wine info

Wine
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This article is about the alcoholic beverage. For the software, see Wine (software).
Wine is an alcoholic beverage produced by the fermentation of fruit, typically grapes though a number of other fruits are also quite popular - such as plum, elderberry and blackcurrant. Non-grape wines are called fruit wine or country wine. Other products are made from starch based materials, such as barley wine, rice wine, and sake. Beverages made from other fermentable material such as honey (mead), or that are distilled, such as brandy, are not wines. The English word wine and its equivalents in other languages are protected by law in many jurisdictions.

Etymology
The word wine comes from the Old English win, which derives from the Proto-Germanic *winam which was an early borrowing from the Latin vinum, (which can mean either the "wine" or the "vine"), from Aeolic Greek F?????, (woinos) and from earlier languages such as Hebrew ??? (yayin). [1].

Early history
Wine residue has been identified by Patrick McGovern's team at the University Museum, Pennsylvania, in ancient pottery jars. Records include ceramic jars from the Neolithic sites at Shulaveri, Georgia (about 6000 BC) [2], Hajji Firuz Tepe in the Zagros Mountains of present-day Iran (5400-5000 BC) and from Late Uruk (3500-3100 BC) occupation at the site of Uruk, in Mesopotamia [3]. The identifications are based on the identification of tartaric acid and tartrate salts using a form of infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). These identifications are regarded with caution by some biochemists because of the risk of false positives, particularly where complex mixtures of organic materials, and degradation products, may be present. The identifications have not yet been replicated in other laboratories.

In his book Ancient Wine: The Search for the Origins of Viniculture (Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2003), McGovern argues that the domestication of the Eurasian wine grape and winemaking could have originated on the territory of modern Georgia and Armenia and spread south from there. [4]

In Iran (Persia), mei (the Persian wine) has been a central theme of their poetry for more than a thousand years, although alcohol is strictly forbidden in Islam.Little is actually known of the prehistory of wine. It is plausible that early foragers and farmers made alcoholic beverages from wild fruits, including wild grapes (Vitis silvestris). This would have become easier following the development of pottery vessels in the later Neolithic of the Near East, about 9000 years ago. However, wild grapes are small and sour, and relatively rare at archaeological sites. It is unlikely they could have been the basis of a wine industry.

Domesticated grapes were abundant in the Near East from the beginning of the Early Bronze Age, starting in 3200 BC. There is also increasingly abundant evidence for wine making in Sumeria and Egypt in the third millennium BC. The ancient Chinese made wine from native wild "mountain grapes" like Vitis thunbergii [5] for a time, until they imported domesticated grape seeds from Central Asia in the second century BC. Grapes were, of course, also an important food. There is scanty evidence for earlier domestication of grape, in the form of grape pips from Chalcolithic Tell Shuna in Jordan, but this evidence remains unpublished.

Exactly where wine was first made is still unclear. It could have been anywhere in the vast region, stretching from Spain to Central Asia, where wild grapes grow. However, the first large-scale production of wine must have been in the region where grapes were first domesticated, Southern Caucasus and the Near East. Wild grapes grow in Georgia, northern Levant, coastal and southeastern Turkey, northern Iran or Armenia. None of these areas can be definitively singled out yet, despite persistent suggestions that Georgia is the birthplace of wine[6].

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Egypt
In Ancient Egypt, wine played an important role in ceremonial life. A thriving royal winemaking industry was established in the Nile Delta following the introduction of grape cultivation from the Levant to Egypt c. 3000 BC. The industry was most likely the result of trade between Egypt and Canaan during the Early Bronze Age, commencing from at least the Third Dynasty (2650 – 2575 BC), the beginning of the Old Kingdom period (2650 – 2152 BC). Winemaking scenes on tomb walls, and the offering lists that accompanied them, included wine that was definitely produced at the deltaic vineyards. By the end of the Old Kingdom, five wines, all probably produced in the Delta, constitute a canonical set of provisions, or fixed "menu," for the afterlife. The advent of wine in Europe was the work of the Greeks who spread the art of grape-growing and winemaking in Ancient Greek and Roman times.

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White Wine in Tutankhamun's Tomb
Wine in ancient Egypt was predominantly red. A recent discovery, however, has revealed the first ever evidence of white wine in ancient Egypt. Residue from five clay amphorae from Pharaoh Tutankhamun's tomb yielded traces of white wine. [7]

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Ancient Greece
Much modern wine culture derives from the practices of the ancient Greeks; while the exact arrival of wine in Greek territory is unknown, it was known to both the Minoan and Mycenaean cultures. [8] Dionysos was the Greek god of wine and revelry, and wine was frequently referred to in the works of Homer and Aesop.

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Ancient Middle East
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Roman Empire
The Roman Empire had an immense impact on the development of viticulture and enology. Wine was an integral part of the Roman diet and wine making became a precise business.

As the Roman Empire expanded, wine production in the provinces grew to the point the provinces were competing with Roman wines. Virtually all of the major wine producing regions of Western Europe today were established by the Romans.

Wine making technology improved considerably during the time of the Roman Empire. Many grape varieties and cultivation were known. Barrels were developed for storing and shipping wine. Bottles were used for the first time. And the early developments of an appellation system formed as certain regions gained reputations for fine wine.

Once the Roman Empire fell around 500 CE, Europe went into a period known as the Dark Ages. This was a period of invasions and social turmoil. The only stable social structure was the Catholic Church. Through the Church, the grape growing and wine making technology was preserved during this period.

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Medieval Europe
In mediveal Europe wine was consumed mostly in castles of landlords, and in monasteries as a protocolar drink.

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Wine in the New World
Grapes and wheat were first brought to what is now Latin America by the first Spanish conquistadores to provide the necessities of the Catholic Holy Eucharist.

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Wine production
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Wine producing countries
Main article: List of wine producing countries
Wine production by country 2003 Rank Country
(with link to wine article) Production
(tonnes)
1 France 4,735,260
2 Spain 4,623,750
3 Italy 4,408,611
4 United States of America 2,350,000
5 Argentina 1,322,500
6 China 1,200,000
7 Australia 1,019,400
8 South Africa 885,300
9 Germany 828,855
10 Portugal 709,300
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Wine producing regions
Main article: List of wine-producing regions
Wine grapes grow almost exclusively between thirty and fifty degrees north or south of the equator. The world's most southerly vineyards are in the South Island of New Zealand near the 45th parallel. However, the world's most northerly vineyard is Blaxsta Vingård [9] in Flen, Sweden, just above the 59th parallel [10]. As a rule, grapevines prefer a relatively long growing season of 100 days or more with warm daytime temperatures (no greater than 95°F/35°C) and cool nights (a difference of 40°F/23°C or more).

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Wine exporting countries
The 14 largest export nations (2005 dates) – France, Italy, Spain, Australia, Chile, the United States of America, Germany, South Africa, Portugal, Romania, Moldova, Hungary, Croatia and Argentina. California produces about 90% of the wine in the United States. In 2000, Great Britain imported more wine from Australia than from France for the first time in history.

Steep rock slope at the Moselle RiverThe leaders in export volume by market share in 2003 were:

France, 22%
Italy, 20%
Spain, 16%
Australia, 8%
Chile, 6%
United States, 5%
Portugal, 4%
Germany, 4%
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Wine grape varieties
Main article: List of grape varieties

Wine grapes on the vineWine is usually made from one or more varieties of the European species, Vitis vinifera. When one of these varieties, such as Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, or Merlot, for example, is used as the predominant grape (usually defined by law as a minimum of 75 or 85%) the result is a varietal, as opposed to a blended wine. Blended wines are in no way inferior to varietal wines; indeed, some of the world's most valued and expensive wines from the Bordeaux, Rioja or Tuscany regions, are a blend of several grape varieties of the same vintage.

