The Napa Valley is the most famous wine region in the entire USA. The reason for this is the incredible quality of the wines coming out of that region and its historical position in the annals of truly fine wines in the USA. The history of the region is storied wi…

The Cava DO is not technically a region since the production of it is approved for multiple locations across northern Spain. Though 95% of the production comes from vineyards located in Penedes close to Barcelona, you will find some of it produced in regions like …

The Emporda or Ampurdan wine region is locate in the mortheast corner of Spain along the border with the southern French region of Roussillon. The Emporda Costa Brava, its fuller name, is not a very well known wine region outside of its locale of inflence but it p…

The Galicia wine region is located in northwestern Spain in the area known as "Green Spain". It actually encompasses several individual wine regions including Rias Baixas, Ribeira Ribodavia, Ribeira Sacra, Valdeorras and Monterrei. Approximately west to east, exce…

The Penedes wine region is located in Northeastern Spain and is closely associated with Barcelona, which is 30 minutes Northeast of the DO. The vineyards are located in 10 distinct zones that cover the area between Barcelona and the Tarragona DO. This is a large a…

The Ribera del Duero is on eof Spain's top wine regions for the production of high quality red wines yet, it is relatively unknown to most wine drinkers. Located in the western part of Spain and just north of central, it is a region built along the flow of the Due…

The Priorat and Montsant wine regions of north eastern Spain share a close history and so we cover them today together. Montsant was originally a part of the Tarragona DO, which was established in 1933 but became a distinct DO in 2001. This section of Tarragona wa…

The Rioja wine region is withour a doubt the most famous of all of Spain's Demoninations of Origin. Rioja is also oneof only two DOCa's of Spain, te highest category of protected origin in the Spanish Hierarchy. Though Vino de Pago is considered by some to be the …

Lazio or Latium and Emilia Romagna are not exactly famous for their wines but the former has Rome and the latter lays claim to being Italy's Gastronomical Capital. Although not well known for their wines, these two regions of Italy do produce a fair amount of juic…

Tuscany is the most famous of Italy's wine producing regions and one of the largest in production volume. There are more Internationally acclaimed DOC/DOCG rated areas located in Tuscany than in any other region. The star grape here is of course Sangiovese. Chiant…

Sardegna or Sardinia is a large Island that in recent years has become a popular wine region for Italy. The white wines and Rose wines are of particularly good quality and the red wines made from Cannonau (Grenache) are on an upward quality trend.

Basilicata sits at the arch of Italy's boot like shape and while not a major wine region, it does lay claim to one of Italy's iconic red wines. 

These are two of the smallest wine production regions of Italy. Most Ligurian wine is consumed locally thank to a thriving tourist trade for a this region that sits at the northern cresent of the Italian border with the Ligurian Sea and bordered by the Piemonte re…

Trentino Alto Adige is a region that sits along the Alps in Northern Italy with vineyards in the foothills down to the plains. This is primarily a white wine producing area and one noted for sparkling wines made by the Methode Traditionalle or Champagne Methode. T…

The Marche is not a major wine producing region but it does turn out some attractive wines, especially the white Verdicchio di Matelica and Verdicchio di Castelli de Jesi, popular on the International Market since the 1970's. Famously marketed in a fish shaped gre…

The contiguous regions of Abruzzo and Molise share much in common so we cover them together in this two minute excursion. The two regions are located on the Adriatic Coast just north of Puglia. Abruzzo is much the more well known, thanks in large part to the gener…

The rather cumbersome name of Friuli-Venezia-Giulia ia the lengthy but pretty name for one of Italy's most important regions for the production of white wines. This northern region is located in the extreme northeast of Italy on the border with Slovenia

Sicilia (Sicily) is the most southern of Italy's 20 wine regions and the largest Island in the Mediterranean. Long famous for the fortified wine called Marsala, the marketing marvel of Englishman John Woodhouse, it was also home to one of the famous Roman Empire "…

Campania is a province located in the Southern part of Italy running along the western coast and Tyrrenean Sea. The main City is Napoli (Naples) and it is also home to Salerno. Campania became well known on the International Market about 15 years ago with the prom…

The Puglia (Apulia) province is located along the Adriatic Sea facing Croatia, Albania and Greece. This is one of the warmest regions for Italian winemaking and it produces some of the yummiest reds and whites in the Country. Grape varieties include the indigenous…

Lombardia is not exactly a household name even with aficinados of Italian wines but the region is home to some of Italy's finest wines. This Provence is located in the center of Northern Italy, bounded by Piemonte, Emilia-Romagna, the vast Veneto and in the north…

The Umbria Region is located in Central Italy just east of Tuscany and is perhaps better known for its grastronomical delights including Parma ham, Tartufi (Truffles), Extra Virgin Olive Oils, Porchetta and Ribolita.  

