WSET Diploma D3 Cheatsheet: Wines of the World

D3 is the largest and most heavily weighted Diploma unit, and it is failed by candidates who know the grape but not the rule. Every table below gives the appellation, the principal grapes, the regulation or site fact that actually defines it, and the style that follows. Drill it against the D3 mock test, check the other units on the Diploma hub, and use the Level 3 cheat sheet if a region needs rebuilding from the ground up.

France: Bordeaux

Appellation or tier	Principal grapes	The rule or fact that defines it	Style
Medoc and Haut-Medoc	Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc	Red only; deep gravel croupes over clay, drained into the Gironde	Firm, cedar and cassis, tannic in youth
Margaux	Cabernet Sauvignon led	The thinnest, finest gravel of the classed communes	Perfumed, silky, elegant
Saint-Julien	Cabernet Sauvignon led	No first growths but the most consistent commune	Balance of structure and polish
Pauillac	Cabernet Sauvignon led	Deepest gravel mounds; three of the five 1855 first growths	Powerful, blackcurrant, very long lived
Saint-Estephe	Cabernet with more Merlot	More clay, cooler and later ripening	Firmer, more austere, higher acid
Pessac-Leognan	Cabernet, Merlot; Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon	The only Bordeaux zone classified for reds and dry whites alike (Graves classification, 1959)	Smoky, gravelly reds; barrel fermented whites that age for decades
Saint-Emilion Grand Cru	Merlot, Cabernet Franc	Its own classification, revised periodically, unlike 1855	Rounder and plusher; the limestone plateau gives the most structure
Pomerol	Merlot, Cabernet Franc	No classification of any kind; clay with the iron rich crasse de fer	Rich, plummy, velvety, approachable earlier
Sauternes and Barsac	Semillon, Sauvignon Blanc, Muscadelle	Botrytis fruit picked in successive tries; classified in 1855 alongside the Medoc	Apricot, honey, marmalade, cut by high acidity
Bordeaux and Bordeaux Superieur	Merlot led	Regional tier; a short list of climate adaptation varieties (Marselan, Touriga Nacional and others) approved in 2021	Early drinking; the volume base of the region

Bordeaux is maritime, moderated by the Gironde estuary and sheltered from Atlantic storms by the Landes pine forest. Gravel drains and radiates heat, which is what lets late ripening Cabernet Sauvignon finish on the Left Bank; cooler, water retentive clay on the Right Bank suits early ripening Merlot. The 1855 classification ranked estates on the prices their wines had commanded, not on soil or tasting, and it ignored the Right Bank entirely. Blending across varieties is insurance against a vintage where one of them fails.

France: Burgundy and Chablis

Tier	What the label carries	Point to remember
Regional	Bourgogne Rouge or Blanc	Roughly half of all production
Village	Commune name only	Gevrey-Chambertin, Meursault
Premier Cru	Commune plus Premier Cru, climat optional	A blend of several premier crus may be labeled with the commune and Premier Cru alone
Grand Cru	Vineyard name alone	Each Grand Cru is an appellation in its own right
Monopole	A statement of ownership	Not a quality tier; exists at every level

Area	Grapes	Defining fact	Style
Chablis	Chardonnay	Kimmeridgian limestone and clay; seven Grand Crus side by side on one south west facing slope; Petit Chablis largely on younger Portlandian limestone	Taut, high acid, saline
Cote de Nuits	Pinot Noir	Jurassic limestone with iron rich marl; almost all the red Grand Crus	Structured, deep, very long lived
Cote de Beaune	Pinot Noir and Chardonnay	Home of the great white Grand Crus; Corton is its only red Grand Cru	Lighter framed reds; benchmark whites
Cote Chalonnaise	Both	Rully, Mercurey, Givry, Montagny; no Grand Cru	Earlier drinking, better value
Maconnais	Chardonnay	Pouilly-Fuisse (now with named climats), Saint-Veran, Vire-Clesse; warmer and further south	Rounder, riper, less austere

The unit of meaning in Burgundy is the climat, not the estate, and Napoleonic inheritance law fragmented those climats among many owners, which is why quality varies enormously within one Grand Cru. Mid slope sites get the drainage, the aspect, and the shelter; the flat land below is village or regional.

France: Beaujolais

Cru	Site or soil	Style
Saint-Amour	Northernmost, granite and clay	Light, floral, supple
Julienas	Granite and schist	Firm, spicy, structured
Chenas	The smallest cru	Floral, woody, ages well
Moulin-a-Vent	Manganese rich pink granite	The most structured cru; ages toward Pinot Noir character
Fleurie	Pink granite at altitude	Perfumed, silky, red fruited
Chiroubles	The highest cru	The lightest and most delicate
Morgon	Decomposed schist at the Cote du Py	Dark fruited, firm, ages
Regnie	Granitic sand; promoted in 1988, the newest cru	Fresh, bright, red fruited
Brouilly	The largest cru, mixed soils	Fruity, supple, early
Cote de Brouilly	Blue volcanic diorite on the slopes of Mont Brouilly	Concentrated, mineral, tighter

Beaujolais is Gamay on granite in the crus and on flatter clay and sand in the generic zone. Semi carbonic maceration is the regional default and the reason for the confected, kirsch driven style, but cru producers increasingly extend maceration or vinify in the Burgundian way, which is what makes cru wines age.

