great wines of France as their benchmark. France has been making wine since approximately 600 BC, and was its largest producer until it was passed by Italy in 2008. With over 800,000 hectacres under vine, it has the largest vineyard area in the world after Spain. It is, however, the world’s largest producer of fine wines. AC wines constitute over 45 percent of its production, compared with 12 to 15 percent of Italy’s, for example. One advantage France has over other wine-producing countries is the great variety of growing climates it encompasses. Its south has a Mediterranean climate, with a warm sun that can be relied on to fully ripen grapes.

Western France Read more » Perhaps no country evokes such strong associations with fine wine as does France. Its reputation has led to worldwide imitation. Many varieties that are now considered international, such as Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay, are French, and winemaking pioneers in New World regions such as California and Chile look to the great wines of France as their benchmark. France has been making wine since approximately 600 BC, and was its largest producer until it was passed by Italy in 2008. With over 800,000 hectacres under vine, it has the largest vineyard area in the world after Spain. It is, however, the world’s largest producer of fine wines. AC wines constitute over 45 percent of its production, compared with 12 to 15 percent of Italy’s, for example. One advantage France has over other wine-producing countries is the great variety of growing climates it encompasses. Its south has a Mediterranean climate, with a warm sun that can be relied on to fully ripen grapes. Western France, which includes the Loire Valley, enjoys the mellowing influence of the Gulf Stream.

In eastern France, the climate is more continental, giving us the great wine-producing regions of Burgundy, Champagne, and Alsace. Begun in 1935, France’s system of wine laws, the Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée, or AC, codifies the most important concept in French wine, that of terroir. Terroir refers to the unique combination of geology, climate, and vintage that gives a wine its character. In other words, wine expresses place. The Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée system is overseen by the Institut National des Appellations d’Origine, or INAO. It regulates the boundaries of each region, as well as yield, winemaking and viticultural methods, ripeness and alcoholic strength, and grape varieties. The goal is typicité -- the achievement of typical expression for a particular appellation. Most wines imported into the United States from France are at the highest quality level -- the AC. These are wines labeled with the name of their appellation, such as Bordeaux or Champagne. Below this are Vin de Table and Vin de Pays.

They are subject to less stringent restrictions than AC wines, but are allowed to make much less specific claims regarding the origin of the wine. Vin de Table may only be labeled with the name of the producer and the name of the country of origin; Vin de Pays can carry the name of the broader region, as well as the vintage and grape variety. Since wine expresses place, the more specific the claim of origin, the greater the prestige the wine has. France’s viticultural history has not been without its trials. In the early 1860s, the root-feeding aphid known as phylloxera was inadvertently imported from the United States. In just a few years, it wiped out the majority of France’s vineyards. When they were replanted, the French vines were grafted onto American rootstock, which is resistant to the pest. Today, France is again in crisis. With sharply falling consumption at home and greater competition abroad, France’s vignerons, especially those who make high-production, low-quality wine, have found themselves with a significant surplus -- a “wine lake.” Some solutions have included mandatory distillation and the reduction of vineyard area.

Producers from the fertile Languedoc, a traditional source of inexpensive wines, have been hit hardest, leading some to stage protests and sabotage the importation of foreign wines. France’s great classic wines continue to find an audience, however. The most prestigious Bordeaux, Burgundy, and Champagne continues to command eye-poppingly high prices. And some producers from lesser-known regions have found cult success by increasing the quality of their production. France exports more than 15 million hl of wine yearly, and consumers worldwide continue to discover the vast diversity of wine styles it can offer. Wine Varietals A-Z ‹ Wines.com Types of wine A-Z What’s on the label Wine “varietals” simply means wine made from a specific winegrape. Varietal wines in the United States are often named after the dominant grapes used in making the wine. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Chardonnay, Riesling, Pinot Noir, and Chenin Blanc are examples of grape varieties.

When a wine bottle shows a varietal designation on the label (like Merlot) it means that the wine in the bottle is at least 75% that grape variety (at least 75% Merlot, for example).* Showing a varietal on the label tells the consumer what to expect from the flavor of the wine. That’s why learning about basic varietals in important. Wine labels in the U.S. often also give information on location like the Mondavi “Napa Valley” Cabernet Sauvignon shown here. This indicates that the Cabernet grapes in this wine were grown in the “Napa Valley” official wine region (Viticutural Area or appellation). Wines are not required to carry varietal designations and cannot legally do so if the wine is a blend where no varietal is dominant (more than 75%). This is often the case. Then labels (in the U.S.) will often show the percentages of grapes used to make the blend. Other more generic names are used to identify wine without any information on the type of grape used or where it was grown. Examples are Red Wine, White Wine, Table Wine, Blush Wine, etc..