Wine can also be made from other species or from hybrids, created by the genetic crossing of two species. Vitis labrusca, Vitis aestivalis, Vitis muscadinia, Vitis rupestris, Vitis rotundifolia and Vitis riparia are native North American grapes, usually grown for eating in fruit form or made into grape juice, jam, or jelly, but sometimes made into wine, eg. Concord wine (Vitis labrusca species). Although generally prohibited by law in traditional wine regions, hybrids are planted in substantial numbers in cool-climate viticultural areas.

Hybrids are not to be confused with the practice of grafting. Most of the world's vineyards are planted with European vinifera vines that have been grafted onto North American species rootstock. This is common practice because North American grape species are resistant to phylloxera. Grafting is done in every wine-producing country of the World except for Chile and Argentina, which have yet to be exposed to the bug.

The variety of grape(s), aspect (direction of slope), elevation, and topography of the vineyard, type and chemistry of soil, the climate and seasonal conditions under which grapes are grown, the local yeast cultures altogether form the concept of "terroir." The range of possibilities lead to great variety among wine products, which is extended by the fermentation, finishing, and aging processes. Many small producers use growing and production methods that preserve or accentuate the aroma and taste influences of their unique terroir.

However, flavor differences are not desirable for producers of mass-market table wine or other cheaper wines, where consistency is more important. These producers will try to minimize differences in sources of grapes and hide any hint of often-unremarkable "terroirs", or of climatically under-performing harvest years, by:

blending harvests of various years and vineyards;
pasteurizing the grape juice in order to kill indigenous yeasts (to be replaced with "choice" cultivated yeasts); and
using flavor additives.
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Classification of wine
List of italian and french wines (it)

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By vinification methods

Dark purple wine grapes on the vineWines may be classified by vinification methods. These include classifications such as sparkling, still, fortified, rosé, and blush. The colour of wine is not determined by the juice of the grape, which is almost always clear, but rather by the presence or absence of the grape skin during fermentation. Grapes with colored juice, for example alicante bouchet, are known as teinturiers. Red wine is made from red (or black) grapes, but its red colour is bestowed by a process called maceration, whereby the skin is left in contact with the juice during fermentation. White wine can be made from any colour of grape as the skin is separated from the juice during fermentation. A white wine made from a very dark grape may appear pink or 'blush'. A form of Rosé is called Blanc de Noir where the juice of red grapes are allowed contact with the skins for a very short time (usually only a couple of hours).

Sparkling wines, such as champagne, are those with carbon dioxide, either from fermentation or added later. They vary from just a slight bubbliness to the classic Champagne. To have this effect, the wine is fermented twice, once in an open container to allow the carbon dioxide to escape into the air, and a second time in a sealed container, where the gas is caught and remains in the wine. Sparkling wines that gain their carbonation from the traditional method of bottle fermentation are called Méthode Traditionelle or 'Methode Champenoise'. Other international denominations of sparkling wine include Sekt or Schaumwein (Germany), Cava (Spain), Spumante or Prosecco (Italy). In most countries except the United States, champagne is legally defined as sparkling wine originating from a region in France.

Fortified wines are often sweeter, and generally more alcoholic wines that have had their fermentation process stopped by the addition of a spirit, such as brandy. By this process wines are produced with a greater amount of residual sugar. Fortified wines such as Port or Sauterne are traditionally drunk at the end of a meal.

Brandy is a distilled wine. Grappa is a dry colorless brandy, distilled from fermented grape pomace, the pulpy residue of grapes, stems and seeds that were pressed for the winemaking process.

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By taste
See also: Wine tasting
Wines may be also classified by their primary impression on the drinker's palate. They are made up of chemical compounds which are similar to those in fruits, vegetables, and spices. Different grape varieties are associated with the aromas and tastes of different compounds. Wines may be described as 'dry' (meaning they are without obvious sugar), off-dry, fruity, or sweet, for example. The sugar content of grapes can be measured in brix, at harvest, and this determines the combined level of alcohol and residual sugar (in the absence of chaptalisation). Sweetness is in actuality determined by the amount of residual sugar in the wine after fermentation, relative to the acidity present in the wine. Dry wine, for example, has only a tiny amount of residual sugar. Specific flavors may also be sensed, at least by an experienced taster, due to the highly complex mix of organic molecules, such as esters, that a fully vinted wine contains.

[edit]Some red grapes
Cabernet Franc: tobacco, green bell pepper, raspberry, new-mown grass.
Cabernet Sauvignon: blackcurrants, chocolate, mint, tobacco.
Gamay: banana, bubble-gum, red fruits.
Grenache: smoky, pepper, raspberry.
Malbec: violet, fruit
Merlot: black cherry, plums, pepper, coffee.
Mourvèdre: thyme, clove, cinnamon, black pepper, violet, blackberry.
Nebbiolo: leather, tar, stewed prunes, chocolate, liquorice, roses.
Norton: red fruit, elderberries.
Petite Sirah (Durif): earthy, black pepper, dark fruits.
Petit Verdot: Banana (young), violets (later)
Pinot Noir: raspberry, cherry, violets, "farmyard" (with age), truffles.
Pinotage: banana, bramble fruits.
Sangiovese: herbs, black cherry, leathery, earthy.
Syrah (Shiraz): tobacco, black pepper, blackberry, smoke.
Tempranillo: vanilla, strawberry, tobacco.
Teroldego: spices, chocolate, red Fruits
Zinfandel: black cherry, pepper, mixed spices, mint.
[edit]Some white grapes
Chardonnay: butter, melon, apple, pineapple, vanilla (if oaked, i.e. vinified in new oak aging barrels)
Chenin Blanc: wet wood, beeswax, honey, apple, almond.
Gewürztraminer: rose petals, lychee, spice.
Grüner Veltliner: green apples, citrus
Marsanne: almond, honeysuckle, marzipan.
Riesling: citrus fruits, peach, honey.
Sauvignon Blanc: gooseberry, lime, asparagus, cut grass, bell pepper.
Sémillon: honey, orange, lime.
Viognier: peach, pear, nutmeg, apricot.

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By vintage
Wines may be classified by the year in which the grapes are harvested, known as the "vintage". "Vintage wines" are made from grapes of a single year's harvest, and are accordingly dated. Some wines can improve in flavor as they age, and wine enthusiasts will occasionally save bottles of an especially good vintage wine for future consumption.

Most countries allow a vintage wine to include a portion of wine that is not from the labeled vintage. In Chile and South Africa, the requirement is 75 percent. In Australia, New Zealand, and the member states of the European Union the requirement is 85 percent. In the United States the requirement is 95 percent same-year content for vintage-dated wine. In theory, the 95 percent rule in the United States applies equally to foreign imports, but there are obvious challenges in enforcing the regulation.

For some types of wine, the best-quality grapes and the most care in wine-making are employed on vintage wines and they are therefore more expensive than non-vintage wines. Whilst vintage wines are generally made in a single batch so that each and every bottle will have a similar taste, climatic factors can have a dramatic impact on the character of a wine to the extent that different vintages from the same vineyard can vary dramatically in flavor and quality. Thus, vintage wines are produced to be individually characteristic of the vintage and to serve as the flagship wines of the producer. Non-vintage wines, however, are blended from a number of vintages for consistency, this allows wine makers to keep a reliable market image and also maintain sales even in bad vintage years.

