Wine Names

Wine names can be very confusing. People who are new to the world of wine often have difficulty figuring out exactly what they are drinking. This is because wines are named in two different ways. They may be named either for the variety of grapes used or the region in which the grapes were grown.

Why the inconsistency? Just different points of view. Newer wine making regions such as the United States and Australia tend to name their wines after the grape variety, while most European wines are named for the region where the grapes were grown.

Grape Varietal Wine Names

Just keep in mind that a varietal wine is named after the predominant grape used to make the wine. There may be juice from other grapes blended with the juice of the predominant grape, especially in cheaper wines. There are laws that dictate the minumum percentage of a grape variety that must be present in order to name the wine after the grape. These laws vary by country and state but generally fall between 75% and 90%.

Usually, the wine label will not indicate if other grapes were used or in what amount.

Regional Wine Names

As we said, its just a different point of view. Producers who use regional wine names believe they are actually providing far more more detailed information than varietals.

So they are providing more information by providing less information? It sounds crazy, but yes.

Think about what you just learned concerning varietals. The wine bottle label may say Chardonnay, but it may contain as little as 75% of Chardonnay inside. And who knows what other grapes were used and in what amount.

Sure the bottle may tell you that the wine was produced in California. But last we checked California was huge, and those grapes could have come from anywhere.

European countries have wine laws that govern what kind of grapes can be used to make wine bearing the name of the region. Therefore, by providing the name of the place where the grapes were grown they are also telling you which grapes were used to make the wine.

(But what if you don't know which grapes are allowed to be grown in which region? No problem...I included a list of common regional wine names and the grapes that are grown in them below. Just scroll down a little to see them.)

Terroir

To fully understand the European point of view, you need to understand the term terroir.

Terroir refers to the soil, sun exposure, wind, rain, and all other environmental factors that make up a vineyard's microclimate. European wine makers believe that no two terroirs are exactly alike. For example, the grapes grown on one hill may receive more direct sunlight than the grapes on the very next hill. Therefore, even neighboring vineyards that use the same grape varieties will produce different wines.

Therefore, European wine producers feel that by telling you exactly where the grapes were grown, they provide you the most accurate wine names.

Grapes and Wine Regions

European countries have wine laws that dictate which grapes can be grown in each wine making region. Here are some of the most common and well known places that have wines named after them. Please note that the grapes listed are the major grape of each region. The region may also grow small amounts of other grapes.

Beaujolais Gamay grapes

Bourdeaux Red wines - Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc.
White wines - Semillon and Sauvirnon Blanc

Burgundy Red wines - Pinot Noir
White wines - Chardonnay

Chablis Chardonnay

Champagne Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier

Chianti Sangiovese

Port Touriga Nacional, Tinta Barroca, Tinta Roriz, Tinta Cao, and Touriga Francesca

Rioja Red wines - Tempranillo and Grenache
White wines - Viura

Sherry Palomino and Moscatel

Soave Gargenega and Trebbiano