The wine industry in Argentina can be traced back to Spain. Spanish settlers brought vines with them to the United States and the planting of the grapes first spread there but soon spread to other countries around the world, including Argentina. For many years, wine producers in Argentina focused on churning out great quantities of wine, with very little concern for quality. In the past few decades, however, as desire for exportation has increased, the quality has (necessarily) improved as well.
Virtual World Tour of Wine
We've teamed up with the Wine and Spirit Education Trust (WSET) to bring you expert training to help your knowledge, experience and enjoyment of wine. View any of our 3 minute wine school videos for a tour around the wine world with internationally acclaimed Master of Wine, Jancis Robinson. Jancis will introduce you to the world of wine and show you how to taste it like an expert, exploring key wine producing regions, the grapes, soil and growing techniques.
Before you start, download some crucial worksheets to help you on your way:
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The Wine and Spirit Education Trust was founded in 1969 to provide high quality education and training in wines and spirits. Since then, WSET has grown into the foremost international body in the field of wines and spirits education, with a suite of sought-after qualifications. View more details. |
Australia is the fourth largest exporter of wine around the world. Australia’s large range of wine varieties is attributed to the various climates throughout the country. The wine produced in a given region is dependent on which wine grapes are most suitable to be grown in that respective climate. Wines are frequently named after the actual wine grape that it is produced from, which must make up 85% of the wine.
California accounts for 90% of all wine produced in the United States. In fact, if California were its own country, it would rank 4th in the worlds largest wine-producing countries. In the 18th century, the Spanish planted California’s first Vitis Vinifera vines. More than 100 grape varieties are grown in California, and wine grapes are grown across the entire state. Because of its size, there is a huge range in climates and grapes, and therefore, wine varieties.
The vineyards of Chablis are located in the surroundings areas of the town that gives the wine its name - a town at the northernmost part of Burgundy in France. Nearly all of the grapevines in the region are Chardonnay. Chablis’ cool climate makes for wines with a bit more acidity than Chardonnay wines from warmer climates. Because of unpredictable weather in this region, there is a variance in the quality of Chablis year to year.
The Champagne wine region is a province in France, about 100 miles east of Paris. This region is certainly most well-known for the sparkling white wine, Champagne. The region is also home to the Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier grape varieties. Champagne’s reputation can be dated back to as early as the Middle Ages, but there was a particularly large increase in the demand for Champagne starting in the 1990’s and only continues to grow.
Chianti is a region (as well as the name of the wine variety produced) in Italy and encompasses vast areas of the city of Tuscany. The Chianti region was first defined in 1716 and was later redefined in 1932 to encompass a far more vast area. Wines from the original are referred to a Chianti Classico and are the most revered of the Chianti varieties. In order for a wine to be considered true Chianti, it must be made from at least 80% Sangiovese grapes and typically is also made of10% Canaiolo and up to 20% of an approved red grape variety.
Chile has a diverse geography and climate, which means the region for winemaking is limited to a small area of the country which has a moderate climate. Wine has been made in Chile since the mid-sixteenth century. It was only in the 1990’s, however, that Chilean wines started gaining international recognition for its quality. The region grows over 20 different varieties of grape, primarily a mix of French and Spanish.
England is a fairly minor producer of wine, the reason of which in large part is due to the climate. Most vineyards are in the southern parts of the country and it is there that the limestone soil and climate are most suitable to grow grapes. In recent years, it has been English sparkling wines that have gained the most recognition.
German wines are produced in 13 defined regions, all of which lie on rivers, mainly the Rhine. Two- thirds of German wines are white wines, the finest of which are made from the Riesling grape. Germany has an extensive history of wine making which dates back to 100 B.C., when ancient Romans started producing wines on local soil.
Being relatively new to the wine producing industry, with a history dating back to 1819, New Zealand’s wine industry has seen a huge boom in the last 30 years, and there are currently 600 wineries in the country. New Zealand is considered by many to produce the world’s finest sauvignon blanc wines. With that said, in the world of wine producers, New Zealand remains a fairly small player–in this case it’s all about quality, rather than quantity.
Rioja wines are named after La Rioja region in Spain. Known mainly for its red wines, Rioja wines are made from grapes of La Rioja, as well as areas in Navarre and Alava, a Basque province. All true Rioja wines come with a DOC (Denominación de Origen Calificada) seal. This ensures buyers that the wine not only meets the requirements to be considered Rioja but also guarantees its authenticity and excellence.
The vast majority of South African wines are produced in the Cape. South Africa is known for their “Wine of Origins” program. All WO wines are made 100% from the grapes of their respective origin. All wine grape varieties that are cultivated in South Africa are part of the Vitis Vinifera species, which were originally imported from Europe. Traditionally, South African wines have been dominated by the white grape but in recent years, there has been a shift to focus on both white and red grapes, to better compete in the global market.