Place of origin designations Designations such as Chablis or Chianti indicate wines similar to the wines originally made in geographic regions indicated by those names. Chablis was originally a product of France and Chianti, a product of Italy. Such wines must include an appellation of origin to indicate the true place of origin. Some wines are designated with distinctive names which are permissible only on specific wines from a particular place or region within the country of origin. For example, Pommard from France and Rudesheimer from Germany. COMMON WINE TYPES Spanish white wine grape that makes crisp, refreshing, and light-bodied wines. Aligoté White wine grape grown in Burgundy making medium-bodied, crisp, dry wines with spicy character. Amarone From Italy’s Veneto Region a strong, dry, long- lived red, made from a blend of partially dried red grapes.

Arneis A light-bodied dry wine the Piedmont Region of Italy Asti Spumante From the Piedmont Region of Italy, A semidry sparkling wine produced from the Moscato di Canelli grape in the village of Asti Auslese German white wine from grapes that are very ripe and thus high in sugar Banylus A French wine made from late-harvest Grenache grapes and served with chocolate or dishes with a hint of sweetness. By law the wine must contain 15 percent alcohol. Barbaresco A red wine from the Piedmont Region of Italy, made from Nebbiolo grapes it is lighter than Barolo. Bardolino A light red wine from the Veneto Region of Italy. Blended from several grapes the wine garnet in color, dry and slightly bitter, sometimes lightly sparkling. Barolo Highly regarded Italian red, made from Nebbiolo grapes. It is dark, full-bodied and high in tannin and alcohol. Ages well. Beaujolais Typically light, fresh, fruity red wines from and area south of Burgundy, near Lyons, in eastern France.

Areas: Beaujolais-Blanc, Beaujolais Villages, Brouilly, Chénas, Chiroubles, Fleurie, Juliénas, Mouliné-àVent, Morgon, Regnie, Saint Amour. Blanc de Blancs Champagne or white wine made from white grapes. Blanc de Noirs White or blush wine or Champagne made from dark grapes. Blush American term for rosé. Any wine that is pink in color. Boal or Bual Grown on the island of Madeira, it makes medium-sweet wines. Brunello This strain of Sangiovese is the only grape permitted for Brunello di Montalcino, the rare, costly Tuscan red. Luscious black and red fruits with chewy tannins. Cabernet Franc Red wine grape used in Bordeaux for blending with Cabernet Sauvignon. It is an earlier-maturing red wine, due to its lower level of tannins. Light- to medium-bodied wine with more immediate fruit than Cabernet Sauvignon and some of the herbaceous odors evident in unripe Cabernet Sauvignon.

Cabernet Sauvignon Currant, Plum, Black Cherry & Spice, with notes of Olive, Vanilla Mint, Tobacco, Toasty Cedar, Anise, Pepper & Herbs. Full-bodied wines with great depth that improve with aging. Cabernet spends from 15 to 30 months aging in American & French Oak barrels which tend to soften the tannins, adding the toasty cedar & vanilla flavors. Carignan Known as Carignane in California, and Cirnano in Italy. Once a major blending grape for jug wines, Carignan’s popularity has diminished though it still appears in some blends. Old vineyards are sought after for the intensity of their grapes. Carmenere Also known as Grande Vidure, once widely planted in Bordeaux. Now primarily associated with Chile. Carmenere, was imported to Chile in the 1850’s. Carmenere has been frequently mislabeled snf many growers and the Chilean government consider it Merlot. Cava Spanish sparkling wine. Produced by the méthode champenoise. Charbono Mainly found in California (may possibly be Dolcetto), this grape has dwindled in acreage. Often lean and tannic.

Few wineries still produce it. Champagne Champagne is the only wine that people accept in such a multitude of styles. Champagnes can range from burnt, carmely oxidized to full bodied fruit and yeast characters to light and citrusy, and everything in between. Then each of these wines can be altered in its amount of residual sweetness from a bone-chilling dryness to sugar syrup. Bottle age will also alter the weight and character of each of these styles. Chardonnay Apple, Pear, Vanilla, Fig, Peach, Pineapple, Melon, Citrus, Lemon, Grapefruit, Honey, Spice, Butterscotch, Butter & Hazelnut. Chardonnay takes well to Oak aging & barrel fermentation and is easy to manipulate with techniques such as sur lie aging & malolactic fermentation. Châteauneuf-du-Pape The most famous wines of the southern Rhône Valley, are produced in and around the town of the same name (the summer residence of the popes during their exile to Avignon). The reds are rich, ripe, and heady, with full alcohol levels and chewy rustic flavors.

