Most wines you find in shops and restaurants are named in two basic ways: for the variety of the grape or for the place the grapes are grown. This instant guide decodes common wine names and tells you the wine's color.
Wine Name | Grape or Place | Wine Color |
---|---|---|
Barbera | Grape | Red |
Bardolino | Place/Italy | Red |
Barolo | Place/Italy | Red |
Beaujolais | Place/France | Red |
Bordeaux | Place/France | Red or white |
Burgundy (Bourgogne) | Place/France | Red or white |
Cabernet Sauvignon | Grape | Red |
Chablis | Place/France | White |
Champagne | Place/France | White or rosé |
Chardonnay | Grape | White |
Chianti | Place/Italy | Red |
Côtes du Rhône | Place/France | Red or white |
Dolcetto | Grape | Red |
Merlot | Grape | Red |
Mosel | Place/Germany | White |
Pinot Grigio/Pinot Gris | Grape | White |
Pinot Noir | Grape | Red |
Port (Porto) | Place/Portugal | Red (fortified) |
Pouilly-Fuissé | Place/France | White |
Rhine (Rheingau, Rheinhessen) | Place/Germany | White |
Riesling | Grape | White |
Rioja | Place/Spain | Red or white |
Sancerre | Place/France | White |
Sauternes | Place/France | White (dessert) |
Sauvignon Blanc | Grape | White |
Sherry | Place/Spain | White (fortified) |
Soave | Place/Italy | White |
Syrah/Shiraz | Grape | Red |
Valpolicella | Place/Italy | Red |
Viognier | Grape | White |
Zinfandel | Grape | Red or pink |