What is the difference between Chardonnay and Pinot Grigio or what differentiate a Pinot Noir from Sangiovese?

Don’t have any clues what these words mean? Hmm…let me spill a little detail.  These are the different varieties of wines produced in different parts of the world.

Wine is an alcoholic beverage often made of fermented grape juice. The natural chemical balance of grapes is such that they can ferment without the addition of sugars, acids, enzymes or other nutrients. Wine is produced by fermenting crushed grapes using various types of yeast which consume the sugars found in the grapes and convert them into alcohol.

Different varieties of grapes and strains of yeasts are used depending on the types of wine being produced.

• France
When it comes to fine wine - the country that instantly catches our imagination is France. For many wine experts, French wine makes the best wine. The variety of grapes produced here, the technique of the production and of course the century old heritage of making fine wine - all can be attributed to the unparallel appeal of French wine.

The most important wine regions of France are:

* Alsace: Famous for producing the dry white wine varieties of Riesling, Gewurztraminer and Pinot Blanc.
* Bordeaux: This is the place where the finest red wines of the world come from. Some world famous red wine producing Chateaux in this region are Margaux, Latour, Lafite Rothschild, Mouton Rothschild, Haut-Brion and D’Yquem.
* Burgundy: This region produces both Pinot Noir (red) or Chardonnay (white) varieties. While the red wines from Burgundy have an inspiring warmth, fruit and bouquet, the whites are rich, buttery and full bodied. Chablis happens to be the most celebrated white wine of this region.
* Champagne: The most adored wine in the world, champagne is made from three grape varieties: Pinot Noir, Pinot Blanc and Chardonnay. For Champagnes the brand names (Moet et Chandon, Mumm, Tattinger, Piper Heidsieck, Laurent Perrier) is more important than a vineyard or district name.
* Loire Valley: It is the producer of inexpensive, crisp and refreshing “country wines,” great for shellfish or picnics.
* Cotes du Rhone: This is the place from where comes the most respected Rose Wine in France, the Tavel.

• Germany
This is the country that produces world’s best white wines low in alcohol content (8% to 11%) with a dash of sweetness. The German wine production belt lies in the Rhine Valley region. Qualitatswein is the German name for quality wine. The label of the bottles of Qualitatswein will provide you such information as district of the production, bottler’s name and registration number, grape variety the time of the harvest.

• Italy
If you want to taste the world famous Chianti from its straw-covered bottle, or fiasco, you have to come to Florence. Or if you want gratify your taste buds with Barolo and Barbaresco or Asti Spumante, you need to reach Piedmont—the most respected wine producing district in Italy. If Vermouth is what your desired wine variety is, you need to head off to Turin.

• Spain / Portugal
The traditional destination for Sherry, Spain is one of the world’s leading exporters of excellent sparkling wines, mostly made in the traditional French Champagne process.

• Non European producers
While, European wines have their own classical charms, many countries in the rest of the world produce good quality wines. They come with their unique virtues, but they are inexpensive in comparison to the traditional European wines. These countries include Australia, Bulgaria, Yugoslavia, Romania, Chile and Hungary.

One country that has recently curved a niche in international wine trade is the USA, where California makes for the greatest source of wines that today compete with the finest varieties of Europe.

If we take a historically look to the past centuries, we will realize that Europe always dictated rules regarding to finesse, culture and nobility. This way of conduce the occidental culture involved the wine culture as well. The concepts and etiquettes established by European culture helped wine adorers to get more distant, in spite of making them to feel comfortable to enjoy this delicious tradition.

The emergent countries are changing some old-fashioned concepts regarding wine, creating very reliable wines, according to the consumer preferences, while the old world try to keep their values and thoughts, never giving the correct value to the modern ways of making wine.

Do you know what the first step of becoming a wine connoisseur is? It is the desire to experiment!

So fill your glass and start experimenting with some of the finest wine varieties of the world; let your taste bud decide which one is the best.

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