France: The Northern Rhone

Appellation	Grapes	The rule that defines it	Style
Cote-Rotie	Syrah with up to 20 percent Viognier	The Viognier must be co-fermented, not blended in later	Perfumed, silky, floral lift
Condrieu	Viognier only	White only, on steep granite terraces	Apricot, oily texture, low acidity
Chateau-Grillet	Viognier only	A single estate appellation inside the Condrieu zone	Rarer, firmer, more ageworthy
Saint-Joseph	Syrah; Marsanne and Roussanne for white	A long strip on the right bank, quality concentrated on the steep granite core	Medium bodied, peppery
Crozes-Hermitage	Syrah; Marsanne, Roussanne	The largest northern appellation, split between flat plain and hillside	Lighter on the plain, serious on the slopes
Hermitage	Syrah; Marsanne, Roussanne	One south facing granite hill with named lieux-dits (Les Bessards, Le Meal, L’Ermite)	Dense, powerful, decades of aging
Cornas	Syrah only	No white grape permitted at all	Dark, tannic, sun trap amphitheatre
Saint-Peray	Marsanne, Roussanne	White only, still and traditional method sparkling	Broad, nutty

The north is continental, not Mediterranean: steep granite terraces, a single black variety, and hand work on slopes too severe for machines. Aspect is everything, which is why a north facing parcel and a south facing one within the same appellation are not comparable wines.

France: The Southern Rhone

Appellation	Grapes	The rule that defines it	Style
Chateauneuf-du-Pape	13 named varieties (18 counting color variants), Grenache led	No rose permitted; irrigation tightly restricted; galets roules on the plateau	Full, warm, garrigue and dried herb
Gigondas	Grenache with Syrah and Mourvedre	Higher and cooler in the Dentelles de Montmirail	Firmer and fresher than Chateauneuf
Vacqueyras	Grenache led	Promoted from Villages to its own cru in 1990	Robust, peppery
Rasteau	Grenache	A cru for dry red and, separately, a Vin Doux Naturel	Two very different wines under one name
Beaumes de Venise	Grenache, Syrah	The red cru; Muscat de Beaumes-de-Venise is a distinct fortified appellation	Dark, spicy red
Tavel	Grenache with Cinsault and others	Rose only, the sole such appellation in the Rhone	Deep colored, dry, full bodied
Lirac	Grenache led	Red, white and rose across the river from Chateauneuf	The value alternative
Cairanne and Vinsobres	Grenache led	Both promoted out of the Villages tier	Concentrated village character
Cotes du Rhone and Cotes du Rhone-Villages	Grenache led blends	The regional tiers, with named villages as the step up	Everything from bulk to serious

The south is Mediterranean and blending country. The mistral dries the canopy and holds disease pressure down while stressing the vines, Grenache supplies alcohol and sweet fruit, Mourvedre supplies structure and needs the most heat, and Syrah supplies color and pepper. Bush vines remain widespread because they shade their own fruit. More detail on the whole valley sits in the Rhone Valley guide.

France: The Loire

Appellation	Grapes	The rule that defines it	Style
Muscadet Sevre et Maine	Melon	Sur lie means the wine stays on its fine lees over the winter unracked and is bottled off them the following year	Light, saline, faint prickle
Savennieres	Chenin Blanc	South facing schist and volcanic slopes	Dry, high extract, austere young, very long lived
Coteaux du Layon, Quarts de Chaume, Bonnezeaux	Chenin Blanc	Botrytis fruit picked in successive passes; Quarts de Chaume is the Loire’s only Grand Cru	Honeyed and sweet, held together by acid
Vouvray and Montlouis-sur-Loire	Chenin Blanc	Tuffeau limestone; sec through moelleux plus petillant and mousseux	Quince, wax, remarkable longevity
Chinon, Bourgueil, Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil, Saumur-Champigny	Cabernet Franc	Gravel terraces give lighter wines, tuffeau slopes give structure	Leafy, red fruited, graphite
Sancerre	Sauvignon Blanc; Pinot Noir for red and rose	Three soils: terres blanches (Kimmeridgian marl), caillottes (limestone), silex (flint)	Citrus, grapefruit, flinty
Pouilly-Fume	Sauvignon Blanc only	Pouilly-sur-Loire is the separate appellation for Chasselas	Smokier and broader than Sancerre
Menetou-Salon, Quincy, Reuilly	Sauvignon Blanc	Satellite appellations of the Central Vineyards	The value route into the style
Cremant de Loire	Chenin led	Traditional method across the wider region	Crisp, orchard fruited

The Loire is a climate gradient, not a region: maritime and cool at the Atlantic mouth, continental by the time it reaches Sancerre. That is why Chenin Blanc can produce bone dry, sparkling, and botrytis sweet wines within a few kilometers, with the sweetness level decided by the vintage.

France: Alsace

Category	The rule that defines it	Note
Alsace AOC	Varietal labeling, the great majority of production	Riesling, Gewurztraminer, Pinot Gris, Muscat, Sylvaner, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Noir
Alsace Grand Cru	51 delimited lieux-dits, each with its own permitted varieties and yields	Sites vary enormously in size; Zotzenberg admits Sylvaner, and Altenberg de Bergheim and Kaefferkopf permit blends
Vendanges Tardives	Late harvested, higher minimum must weight, no enrichment	Restricted to the four noble varieties; botrytis is not required and sweetness varies
Selection de Grains Nobles	A considerably higher minimum must weight, berries selected individually for noble rot	Rare, intensely sweet, expensive to produce
Cremant d’Alsace	Traditional method	Pinot Blanc led; a large share of regional volume

Alsace sits in the rain shadow of the Vosges, which makes Colmar one of the driest places in France and allows fruit to hang long into autumn. The persistent commercial problem is that residual sugar is often not declared, so two bottles of the same Grand Cru Riesling can be dry and off dry without the label saying so.