Although 13 grape varieties are planted here, the principal varietal is Grenache, followed by Syrah, Cinsault and Mourvèdre (also Vaccarese, Counoise, Terret noir, Muscardin, Clairette, Piquepoul, Picardan, Rousanne, Bourboulenc). Chenin Blanc Native of the Loire where it’s the basis of the famous whites: Vouvray, Anjou, Quarts de Chaume and Saumer. In other areas it is a very good blending grape. Called Steen in South Africa and their most-planted grape. California uses it mainly as a blending grape for generic table wines. It can be a pleasant wine, with melon, peach, spice and citrus. The great Loire wines, depending on the producer can be dry and fresh to sweet. Chianti From a blend of grapes this fruity, light ruby-to-garnet-colored red may be called Chianti Riserva when aged three or more years. Chianti Classico From a designated portion of the Chianti wine district. To be labeled Chianti Classico, both vineyard and winery must be within the specified region.

Claret British term for red Bordeaux wines. Colombard (French Colombard) The second most widely planted white variety in California, nearly all of it for jug wines. It produces an abundant crop, nearly 11 tons per acre, and makes clean and simple wines. Constantia This legendary sweet wine from South Africa, was a favorite of Napoleon. It comes from an estate called Groot Constantia. Cortese White wine grape grown in Piedmont and Lombardy. Best known for the wine, Gavi. The grape produces a light-bodied, crisp, well-balanced wine. Dolcetto From northwest Piedmont it produces soft, round, fruity wines fragrant with licorice and almonds. Eiswein “Ice wine,” A sweet German wine, made from grapes that have frozen on the vine. Freezing concentrates the sugars in the grapes prior to harvesting. Frascati An Italian fruity, golden white wine, may be dry to sweet. Fumé Blanc see Sauvignon Blanc Gamay Beaujolais makes its famous, fruity reds exclusively from one of the many Gamays available, the Gamay Noir à Jus Blanc.

Low in alcohol and relatively high in acidity, the wines are meant to be drunk soon after bottling; the ultimate example of this is Beaujolais Nouveau, whipped onto shelves everywhere almost overnight. It is also grown in the Loire, but makes no remarkable wines. The Swiss grow it widely, for blending with Pinot Noir; they often chaptalize the wines. Gamay Beaujolais A California variety that makes undistinguished wines. Primarily used for blending. Gattinara A Piedmont red made from Nebbiolo blended with other grapes. Powerful and long-lived. Gewürztraminer A distinctive floral bouquet & spicy flavor are hallmarks of this medium-sweet wine. Grown mainly in Alsace region of France & Germany, and also in Californ>ia, Eastern Europe, Australia, and New Zealand. Grappa An Italian spirit distilled from pomace. Dry and high in alcohol, it is an after dinner drink. Grenache Used mainly for blending and the making of Rose and Blush Wines in California, while in France it is blended to make Chateauneuf-du-Pape. Originally from Spain is the second most widely grown grape in the world.

It produces a fruity, spicy, medium-bodied wine. Johannisberg Riesling See Riesling Kir An aperitif from the Burgundy Region of France. A glass of dry white wine and a teaspoon of crème de cassis make this popular drink. To make Kir Royale, use champagne or sparkling wine. Lambrusco A fizzy, usually red, dry to sweet wine from northern Italy, made from the grape of the same name. Liebfraumilch A blended German white, semisweet and fairly neutral, which accounts for up to 50 percent of all German wine exports. Madeira A fortified wine named for the island on which its grapes are grown. The wine is slowly heated in a storeroom to over 110ºF, and allowed to cool over a period of months. Styles range from dry apéritifs, from the Sercial grape, to rich and sweet Boal and Malmsey. Malbec Once important in Bordeaux and the Loire in various blends, this not-very-hardy grape has been steadily replaced by Merlot and the two Cabernets. However, Argentina is markedly successful with this varietal.

In the United States Malbec is a blending grape only, and an insignificant one at that, but a few wineries use it, the most obvious reason being that it’s considered part of the Bordeaux-blend recipe. Marc A distilled spirit made from pomace that is known by different names around the world. Italy calls it grappa; in Burgundy, Marc de Bourgogne; in Champagne, Marc de Champagne. Dry and high in alcohol, typically an after dinner drink. Marsala Made from Grillo, Catarratto, or Inzolia grapes, this Sicilian wine may be dry or sweet and is commonly used in cooking. Marsanne A full-bodied, moderately intense wine with spice, pear and citrus notes. Popular in the Rhône & Australia (especially Victoria) has some of the world’s oldest vineyards. California’s “Rhône-Rangers” have had considerable success with this variety. Mead Common in medieval Europe, a wine made by fermenting honey and water. Wine makers now making flavored meads. Meritage Registered in 1989 with the U.S.

