Wines of the world - it's  a whole world out there!

To the uninitiated, a wine is a wine is a wine. But for the devotees of Bacchus, wines of the world are out there, as diverse as nature could come out with, and as creative as the human mind could concoct. There are very special areas where this heavenly liquid is produced, and each has its own, distinctive taste. Till a few years ago, restrictions on trade impeded the free flow of wine across countries; but all that is now history. It is now possible to get to taste the finest wines of the world coming from Australia, Bulgaria, Chile, Lebanon, and others, as easily as the ubiquitous wines from European countries, such as Spain, Portugal, Italy, Germany and France.

The wines coming from France have a unique aura around them, that has been carefully cultivated with time. Regions such as the Cotes du Rhone, the Loire valley, Champagne, Burgundy, Bordeaux and Alsace all produce some of the
finest wines of the world. The French law requires the term 'Appellation Controlee' to be stamped on a French wine label, that guarantees genuineness of its contents.

The wines from Germany are low in alcohol content - capped to 11%. There is a wee bit of sweetness in them. The German law monitors wine production and labeling quite stringently, and the stamp of 'Qualitatswein', or "quality wine", does carry a lot of meaning. This label further qualifies wines into Tafelwein - meaning light, table wine; Qualitatswein bestimmter Anbaugebiet
(Qba) - meaning quality wine from certain areas; and Qualitatswein mit Pradikat (Qmp) - meaning quality wine with special attributes. The bottle labels, in the case of Qmp, have further information, such as Kabinett, Spatlese, Auslese, Beerenauslese, Trockenbeerenauslese, and Eiswein - each standing for the process that the grapes went through. It is this obsession with quality that has qualified the German produce to be listed amongst the
wines of the world.

The most famous region in Spain that contributes to the distinguished wines of the world list is Rioja. The country has been well known amongst wine afficionados for its Sherry. Over the years, its sparkling wines have come to
command a lot of respect. Portugal, next door, has the city of Oporto as its wine mascot, which has lent its name to the Vintage Port wine. With a maturity period of anywhere between ten and fifty years, this wine is the most expensive and the best amongst the Port wine category.

The award for the most prolific producer of the wines of the world should definitely go to Italy, which catalogues more than five thousand wine varieties! The Piedmont district, with its capital at Turin, is an important trade centre on the wine business map. The Chianti district is well known for
its straw-covered bottles, also called fiascos.

Vinestock brought over from Europe found very hospitable climate in Australia, with the result that both red and white wines from this country are finding their place under the sun in the world markets. The Cabernet and Pinot Noir red wines are in a class of their own, and come to be counted
amongst the wines of the world on their merit.

The list of the wines of the world would not be complete without mention of the produce from East European countries such as Bulgaria, Yogoslavia and Romania, whose varietals are top quality, too. Brands popular among the wine lovers in the region include Premiat and Avia.

If you notice the stamp of 'Reservado' on a bottle of Chilean wine, rest assured that it is a superior grade. Chile has emerged as a serious contender in the world market of wines with its Cabernet and Merlot varietals.

Within the USA, it is California that has taken the lead in producing more than seventy percent of all of America's wines. The counties of Napa - where wineries such as Beringer and Sterling are located - and Sonoma - which is
home to Sebastiani and Korbel - have ensured that USA's Chardonnay and Cabernet are toasted as amongst the finest wines of the world.

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