France: Jura

Wine or appellation	Grapes	The rule that defines it	Style
Chateau-Chalon	Savagnin	Vin jaune and nothing else	The regional benchmark
Vin jaune (Arbois, Cotes du Jura, L’Etoile)	Savagnin	At least 60 months in cask with no topping up, under a yeast film called the voile; sold in the 62 cl clavelin	Nutty, saline, curry leaf, bone dry
Cotes du Jura and Arbois	Chardonnay, Savagnin, Poulsard, Trousseau, Pinot Noir	Whites made either topped up (ouille) or oxidatively under voile	Two opposite styles from the same cellar
Vin de paille	Chardonnay, Savagnin, Poulsard	Grapes dried before pressing, then long cask aging	Sweet, dried fruit, high acid
Cremant du Jura	Chardonnay led	Traditional method	A large share of production
Macvin du Jura	Grape must plus marc du Jura	Fortified with the region’s own spirit	Sweet aperitif style

Cool continental with marl and limestone soils, the Jura produces pale, delicate reds from Poulsard and Trousseau that are frequently mistaken for rose in a blind tasting. Neighboring Savoie works the same alpine idea with Jacquere, Altesse and Mondeuse.

France: Languedoc and Roussillon

Appellation	Grapes	The rule that defines it	Style
Languedoc AOC	Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre, Carignan, Cinsault	The regional umbrella above the named crus	Warm, herbal, generous
Pic Saint-Loup	Syrah led	Higher and cooler with a wide diurnal range	Fresher, peppery, fine tannin
Terrasses du Larzac	Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre, Carignan	Altitude and marked night cooling	Structured, aromatic
Faugeres and Saint-Chinian	Grenache, Syrah, Carignan	Schist soils	Mineral, firm, savory
Minervois and Minervois La Liviniere	Grenache, Syrah, Carignan	La Liviniere is the cru within Minervois	Concentrated, warm
Corbieres and Corbieres-Boutenac	Carignan led	Boutenac is the cru, built on old Carignan	Robust, garrigue
Fitou	Carignan, Grenache, Mourvedre	The oldest red AOC of the Languedoc, in two separate zones	Rustic, dense
Picpoul de Pinet	Piquepoul Blanc	Beside the Thau lagoon	Lean, citrus, saline
Limoux	Mauzac for Blanquette, Chardonnay and Chenin for Cremant	Blanquette de Limoux is Mauzac dominant; methode ancestrale also survives here	Cool, altitude driven sparkling
Cotes du Roussillon and Villages	Grenache, Carignan, Syrah, Mourvedre	Schist and granite, tiny yields from old bush vines	Dense, powerful
Collioure	Grenache led	The dry red counterpart of Banyuls, on terraces to the sea	Concentrated, saline
Banyuls and Maury	Grenache Noir	Vins Doux Naturels made by mutage: grape spirit stops the ferment	Sweet, often aged oxidatively to rancio
Rivesaltes and Muscat de Rivesaltes	Grenache, Muscat	The volume Vin Doux Naturel appellations	Sweet, grapey or nutty
IGP Pays d’Oc	Anything permitted	Varietal labeling with almost no restriction	The commercial engine of the south

Languedoc-Roussillon is France’s largest vineyard area and has spent thirty years converting from bulk production to appellation quality, mostly by pulling out high yielding plantings, exploiting altitude, and rehabilitating old Carignan.

France: The South West

Appellation	Grapes	The rule that defines it	Style
Cahors	Malbec (Cot) at a minimum of 70 percent, with Merlot and Tannat	The historic “black wine” on the Lot, on limestone plateau and river terraces	Dark, violet, firm
Madiran	Tannat dominant with the two Cabernets	So tannic that micro oxygenation was developed here to tame it	Dense, structured, slow
Pacherenc du Vic-Bilh	Petit and Gros Manseng, Petit Courbu	The white appellation covering the same ground as Madiran	Dry or sweet, citrus and spice
Jurancon and Jurancon Sec	Petit and Gros Manseng, Courbu	Sweetness comes from passerillage (raisining on the vine), not botrytis	Pineapple and quince cut by very high acid
Monbazillac	Semillon, Sauvignon Blanc, Muscadelle	Botrytis sweet wine in the Dordogne	Honeyed, waxy
Bergerac and Pecharmant	Bordeaux varieties	Bordeaux’s upriver neighbor under separate appellations	Lighter Bordeaux in style
Gaillac	Duras, Braucol, Mauzac, Len de l’El	One of France’s oldest vineyards; many styles including methode ancestrale	Spicy reds, distinctive whites
Fronton	Negrette	A variety grown almost nowhere else	Violet, licorice, light tannin
Marcillac	Fer Servadou	Iron rich red soils in the Aveyron	Peppery, wild, high acid
Irouleguy	Tannat, the Cabernets, the Mansengs	Basque country terraces close to the Atlantic	Firm, saline

35 questions drawn from a bank of 50, across every region on this page.