Department of Trademarks and Patents by a group of vintners, who sought to establish standards of identifying red & white wines made of traditional Bordeaux grape blends. They needed a name for these wines since 75% of a single variety is not used, therefore the label could not state a particular variety of grape. Meritage was chosen because it was a combination of two words, merit and heritage. To be called a meritage, the wine must: Blend two or more Bordeaux grape varieties: Red wines/ Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Carmenere, Gros Verdot, Malbec, Merlot, Petite Verdot & St. Macaire. White wines/ Sauvignon Blanc, Muscadelle and Sémillon. Have less than 90% of any single variety. Be the winery’s best wine of its type. Be produced and bottled by a United States winery from grapes carrying a U.S. appellation. Be limited to a maximum of 25,000 cases produced per vintage. Merlot Herbs, Green Olive, Cherry & Chocolate. Softer & medium in weight with fewer tannins than Cabernet and ready to drink sooner. Takes well to Oak aging.

It is frequently used as a blending wine with Cabernet to soften Montepulciano A medium to full-bodied wine, with good color and structure. Known for its quality and value. Moscato see Muscat Mourvedre A pleasing wine, of medium-weight, with spicy cherry and berry flavors and moderate tannins. Often used in Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Müller-Thurgau A cross of two grapes, Sylvaner and Riesling. Mainly grown in Germany, Northern Italy, and New Zealand. Light in color, and can be dry to medium dry. Muscat Also known as Muscat Blanc and Muscat Canelli. With pronounced spice and floral notes it can also be used for blending. A versatile grape that can turn into anything from Asti Spumante and Muscat de Canelli to a dry wine like Muscat d’Alsace. Nebbiolo The great grape of Northern Italy, which excels there in Barolo and Barbaresco, strong, ageable wines. Mainly unsuccessful elsewhere, Nebbiolo also now has a small foothold in California. So far the wines are light and uncomplicated, bearing no resemblance to the Italian types.

Petit Verdot From the Bordeaux Region of France it is used for blending with Cabernet Sauvignon. Petite Sirah Plum & blackberry flavors mark this deep, ruby colored wine. Usually full-bodied with chewy tannins. Used in France & California as a blending wine. Not related to the Syrah of France. Pinot Blanc Similar flavor and texture to Chardonnay it is used in Champagne, Burgundy, Alsace, Germany, Italy and California and can make a excellent wines. It can be intense, and complex, with ripe pear, spice, citrus and honey notes. Pinot Grigio/Pinot Gris At its best this varietal produces wines that are soft, perfumed with more color than most other white wines. Grown mainly in northeast Italy, but as Pinot Gris it is grown in Alsace & known as Tokay. Pinot Meunier Grown in the Champagne region of France, it is blended with Pinot Noir and Chardonnay to add fruit flavors to champagne. Pinot Noir This is the great, noble grape of Burgundy. Difficult to grow but at its best it is smooth & richer than Cabernet Sauvignon with less tannin.

Raisin like flavors with undertones of black cherry, spice & raspberry. Widely used in the making of champagne sparkling wines. Pinotage A cross between Pinot Noir and Cinsault. Grown in South Africa. Fermented at higher temperatures and aged in new oak for finesse and wonderful berry flavors. Port Fortified wine from the Douro region of Portugal. Styles include: Late Bottle (LB), Tawny, Ruby, Aged, and Vintage. Mostly sweet and red. Retsina Dry white Greek wine flavored with pine resin. Dating back to ancient Greece, it is an acquired taste. Dominant flavor is turpentine. Riesling Flavors of apricot & tropical fruit with floral aromas are characteristics of this widely varying wine. Styles range from dry to sweet. Rosé Sometimes called blush. Any light pink wine, dry to sweet, made by removing the skins of red grapes early in the fermentation process or by mixing red and white Roussanne A white wine grape of the northern Rhône Valley, mainly for blending with the white wine grape Marsanne. Sangiovese Known for its supple texture, medium to full-bodied spice flavors, raspberry cherry & anise.

Sangiovese is used in many fine Italian wines including Chianti. Sauterns A blend of mostly Sémillon and Sauvignon Blanc grapes, affected by Botrytis cinerea, which concentrates the wine’s sweetness and alcohol. Sauvignon Blanc Grassy & herbaceous flavors and aromas mark this light and medium-bodied wine, sometimes with hints of gooseberry & black currant. In California it is often labeled Fume Blanc. New Zealand produces some of the finest Sauvignon Blancs in a markedly fruity style. Sémillon The foundation of Sauternes, and many of the dry whites of Graves and Pessac-Léognan. It can make a wonderful late-harvest wine, with complex fig, pear, tobacco and honey notes. As a blending wine it adds body, flavor and texture to Sauvignon Blanc. It may be blended with Chardonnay, but does not add much to the flavor. Sherry Fortified wine from the Jerez de la Frontera district in southern Spain. Palomino is the main grape variety, with Pedro Ximénez used for the sweeter, heavier wines.

