Wine appellations
31 appellations covering the wine world's most editorially significant regions. AOC, DOCG, DO, AVA, and GI designations from Médoc and the Burgundy Grand Crus to Napa Valley, Barossa, Mendoza, and Maipo.
Appellations
31
Countries
5
Foundational
25
Climate buckets
9
France
9 appellationsFrench appellations — Bordeaux subregions including Médoc, Margaux, and Sauternes; Burgundy's Côte de Nuits with Vosne-Romanée; Champagne; the Rhône's Côte-Rôtie, Hermitage, and Châteauneuf-du-Pape.
France
Foundational
Champagne AOC
The reference appellation for traditional-method sparkling wine. Chalk-soil vineyards produce three principal grapes blended (or single-varietal) into the world’s benchmark…
Chardonnay · Pinot Noir · Pinot Meunier
France
Foundational
Châteauneuf-du-Pape
France’s first AOC. Mediterranean-climate blend region using up to 13 grape varieties on rounded-stone terroir. Grenache-dominated, powerful, age-worthy.
Grenache (60%+ typical) · Syrah · Mourvèdre
France
Foundational
Côte de Nuits
The greatest Pinot Noir appellation in the world. Contains 24 of Burgundy’s 33 Grand Crus, including Romanée-Conti, La Tâche, Chambertin, and Musigny.
Pinot Noir (95%+) · Chardonnay (minor)
France
Foundational
Côte-Rôtie
Northern Rhône’s most prestigious appellation. Syrah-led wines (sometimes co-fermented with Viognier) grown on impossibly steep terraced hillsides.
Syrah · Viognier (up to 20% co-fermented…
France
Foundational
Hermitage AOC
The most powerful Northern Rhône Syrah appellation. Single hill (~135 hectares) producing concentrated, age-worthy reds and rich whites.
Syrah · Marsanne · Roussanne
France
Foundational
Margaux AOC
The most southerly and most elegant of the Médoc commune AOCs. Famous for perfumed, refined Cabernet-led blends — the stylistic counterpoint to powerful Pauillac.
Cabernet Sauvignon · Merlot · Cabernet Franc
France
Foundational
Médoc (Haut-Médoc)
Bordeaux’s most prestigious left-bank zone. Cabernet Sauvignon-led blends from gravel terroirs. Home to four of the five First Growths (Lafite, Mouton, Latour, Margaux).
Cabernet Sauvignon · Merlot · Cabernet Franc
France
Foundational
Sauternes AOC
The world’s greatest sweet wine appellation. Sémillon-Sauvignon Blanc affected by noble rot (Botrytis cinerea). Home to Château d’Yquem, the only Premier Cru Supérieur.
Sémillon · Sauvignon Blanc · Muscadelle (minor)
France
Foundational
Vosne-Romanée
The most prestigious commune in Burgundy. Contains five Grands Crus: Romanée-Conti, La Tâche, Richebourg, Romanée-Saint-Vivant, and La Grande Rue.
Pinot Noir
Italy
5 appellationsItalian appellations covering Tuscany (Bolgheri DOC, Chianti Classico DOCG, Brunello di Montalcino DOCG) and Piedmont (Barolo DOCG, Barbaresco DOCG).
Italy
Foundational
Barbaresco DOCG
Barolo’s sister appellation — Nebbiolo from the Tanaro river hills. Generally more aromatic and earlier-drinking than Barolo. Home to Angelo Gaja’s historic single-vineyard…
Nebbiolo (100% required)
Italy
Foundational
Barolo DOCG
100% Nebbiolo from the Langhe hills. The most powerful, tannic, and age-worthy Italian red wine. Traditional vs modernist debate has defined the appellation since the 1980s.
Nebbiolo (100% required)
Italy
Foundational
Bolgheri DOC
The founding Super Tuscan appellation. Coastal Tuscany terroir suited to Cabernet-led blends. Home to Sassicaia (which has its own monopolio DOC) and Ornellaia.
Cabernet Sauvignon · Cabernet Franc · Merlot
Italy
Foundational
Brunello di Montalcino DOCG
100% Sangiovese from the Montalcino hill town. Created in the 1880s by Ferruccio Biondi-Santi using a particular Sangiovese clone. Among Italy’s most age-worthy red wines.
Sangiovese (100% required)
Italy
Foundational
Chianti Classico DOCG
The historic original Chianti zone in central Tuscany. Sangiovese-dominated wines with the black-rooster (Gallo Nero) seal of authenticity. The reference for traditional Sa…
Sangiovese (80% minimum) · + permitted Canaiolo, Colorino, …
Other Old World
4 appellationsSpain's Ribera del Duero and Jerez-Sherry; Portugal's Douro Valley (Port); Germany's Mosel river slate slopes (Riesling).