The Veneto is located in Northeastern Italy and is home to the famous tourist destination of Venice. 

Piedmont or Piemonte is a region in the Northwest of Italy that straddles the border with France. Arguably, it produces the greatest red wines in Italy along with the finest Moscato wines made anywhere in the World, amazing Barbera, Dolcetto and dry whites made fr…

The Alsace Region is located in Northeastern France right on the border with Germany's Baden Region.

Tuscany is Italian wine. For many this statement is without question, except those who produce wines in Piemonte, the Veneto and the other 17 regions of Italy. When one thinks of Italian, the first wine that comes to mind is Chianti and in particular Chianti Class…

Thd Loire Valley wine region can be divided into three sections in which climate, soils and dominant grapes vary. It is one a diverse wine region with 7 primary grapes and significant production of red, whites, rose, sparkling and dessert styled wines. The Loire R…

The Roussillon Region is the smaller part of the Languedoc-Roussillon wine production area f Southern France. It makes up the Southwestern part of this larger well known region and its western most portion abuts the Pyrenees and the Spanish border. 

The Languedoc is usually spoken about as one of two regions known as the Languedoc-Roussillon but there is so much going on in these two regions that we will discuss them separartely. The Languedoc is the larger and more productive by far and include distinct terr…

Vino Nobile di Montepulciano is sort of the least favored sibling or re headed stepchild of elite Tuscan wines. The Nobile sounding name hearkens back to a time when it was the wine of Kings and Popes and later of Presidents and Premiers. 

The Southern Rhone Valley makes up the second part of the Rhone Valley region and unlike the Northern Rhone Valley, which is based on wines made from Syrah, Viognier, Marsanne and Roussanne, there is a plethora of grapes and blends dominate the landscape. The prim…

The Rhone Valley is one of France' most famous wine regions and the both the historic and familial homeland of the Syrah grape aka Shiraz. The region is divided into two main sections Northern and Southern and it is in the Northern portion that we find Syrah as th…

The French wine region known as Champagne is one of the most famous and popular wine regions among wine drinkers and yet it is one that is little understood nor appreciated for its relevance with regard to food and the full breadth of its offerings. In this short …

The Bourgogne, or what used to be called Burgundy, region is the most famed region for wines made from Pinot Noir or Chardonnay and is the Worldwide reference point for the production of these two varieties. But what makes Bourgogne so special and what do you abso…

Bordeaux is both a city sitting on the juncture of the Garonne River and the Gironde Estuary and the name of perhaps the most famous wine region in the World. But beyond Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot and having enough money to pop bottles of Chateau Lafite Rothsch…

Home wine tastings can be casual or formal. The casual affair may be no more difficult than throwing a few bottles out, having friends bring a bottle and an appetizer. But if that sounds more like a cocktail and appetizer party, well that's because that's what tha…

Wine Assessment is not reserved for the wine professional nor is it the exclusive realm of wine experts. Wine Assessment is in fact a quickly learned tool that has significant practical application for any and all wine drinkers. The simple practice of these three …

Learning to properly taste wine has immense practical benefits that will enhance your ability not to parse its sophisticated parts but that will immediately increase your ability to enjoy them at a deeper level. The long term benefit to you is that you will begi…

The EU attempt to bring more consistent uniformity to member States wine quality classifications has led to more than a little confusion. The introduction of the EU quality pyramid consisting of the quality categories "wine" at the bottom, PGI in the middle and P…

Old World and New World are terms one will commonly hear or read in wine discussions. But, what is meant by these terms and what is the basis for their use?

The terms can be thought of in two ways. One is from an historical standpoint which would put Asia, the Mid…

The subject that still tickles minds has moved beyond white with white and red with red. Although that is still a pretty good rule of thumb. Wine and food pairing can be as simple as drinking what you like with what you like to eat if that works for you but for th…