Superior vintages, from reputable producers and regions, will often fetch much higher prices than their average vintages. Some vintage wines are only made in better-than-average years. Conversely, wines such as White Zinfandel, which don't age well, are made to be drunk immediately and may not be labeled with a vintage year. There are exceptions though. French Champagne is often non-vintage, but still expensive. It can sometimes profit from aging 2-3 years and some Prestige Cuvées even much longer.

There is some disagreement and research [11] about the significance of vintage year to wine quality.

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By wine style
See also: Category:Wine styles
[edit]Some red wines
Amarone: Italy
Barbaresco: Italy
Barolo: Italy
Beaujolais: France
Blaufränkischer: Austria
Bobal: Spain
Bordeaux: France
Brancellao: Spain
Brunello di Montalcino: Italy
Burgundy: France
Cabernet Sauvignon: Argentina, Australia, Chile, France, Italy, Moldova, New Zealand, Romania, South Africa, Turkey, USA (California, Washington State), Venezuela
Cannonau: Italy
Carmenere: Chile
Cencibel: Spain
Chianti: Italy
Dimyat: Bulgaria
Feteasca Neagra: Romania
Feteasca Regala: Romania
Garnacha aka Grenache aka Cannonau: Australia, France, South America, Spain, USA (California)
Gumza: Bulgaria
Kagor: Moldova
Kalecik Karasi: Turkey
Malbec: Argentina, France
Mavrodafni: Greece
Mavrud: Bulgaria
Mazuela: Spain
Melnik: Bulgaria
Merlot: Argentina, Australia, Chile, France, Italy, Moldova, New Zealand, Romania, South Africa, Turkey, USA (California, Washington State), Venezuela
Mirodia Red: Moldova
Monastrell: Spain
Norton: USA (Eastern and Midwestern States)
Nosiola: Italy
Pamid: Bulgaria
Petite Sirah: Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, USA (California, Washington State)
Petite Syrah: France
Pinot Meunier: France, Germany
Pinot Noir: Argentina, Australia, France, Italy, Moldova, New Zealand, Romania, South Africa, USA (California, Oregon, Washington State)
Pinotage: New Zealand, South Africa, Zimbabwe
Rioja: Spain
Syrah/Shiraz: Australia, France (Rhône), Italy, South Africa, Turkey, USA (California, Washington State), Venezuela
Tempranillo: Argentina, Spain, Venezuela
Trollinger: Germany
Valpolicella: Italy
Zinfandel: USA (California, Washington State)
Zweigelt: Austria
Sparkling red wines

Brachetto: Italy
Cabernet Sauvignon: Australia
Lambrusco: Italy
Syrah/Shiraz: Australia
Soleras wines

Marsala: Italy
Moscatel: Portugal
Palomino (grape used in Sherry): Spain
Pedro Ximénez: Spain
Porto: Portugal, South Africa ("port style", EU regulations forbid "port(o)" on labels)
[edit]Some white wines
Airén: Spain
Albillo: Spain
Aleasa Dulce: Moldova
Chablis: France
Chardonnay: Australia, France, Germany, Italy, Moldova, New Zealand, Romania, South Africa, Turkey, USA (California, Midwest States, Washington State)
Chenin Blanc: France, South Africa, Venezuela
Doña Blanca: Spain
Feteasca Alba: Moldova, Romania
Frascati: Italy
Gavi: Italy
Gewürztraminer: Australia, France (Alsace), Germany, New Zealand, Romania, South Africa, USA (Washington State)
Goldmuskateller: Italy
Grasa de Cotnari: Romania
Grüner Veltliner: Austria
Kerner: Italy
Macabeo: Spain
Malvasía: Italy
Meursault: France
Mirodia White: Moldova
Misket: Bulgaria
Moscatel: Spain, Venezuela
Müller-Thurgau: Austria, England, Germany, Italy
Muscat: Australia, Moldova, Romania, South Africa, Turkey
Orvieto: Italy
Pedro Ximénez: Spain
Pinot Gris/Pinot Grigio/Grauburgunder: France, Germany, Italy, Romania, USA (Oregon)
Pouilly-Fuissé: France
Retsina: Greece
Riesling: Australia, Austria, France (Alsace), Germany, Idaho, New Zealand, Oregon, Romania, Italy
Sauvignon Blanc: Australia, Austria, France, Italy, Moldova, New Zealand, Romania, South Africa, Turkey, USA (California, Washington State), Venezuela
Semillon: Australia, France, South Africa, Turkey, USA (Washington State), Venezuela
Silvaner: Germany, Italy
Soave: Italy
Tamâioasa Româneasca: Romania
Tokaji: Hungary, Slovakia
Torrontés: Argentina, Spain
Traminer: Australia, Italy, Romania, Moldova
Verdelho: Australia, Portugal
Verdicchio dei castelli di Jesi: Italy
Vermentino: Italy
Viognier: Australia, France (Rhône), USA (California)
Sparkling white wines

Asti Spumante: Italy
Cava: Spain
Champagne: France
Franciacorta: Italy
Moscato d'Asti: Italy
Prosecco: Italy
Sekt: Austria, Germany
Txacolí: Spain
Vin Spumos (Zarea):Romania
Pink wines

Busuioaca de Bohotin: Romania
Lagrein Rosato: Italy
Rosé: Australia, France, Portugal, South Africa, Spain, USA

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By quality
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Premium wines

Gold lettering on collectible Sydney Opera House wineAt the highest end, rare, super-premium wines are amongst the most expensive of all foodstuffs, and outstanding vintages from the best vineyards may sell for thousands of dollars per bottle. Red wines, at least partly because of their ability to form more complex subtleties, are typically more expensive. Some of the most expensive come from Bordeaux and Burgundy. However, some white dessert wines like German trockenbeerenauslese or French Sauternes for example, cost hundreds of dollars for a half bottle. Such premium wines are often at their best years or even decades after bottling. On the other hand, they may spoil after such long storage periods, unbeknownst to the drinker about to open the bottle. Part of the expense associated with high-end wine comes from the number of bottles which must be discarded in order to produce a drinkable wine. Restaurants will often charge between two and five times the price of what a wine merchant may ask for an exceptional vintage. This is for a reason: diners will often return wines that have spoiled and not bear the expense. For restaurateurs, serving old vintages is a risk that is compensated through elevated prices. Some high-end wines are Veblen goods (for conspicuous consumption).

Exclusive wines come from all the best winemaking regions of the world. Secondary markets for these wines have consequently developed, as well as specialised facilities for post-purchase storage for people who either collect or "invest" in wine. The most common wines purchased for investment are Bordeaux, California cult wines and Port. The importance of the secondary wine market has led the rise of so-called "supercritics", most notably Robert M. Parker, Jr. The shift towards a perceived single-scale of wine analysis (the 100-point scale, or similar) has caused some traditionalists to claim that this process encourages a reduction in variety, as winemakers world-wide try to produce the allegedly single style of wine that will find favour with Mr. Parker and the many consumers who are influenced by his evaluations. The rise, in the late 90's, of wines produced by the garagistes in Bordeaux, and the heavily tannic, highly fruit-driven wines of the New World, especially in California, Washington State, Australia and New Zealand, all selling for prices above that of the First Growths appear to reflect the influence of Parker and changing wine tastes. (The First Growths were classified by the French government in 1855 as the four best (i.e., most expensive) wines in Bordeaux. A fifth was added in 1973 after decades of lobbying by its owner.)