Spain
Foundational
Jerez-Xérès-Sherry DO
The world’s reference fortified-wine appellation. Solera-aged sherries from Palomino (dry styles) and Pedro Ximénez (sweet styles). The albariza chalk soil is uniquely suit…
Palomino Fino (95%+ of plantings) · Pedro Ximénez · Moscatel
Germany
Foundational
Mosel (Mosel-Saar-Ruwer)
The world’s reference Riesling appellation. Steep slate slopes along the Mosel river produce wines of unmatched aromatic intensity, mineral character, and acid balance.
Riesling
Portugal
Foundational
Porto DOC (Douro Valley)
The world’s reference fortified-wine region (Port). Terraced schist slopes of the Douro valley produce Vintage Port that ages 30-50+ years.
Touriga Nacional · Touriga Franca · Tinta Roriz (Tempranillo)
Spain
Foundational
Ribera del Duero DO
Spain’s most prestigious red wine DO. High-altitude (700-1000m) Tempranillo zone producing powerful, age-worthy wines. Home to Vega Sicilia and major modern reference produ…
Tempranillo (“Tinto Fino” locall…
United States
8 appellationsCalifornia AVAs — Napa Valley with its Oakville sub-AVA, the cool-climate Sonoma zones (Russian River, Sonoma Coast), the Santa Cruz Mountains, Dry Creek + Alexander Valley, and Rhône-style Paso Robles.
United States
Foundational
Dry Creek Valley AVA
California’s reference Zinfandel AVA. Sixteen-mile valley with historic dry-farmed Zinfandel vines, some 100+ years old.
Zinfandel · Cabernet Sauvignon · Sauvignon Blanc
United States
Foundational
Napa Valley AVA
The most editorially significant American wine region. Cabernet-dominant Mediterranean valley with 16 nested sub-AVAs spanning dramatically different terroirs.
Cabernet Sauvignon · Chardonnay · Sauvignon Blanc
United States
Foundational
Oakville AVA
Napa Valley’s most prestigious sub-AVA. Mid-valley terroir balancing cooling and warming influences. Home to Opus One, Screaming Eagle, and the historic To Kalon vineyard.
Cabernet Sauvignon · Merlot · Cabernet Franc
United States
Foundational
Russian River Valley AVA
California’s reference Pinot Noir and cool-climate Chardonnay AVA. Morning fog through the Petaluma Gap creates ideal Pinot growing conditions.
Pinot Noir · Chardonnay
United States
Foundational
Santa Cruz Mountains AVA
California’s reference high-elevation cool-climate AVA. Ridge Vineyards’ Monte Bello vineyard at 2,000-2,700 feet is the editorial center.
Cabernet Sauvignon · Pinot Noir · Chardonnay
United States
Established
Alexander Valley AVA
Sonoma’s warmer Cabernet Sauvignon zone. Includes the historic Geyserville and Pagani Ranch sources for Ridge Vineyards’ Zinfandel field-blend bottlings.
Cabernet Sauvignon · Zinfandel · Chardonnay
United States
Established
Paso Robles AVA
California’s leading Rhône-variety AVA. Limestone-soil western Paso (Adelaida District) is the Rhône Rangers stronghold; eastern Paso produces serious Cabernet and Zinfandel.
Cabernet Sauvignon · Syrah · Grenache
United States
Established
Sonoma Coast AVA
Northern California’s coolest serious AVA. True Sonoma Coast Pinot and Chardonnay from extreme-coastal sites; petitioned for sub-AVA recognition.
Pinot Noir · Chardonnay · Syrah
Southern Hemisphere
5 appellationsAustralia's reference Cabernet and Shiraz GIs (Coonawarra, Barossa, McLaren Vale); Argentina's high-altitude Mendoza Malbec; Chile's Maipo Valley Cabernet.
Australia
Foundational
Barossa Valley GI
Australia’s reference Shiraz GI. Hot-climate region with some of the world’s oldest Shiraz vines (Henschke Hill of Grace; 1860s-era plantings).
Shiraz (Syrah) · Grenache · Mourvèdre
Argentina
Foundational
Mendoza (Malbec)
Argentina’s most significant wine region and the world’s reference Malbec zone. High-altitude (700-1500m+) sub-zones produce dramatically different Malbec expressions.
Malbec · Cabernet Sauvignon · Cabernet Franc
Australia
Established
Coonawarra GI
Australia’s reference Cabernet Sauvignon GI. The terra rossa (red clay over limestone) soil produces distinctively minty-eucalyptus Cabernets.
Cabernet Sauvignon · Shiraz · Merlot
Chile
Established
Maipo Valley DO
Chile’s most prestigious Cabernet Sauvignon DO. The Puente Alto sub-zone (high-altitude eastern Maipo) is the source for Don Melchor, Almaviva, and Viñedo Chadwick.
Cabernet Sauvignon · Carmenère · Merlot
Australia
Established
McLaren Vale GI
Australia’s cooler, maritime-influenced Shiraz/Grenache GI. Old-vine Grenache plantings (some 100+ years) make McLaren Vale a serious Grenache region.
Shiraz · Grenache · Cabernet Sauvignon