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Italy: Piedmont

Appellation	Grapes	The rule that defines it	Style
Barolo DOCG	Nebbiolo	At least 38 months aging with 18 in wood; Riserva 62 months; MGA single vineyard names are codified	Tar, rose, dried cherry; pale garnet, high acid, high tannin
Barbaresco DOCG	Nebbiolo	At least 26 months aging with 9 in wood; Riserva 50 months	Slightly earlier drinking, marginally more perfumed
Roero DOCG	Nebbiolo; Arneis for white	Sandier soils on the far side of the Tanaro	Softer, more aromatic Nebbiolo
Gattinara and Ghemme DOCG	Nebbiolo (Spanna)	Alto Piemonte, on volcanic porphyry soils, with a small blending allowance	Leaner, mineral, more savory
Barbera d’Asti and Barbera d’Alba	Barbera	Naturally high acid and low tannin	Juicy and dark; oak use is a producer decision
Dolcetto d’Alba and Dogliani	Dolcetto	Early ripening, low acid, planted on the sites Nebbiolo cannot ripen on	Soft, dark, bitter almond finish
Gavi DOCG	Cortese	Southeast Piedmont, close to the Ligurian coast	Lean, citrus, almond
Asti and Moscato d’Asti DOCG	Moscato Bianco	Tank method; Moscato d’Asti is only lightly sparkling and low in alcohol	Grapey, floral, sweet
Alta Langa DOCG	Pinot Noir, Chardonnay	Traditional method and always vintage dated	Piedmont’s serious sparkling wine
Langhe DOC	Nebbiolo and others	The flexible tier that absorbs declassified and young vine fruit	Accessible Nebbiolo

Piedmont is continental, with autumn fog (nebbia) rolling through the Langhe as late ripening Nebbiolo finishes. The classic soil split runs west to east: the younger, more compact Tortonian marls around La Morra and Barolo village give perfume and earlier accessibility, while the older, sandier Serravallian soils of Serralunga and Monforte give structure and length.

Italy: Veneto and the North East

Appellation	Grapes	The rule that defines it	Style
Valpolicella DOC	Corvina, Corvinone, Rondinella	Classico covers the original hillside valleys; Superiore requires higher alcohol and aging	Fresh sour cherry, light tannin
Valpolicella Ripasso DOC	The same blend	Refermented on the drained skins of Amarone	Fuller, warmer, more alcoholic
Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG	The same blend	Appassimento drying, then fermented through to dryness; released no earlier than the third year after harvest, riserva later still	High alcohol, dried fruit, bitter finish
Recioto della Valpolicella DOCG	The same blend	The same drying, but fermentation is arrested with sugar remaining	Sweet, the historic original of the pair
Soave and Soave Classico DOC	Garganega at a minimum of 70 percent, with Trebbiano di Soave	Classico sits on the original volcanic hills	Almond, citrus, saline, ages better than expected
Bardolino DOC	Corvina led	Lake Garda, sandy and moraine soils	Pale, light, high acid
Prosecco DOC and Conegliano Valdobbiadene Superiore DOCG	Glera at a minimum of 85 percent	Tank method; Rive denotes a single hillside, Cartizze the historic top subzone	Pear, white flower, low autolytic character
Lugana DOC	Turbiana	Heavy clay south of Lake Garda	Textured, savory, ageworthy white
Collio and Friuli Colli Orientali DOC	Friulano, Ribolla Gialla, Pinot Grigio	Ponca marl and sandstone hills against the Slovenian border	Precise varietal whites; the birthplace of the modern skin contact movement
Alto Adige DOC	Pinot Grigio, Gewurztraminer, Schiava, Lagrein	Alpine altitude with a very wide diurnal range	Crystalline whites, light perfumed reds
Franciacorta DOCG (Lombardy)	Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Pinot Bianco	Traditional method with longer minimum lees aging than most; Saten is a lower pressure all white style	Fine, autolytic, structured

Appassimento is the mechanism to explain in Veneto answers: drying healthy bunches for months evaporates water, concentrates sugar, acid, and flavor, and changes the metabolic profile of the fruit before fermentation even begins.

Italy: Tuscany

Appellation	Grapes	The rule that defines it	Style
Chianti Classico DOCG	Sangiovese at a minimum of 80 percent	Riserva requires 24 months; Gran Selezione was tightened to a higher Sangiovese minimum from estate fruit only, with eleven UGA subzone names permitted on the label	Sour cherry, tobacco, high acid, grippy tannin
Chianti DOCG and its subzones	Sangiovese led	The much larger surrounding zone with looser rules	Lighter, earlier, more variable
Brunello di Montalcino DOCG	Sangiovese only	Five years of aging with at least two in oak; Riserva a further year	Powerful, tannic, decades of life
Rosso di Montalcino DOC	Sangiovese only	The earlier released wine from the same zone	Brunello’s fruit without the aging
Vino Nobile di Montepulciano DOCG	Sangiovese (Prugnolo Gentile) at a minimum of 70 percent	Two years of aging, Riserva three	Between Chianti Classico and Brunello
Bolgheri DOC and Bolgheri Sassicaia DOC	Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc	Created to accommodate the Super Tuscans; Sassicaia holds its own single estate DOC	Maritime, plush, cedar and mint
Carmignano DOCG	Sangiovese with a required proportion of Cabernet	Cabernet was sanctioned here long before the Super Tuscan era	Fragrant, structured
Vernaccia di San Gimignano DOCG	Vernaccia	Tuscany’s historic white	Lemon, almond, saline
Maremma Toscana DOC	Flexible	The coastal catch all below Bolgheri	Ripe, soft, commercial
Vin Santo del Chianti Classico DOC	Trebbiano, Malvasia	Dried grapes fermented and aged in sealed caratelli for years	Oxidative, nutty, sweet to dry

The Super Tuscan category was a labeling accident: producers using Cabernet, Merlot, and new French oak fell outside DOC rules in the 1970s and were forced down to Vino da Tavola, later IGT. Tuscany also rewards soil detail, since galestro (friable schist) and alberese (limestone) are the two names examiners expect in a Chianti Classico answer.

