71 regions · 10 countries
Drink where you are.
What to order tonight, what the label means, and what’s worth bringing home. Read it at the depth you want, in the time you have.
Pick your taste
Every guide leads with it. Change it any time.
Regions
No region by that name yet. The shelf scout works anywhere.
Italy
Italy wine basics- Alto AdigeCrisp Alpine whites plus light Schiava, dark Lagrein and fine Pinot Nero.
- BolgheriTuscany's coastal home of Bordeaux-style reds, led by Sassicaia.
- Chianti ClassicoSavoury, cherry-scented Sangiovese from the hills between Florence and Siena.
- Conegliano-ValdobbiadeneThe steep hills where the best Prosecco is made.
- Emilia-RomagnaDry fizzy red Lambrusco in the north; Sangiovese and Albana in Romagna.
- EtnaPale, perfumed volcano reds and salty whites from Sicily's mountain.
- FranciacortaItaly's Champagne-method sparkling: creamy, toasty, Chardonnay-led, made beside Lake Iseo.
- Irpinia & CampaniaAge-worthy mineral whites and tannic Aglianico from Naples' inland hills.
- Langhe & RoeroNebbiolo's homeland: Barolo and Barbaresco, with Barbera and Dolcetto for every day.
- Lugana & Lake GardaLake Garda: salty-almond Lugana, pale Chiaretto rosé, light cherry reds.
- MarcheCrisp, almondy Verdicchio whites and dark, elegant Montepulciano reds from the Adriatic hills.
- Maremma & Morellino di ScansanoSoft coastal Sangiovese called Morellino, plus salty Vermentino and Ansonica whites.
- MontalcinoTuscany's grandest Sangiovese: Brunello for keeping, Rosso for tonight.
- Montepulciano (Vino Nobile)Sangiovese town: savoury cherry reds, plus a rare amber Vin Santo.
- PugliaRipe Primitivo and Negroamaro reds, serious pinks, and crisp whites from the trulli hills.
- Roero, Monferrato & GaviJuicy Barbera, crisp Gavi and Arneis whites, and rare pale local reds.
- SardiniaSalty Vermentino, warm Grenache-style Cannonau, herbal Carignano and a sherry-like oddity.
- Southern & western SicilyFresh cherry-red Frappato wines, salty whites, Marsala and a sweet island wine.
- Trentino (incl. Trento DOC)Alpine bubbles, dark Teroldego, and a rare sweet wine dried until Easter.
- UmbriaTannic Sagrantino, Sangiovese blends and crisp Orvieto - Tuscany's quieter neighbour.
- Valpolicella & Soave (Verona)Verona's cherry reds, from light Valpolicella to heavy Amarone; almondy Soave whites.
France
France wine basics- AlsaceAromatic, grape-labelled whites from dry Riesling to sweet late harvests, plus value Crémant.
- BeaujolaisJuicy, perfumed Gamay reds from granite hills, with ten serious named crus.
- Bergerac, Monbazillac & the DordogneHoneyed Monbazillac, Bordeaux-style reds and fresh dry whites, at friendly prices.
- BordeauxCabernet-Merlot blends from gravel and clay, crisp whites and Sauternes.
- BurgundyPinot Noir and Chardonnay mapped vineyard by vineyard - the producer is everything.
- Cahors & the Pyrenean SouthwestBlack Malbec, tannic Tannat, and Pyrenean Manseng whites, dry to sweet.
- ChampagneCool chalk country making the world's benchmark bottle-fermented sparkling - houses and growers.
- Jura & ArboisSmall and distinctive: Vin Jaune, Savagnin, pale light reds and Crémant.
- Languedoc-RoussillonValue hills and coast: schist and limestone reds, Limoux fizz, sweet Banyuls.
- Loire ValleyCrisp, food-friendly whites, light leafy reds and France's best-value sparkling.
- Mâconnais & Côte ChalonnaiseRipe, round Chardonnay in the Mâconnais; Pinot Noir and Chardonnay value in the Chalonnaise.
