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Short answers to the big wine questions, each with its sources.
- How do wine appellation systems work?A wine appellation is a legally protected place name. In Europe it also fixes grapes, yields and methods: France's AOC dates from 1935, Italy's DOC from 1963, Germany's wine law from 1971. The US AVA system, started in 1980, defines only geography.
- How is wine made?Wine is made by harvesting ripe grapes, crushing or pressing them, and letting yeast ferment their sugar into alcohol and carbon dioxide. Red wine ferments with its skins, white wine without. The wine is then aged in oak or steel, blended, clarified and bottled.
- What is the difference between Old World and New World wine?Old World wine comes from Europe and the wider Mediterranean, where winemaking is thousands of years old and labels name places. New World wine comes from countries such as the United States, Chile, Argentina, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa, where labels usually name grape varieties.
- What is the difference between Champagne, Prosecco and Cava?Champagne (France) and Cava (Spain) are made by the traditional method, with a second fermentation in each bottle; Champagne needs at least 15 months' ageing, Cava at least 9. Prosecco (Italy) is made mainly from Glera, with its second fermentation in large tanks.
- How do you read a wine label?A wine label tells you who made the wine, where the grapes grew (the appellation), the harvest year (vintage), the alcohol level and often the grape variety. European labels usually lead with place and quality tier; New World labels usually lead with the grape.
- Which countries produce the most wine?Italy was the world's largest wine producer in 2025 with 44.4 million hectolitres, ahead of France (36.1) and Spain (28.7), according to the OIV. World production was about 227 million hectolitres, close to the historic low of 2024. Spain has the largest vineyard area.
- Wine glossary: essential terms from acidity to yieldThis wine glossary defines 76 essential terms used on labels, in tastings and in winemaking, including appellation, AOC, DOCG, cru, cuvée, terroir, vintage, tannin, acidity, lees, malolactic fermentation, Botrytis, dosage, négociant and phylloxera.
- The 1855 Bordeaux classificationEvery classified growth of the Médoc, Graves and Sauternes, by rank, with its commune.
- Every Burgundy grand cruThe grands crus of the Côte de Nuits, the Côte de Beaune and Chablis, with their village, grape and size.
- Wine regionsThe great wine regions of the world, with grapes, appellations and maps.
- Grape varietiesThe main red and white grapes: origin, taste, regions and wines.
- Types of wineRed, white, rosé, sparkling, sweet and fortified wines explained.
- Wine quizzesLearn by playing: quizzes on regions, grapes, appellations and wine words.