Investment in fine wine has attracted a number of fraudsters who play on fine wine's exclusive image and their clients' ignorance of this sector of the wine market. Wine fraud scams often work by charging excessively high prices for the wine, while representing that it is a sound investment unaffected by economic cycles. Like any investment, proper research is essential before investing. False labeling is another dishonest practice commonly used.

Some wines, produced to mark significant events in a country or region, can also become collectible because of labelling design. An example is the Mildara Rhine Riesling produced in 1973 to mark the opening of the Sydney Opera House. Instead of labels, the bottles (red, as well as white) had printing in gold on them, as seen in the illustration.

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Cheap wines
At the lower end of the quality spectrum, bulk wine or cooking wine is usually sold cheaply and in large quantities. Cleanskin wine is a type of cheap wine, of ever-increasing popularity in Australia, whose label does not feature the winery or the winemaker's name. Cleanskin wine is not necessarily of low quality, and over-produced premium wines are often sold as cleanskins (mainly on online auctions) rather than turned into vinegar.

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Wine names
Wines are usually named either by their grape variety or by their place of production. Generally speaking, Old World (European) wines are named for the place of production, with the grapes used often not appearing on the label. New World wines (those from everywhere except Europe) are generally named for the grape variety. More and more, however, market recognition of particular regions and wineries is leading to their increased prominence on New World wine labels. Examples of recognized locales include: Napa Valley, Russian River Valley, Willamette Valley, Sonoma, Walla Walla, etc. Still, though, the grape variety is almost invariably present on the label. This is not the case with most European wines because of tradition and legal restrictions. However, to consumers, the system can be confusing if not impenetrable. For example, 72% of French adults report that they have difficulty understanding wine labels. This is understandable; the many systems of geographic nomenclature with their precise meanings and implications are highly complex.[12]

Within Europe, a major exception to the no-grape rule is with German wines, for which it is not uncommon to find this information on the front label. To accommodate market demands, an increasing number of French wine makers are labeling their bottles with the variety or varieties of grapes included, as permitted by law.

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Regional wine names
The taste of a wine depends not only on the grape species and varietal blend, but also on the ground and climate (known as terroir) where it is cultivated. Historically, wines have been known by names reflecting their origin, and sometimes style: Bordeaux, Rioja, Mosel and Chianti are all legally defined names, reflecting the traditional wines produced in the named region. These naming conventions or "appellations" (as they are known in France) dictate not only where the grapes in a wine were grown, but also which grapes went into the wine and how they were vinified. The appellation system is strongest in the European Union, but a related system, the American Viticultural Area, restricts the use of certain regional labels in America, such as Napa Valley, Santa Barbara and Willamette Valley. The AVA designations do not restrict the type of grape used. New World wines are known primarily by their varietal content, and not by their region.

The inconsistent application of historical European designations offends many producers there. For example, in most of the world, wine labeled Champagne must be made from grapes grown in the Champagne region of France and fermented using a certain method, based on the international trademark agreements included in the 1919 Treaty of Versailles.

While most countries restrict the use of European place names, there exists a legal definition called semi-generic in the United States that enables U.S. winemakers to use certain generic terms (Champagne, Hock, Sherry, etc.) if there appears next to the term the actual appellation of origin in order to prevent any possible confusion. Generally only the most inexpensive, mass-produced wines (or vin ordinaire) make use of these place names as semi-generic wine names; most of those now use the more popular varietal labeling.

For example, makers of American sparkling wines now generally find it to be of no advantage in the marketplace to use the name "Champagne" because the quality of their products is widely recognized. Thus, the finest sparkling wines from California will be labeled "sparkling wine", while some less expensive sparkling wines from California as well as states such as Ohio and New York may bear such names as "Ohio Champagne" or "New York State Champagne."

Some European producers protest the practice for fear that it causes loss of sales, although it would appear that only the most unsophisticated consumer could ever be confused or misled by the practice.

Some blended wine names are marketing terms, and the use of these names is governed by trademark or copyright law, rather than a specific wine law or a patent on the actual varietal blend or process used to achieve it. For example, Meritage is generally a Bordeaux-style blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, and may also include Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, and Malbec. Use of the term Meritage is protected by licensing agreements by The Meritage Association.

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Uses of wine

A glass of white wineWine is a popular and important beverage that accompanies and enhances a wide range of European and Mediterranean-style cuisines, from the simple and traditional to the most sophisticated and complex. Red, white and sparkling wines are the most popular, and are also known as light wines, because they only contain approximately 10-14% alcohol. The apéritif and dessert wines contain 14-20% alcohol, and are fortified to make them richer and sweeter than the light wines. Although there are many classes of dinner wines, they can be categorized under six specific classes as follows:

Apéritif (or better known as "appetizer wines"): include dry sherry, Madeira, Vermouth, and other flavored wines, made to be consumed before eating a meal.
Red dinner wines: These wines are usually dry and go well with such main-course dishes as red meats, spaghetti, and highly-seasoned foods. They should be served at a cool room temperature to bring out their aroma. The most popular red dinner wines are claret, Burgundy, Chianti, and Cabernet Sauvignon. Pink dinner wines (also called "rose wines"), a special class of red wines, can be served with almost any dish, but are considered best with cold meats, pork, and curries.
White dinner wines: Can be very dry to rather sweet, these wines should be served chilled, and go well with white meats, seafood, and fowl. They include Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio, Chardonnay and Riesling.
Sparkling wines: Usually served at any meal with any course, these wines are most frequently served at banquets, formal dinners and weddings. Sparkling wines can be white, pink (rose), or red. The best known sparkling wines come from the Champagne region in France. Sparkling wines from Spain are called Cava, and in Germany they are called Sekt. Although often served throughout a meal, sparkling wines do not generally pair well with main meals, and should be served as an apéritif or with certain entrées.
Table wine: Table wine is not bubbly, although some have a very slight carbonation, the amount of which is not enough to disqualify them as table wines. According to U.S. standards of identity, table wines may have an alcohol content that is no higher than 14%. In Europe, light wine must be within 8.5% and 14% alcohol by volume. As such, unless a wine has more than 14% alcohol, or it has bubbles, it is a table wine or a light wine. In reality, in those regions where grapes ripen fully, such as Califonia's hot Central Valley, a large portion of new-world red wines have between 14 and 15.5% alcohol, yet are still certainly 'table wines' in the practical sense.
Dessert wines: Ranging from medium-sweet to very sweet, these wines are classified under dessert wines only because they are sometimes served with desserts. Among these are port wine, sweet sherry, Tokay, Sauternes and muscatel.
Cooking wines: Typically containing a significant quantity of salt, cooking wine is wine of such poor quality that it is unpalatable and intended for use only in cooking. (Note, however, that most cooking authorities advise against cooking with any wine one would find unacceptable to drink.)
The labels on certain bottles of wine suggest that they need to be set aside for an hour before drinking (ie. to "breathe"), while other wines are recommended to be drunk as soon as they are opened. 'Breathing' means allowing a wine to aerate before drinking. Generally, younger wines benefit from some aeration, while older wines do not. The word, "younger", refers to the first one third of a wine’s life, which varies from wine type to wine type and from wine to wine. For most white wines, "younger" means up to one to two years, while for red wines, they could mean as little as a few months, for a Beaujolais Nouveau, up to ten years for a hearty Barossa Shiraz. "Older", on the other hand, refers to the last one third of their lives.

