by Lillith Black

Created on: May 20, 2009

Wine dates from about 6000 BC and has histories in areas which are now Iran and Georgia. Europe's history with wine started about 4500 BC in Greece. Some of the oldest vines and the oldest vineyards are still around the islands there. Many of the oldest vines in Italy and other parts of Europe trace their origins there. We don't drink much Greek wine in the US. Most of the wine in the US comes from California, Australia, or Europe. Other wine regions that you'll often see in restaurants here are New Zealand, Oregon and Washington, South American countries, and even South Africa.

New World wines come from anywhere other than Europe. Old World wines are wine from Europe. Italy, France, and Spain are the three countries you'll most likely need to know about, as they are the most popular within the US restaurant business. They have many grapes and blends and regions, but don't get overwhelmed. A little knowledge can get you started and you can learn more as you drink more wine!

New world wines are often varietal labeled. This means that they are labeled by their grapes. Often you'll find a wine named for the winemaker or vineyard and the grape: Robert Modavi Cabernet, for example, and the most important part of the label is the varietal. Sometimes in the US you will see a name associated with a blend of wine like Joseph Phelps 'Insignia' or 'Opus One'. Most often these wines are high scoring blends that the winemaker is proud of. Labels on New World wines are drastically easier to read for novice wine drinkers, but after you get to be a bit more seasoned, you can tell more from a label on an Old World wine. The US and other New World producers don't have the regulations that the European regions have, and while you always know what you're getting in a Shiraz/Cabernet blend with the grapes, the quality can vary drastically within one price point.

Old world wines are most often labeled with the region and the classification that the wine fits into. France is known for not labeling with varietals. Their labels have a wealth of information on them; however, they could be a little tough to read for the non-French speaking consumer. The label will often tell you how strict the regulations for that bottle of wine were. For instance, Italy has the DOC and the DOCG, two classifications that place rules on their bottles. France has Vin de Pays, AOC and VDQS, which classify the wines grown. These are just rule systems, and don't tell

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