Italy: The South and the Islands

Appellation	Grapes	The rule that defines it	Style
Taurasi DOCG (Campania)	Aglianico	Released three years after harvest with at least one in wood; Riserva four	Tannic, savory, volcanic, ageworthy
Fiano di Avellino and Greco di Tufo DOCG	Fiano, Greco	Hill sites inland from Naples on volcanic soils	Textured whites that improve for years
Aglianico del Vulture (Basilicata)	Aglianico	Vineyards on an extinct volcano at altitude	Firm, smoky, high acid
Primitivo di Manduria DOC (Puglia)	Primitivo	Hot, dry, low bush vines on red soils	Ripe, sweet fruited, high alcohol
Salice Salentino DOC	Negroamaro with Malvasia Nera	The Salento peninsula, cooled from two seas	Plummy, warm, soft
Ciro DOC (Calabria)	Gaglioppo	One of the oldest continuously named wine zones in Italy	Pale, savory, high acid
Etna DOC (Sicily)	Nerello Mascalese, Nerello Cappuccio; Carricante for white	High altitude volcanic slopes; contrada bottlings function like crus	Pale, high acid, firm; often compared to Nebbiolo
Cerasuolo di Vittoria DOCG	Nero d’Avola with Frappato	Sicily’s only DOCG	Bright, perfumed, medium bodied
Marsala DOC	Grillo, Catarratto, Inzolia	Fortified, with several aging and color designations	Oxidative, nutty
Passito di Pantelleria	Zibibbo (Muscat of Alexandria)	Grapes sun dried on the island; vines grown in hollows against the wind	Intensely sweet, orange and apricot
Vermentino di Gallura DOCG (Sardinia)	Vermentino	Sardinia’s only DOCG, on granite in the north	Saline, herbal, textured
Cannonau di Sardegna and Carignano del Sulcis	Cannonau (Grenache), Carignano	Old bush vines, some ungrafted on coastal sand	Warm, herbal, supple

Spain and Portugal

Spanish appellation	Grapes	The rule that defines it	Style
Rioja DOCa	Tempranillo with Garnacha, Graciano, Mazuelo	Crianza 24 months with 12 in oak; Reserva 36 with 12 in oak; Gran Reserva 60 with 24 in oak and 24 in bottle; village and single vineyard categories added more recently	American oak tradition gives coconut and vanilla; French oak the modern route
Ribera del Duero DO	Tinto Fino	High plateau with extreme continental swings and real frost risk	Deep, structured, firm
Toro DO	Tinta de Toro	Hot, sandy, many ungrafted old vines	Powerful, high alcohol
Rueda DO	Verdejo	Rueda needs 50 percent Verdejo, Rueda Verdejo 85 percent	Citrus, fennel, bitter almond
Rias Baixas DO	Albarino	Very wet Atlantic Galicia; pergola training lifts the canopy for airflow	Saline, high acid, stone fruit
Bierzo DO	Mencia	Slate hillsides in the northwest; a village and vineyard classification is being layered on	Floral, fresh, mineral
Priorat DOQ	Garnacha and Carinena	Llicorella slate forces deep rooting and tiny yields; a village level classification exists	Concentrated, mineral, high alcohol
Montsant DO	The same varieties	The ring of country around Priorat	Similar character, lower price
Jumilla and Yecla DO	Monastrell	Hot and dry, with ungrafted vines surviving in sand	Dense, warm, dark
Cava DO	Macabeo, Xarel-lo, Parellada, Chardonnay	Traditional method; Cava de Guarda from 9 months, Guarda Superior Reserva 18, Gran Reserva 30, Paraje Calificado 36	Earthy, citrus, firm
Jerez DO	Palomino, Pedro Ximenez	Albariza chalk; fortification level decides the aging path, since flor survives near 15 percent but dies higher; solera blending; VOS and VORS indicate 20 and 30 years average age	Fino and Manzanilla tangy and pale, Oloroso dark and nutty

Portuguese appellation	Grapes	The rule that defines it	Style
Vinho Verde DOC	Alvarinho, Loureiro, Avesso	Very wet Atlantic northwest; Moncao e Melgaco is the Alvarinho subregion	Light, high acid, sometimes with a spritz
Douro DOC and Porto DOC	Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinta Roriz, Tinta Barroca, Tinto Cao	The Serra do Marao blocks Atlantic rain, leaving a hot, dry schist valley that grows more extreme moving east	Dry reds dense and structured; Port fortified mid ferment
Dao DOC	Touriga Nacional, Jaen, Encruzado	Granite and altitude, sheltered by mountains on three sides	Elegant, firm, fragrant
Bairrada DOC	Baga	Maritime, clay limestone, harvest rain a constant threat	Very high acid and tannin, ages long
Alentejo DOC and VR	Aragonez, Trincadeira, Alicante Bouschet, Antao Vaz	Hot, flat and dry; the talha clay amphora tradition survives here	Ripe, generous, soft
Colares DOC	Ramisco, Malvasia	Ungrafted vines in deep coastal sand that phylloxera cannot penetrate	Pale, tannic, saline
Madeira DOC	Sercial, Verdelho, Bual, Malmsey, Tinta Negra	Deliberate heating by estufagem or slow canteiro	Indestructible, high acid, caramel and nut

The whole of Portugal rewards indigenous variety knowledge, and the Douro is the region where a single fact (the rain barrier of the Serra do Marao) explains climate, soil handling, and style at once.