During aeration, the exposure of younger wines to air often "relaxes" the flavours and makes them taste smoother and better integrated in aroma, texture, and flavor. Wines that are older generally fade (lose their character and flavor intensity) with extended aeration. Breathing, however, does not benefit all wines, and should not therefore be taken to the extreme. In general, wine should be tasted as soon as it is opened to determine how long it may be aerated, if at all. It should then be tasted every 15 minutes until the wine is, according to individual preference, ready to drink. As a general rule, younger white wines normally require no more than 15-30 minutes of aeration while younger red wines should be no more than 30-60 minutes. If in doubt, it is better to err on the side of too little aeration than too much. Note that 'aerating' a wine involves more than removal of the cork. For aeration to provide any benefit whatsoever, the wine must be decanted.

[edit]
Religious uses
Wine is also used in religious ceremonies in many cultures and the wine trade is of historical importance for many regions. Libations often included wine, and the religious mysteries of Dionysus are usually thought to have used wine as an entheogen. The New Testament states that Jesus' very first miracle was to turn water into wine (John 2:1-11), and the Old Testament states that the fermentation of grapes was known by Noah after the great flood described in Genesis. (Gen. 9:20-21). However, it is also believed by some that the word "wine" is used interchangeably to describe both fermented (Proverbs 20:1, Proverbs 23:20, Proverbs 23:29-35) and unfermented grape juice (Isaiah 65:8, Hosea 4:11, Joel 1:5). This has led to some conflicts over the issue of the use of alcohol in the church. However, wine continues to remain an essential part of the Eucharistic rites in the Orthodox, Catholic, Lutheran and Anglican denominations of Christianity. It was used in nearly all Protestant groups until Welch's created commercial grape juice in 1869 by applying pasteurization to grapes to stop the natural fermentation process. The influence of the temperance movement and Prohibition also convinced some of them to switch from wine to grape juice. Wine is also a very integral part of Jewish laws and traditions. The Kiddush, a a blessing prior to eating on the Sabath and other holidays, is required to be said over wine. On Pesach (Passover) during the seder it is also required to drink four cups of wine.[13]

[edit]
Wine based drinks
Main article: List of cocktails with wine
Brandy: A general term for distilled wine which has been aged for at least 2 years.
Calimocho: A cheap alcoholic drink, comprising 50% red wine and 50% cola drink.
Mulled wine (known in Scandinavia as Glögg and in Germany as Glühwein): A red wine, combined with spices, and usually served hot.
Sangria: A wine punch, comprising red wine, chopped fruits, sugar, and a small amount of brandy or other spirits.
Spritzer: A tall, chilled drink, usually made of white wine and soda water.
Wine cooler: An alcoholic beverage made from wine and fruit juice, often in combination with a carbonated beverage and sugar.
Zurracapote: A popular Spanish alcoholic drink comprised mainly of red wine, spirit, fruit juice, sugar and cinnamon.
Rebujito: A mixture of manzanilla wine, mixed with a soft drink like Sprite or 7 Up.
[edit]
Medical implications
See also: Alcohol consumption and health

Wine yearly consumption, per capita:
¦¦ less than 1 litre.

¦¦ from 1 to 7 litres.

¦¦ from 7 to 15 litres.

¦¦ from 15 to 30 litres.

¦¦ More than 30 litres.The health effects of wine (and alcohol in general) are the subject of considerable ongoing study. In the USA, a boom in red wine consumption was touched off in the 1990s by '60 Minutes', and other news reports on the French paradox.

It now seems clear that regular consumption of up to 1-2 drinks a day (1 standard drink is approximately equal to 5 oz, or 125 ml, of 13% wine) does reduce mortality, due to a 10%–40% lower risk of coronary heart disease, especially for those over the age of 35 or so (see Alcohol consumption and health). Originally, the effect was observed with red wine. Compounds, known as polyphenols, are found in larger amounts in red wine, and there is some evidence that these are especially beneficial. One particularly interesting polyphenol antioxidant found in red wine is resveratrol, to which numerous beneficial effects have been attributed. Red wine also contains a significant amount of flavonoids and red anthocyanin pigments that act as antioxidants. With excessive consumption, however, any health benefits may be offset by the increased rate of various alcohol-related diseases, primarily cancers of mouth, upper respiratory tract, and ultimately, cirrhosis of liver, especially if consumption of red wine is immoderate.

Other studies have shown that similar beneficial effects on the heart can be obtained from drinking beer, and distilled spirits. However, recent studies show that only red wine reduces the risk of contracting several types of cancer where beer and other alcoholic beverages show no change. Dr. Sinclair of Harvard University and others claim that resveratrol is the active molecule responsible for the significant difference in lowering cancer risks and that the required amounts are only found in red wine. Trace amounts of resveratrol exist in grapes, white and red wine and peanuts.

Sulfites (or sulphites) are chemicals that occur naturally in grapes and also are added to wine as a preservative. They can trigger a severe and life-threatening allergic reaction in a small percentage of consumers, primarily asthmatics. In the USA nearly all commercially produced wine, including that with no added sulfites, is required to state on the label "contains sulfites." In other countries they do not have to be declared on the label, leading to a common mistaken belief that only wine from the USA contains sulfites. Many consumers who have adverse reactions to wine, such as headaches or hangovers, blame added sulfites but are probably reacting instead to naturally-occurring biogenic amines such as histamine. The quantity of sulfites in a glass of wine is the same as in a serving of dried apricots.

[edit]
Professions
Cooper: Someone who makes wooden barrels, casks, and other similar wooden objects.
Négociant: A wine merchant who assembles the produce of smaller growers and winemakers, and sells them under his own name.
Vintner: A wine merchant or producer.
Sommelier: A person in a restaurant who specializes in wine. They are usually in charge of assembling the wine list, staff education and making wine suggestions to customers.
Winemaker: A person who makes wine.
Oenologist: A wine scientist. Often referred to as a winemaker.
Viticulturist: A person who specializes in the science of the grapevines themselves. Can also be someone who manages a vineyard (decides how to prune, how much to irrigate, how to deal with pests, etc.)
[edit]
Films & TV
Mondovino, USA/France 2004: A documentary film directed by American film maker, Jonathan Nossiter, explaining the impact of globalization on the various wine-producing regions.
Sideways, 2004: A comedy/drama film, directed by Alexander Payne, with the tagline: In search of wine. In search of women. In search of themselves., in which wine, particularly Pinot Noir, plays a central role.
Falcon Crest, USA 1981-1990: A CBS primetime soap opera about the fictional Falcon Crest winery and the family who owned it, set in the fictional Tuscany Valley of California. The series was very popular and a wine named Falcon Crest even went on the market.
[edit]
See also
Alcoholic beverage
Glossary of wine terms
List of wine-related articles
List of wine personalities
List of wine producing countries
List of wine producing regions
List of vineyards and wineries
Wine competitions
Wine tasting
Wineography
[edit]
References and sources
Edell, M.D., Dean (1999). Eat, Drink and be Merry: America’s Doctor Tells You Why the Health Experts are Wrong. NY: HarperCollins, 191-192.
Foulkes, Christopher (2001). (editor) Larousse Encyclopedia of Wine. Larousse. ISBN 2035850134.
Johnson, Hugh (2003). Hugh Johnson's Wine Companion, 5th ed., Mitchell Beazley. “The Encyclopaedia of Wines, Vineyards and Winemakers.”
McCarthy, Ed; Mary Ewing-Mulligan, Piero Antinori (1996). Wine for Dummies. HarperCollins. ISBN 0764525441.
Nicholson, Paul T.; I. Shaw (2000). Ancient Egyptian materials and technology. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0521452570. “Grapes and wine in ancient Egypt; includes critique of chemical evidence for wine residues.”
Pigott, Stuart. A Grape by Grape Visual Guide to the Contemporary Wine World. Mitchell Beazley.
Robinson, Jancis (1994). The Oxford Companion to Wine. Oxford: OUP. ISBN 019866236X.
Taber, George M. (2005). Judgment of Paris: California vs. France and the Historic 1976 Paris Tasting the Revolutionized Wine. NY: Scribner.
Zohary, Daniel; Maria Hopf (2000). Domestication of plants in the Old World. Oxford: OUP. ISBN 0198503563. “Authoritative source on evolution and domestication of the grapevine.”

