How Are Wines Named?

Are you new to the world of wine? Do you find it confusing when you’re looking at the wine labels? Wine names can sometimes be quite confusing since they are named in two different ways. In general, Old World (European) wines are named by the region of production, while New World (non-European) wines are named by the grape variety used.

Varietal Names

In the United States and Australia, wine makers tend to name their wines after the variety of grape used in the production. For example, a “Merlot” is made with Merlot grapes while a “Chardonnay” is made with Chardonnay. This type of wine is known as a varietal.

Sometimes, a varietal wine can be made with a combination of two or more grape varietals. In this case, the wine is named after the predominant grape (legally it should make up at least 75% of the blend).  However, it should be kept in mind that the label only has to reveal the name of the predominant grape. The other minor grape varietals are not usually listed. In certain wine regions of the US, wine makers voluntarily list all the grape varietals on their labels. Sometimes they even show the percentage of each varietal used.  

Regional Names

A vineyard in France

In Europe, wine makers prefer naming their wines by the region in which the grapes are grown instead of the types of grape used. In fact, most of these wines do not even mention what kind of grapes was used. However, in Europe there are wine laws that govern the types of grapes that can be used to make wine bearing the name of a specific region. Thus, by providing the name of the region alone, they are also telling you which grapes were used to make the wine. For example, a Burgundy red wine shall be made with Pinot Noir grapes, while a “Chianti” wine shall be made using Sangiovese grapes.

But why would they choose to name their wines by the region of production? Isn’t it easier and clearer to use the varietal names?

To understand this, you need to understand that the taste of a wine depends not only on the grape varietals, but also on the temperature, wind, amount of rain and sun exposure, soil conditions, and many other environmental factors. European wine makers believe that no two regions (or terroirs) are alike, and therefore wine produced in different regions may vary considerably in taste even if the same grape varietal was used. They believe that by telling you exactly where the grapes are grown, they are providing you with the most accurate information about their wines.