Drier Sherries are best served chilled; the medium-sweet to sweet are best at room temperature. Ranging from dry to very sweet, the styles are: Manzanilla, Fino, Amontillado, Oloroso, Pale Cream, Cream, Palo, and Pedro Ximénez. Shiraz/Syrah Black cherry, spice, pepper, tar & leather with smooth tannins & supple texture make this wine a growing favorite. With early drinking appeal it also has the ability to age well to form more complex wines. Soave A straw-colored dry white wine Italy’s Veneto Region. Symphony Symphony is a U. C. Davis clone. In 1948, the Muscat of Alexandria and Grenache Gris grapes were combined to create this delicate Muscat flavor. It’s very distinctive Tokay A light, semidry red from Italy’s Veneto Region, typically drunk young. Verdicchio Italian white that produces a pale, light-bodied, crisp wine. Viognier Viognier, is one of the most difficult grapes to grow. It makes a floral and spicy white wine, medium to full-bodied and very fruity, with apricot and peach aromas.

Zinfandel With predominant raspberry flavors and a spicy aroma, Zinfandels can be bold and intense as well as light and fruity. It takes well to blending bringing out flavors of cherry, wild berry & plum with notes of leather, earth & tar. It is the most widely grown grape in California. Much of it is turned into White Zinfandel, a blush wine that is slightly sweet. *Most wine is made from a family of grapes called “Vitus Vinifera”. Wine made from “Vitis Labrusca” grapes – such as Concord – is an exception because of the grape’s intense flavor. These wines must contain a minimum of 51% of the grape variety, and it will be so stated on the label. If the label carries no percentage statement, the wine must contain at least 75% of the “labrusca variety.” German Wine - A Guide to the Wines of Germany German Wine Shop all wines from Germany Join the Germany group Germany is the producer of some of the most admired wines in the world. These are its Rieslings, both sweet and dry, from top sites and producers.

Though these wines typically have the most delicate and elegant of frames, they support incredible intensity, purity of fruit, and nuanced expression of terroir. It’s doubtful that any other wine, except perhaps the greatest Burgundy, can send wine writers into such fits of lyrical frenzy. Germany has been known for its great Rieslings for hundreds of years. In the 18th and 19th centuries, the prestige and prices Germany’s Rhine wines equalled those of the best Bordeaux. Germany is also known for the travesty that is Liebfraumilch. That stuff became common -- but mostly as an export -- after Germany’s wine industry was devastated by two world wars. Particularly after World War II, many growers adopted early-ripening, high-yielding hybrids such as Muller-Thurgau, which edged out the noble Riesling grape. These low-quality grapes Read more » Germany is the producer of some of the most admired wines in the world. These are its Rieslings, both sweet and dry, from top sites and producers. Though these wines typically have the most delicate and elegant of frames, they support incredible intensity, purity of fruit, and nuanced expression of terroir.

It’s doubtful that any other wine, except perhaps the greatest Burgundy, can send wine writers into such fits of lyrical frenzy. Germany has been known for its great Rieslings for hundreds of years. In the 18th and 19th centuries, the prestige and prices Germany’s Rhine wines equalled those of the best Bordeaux. Germany is also known for the travesty that is Liebfraumilch. That stuff became common -- but mostly as an export -- after Germany’s wine industry was devastated by two world wars. Particularly after World War II, many growers adopted early-ripening, high-yielding hybrids such as Muller-Thurgau, which edged out the noble Riesling grape. These low-quality grapes were blended and Sussreserve was added to them to make the infamous table wine Liebfraumilch. The postwar labor shortage, among other factors, made it very difficult to produce quality wine. Today, wine at the highest quality level makes up about two-thirds of Germany’s total production. That sounds great, but in truth, it can still be difficult to interest people in making the kinds of wines that have given Germany its reputation.

The steep, terraced vineyards that produce them must be worked manually and require an immense amount of passion, commitment, and diligence. It’s simply easier to make mediocre wine on flat land while sitting in a tractor than to scale frighteningly steep hillsides and do all the work by hand. But it is these wines that send people into raptures, and they are becoming increasingly fashionable and available. Regions Germany’s most important wine-producing regions are the Mosel-Saar-Ruwer (now just called the Mosel, to the consternation of many), Franken, Nahe, Rheinhessen, Rheingau, and Pfalz. One may also encounter Hessische, Bergstrasse, Ahr, Mittelrhein, Wurttemberg, Baden, and Saale-Unstrut-Sachsen. Riesling remains Germany’s most important grape variety, but Pinot Noir is slowly catching up. One region that is known for excellent Pinot Noir is the Ahr. Wine Law It’s not hard to locate a source if you want to learn the minutiae of German wine law. Instead, I’ll offer a primer on how to read a wine label.