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wine

List of Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée liqueurs and spirits
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The following is a list of French liqueurs and spirits that are entitled to use the designation Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée (AOC) on their label.

The majority are brandies and eaux-de-vie forming part of the Cognac and Armagnac appellations. Additional appellations cover apple-based cider, pommeau and Calvados, and the rums of Martinique.

See also List of Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée wines.

AOC drink Region
Armagnac brandy Armagnac
Armagnac-Tenarèze brandy Armagnac
Bas-Armagnac brandy Armagnac
Blanche Armagnac brandy Armagnac
Bois Ordinaire brandy Cognac
Bons Bois brandy Cognac
Borderies brandy Cognac
Calvados apple brandy Normandy
Calvados Pays d'Auge apple brandy Normandy
Calvados Domfrontais apple brandy Normandy
Cognac brandy Cognac
Esprit de Cognac brandy Cognac
Fine Champagne brandy Cognac
Fins Bois brandy Cognac
Grande Champagne brandy Cognac
Haut-Armagnac brandy Armagnac
Martinique rum Martinique
Pays d'Auge cider Normandy
Petite Champagne brandy Cognac
Pineau des Charentes apéritif Charente
Pommeau de Bretagne pommeau Brittany
Pommeau de Normandie pommeau Normandy

Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Appellation_d%27Origine_Contr%C3%B4l%C3%A9e_liqueurs_and_spirits

Denominación de Origen
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Denominación de origen is an appellation primarily for Spanish wines, but also other foodstuffs. It is closely modelled after the Italian DOC. As of 2006, 65 wine regions have DO status.

[edit]
Labels
The wine appelation uses two levels of labels similar to the Italian system:

DO — Denominación de Origen
DOCa — Denominación de Origen Calificada
The DOCa label was introduced on 3 April, 1991. For many years Rioja was the only appelation to hold DOCa status, but Priorat was elevated on 2000.

[edit]
Appelations
The 65 wine appelations are as follows:

Abona
Alella
Alicante
Almansa
Empordà
Arabako Txakolina / Txakolí de Álava
Arlanza
Arribes
Bierzo
Binissalem-Mallorca
Bullas
Calatayud
Campo de Borja
Cariñena
Cataluña
Cava
Chacolí de Bizcaia / Bizkaiko Txakolina
Chacolí de Getaria / Getariako Txakolina
Cigales
Conca de Barberà
Condado de Huelva
Costers del Segre
El Hierro
Jerez-Xérès-Sherry
Manzanilla de Sanlúcar
Jumilla
La Mancha
La Palma
Lanzarote
Málaga
Manchuela
Méntrida
Mondéjar
Monterrei
Montilla-Moriles
Montsant
Navarra
Pago Guijoso
Penedès
Pla de Bages
Pla i Llevant
Priorat
Rías Baixas
Ribeira Sacra
Ribeiro
Ribera del Duero
Ribera del Guadiana
Ribera del Júcar
Rioja
Rueda
Sierras de Málaga
Somontano
Taraconte-Acentejo
Tarragona
Terra Alta
Toro
Utiel-Requena
Valdeorras
Valdepeñas
Valencia
Valle de Güímar
Valle de la Orotava
Vinos de Madrid
Ycoden-Daute-Isora
Yecla
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Denominaci%C3%B3n_de_Origen

Denominazione di Origine Controllata
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Denominazione di origine controllata is an Italian quality assurance label for food products and especially wines (an appellation). It is modelled after the French AOC. It was instituted in 1963 and overhauled in 1992 for compliance with the equivalent EU law on Protected Designation of Origin, which came into effect that year.

There are two levels of labels:

DOC — Denominazione di Origine Controllata
DOCG — Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita

DOCG seal on a bottle of Chianti Classico Riserva 1995Both require that a food product be produced within the specified region using defined methods and that it satisfies a defined quality standard.

DOCG regions are subterritories of DOC regions that produce outstanding products that may be subject to more stringent production and quality standards than the same products from the surrounding DOC region.

The need for a DOCG identification arose when the DOC denomination was, in the view of many Italian food industries, given too liberally to different products. A new, more restrictive identification was then created, as similar as possible to the previous one so that buyers could still recognize it, but qualitatively different.

A notable difference for wines is that DOCG labelled wines are analysed and tasted by government–licensed personnel before being bottled. To prevent later manipulation, DOCG wine bottles then are sealed with a numbered governmental seal across the cap or cork.

Italian legislature additionally regulates the use of the following qualifying terms for wines:

classico: is reserved for wines produced in the region where a particular type of wine has been produced "traditionally". For the Chianti classico, this "traditional region" is defined by a decree from July 10, 1932.
riserva: may be used only for wines that have been aged at least two years longer than normal for a particular type of wine.
Wines labelled DOC or DOCG may only be sold in bottles holding at most 5 liters.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Denominazione_di_Origine_Controllata

List of grape varieties
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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This is a list of varieties of cultivated grapes, whether used for wine, or eating as a Table grape, fresh or dried (raisin, currant, sultana).

Contents [hide]
1 Single species grapes
1.1 Vitis vinifera grapes (wine)
1.1.1 Red wine
1.1.2 White wine
1.1.3 Vitis vinifera (wine and table)
1.2 Vitis labrusca (wine and table)
1.2.1 Wine grapes
1.2.2 Table grapes
1.2.2.1 Green table grapes
1.2.2.2 Red table grapes
1.2.2.3 Purple table grapes
1.2.2.4 Varied/Other
1.3 Vitis riparia (wine grape rootstock and hybridization source)
1.4 Vitis rotundifolia (table and wine)
1.5 Vitis aestivalis (wine)
2 Multispecies hybrid grapes
2.1 Vinifera hybrids (wine)
2.2 Non-vinifera hybrids (table)
2.3 Non-vinifera hybrids (rootstock)
3 External links
4 Further reading

[edit]
Single species grapes
While some of the grapes in this section are hybrids, they are hybridized within a single species (for example, Niagara). For those grapes hybridized across species, see below.