Germany and Austria

German category or region	The rule that defines it	Note
Pradikat levels: Kabinett, Spatlese, Auslese, Beerenauslese, Eiswein, Trockenbeerenauslese	Ascending minimum must weight at harvest, with no enrichment permitted	They describe ripeness, not sweetness in the glass
Eiswein	Grapes must freeze naturally on the vine and be picked and pressed frozen	Artificial freezing is prohibited and the fruit should be free of botrytis
Trocken and halbtrocken	Trocken up to 4 g/L residual sugar, or up to 9 g/L where acidity is close behind the sugar; halbtrocken up to 18 g/L	The reason a trocken wine can taste fuller than the number suggests
VDP tiers: Gutswein, Ortswein, Erste Lage, Grosse Lage	A private association applying a Burgundian site hierarchy	Dry wine from a Grosse Lage is labeled Grosses Gewachs
Mosel, with the Saar and Ruwer	Extremely steep south facing blue and grey slate	Light bodied, low alcohol, racy, often with residual sugar
Rheingau	South facing terraces on an east to west stretch of the Rhine	Firmer, drier, more structured; Spatburgunder at Assmannshausen
Pfalz	Warm and dry behind the Haardt hills	Full bodied dry Riesling and the whole Pinot family
Rheinhessen	Germany’s largest region; the Rheinterrasse holds the best sites	Enormous range, with a strong dry Riesling revival
Nahe	Volcanic, slate and sandstone soils in close proximity	Often described as Mosel elegance with Rheingau body
Franken	Limestone and Keuper; bottled in the flask shaped bocksbeutel	Dry Silvaner
Baden and Ahr	Germany’s warmest zone and its slate red wine valley	Spatburgunder

Austrian appellation	Grapes	The rule that defines it	Style
The DAC system	Varies by region	A DAC name is reserved for wines in a regionally typical style; anything outside it falls back to the federal state name	Origin plus style, rather than ripeness
Wachau DAC	Gruner Veltliner, Riesling	Terraced primary rock; the Vinea Wachau categories Steinfeder, Federspiel and Smaragd are ascending alcohol bands set by producers, not by law	Dry, concentrated, mineral
Kremstal and Kamptal DAC	Gruner Veltliner, Riesling	Loess for Gruner and primary rock for Riesling; the Heiligenstein is Kamptal’s great site	Peppery Gruner, stony Riesling
Weinviertel DAC	Gruner Veltliner	The first DAC, created in 2003	Peppery, light, fresh
Leithaberg DAC	Blaufrankisch, white blends	Limestone and schist above the Neusiedlersee	Fine boned, mineral
Mittelburgenland DAC	Blaufrankisch	Deeper clay soils further south	Fuller, darker, more tannic
Neusiedlersee DAC and Ruster Ausbruch DAC	Zweigelt; Furmint and others for sweet wine	Autumn mists off the shallow lake give reliable botrytis	Sweet wines of great concentration
Sudsteiermark DAC	Sauvignon Blanc, Morillon	Very steep, cool southern Styrian slopes	Aromatic, precise, high acid

The Rest of Europe: Hungary, Greece, Switzerland, England

Country and region	Grapes	The rule or fact that defines it	Style
Hungary: Tokaj	Furmint, Harslevelu, Sarga Muskotaly	Aszu is made by adding hand picked botrytised aszu berries to a base must or wine, with a legal minimum sweetness and long cask aging; Szamorodni and dry Furmint are the other faces of the region	Apricot, orange peel, huge acidity
Hungary: Eger, Villany, Somlo	Kekfrankos, Cabernet Franc, Furmint	Egri Bikaver is the Kekfrankos led blend; Villany is the warm red district; Somlo is a single volcanic hill	Spicy reds, smoky whites
Greece: Santorini PDO	Assyrtiko with Athiri and Aidani	Ungrafted vines in volcanic sand, woven into the low kouloura basket against wind and sun; Vinsanto from sun dried grapes	Searing acid, saline, smoky
Greece: Naoussa and Amyndeon	Xinomavro	Naoussa is 100 percent Xinomavro; Amyndeon is higher and cooler	Pale, high acid and tannin, tomato and olive
Greece: Nemea and Mantinia	Agiorgitiko, Moschofilero	Nemea is graded by altitude band; Mantinia sits high on a Peloponnese plateau	Soft dark fruit; floral, low alcohol white
Switzerland: Valais and Vaud	Chasselas (Fendant in the Valais), Petite Arvine, Cornalin, Humagne Rouge, Pinot Noir, Gamay	Steep terraced Alpine valleys irrigated by historic channels; Dezaley and Calamin are Vaud grand crus	Neutral, textural whites; light alpine reds
Switzerland: Ticino	Merlot	The Italian speaking south, warmer and wetter	Soft, plummy, some white Merlot
England: Sussex, Kent, Hampshire	Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Meunier; Bacchus for still wine	A cool marginal climate gives the high acid, low alcohol base wine traditional method needs; free draining chalk on south facing slopes, the same formation that runs under Champagne	Fine, citrus driven, high acid sparkling