Many top estates did not put grape variety on their labels in the past. The idea was that these wines were so great that it was obvious that they were Riesling. Now, they’re all labeled with the grape variety, and you can find things besides Riesling on the shelf. German wine, like French wine and many others, is divided into quality levels. The first of these, Tafelwein and Landwein, are the rough equivalents of the French Vin de Table and Vin de Pays. They are not that important in the context of German wine because they make up such a tiny percentage of the production. The next two are much more important, because they’re common on American store shelves. The first is Qualitatswein bestimmter Anbaugebeite (QbA). This is quality wine from a specified region, which will appear on the label. Chaptalization is allowed for these. From a great producer, they can offer outstanding value. To get a clue to the sweetness level, you should look first for words such at Trocken (dry) and Halbtrocken or Feinherb (off-dry). If none are given, you can look at the alcohol content.

Anything below 10% probably leans more toward sweetness, but this is not an absolute rule. And if it says “Sekt,” it’s sparkling. The highest-quality category is Qualitatswein mit Pradikat (QmP), also called Pradikatswein. Here, too, the region will appear on the label. Chaptalization is not permitted, so growers must rely only on the natural sugars in the grapes. This is where Pradikat levels like Kabinett, Spatlese, Auslese, Beerenauslese, Eiswein, and Trockenbeerenauslese come in. The Pradikats do not refer to the sweetness of the wine. They refer to the ripeness of the grapes, with Kabinett being the lowest. The last three (Beerenauslese, Eiswein, and Trockenbeerenauslese) are always made in a dessert style. Auslese is usually quite sweet, but can be totally dry.

Again, wines may be labeled “Trocken,” “Halbtrocken,” or “Feinherb.” And yes, often, Spatlesen are sweeter than Kabinetts, but there are too many exceptions to really say so anymore, especially since Germans increasingly prefer dry wines at both of these Pradikat levels. What you can count on is that Kabinett is generally a delicate, fresh wine while Spatlese has more heft. Germany’s equivalents to Grands Crus are labelled Grosses Gewachs, Erstes Gewachs (Rheingau only), or Erste Lagen (Mosel only). The last of these three may be made in any style, from grapes of any Pradikat level. The former two must be at least Spatlese and must be dry. Some of these bottlings are surprisingly affordable, so do look out for them. If you become more than a very casual drinker of German wines, you’ll want to learn about the various regions and how you can know where your wine comes from. A wine that comes from a single vineyard will have the name of the town it comes from listed first, followed by the vineyard name.

For example, a wine labelled “Urziger Wurzgarten” comes from the famous vineyard of Wurzgarten in the town of Urzig. At least, that’s how it’s supposed to work. The 1971 wine law attempted to put an end to the proliferation of local vineyard names by consolidating them from 30,000 Einzellage (individually named vineyards) to 2600 and setting a minimum vineyard size of five ha. It also included the option of labelling wines with the names of Grosslagen, which are groups of Einzellagen. Bereiche are districts, which is a still larger category. This upset a lot of people, because they felt that if you care a lot about the wine you are drinking, you need to know much more precisely where it comes from. They felt that this law ignored what it is that causes one plot of land to develop a reputation distinct from another -- namely, terroir. And Germany’s best vineyards are notorious for the vast variety of microclimates and mesoclimates that are found within them.

Many top growers have responded to the law by jettisoning the official vineyard labeling terms altogether and replacing them with informal lieu-dit names or with stars that have meaning only for their particular estates. They succeeded in undoing the labeling law’s blurring effect, but have also made things even more confusing for buyers. What’s a consumer to do? Buy by producer. Get to know particular producers, their styles of winemaking, and their labeling.

Wine names and pronunciation ‹ Wines.com Liqueur d’expedition (Lee-kerr dex-pay-dee-s’yong) The shipping dosage in Champagne Lirac (Lee-rahk) A Vin Rose commune in the Cotes du Rhone Loire (Valley) (L’war) Vineyard area along the Loire River Lombardy (Lom-bar-dee) A Department in northeast Italy Macon (Ma-kohng) The principal town in the Cote Maconnais Macon Blanc (Ma-kohng Blohng) White wine from the Cote Maconnais Macon-Villages (Ma-kohng Vee-lahzh) Finer white wine from the Cote Maconnais Magdelaine (Mahg-deh-lain) A First Great Classified Growth in St. Emilion Malbec (Mahl-bek) A red wine grape of Bordeaux Marbuzet (Mar-bu-zay) Classified Cru Exceptionnel in Medoc (St.