[edit]
Vitis vinifera grapes (wine)
[edit]
Red wine
Acolon
Agiorgitiko
Aglianico
Alicante Bouschet
Alvarelhão
Barbera
Bastardo / Trousseau
Blauer Portugieser / Kékoportó
Blaufränkisch / Lemberger / Kékfrankos / Gamé
Bonarda
Bual
Cabernet Franc
Cabernet Sauvignon
Carignan / Carignane / Cariñena / Carignano
Carmenère
Cinsaut
Corvina
Dolcetto
Dornfelder
Durif / Petite Sirah
Gamay / Gamay Noir
Garganega
Garnatxa / Grenache / Garnacha / Cannanou
Graciano
Grignolino
Kadarka
Kratosija
Lagrein
Lambrusco
Macabeo
Malbec / Auxerrois / Côt
Mavrodafni
Mavrud
Mencia
Merlot
Millot
Mission
Montepulciano
Mourvèdre / Monastrell / Mataro
Nebbiolo
Negroamaro
Nero d'Avola
Petit Verdot
Pinot meunier / Schwarzriesling / Müllerebe
Pinot Nero
Pinot Noir / Spätburgunder / Blauburgunder
Pinotage
Poulsard
Refosco / Refošk
Rondinella
Roriz
Rotberger
Ruby Cabernet
Rubired
Rufete / Tinta Pinheira / Tinta Carvalha / Rufeta
Sagrantino
Sangiovese
Saperavi
Schiava / Trollinger
Sercial
Shiraz / Syrah
Sousão
St. Laurent
Taminga
Tannat
Tarrango
Tempranillo / Tinta Roriz
Teroldego
Terret Noir
Tinta Barroca
Tinta Cao
Touriga Franca / Touriga Francesa
Touriga Nacional / Azal Espanhol / Preto de Mortágua
Valdiguié
Verdicchio
Xynomavro
Zinfandel / Crljenak Kaštelanski / Primitivo
Zweigelt / Zweigeltrebe / Rotburger
[edit]
White wine
Airén
Albariño / Alvarinho
Aligoté
Arneis
Auxerrois
Assyrtiko
Bacchus
Catarratto
Chardonnay
Chasselas / Gutedel -- oldest known grape variety
Chenin Blanc
Clairette Blanc
Colombard
Cortese
Courtiller Musque
Crouchen
Doradillo
Fiano
Flora
Folle Blanche
Furmint
Garganega
Gewürztraminer
Goldriesling
Greco
Grüner Veltliner
Hárslevelü
Kerner
Macabeo
Malvasia, includes several sub-varieties
Marsanne
Mauzac
Melon de Bourgogne
Moscato / Moscatell / Moscatel / Muscat
Moschofilero
Mtsvane
Müller-Thurgau
Muscadelle / Tokay
Ondenc
Palomino / Palomino Fino
Parellada
Pedro Ximénez
Pinot Blanc / Pinot Bianco / Weissburgunder
Pinot Grigio / Pinot Gris
Prosecco
Riesling / Johannisberg Riesling / Rheinriesling / Klingelberger
Rkatsiteli
Roussanne
Sauvignon Blanc
Sauvignon Vert
Scheurebe
Semillon
Smederevka
Sultana
Sylvaner / Oesterreicher
Tocai Friulano (will be renamed by 2007, may be same variety as Sauvignon Vert)
Torrontes
Traminer / Savagnin Blanc / Savagnin Rosé
Trebbiano / Ugni Blanc
Trousseau Gris / Grey Riesling
Verdelho
Verdicchio
Vermentino
Vernaccia
Viognier
Welschriesling / Riesling Italico
Xarel·lo / Xarello
[edit]
Vitis vinifera (wine and table)
Black Rose
Muscat
Sultana / Thompson Seedless
[edit]
Vitis labrusca (wine and table)
[edit]
Wine grapes
Catawba
Concord
Delaware
Niagara
Ivy
[edit]
Table grapes
[edit]
Green table grapes
Perlette
Sugarone
Calmeria
[edit]
Red table grapes
Flame Seedless
Red Globe
Ruby Seedless
Christmas Rose
Emperor
Rouge
Crimson Seedless
Tudor Premium Red
Swenson Red
Canadice
[edit]
Purple table grapes
Beauty Seedless
Autumn Royal
Ribier
Fantasy Seedless
Marroo
Niabell
Bluebell
Concord
[edit]
Varied/Other
Himrod (white)
[edit]
Vitis riparia (wine grape rootstock and hybridization source)
Riparia Gloire
Riparia Grand Glabre
Riparia Scribner
Riparia Martin
[edit]
Vitis rotundifolia (table and wine)
Muscadine
Scuppernong
[edit]
Vitis aestivalis (wine)
Norton / Cynthiana
[edit]
Multispecies hybrid grapes
[edit]
Vinifera hybrids (wine)
Hybrid grape varieties (see Hybrid grapes) or "hybrids" is, in fact, the popular term for a subset of what are properly known as hybrids, specifically crossings between one species of the genus vitis and another. The scientific definition of a hybrid grape is any crossing (intra- or inter-specific) of two grape varieties. In keeping with the popular definition, however, the ones listed below are inter-specific hybrids where one parent is a European grape.

Agawam, Vitis labrusca x Vitis vinifera
Aurora
Aurore
Baco 22A (Baco blanc)
Baco noir (Baco 1)
Cayuga White
Chambourcin
Chancellor
Chardonel
Chelois
Couderc Noir
De Chaunac
Edelweiss
Elvira
Esprit
Kay Gray
L'Ambertille
La Crosse
Léon Millot
Marechal Foch
Melody
Ravat
Rayon d'Or
Regent
Rondo
Rougeon
St. Croix
St. Pepin
Seyval Blanc
Traminette
Vidal Blanc
Vignoles / Ravat 51
Villard Blanc
[edit]
Non-vinifera hybrids (table)
Beta, Vitis labrusca X Vitis riparia
[edit]
Non-vinifera hybrids (rootstock)
110R
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_grape_varieties

List of vineyards and wineries
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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The following is a non-exhaustive list of vineyards and wineries from around the world.

Batard-Montrachet Ramonet-Prudhon
Beaulieu Vineyard
Beaune Clos des Mouches Joseph Drouhin
Chalone Vineyard
Château Branaire-Ducru
Château Brane-Cantenac
Chateau de Camensac
Château Cheval Blanc
Château Ducru-Beaucaillou
Chateau Haut-Bages Liberal
Château Haut-Brion
Château Haut-Bailly
Château Lafite-Rothschild
Château Lascombes
Château Latour.
Château Leoville Las Cases
Chateau Lynch-Moussas
Château Margaux
Chateau Montelena
Château Montrose
Château Mouton Rothschild
Château Pétrus
Château Pontet-Canet
Château Rauzan-Gassies
Clos Du Val Winery
Cloudy Bay Vineyards
Constellation Brands
David Bruce Winery
Danzante
Distell
Douglas Green Bellingham (DGB)
E & J Gallo Winery
Freemark Abbey Winery
Grgich Hills Cellar
Heitz Wine Cellars
Kendall-Jackson
KWV (Koöperatiewe Winjnbouwers Vereniging van Zuid-Afrika)
Mayacamas Vineyards
Meursault Charmes Roulot
Montana Wines
Penfolds Grange
Remick Ridge Vineyards
Ridge Vineyards
Royal Wine Company
Marchesi Antinori
Massaya
Puligny-Montrachet Les Pucelles Domaine Leflaive
Spring Mountain Vineyard
Stag's Leap Wine Cellars
Sterling Vineyards
The Wine Group
Thirty Benches Wines
Trefethen Vineyards
Yellow Tail

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_vineyards_and_wineries

List of wine producing countries
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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The following is a list of wine producing countries and their volume of wine production for the year 2003 in metric tonnes. Data is reported from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), which is an agency of the United Nations.

