Click on the flag of the country you wish to explore…

But First: 

What is an appellation?

 An appellation is a set of rules that govern an area or style of wine. Every country has different approaches, some are fairly relaxed where all grape varieties and winemaking style can be used. Others are much stricter and control how what and where the grapes can be grown.

Why is location important?

The vineyard location is one of the most important aspects for growing quality fruit and making good wine. The climate defines whether the grapes will reach ripeness and produce good, balanced fruit. The weather of each year determines the quality of the fruit. Extreme conditions such as hail, frost, drought and heavy rainfall can ruin a vintage and this is why people say certain years are better than others.

What are New World and Old World wines?

This has nothing to do with the age of the wine you are drinking it is to do with the location of where the grapes are grown. The term ‘Old World’ refers to the traditional European wine growing areas including France, Italy, Germany and Spain. New World areas are everywhere else.