Estephe) Marc (Mark) Press loading in Champagne totaling four tons Marche (Mar-kay) A Department in east central Italy Marcobrunn (Mar-ko-broon) The most famous vineyard in Erbach (Moselle) Marconnets (Les) (Mar-ko-nay) A red Premier Cru in Beaune Margaux (Mar-go) A principal parish in Haut-Medoc Margaux (Mar-go) A Classified First Growth in Medoc (Margaux) Marsala (Mar-sa-la) A sweet fortified wine from Sicily Marseillaise (La) (Mar-say-yaze) Vineyard village of the Rheinhesse Nuits St.

Georges (N’wee Seng-Zhorzh) A red wine commune in the Cote de Nuits Oestrich (Err-strich) A vineyard village of the Rheingau Olivier (Oh-leev-yay) A Classified Growth in Graves (white) Oppenheim (Ohp-pen-hime) A vineyard village of the Rheinhesse Orvieto Abbocatto (Orv-yay-toh Ahb-bo-ka-toh) Slightly fruity white wine from Umbria Orvieto Secco (Orv-yay-toh Sek-ko) Dry white wine from Umbria PalatinateRheinpfalz (Pa-la-tee-nate) A vineyard area of the Rhine Palette (Pa-let) A red wine appellation in Cotes de Provence Palmer (Pahl-mair) A Classified Third Growth in Medoc (Margaux) Paniers (pahn-yay) Baskets used by grape pickers in Champagne Pape Clement (Pahp Clay-mohng) A Classified Growth in Graves (red) Passe-tous-Grains (Pahss-too-Greng) A red wine made from both Pinot Noir and Gamay P

auillac (Pohl-yahk) A principal parish in the Haut-Medoc Pavie (Pa-vee) A First Great Classified Growth in St.

Emilion Pernand-Vergelesses (Pair-nahng Vair-zhuh-less) A red wine commune in the Cote de Beaune Pessac (Pess-sahk) A principal parish in Graves Petit Chablis (Puh-tee Sha-blee) A lesser appellation in Chablis Petit-Village (Puh-tee Vee-lahzh) A First Growth in Pomerol Petrus (Pay-truss) A Great First Growth in Pomerol Phelan-Segur (Fay-lahng Say-gur) A Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnel in Medoc (St.

Estephe) Phylloxera (Fy-lox-eh-ra) Native American plant (root) lice Pichon-Lalande (Pee-shohng La-lahnd) A Classified Second Growth in Medoc (Pauillac) Pichon-Longueville (Pee-shohng Long-veel) A Classified Second Growth in Medoc (Pauillac) Piedmont (Peed-mont) A Department in northeast Italy Pinot Noir (Pee-no N’war) The noble red grape of Burgundy Piron (Pee-rohng) A Classified Principal Growth in Graves Pomerol (Po-may-rol) A red wine district of Bordeaux Pommard (Po-mar) The best known commune in the Cote de Beaune Pouilly-Fuisse (Poo-yee Fwee-say) Famous white wine from the Cote Maconnais Pouilly-Fume (Poo-yee Foo-may) The important wine from the Loire Valley Pouilly-Loche (Poo-yee Lohsh) White wine commune in the Cote Maconnais Pouilly-sur-Loire (Poo-yee sur L’war) White wine vineyard town in

 the Loire Valley Pouilly-Vinzelles (Poo-yee Veng-zel) White wine commune in the Cote Maconnais Premeaux (Pray-mo) Red wine commune in the Cote de Nuits Premiere taille (Pruh-m’yair tie) The second pressing in Champagne Preuses (Les) Pruhz) A Grand Cru in Chablis Provence (Pro-vengss) The vineyard region of the French Riviera Puligny-Montrachet (Pu-leen-yee Mohng-ra-shay) White wine commune in the Cote de Beaune Pupitres (pu-peetr) Slanting cellar racks (riddling) used in Champagne Qualitatswein (Kua-lee-taits-vine) Quarts de Chaume (Kar duh Showm) Small white wine appellation in Anjou-Saumur Quincy (Keng-see) Small vineyard town in the central Loire Rauzan-Gassies (Row-sahng Fas-see) A Classified Second Growth in Medoc (Margaux) Rausan-Segla (Row-sahng Say-gla) A Classified Second Growth in Medoc (

Margaux) Rayne-Vigneau (de) (Rain-veen-yo) A Classified First Growth in Sauternes Rebeche (ruh-besh) The fourth pressing in Champagne Remuage (ruh-m’wahzh) Jiggling?