Wine production by country 2003 Rank Country
(with link to wine article) Production
(tonnes)
1 France 4,735,260
2 Spain 4,623,750
3 Italy 4,408,611
4 United States of America 2,350,000
5 Argentina 1,322,500
6 China 1,200,000
7 Australia 1,019,400
8 South Africa 885,300
9 Germany 828,855
10 Portugal 709,300
11 Chile 668,100
12 Romania 545,700
13 Russian Federation 453,000
14 Greece 406,700
15 Hungary 388,700
16 Brazil 262,000
17 Austria 252,989
18 Ukraine 238,000
19 Croatia 176,800
20 Serbia and Montenegro 173,441
21 Moldova, Republic of 170,520
22 Bulgaria 130,000
23 Mexico 109,633
24 Switzerland 96,649
25 Japan 93,840
26 Macedonia,The Fmr Yug Rp 93,038
27 Algeria 82,000
28 Uruguay 81,814
29 Czech Republic 73,978
30 Georgia 65,300
31 New Zealand 55,000
32 Slovakia 46,103
33 Uzbekistan 45,750
34 Cyprus 38,500
35 Canada 35,889
36 Morocco 34,293
37 Kazakhstan 32,800
38 Slovenia 29,799
39 Turkmenistan 24,000
40 Tunisia 23,184
41 Turkey 22,548
42 Belgium 16,000
43 Lebanon 15,000
44 Peru 13,300
45 Cuba 11,700
46 Albania 9,164
47 Madagascar 8,900
48 Bosnia and Herzegovina 7,648
49 Belarus 7,500
50 Azerbaijan, Republic of 6,895
51 Tajikistan 6,200
52 Israel 5,700
53 Egypt 4,200
54 Kyrgyzstan 3,582
55 Lithuania 3,550
56 Paraguay 2,800
57 Armenia 2,720
58 Ethiopia 2,551
59 Venezuela 2,100
60 Bolivia 2,048
61 Zimbabwe 1,600
62 United Kingdom 1,450
63 Malta 630
64 Syrian Arab Republic 300
65 Panama 140

This list may be incomplete or outdated. If there are more recent or accurate data available please report it here.
Note also that some of the figures may be misleading. In China, for example, "wine" refers to all alcoholic beverages, including those that are distilled, not just wine from grapes or even other fruits.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_wine_producing_countries

List of wine-producing regions
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This list of wine-producing regions catalogues significant growing regions where vineyards are planted. Wine grapes mostly grow between the 30th and the 50th degree of latitude, in both the Northern and Southern hemispheres. Grapes will sometimes grow beyond this range and minor amounts of wine are made in some very unexpected places (such as tropical Zimbabwe), but these aberrations are not included in the list below.

In 2003, the five largest producers of wine in the world were France, Spain, Italy, United States, and Argentina (see: List of wine producing countries for a complete rank).

Africa
[edit]
Morocco
Atlas Mountains
[edit]
South Africa
See also: South African wine
Elim
Stellenbosch
Paarl
Franschoek
Constantia
Robertson
Swartland
Durbanville
Elgin
Breede River Valley
Little Karoo
Orange River Valley
[edit]
Americas
[edit]
Argentina
See also: Argentine wine
Mendoza Province
San Juan Province
Río Negro Province
Neuquén Province
Salta Province
La Rioja Province
Catamarca Province
[edit]
Brazil
Rio Grande do Sul - Bento Gonçalves (city), Caxias do Sul,Garibaldi
Paraná - Marialva, Maringá, Rosário do Avaí, Bandeirantes
Santa Catarina - São Joaquim, Pinheiro Preto, Tangará
Mato Grosso - Nova Mutum
Minas Gerais - Pirapora, Andradas, Caldas, Santa Rita de Caldas
Bahia - Juazeiro, Curaçá, Irecê
Pernambuco -Petrolina, Casa Nova, Santa Maria da Boa Vista
São Paulo - Jundiaí, São Roque
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Canada
See also: Canadian wine
British Columbia
Fraser Valley - (VQA defined viticultural area)
Okanagan Valley - (VQA defined viticultural area)
Similkameen Valley - (VQA defined viticultural area)
Vancouver Island - (VQA defined viticultural area)
Nova Scotia
Annapolis Valley
Ontario
Niagara Peninsula - (VQA defined viticultural area)
Lake Erie North Shore and Pelee Island - (VQA defined viticultural area)
Prince Edward County
Toronto
Quebec
Eastern Townships
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Chile
Main article: Chilean wine
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Mexico
Baja California peninsula - Cabernets are known to be produced, also other reds such Petite Sirah, Syrah, Nebbiolo, Barbera.
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United States
See also: United States wine and California wine
A complete listing of federally-defined wine regions, called American Viticultural Areas, is available here.
Arizona
Sonoita
Arkansas
Altus
California
Central Coast/Monterey
Livermore Valley
Mendocino County
Napa Valley
San Joaquin County
San Luis Obispo County
Santa Cruz Mountains
Sonoma Valley
Santa Ynez valley
Temecula
Colorado
Palisade/Grand Valley
Michigan
Leelanau Peninsula
Old Mission Peninsula
Lake Michigan Shore
Missouri
Augusta
Hermann
Ozark Mountains also in Oklahoma and Arkansas
Ozark Highlands
New York
Eastern Long Island
Finger Lakes
Hudson River Valley
Lake Erie Region
North Carolina
Yadkin Valley
Ohio
Grand River Valley
Isle St. George
Kanawha River Valley
Lake Erie Region
Loramie Creek
Ohio River Valley
Oklahoma
Ozark Mountains
Oregon
Applegate Valley
Hood River County
Rogue Valley
Umpqua Valley
Willamette Valley
Pacific Northwest
Columbia Valley (Oregon and Washington)
Walla Walla Valley (Oregon and Washington)
Pennsylvania
Central Delaware Valley
Cumberland Valley
Lake Erie Region
Lancaster Valley
Texas
Bell Mountain
Escondido Valley
Fredericksburg
Davis Mountains
High Plains
Texas Hill Country
Virginia [1]
Monticello
North Fork of Roanoke
Northern Neck
George Washington Birthplace
Rocky Knob
Shenandoah Valley
Virginia's Eastern Shore
Washington
Puget Sound
Red Mountain
Yakima Valley
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Venezuela
The wine producing enterprise for Venezuela can be found here
Carora, Lara State
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Europe
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Austria
A map of Austrian wine regions can be found here
Burgenland
Northeastern and eastern Lower Austria
Weinviertel
Wachau
Southern Styria
Vienna
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Bulgaria
See also: Bulgarian wine
Danubian Plain
Black Sea region
Rose Valley
Thrace
Valley of the Struma River
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Croatia
Continental Croatia
Wine region Moslavina
Wine growing hills of Cazma
Wine growing hills of Voloder - Ivanic Grad
Wine region Plešivica
Wine growing hills of Krašic
Wine growing hills of Ozalj
Wine growing hills of Plešivica - Okic
Wine growing hills of Samobor
Wine growing hills of Sveta Jana
Wine region Podunavlje
Wine growing hills of Baranja
Wine growing hills of Erdut
Wine growing hills of Srijem
Wine region Pokuplje
Wine growing hills of Karlovac
Wine growing hills of Petrinja
Wine growing hills of Vukomericke gorice
Wine region Prigorje - Bilogora
Wine growing hills of Bilogora
Wine growing hills of Dugo Selo - Vrbovec
Wine growing hills of Kalnik
Wine growing hills of Koprivnica - Ðurdevac
Wine growing hills of Zagreb
Wine growing hills of Zelina
Wine region Slavonija
Wine growing hills of Daruvar
Wine growing hills of Ðakovo
Wine growing hills of Feric