Red Wine Regions
Where Are Your Favorite Red Wines Produced?

France is still the largest consuming red wine regions, with United Stated quickly catching up. Although I will go into more depth on several popular regions like France and California (The United States), Italy, and Spain, I will at this time attempt to summarize the most popular regions that produce red wine around the world and the red grapes that are most indigenous to their respective areas.

List Of Red Wine Regions:

Argentina - since the 1990's, wines from this region have undergone great improvements. The red grapes most popular are:

Cabernet Sauvignon
Merlot
Syrah
Malbec, (the most favored grape for this area).

Australia - they produce wines from a wide variety of grapes. They have a reputation of making wines by blending many combination of grape types. The best known grape type is the Shiraz,(Syrah), which was imported from France and made their own. Most popular red grapes are:

Cabernet Sauvignon
Grenache
Merlot
Shiraz (Syrah)

Canada - the main wine industry is located in 4 Provinces: Ontario, British Columbia, Nova Scotia and Quebec. Red grapes popular in this region are:

Cabernet Franc
Cabernet Sauvignon
Merlot
Pinot Noir

Chili - has been producing wines for over 175 years. This area was never affected by the phylloxera (root louse) which wiped out the European wine industry in the mid 1800's. Chilean wines were considered, in the past, to be a cheaper inexpensive red wine but today Chili can and does produce some world class wines with higher prices to match. Red grapes common to this area are:

Cabernet Franc
Cabernet Sauvignon
Carmenere
Merlot
Pinot Noir
Syrah

France - considered to be the world's most important wine producing country. It's claim to fame is the fact that it is the source of almost every classic version of every type and style of wine. The only exception being the sweeter wines like Port and Sherry. For more in depth information on France please visit French Wine regions.

Germany - the most northern and coolest European wine producing region which present challenges to grow great grapes and finally great wines. The cooler temperatures prevent red grapes from ripening to the level needed to produce wines that compete with regions like France and California. Red German wine grapes that are few in number and include:

Pinot Noir (Spat Burgunder)

Italy - is the home of my favorite fine Italian red wine sangiovese. This is the most popular of the indigenous grapes in Italy abundant in the central region of Tuscany. there are many red grapes varieties in this region:

Aglianico
Barbera
Cabernet Sauvignon
Corvina
Dolcetto
Freisa
Lambrusco
Merlot
Molinara
Montepulciano D'Abruzzo
Nebbiolo
Negromaro
Nero D'Avola
Primitivo
Refosco
Rondinella
Sagrantino
Sangiovese
Syrah

New Zealand - with it's cooler climate this area produces wines that are fruit forward with good aromas. The most promising red grape is the pinot noir. Red grapes that grow well in this region are:

Cabernet Sauvignon
Merlot
Pinot Noir

Portugal - is the home of the port wine. To learn more click on list of sweet red wines. This wine producing region grows more indigenous grape varieties than any other country. Red grapes found in this region:

Baga
Bastardo
Periquita
Sousao
Tinta Roriz
Tinta Barroca
Tinto Cao
Touriga Francesa
Touriga Nacional

South Africa - this region is expected to be the "up in coming" wine producer. Social conditions are improving and they have even developed their own grape called Pinotage which is a hybrid of the Pinot Noir and Cinsault grapes. Red grapes that grow well here include:

Cabernet Franc
Cabernet Sauvignon
Merlot
Pinotage
Pinot Noir
Shiraz(Syrah)

Spain - This region is exploding into the wine world. With a variety of wine types, it can produce inexpensive red wines and also those that can compete with other prominent wine regions of France and California. Spain is well known for two wine types, Roija from the northern regions of Spain and the fortified sherry wines from the southern region. Red grapes common to this region include:

Cabernet Sauvignon
Garnacha
Merlot
Monastrell
Tempranillo

United States - produces some of the finest wines in the world especially in the west coast. The United States is constantly experimenting with different red grapes and new varietals. The three major red wine regions are California, Washington and Oregon. The red grapes commonly found here are:

Cabernet Franc
Cabernet Sauvignon
Merlot
Pinot Noir
Sangiovese
Syrah
Zinfandel

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