Champagne in secondary fermentation Reuilly (Roy-yee) Small vineyard town in the central Loire Rheims (Rengss) The capital of the Champagne region Rheingau (Rine-gow) A vineyard area of the Rhine Rheinhesse (Rine-hess-seh) A vineyard area of the Rhine Rheinpfalz/Palatinate (Rine-pfahlz) A vineyard area of the Rhine Richebourg (Le) (Reesh-boorg) Red Grand Cru in Vosne-Romanee Riesling (Rees-ling) The noble grape in Alsace and Germany Rieussec (R’yuh-sek) A Classified First Growth in Sauternes Romanee (La) (Ro-ma-nay) Red Grand Cru in Vosne-Romanee Romanee-Conti (La) (Ro-ma-nay Kohn-tee) Red Grand Cru in Vosne-Romanee Romanee-St.

Vivant (Ro-ma-nay Seng-Vee-vahng) Red Grand Cru in Vosne-Romanee Rose d’Anjou (Ro-zay dahn-zhoo) A vin rose from Anjou (Loire) Rotenfels (Ro-ten-fels) An important vineyard in the Nahe Rudesheim (Roo-dess-hime) Westernmost vineyard village of the Rheingau Rudesheimer Berg (Roo-dess-him-er Bairg) Finest vineyards in Rudesheim (Rheingau) Rugiens (Les) (Ru-zheng) Red Premier Cru in Pommard Rully (Ru-yee) A commune in the Cote Chalonnais Ruwer (Ru-ver) A vineyard area of the Upper Moselle Saar (Zar) A vineyard area of the Upper Moselle Saint-Amour (Seng Ta-moor) The northernmost commune in Beaujolais Saint-Marc (Sahng-mar) A Classified Great Growth in Barsac (Sauternes) Ste.

Roseline (Sahnt Rose-leen) The foremost chateau-bottled vin rose (Provence) Sancerre (Sahng-sair) A vineyard town in the central Loire Valley Santenay (Sahng-tuh-nay) Southernmost commune in the Cote de Beaune Santenote (Les) (Sahn-tuh-no) Red Premier Cru in Volnay Sassella (Sahs-sel-la) A red wine from Valtellina (Lombardy) Saumur (So-mur) An important white wine of the Loire Sauternes (So-tairn) White wine region of Bordeaux Sauvignon Blanc (So-vee-yohng Blahng) Major white wine grape of Graves Savennieres (Sa-ven-yair) A small appellation in Anjou-Saumur Savigny-les-Beaune (Sa-veen-yee-lay-Bone) Red wine commune in the Cote de Beaune Scharzhof (Sharts-hohf) A famous estate in Wiltingen (Saar) Schloss Johannisberg (Shlohss Yo-ha-nis-bairg) Most famous vine

yard of Johannisberg (Rheingau) Schloss Vollrads (Shlohss fohl-rahts) Most famous vineyard of Winkel (Rheingau) Sec (Sek) A red wine region in northern Lombardy Vaudesir (Vo-day-zeer) A Grand Cru in Chablis Verdicchio (Vair-deek-yo) A pale white wine from Marche Vergisson (Vair-zhee-sohng) A white wine village in the Cote Maconnais Verona (Veh-ro-na) A Department in Northern Italy Vieux-Chateau-Certan (V’yuh Sha-toh Sair-tahng) A Great First Growth in Pomerol Villefranche (Veel-frawnsh) Vino dell’Elba (Vee-no del El-ba) A light white wine from Elba (Tuscany) Vin Santo (Veen Sahn-toh) A white dessert wine from Tuscany Voignier (Vwahm-yay) White wine grape of the Cotes du Rhone Volnay (Vohl-nay) Red wine commune in Cote de Beaune Volnay-Santenots (Vohl-nay

 Sahn-tuh-no) Red Premier Cru in Volnay Vosges (Mountains) (Vohzh) Mountains on western border of Alsace Vosne-Romanee (Vone Ro-ma-nay) Red wine commune in the Cote de Nuits Vougeot (Voo-zhoh) Red wine commune in the Cote de Nuits Vouvray (Voov-ray) Important white wine in the Coteaux de Touraine Wehlen (Veh-len) A vineyard village of the Rheingau Wurzburg (Vurts-boorg) The main city of Franconia Yquem (d’) (Dee-Kem) The Classified Superior first Growth (Sauternes) Zell (Tsell) A vineyard village of the Middle Moselle Zeller Schwarze Katz (Tsell-er Shvar-tseh Kahtz) The “black cat” wine from Zell (Moselle) Zeltinger (Tsel-ting-er) A large vineyard town on the Moselle [/half_last] [full class=""]

Question: What French wine region ends in the letter x?
Answer: Bordeaux