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Wine regions of Portugal: Algarve

This region is located to the south of Portugal, and it is not only one of the most important tourist destinations in the country, but also a place that has many similarities with Spain. The mild climate makes Algarve one of the region’s most visited by tourists. In fact, it is estimated that this region has more than 300 sunny days a year. Algarve offers everything from beaches and golf courses to hiking trails and restaurants. AOC Vinho Regional Algarvio All wines produced here are all AOC Vinho Regional Algarvio certified, which is a Portuguese certification that guarantees that wine… Read more

Wine regions of Portugal: Douro

With port, you’re likely familiar with the Douro region. As the world’s first demarcated wine region and home to port, it might seem like a no-brainer that it is one of Portugal’s most famous wine regions. However, there are many more wines produced in the region than just port. The Douro DOC is located in north-central Portugal along the Douro River and its tributaries. The area has five subregions: Baixo Corgo on the lower reaches of the river, Cima Corgo in the middle reaches of the river, Douro Superior at its headwaters, Terras do Infante in eastern Trás-os-Montes and Baixo… Read more

Wine regions of Russia: Rostov

Rostov is a small wine region in terms of production but makes up for it in quality. It has a long history of winemaking, and it’s home to some of Russia’s best wines. I’ve written about this in the past (one of my most popular articles), and I thought you might like to see why. Here are some facts: The region is approximately 30 miles from the city center of Rostov-on-Don, an area known as the “Black Country” for its dark earth. The town itself is considered by many to be the birthplace of Russian winemaking culture, as it was… Read more

Wine regions of France: Côtes du Rhône

Location, geography and climate Côtes du Rhône is a wine region in southeast France. It’s on either side of the Rhône river, which stretches over 200 kilometres (125 miles) long. The climate differs based on where you are in the valley. For example, the north is cooler than the south because it’s farther away from the Mediterranean Sea, a body of water located to its south that moderates temperatures year-round and helps prevent frost during winter. Geology and soil The Côtes du Rhône’s granite soil. On the vineyards of Côtes du Rhône, winemakers grow their grapes on a variety of… Read more

Wine regions of France: Provence

Located in the south of France, Provence is the southernmost wine-producing region in France. This region has a Mediterranean climate with mild wet winters and hot summers. The climate, along with geography and soils, are what set this region apart from the others. Soils are primarily limestone and clay with some gravel deposits in certain areas. This combination helps to retain heat and allows for drainage while also slowing down evaporation in the summer months. These types of soil can be found throughout Châteauneuf-du-Pape, one of France’s most famous appellations located just north of Avignon on the Rhône River. The… Read more

Wine regions of Romania: Banat Hills

Banat Hills, one of Romania’s six wine regions, is situated to the west of the country and borders both Serbia and Hungary. While the region’s wines are not as well-known internationally as those from Romania’s other regions, it is still a prolific area for winemaking. In fact, Banat Hills is home to Romania’s largest winery: Recas. Like most of the country’s wine regions, Banat Hills has a long history of viticulture; archeologists have even discovered vineyard plots dating back to Roman times. Today, however, white wines are more common here than red ones—the region produces over 37 million liters of… Read more

Wine regions of Hungary: Upper Hungary

Hungary is one of the world’s oldest wine producing countries, having been a major player in the wine trade as long ago as the Middle Ages. It also boasts one of the world’s largest cellars, and Budapest is a wine trading center that has been in operation for centuries. 80 appellations (tőkés, tanya, hegy, szektánói) Hungary, like most wine countries, has its own appellation system. It exists to protect the region’s wines and to ensure that they are recognized worldwide. Appellations are geographical indications regulated by the Hungarian government (like Italy’s DOC or Spain’s DO). The size of a Hungarian… Read more

Wine regions of Russia: Stavropol

The Stavropol wine region is located in the northernmost part of the Caucasus. The region stretches for 500 km in length and 300 km wide. The relief of the area is mountainous with lowlands and foothills. In the north, there are mountains up to 4,000 meters high; in the south, 400 meters. There are many rivers and lakes here, as well as a dry subtropical climate. You can also find many soils here: gray forest soils and different types of chernozems (black soils). These conditions make it possible to grow various varieties of grapes. Wine making history The wine making… Read more

Wine regions of Italy: Tuscany

Chianti “It’s not too bad for a cheap Italian red,” he said. We were in Florence, Italy, for a few days and had taken the train from Rome to Florence. “It’s a nice little spot,” he continued, “but it can be hard to find good wines.” We were in the countryside of Tuscany, out of sight and out of mind of most tourists who come to Florence from all over the world. The country is beautiful, with rolling hills and picturesque towns just within an hour’s train ride of the city. The house we were staying in was a small… Read more

Wine regions of Spain: Rioja

The wine region of Rioja is named after the river Oja that flows from the Cantabrian Mountains (in the northern part of Spain) through La Rioja and into Navarra. Rioja is a small region; it covers only 8,000 hectares. This makes it one of the smallest wine regions in the world – smaller even than Bordeaux, Burgundy and Champagne. Cantabrian Mountains Rioja, while small, is still relatively large in comparison to the other wine regions of Spain. It is the second-biggest region by size of land under vine and has around 145,000 acres of land devoted to vineyards. That’s more… Read more