It can be hard to figure out what exactly you’re buying or ordering based solely on the name of a wine. For instance, you might not expect that a Burgundy and a Pinot Noir would be made from the same grape. But in fact they are—the Pinot Noir grape. This confusion exists because European wines are named according to different rules from those used for wines made anywhere else.
New World: Wines Named for Grapes
Most of the wines grown in the United States, South America, and Australia are varietals, which means that they’re named after the variety of grape they contain. Varietal wine naming makes sense, since the greatest determining factor of a wine’s characteristics is the type of grape from which it’s made. With varietals, you know what you’re getting: if you’re buying a Pinot Noir, you know it contains Pinot Noir grapes.
Member Only Content
Join today for access to all Sommelier India articles online and to get the print magazine delivered to your doorstep. Members can Sign In or email [email protected] for their sign in details if they’re having difficulty accessing the member only content.
Subscribe by Credit Card
Subscribe by mailing a Cheque or Bank Draft
Cheques should be in the name of Sommelier India and mailed to the following address:
Sommelier India,
C-320 Defence Colony,
New Delhi 110 024, India
Download our subscription form (PDF) to print and mail with your cheque.