The USA and Canada

Label claim	Minimum requirement
An AVA name	85 percent of the grapes from that AVA
A varietal name	75 percent (Oregon requires 90 percent for most varieties)
A vintage with an AVA	95 percent
A vintage with a state or county appellation	85 percent
Estate bottled	Winery and vineyard in the same AVA, with the wine made and bottled on site

Region	Grapes	Defining fact	Style
Napa Valley	Cabernet Sauvignon	More than a dozen nested sub AVAs; fog off San Pablo Bay cools the south, and mountain AVAs sit above the fog line	Ripe, structured, oak framed
Sonoma County	Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Zinfandel	Russian River Valley and Fort Ross-Seaview take marine air; Petaluma Gap is defined by wind; Dry Creek and Alexander Valley are warmer	Enormous internal range
Santa Barbara County	Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Syrah	Transverse east to west valleys funnel ocean air inland; Sta. Rita Hills and Santa Maria Valley are the cool ends	Bright acid, savory Pinot
Paso Robles	Cabernet, Rhone varieties	Eleven sub AVAs and one of the widest diurnal ranges in California	Ripe but firm
Monterey and Santa Lucia Highlands	Pinot Noir, Chardonnay	The Salinas Valley acts as a wind tunnel drawing cold air inland	Taut, herbal
Willamette Valley	Pinot Noir, Chardonnay	Marine air enters through the Van Duzer Corridor; sub AVAs split between Jory volcanic and sedimentary soils	Perfumed, red fruited, savory
Columbia Valley, Washington	Cabernet, Syrah, Riesling	Cascade rain shadow makes irrigation essential; Red Mountain, Walla Walla and The Rocks District are the premium nests	Dark, structured, pure fruited
Finger Lakes, New York	Riesling	Deep glacial lakes moderate lethal winter cold	High acid, off dry to dry
Niagara Peninsula and Prince Edward County, Canada	Riesling, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Vidal	VQA appellation system; the Niagara Escarpment and lake effect drive the mesoclimate	Lean, high acid
Okanagan Valley, Canada	Merlot, Cabernet, Riesling	A long, narrow, semi desert lake valley with a big north to south gradient	Ripe in the south, sharp in the north
Icewine (VQA)	Vidal, Riesling, Cabernet Franc	Grapes must freeze naturally on the vine and be picked and pressed at minus 8 degrees Celsius or colder	Piercing sweetness held by acidity

South America

Argentine region	Grapes	Defining fact	Style
Lujan de Cuyo, Mendoza	Malbec	The traditional heartland at roughly 900 to 1,100 meters	Plush, dark, velvety
Maipu, Mendoza	Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon	Lower and warmer, closer to the city	Rounder, softer
Uco Valley (Tupungato, Tunuyan, San Carlos)	Malbec, Cabernet Franc, Chardonnay	1,000 meters to well over 1,500; alluvial soils with calcareous deposits at Gualtallary and Paraje Altamira	Fresher, firmer, more mineral
Salta and Cafayate	Torrontes, Malbec	Among the highest commercial vineyards anywhere, with extreme UV exposure	Intensely aromatic whites, dense reds
Rio Negro and Neuquen, Patagonia	Malbec, Pinot Noir, Merlot	Far south, windy, with a wide diurnal range and low disease pressure	Lighter framed, perfumed

Chilean or neighboring region	Grapes	Defining fact	Style
Costa, Entre Cordilleras, Andes	All	The east to west zoning added in 2011, laid across the older north to south valleys	Names the cooling mechanism, not the latitude
Limari and Elqui	Chardonnay, Syrah	Far north and near desert, with limestone at Limari and coastal fog	Mineral, taut
Casablanca, San Antonio and Leyda	Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay	Cooled by the Humboldt current and its morning fog	Herbaceous, high acid
Alto Maipo	Cabernet Sauvignon	Andean foothills with cold night air draining downslope	Minty, structured, classic
Cachapoal and Colchagua	Cabernet, Carmenere, Syrah	Warmer Rapel valleys sheltered by the Coastal Range	Ripe, generous
Maule, Itata and Bio-Bio	Carignan, Pais, Cinsault, Muscat	Dry farmed old bush vines; VIGNO groups old vine Maule Carignan	Rustic, savory, low intervention
Uruguay: Canelones	Tannat	Atlantic humidity on heavy clay near Montevideo	Tannic, dark, increasingly refined
Brazil: Serra Gaucha and Campanha	Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Merlot	High rainfall in the Serra Gaucha favors traditional method sparkling	Fresh, high acid

Chilean law requires 75 percent for a stated variety, vintage, or origin, rising to 85 percent for wines exported to the EU. Argentina’s defining variables are altitude, irrigation from Andean snowmelt, and the hot zonda wind.