- Northern RhônePeppery, perfumed Syrah and rich Viognier from France's steepest riverside slopes.
- ProvencePale dry rosé, deep Mourvèdre reds from Bandol, and salty seaside whites.
- Southern RhôneWarm, generous Grenache blends - from easy Côtes du Rhône to grand Châteauneuf.
Spain
Spain wine basics- BierzoPerfumed slate-grown Mencía reds and mineral Godello whites from a hidden mountain basin.
- Canary IslandsSmoky, fresh volcanic reds and salty, floral whites from old vines on Atlantic islands.
- Jerez (Sherry)Spain's great fortified wine, from salty Fino to syrupy PX.
- Mallorca & the BalearicsSoft, sunny Manto Negro and Callet reds; fresh Prensal Blanc whites.
- NavarraGarnacha rosado and fresh old-vine Garnacha reds, plus Tempranillo and claret-style reds.
- PenedèsSpain's sparkling heartland, with Xarel·lo whites and an active natural scene.
- Priorat and MontsantCatalonia's slate-grown powerhouse reds, plus Montsant: the great-value neighbour.
- Rías BaixasCrisp, peachy, salty Albariño, made for Galician seafood.
- Ribeira SacraPerfumed, mineral Mencía and Godello from river-canyon terraces.
- Ribera del DueroSpain's high-plateau Tempranillo: darker and firmer than Rioja.
- RiojaSpain's classic red, plus aged whites and pale rosados worth seeking.
- Rueda & ToroRueda: zesty Verdejo white. Toro: dark, powerful old-vine Tinta de Toro.
- Sierra de Gredos & MadridPale, perfumed mountain Garnacha near Madrid, plus soft Albillo whites and value Méntrida reds.
- Txakoli & the Basque coastPale, tangy, low-alcohol Basque whites made for seafood, pintxos and cider-house nights.
Portugal
Portugal wine basics- AlentejoRipe, soft, good-value reds, round whites and ancient clay-pot talha wine.
- BairradaTannic, high-acid Baga reds and Portugal's best bottle-fermented sparkling wine.
- DãoElegant, mountain-fresh reds and textured Encruzado whites from granite.
- DouroPort's homeland, now just as good for powerful dry reds and fresh whites.
- Lisboa (Colares, Bucelas, Alenquer)Zesty Arinto whites, rare sand-grown Ramisco reds and a lost fortified wine.
- MadeiraHeated, nutty, high-acid fortified wine from an Atlantic island; dry to sweet.
- Setúbal & ArrábidaSoft Castelão reds, fresh seafood whites and orange-peel sweet Moscatel, 40 km from Lisbon.
- Vinho Verde and the MinhoFresh Atlantic whites from light and fizzy to rich Alvarinho, plus an inky red.
Germany
Germany wine basics- Baden (Kaiserstuhl, Ortenau)Germany's warm south: full Pinot reds and whites, volcanic Kaiserstuhl, Black Forest slopes.
- FrankenEarthy, dry Silvaner in a round flask, plus Riesling, Pinot Noir and rarities.
- MoselFeatherweight, high-acid Riesling from steep slate - dry, off-dry or sweet.
- NaheMineral, racy Riesling from volcanic and slate slopes, between the Mosel and the Rhine.
- PfalzWarm, dry-styled Germany: ripe Riesling, fine Pinots and hearty wine-tavern culture.
- RheingauMostly dry, peachy Riesling on sunny Rhine slopes, plus Pinot Noir from Assmannshausen.
- RheinhessenGermany's biggest region: savoury dry Riesling, herbal Silvaner and fine Pinot Noir.
Austria
Austria wine basics- BurgenlandSpicy Blaufränkisch reds, juicy Zweigelt, and Austria's great sweet wines around a shallow lake.
- Styria (Südsteiermark, Vulkanland)Vivid, herbal Sauvignon Blanc from steep green hills, plus Morillon, Welschriesling and a tart pink Schilcher.
- Wachau, Kremstal & KamptalDry Grüner Veltliner and Riesling from Danube terraces - peppery to powerful.