THE WORLD’S BEST WINE REGIONS
Mendoza, Argentina
Located in the east of Argentina at the foot of the Andes, Mendoza produces two thirds of the entire country’s wine. The region produces Tempranillo, Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay, as well as table wine from the pink-skinned Cereza and Criolla Grande grapes, but the most successful planting is now Malbec. The best Malbecs originate from the high altitude wine regions of Lujan de Cuyo and the Uco Valley.
Rioja, Spain
The northern Spanish province of La Rioja, of which the Rioja wine is named after, has three separate sub-regions, Rioja Alta, Rioja Baja and Rioja Alavesa. It was the first region in Spain to be awarded the highest DOC category, because of its high-quality grape. Rioja’s most famous grape is Tempranillo, which thrives on the clay and limestone soils of the best vineyard sites. Most Rioja wines are red or rosés, though white is also produced from the Viura and Malvasia grapes.
Barossa Valley, South Australia
Located 56kms north of Adelaide, the Barossa Valley is one of Australia’s oldest wine regions. Founded by German settlers, the main grape varieties are Shiraz, Grenache, Mourvedre, Cabernet Sauvignon, Riesling, Chardonnay and Semillon. Due to the hot climate of the region, the grapes tend to have low levels of acid and high levels of alcohol from the fermented sugars, which are then balanced by several different processes including .
Napa Valley, California, USA
America’s leading wine region in terms of its prestige, though it is only responsible for around 4% of the country’s wine production. The microclimates throughout the 15 sub-regions means a variety of fine quality grapes are produced. While Cabernet and Chardonnay are the most commonly planted grapes, Pinor Noir, Merlot, Sangiovese, Sauvignon Blanc, Petit Verdot, Malbec, Shriaz, Pinot Grigio and several others are also produced.
Bordeaux, France
Located in the south west of France, Bordeaux is divided by the Gironde Estuary
and its two rivers, Dordogne and Garonne. Famous for its red wine, with the red grape occupying over 75% of the Bordeaux vineyards, the area gets quite a lot of rainfall during autumn and winter, which can often reduce the quality of a promising vintage. Bordeaux is an excellent aging wine, with the successful vintages such as 1982 aged over a long period reaching prices of $5000 a bottle.
Veneto, Italy
One of Italy’s main wine regions, with 20 of the country’s DOC zones. Veneto’s most famous DOCs are Bardolino, Valpolicella, and Soave, Prosecco. The Garganega grape, used mainly to make Soave, grows well in the area due to the protection of the harsh north-eastern European climate by the Alps.
Central Otago, New Zealand
Geographically unique, Central Otago is the most southern wine region in the world and has vineyards 200 to 400 metres above sea level; the highest in the country. The region is responsible for some of the world’s finest Pinot Noir, with 70% of its plantings dedicated to the grape. The other 30% are Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, and Pinot Gris.
Champagne, France
Derived from the Latin word ‘campagna’, meaning countryside, Champagne is a north-eastern region of France and the only one in the world which produces the famous sparkling wine of the same name. Three grapes are grown within the region; Pinot Noir, Meunier and Chardonnay.
Mosel, Germany
The north-eastern wine region of Mosel is divided into six districts and 19 collective vineyard designations. While it’s not Germany’s largest producing region, it is the leading region due to its quality Riesling grape. The wine from Mosel tends to be high in acidity and have a low alcohol content of 6-9%.
Hunter Valley, Australia
One of the very first Australian wine regions planted in the early 19th century. The Hunter Valley is most famous wines for its Semillon and Shiraz, but the grapes also include Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon and Verdelho.
Wachau-Kremstal-Kamptal, Austria
These three sub-regions are found within Niederösterreich (Lower Austria), which is the country’s biggest and most diverse wine region, with sixty per cent of Austria’s vineyard area. Wachau, Kremstal and Kamptal are best known for their fine Riesling and Grüner Veltliner.
Colchagua Valley, Chile
The many microclimates and soil types that exist in this valley allow for numerous grape varieties to grow across a large number of wineries. This region produces Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, Carmenère and Malbec wines. The valley begins at the foot of the Andes and ends at the edge of the western Pacific.
Tuscany, Italy
The Tuscan wine region is made up of a series of sub-regions, including Brunello di Montalcino, Chianti, Carmignano, Vernaccia di San Gimignano, and Vino Nobile di Montepulciano. The prominent grape across Tuscany is Sangiovese though the grape varies acrossmaller regions each grow their own variety.
Marlborough, New Zealand
Located at the top of the South Island, this is New Zealand’s largest wine region. One third of the region’s grape is Sauvignon Blanc though it also produces Reisling, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc has earned a repuatation as one of the best in the world.