Australia and New Zealand

Australian GI	Grapes	Defining fact	Style
Barossa Valley	Shiraz, Grenache, Mataro	Warm and dry, with ungrafted pre phylloxera vines well over a century old	Rich, dark, chocolatey
Eden Valley	Riesling, Shiraz	The higher, cooler ridge above the Barossa floor	Lime scented Riesling, restrained Shiraz
Clare Valley	Riesling	Altitude and a wide diurnal range; an early adopter of screwcaps	Bone dry, lime, steely
McLaren Vale	Shiraz, Grenache	Maritime, cooled from Gulf St Vincent	Supple, dark, savory
Adelaide Hills	Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir	High altitude within sight of the warm plains	Fresh, cool climate
Coonawarra	Cabernet Sauvignon	A narrow strip of terra rossa loam over free draining limestone, with moisture beneath	Structured, minty, fine tannin
Padthaway	Chardonnay, Shiraz	Limestone Coast neighbor of Coonawarra	Generous, softer
Yarra Valley, Mornington Peninsula, Geelong	Pinot Noir, Chardonnay	Cool maritime Victoria	Perfumed, fine boned
Heathcote and Grampians	Shiraz	Ancient Cambrian red soils at Heathcote	Dense but fresh, peppery
Rutherglen	Muscat	Fortified wines classified as Rutherglen, Classic, Grand and Rare by average age	Intensely sweet, raisined, oxidative
Hunter Valley	Semillon, Shiraz	Humid subtropical with harvest rain; Semillon is picked early at low alcohol and unoaked	Semillon ages to toast and honey with no oak at all
Canberra District and Orange	Shiraz with Viognier, cool climate whites	Continental altitude in New South Wales	Aromatic, medium bodied
Margaret River	Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay	Maritime, with ocean on three sides and very low vintage variation	Bordeaux like structure, precise Chardonnay
Great Southern	Riesling, Shiraz	Frankland River and Mount Barker are the key subregions	Cool, fine, aromatic
Tasmania	Pinot Noir, Chardonnay	Australia’s coolest state and its sparkling base	High acid, taut

New Zealand region	Grapes	Defining fact	Style
Marlborough	Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay	The Wairau is warmer and riper; the Awatere is cooler, drier, windier and later; the Southern Valleys add clay	Passionfruit and herbaceous, very high acid
Hawke’s Bay	Merlot and Cabernet blends, Syrah, Chardonnay	The Gimblett Gravels and Bridge Pa Triangle sit on old riverbed gravels	Structured reds, peppery Syrah
Wairarapa and Martinborough	Pinot Noir	Rain shadow of the Rimutaka Range, on free draining terraces	Dense, savory, structured
Central Otago	Pinot Noir	The country’s only continental climate; schist soils; Bannockburn, Bendigo, Gibbston and Alexandra	Ripe cherry and thyme with firm acid
North Canterbury and Waipara	Pinot Noir, Riesling, Chardonnay	Sheltered by the Teviotdale Hills from the cold easterly	Textured, mineral
Nelson and Gisborne	Chardonnay, aromatic whites	Nelson is cool and sunny; Gisborne is warm and fertile	Fruit forward, generous

Both countries use an 85 percent minimum for a stated variety, region, or vintage, so a single varietal label can legally carry a supporting component.

South Africa

WO tier or area	Grapes	Defining fact	Style
The Wine of Origin scheme	Any	Geographical Unit, Region, District, Ward, plus registered single vineyards; 100 percent of the fruit must come from the stated origin, with 85 percent minimums for variety and vintage	Geographic demarcation with no style rules, closer to the AVA model than to AOC
Stellenbosch	Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Chenin Blanc	Granite and shale on mountain slopes, cooled by False Bay; wards include Simonsberg-Stellenbosch, Jonkershoek Valley, Banghoek and Polkadraai Hills	Structured, cedary reds
Swartland	Chenin Blanc, Syrah, Grenache	Old dryland bush vines on granite, schist and shale; the center of the minimal intervention movement	Textured whites, savory perfumed reds
Constantia	Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon	Cool Cape Peninsula slopes facing False Bay; the historic Vin de Constance is made from Muscat	Piercing, herbaceous whites
Elgin	Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir	A high plateau of former apple country, the coolest inland option	Restrained, high acid
Walker Bay and Hemel-en-Aarde	Pinot Noir, Chardonnay	Clay rich soils weathered from Bokkeveld shale, cooled by the bay; three wards climb inland and uphill	Burgundian in intent, savory in result
Cape Agulhas and Elim	Sauvignon Blanc, Syrah	The southernmost and windiest vineyards in the country	Saline, taut, peppery
Paarl and Simonsberg-Paarl	Syrah, Chenin Blanc	Warmer and further from the ocean than Stellenbosch	Rounder, riper
Robertson and Breedekloof	Chardonnay, Colombard, Chenin Blanc	Limestone at Robertson; inland and dependent on irrigation	Broad, fruit driven
Darling and Groenekloof	Sauvignon Blanc	Atlantic breezes reaching inland from the west coast	Pungent, grassy
Klein Karoo and Calitzdorp	Portuguese varieties	Hot, arid interior; the home of Cape fortified styles	Sweet, spirity, raisined

South Africa has some of the oldest soils under vine anywhere, mountains that create dramatic aspect changes over short distances, and the south easterly wind known as the Cape Doctor that dries the canopy and suppresses disease. Two facts earn marks reliably: Pinotage is a 1925 crossing of Pinot Noir and Cinsault made in the Cape, and the Old Vine Project certifies vineyards of 35 years and older with a seal that states the planting date.

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