Order a Chianti and you may be served a wine from one of two rulebooks. The Consorzio Vino Chianti describes Chianti DOCG as a dry, slightly tannic red that smells of violet and small red fruit. The Chianti Classico consortium publishes its own rules for its own zone and describes its entry-level wine as fruity, balanced and easy to drink. Same grape, same word on the menu, two denominations.
That gap is the reason for this page. It lists the grapes and styles that 29 destinations on this site are known for, and every row names the consortium, council or national wine body whose pages we read. If you are choosing a region, the tables show what you are likely to taste. If you already booked, they tell you which questions to ask at the cellar door. For the vocabulary on labels and tour listings, use the wine tour glossary.
How do you read a what-to-taste table?
Each table is grouped by country, with one row for each wine or zone that a body describes. The third column holds the grapes that the body names for that place. It is not a full planting list, and it does not rank grapes unless the source does. The fourth column is the body's own description of the style, shortened and rewritten by us. Producer bodies describe their own wines, so read the line as the intended style, not as a tasting result.
We leave out percentages on purpose. Minimum grape shares and ageing rules change with the rulebook, and the regulator's page is the place to check them for a given bottle. Food pairings appear only where the body itself makes the suggestion.
A row is in the tables only if we opened an official page for it on 2026-09-30 and found the words in the raw text. Where we could not, the row is missing, and the list of gaps sits in the sources section at the end.
Why is a region name not the same as a wine style?
Most of the names on a tour listing are legal zones. A zone fixes where the grapes grow and some rules about how the wine is made. It does not fix the taste. Three examples from the bodies we read:
Rioja is one denomination, yet the Rioja council describes reds that range from younger, lighter, fruitier wines made from whole bunches to fuller wines that are destemmed and aged in barrel. Champagne names three main grapes, and the Comité Champagne says five other varieties are authorized: Arbane, Petit Meslier, Chardonnay Rose, Pinot Blanc and Pinot Gris. In Provence the interprofession talks about pale, dry rosé, but its appellation page also covers red wines built on Grenache, Mourvèdre and Syrah.
The practical consequence is small but it saves money. A tour billed as a Chianti tasting can pour wines from either Chianti denomination, and the two are not interchangeable on the label. Ask which one, and read "Classico" as a separate denomination.
What wine to try in Tuscany, the Langhe, Veneto, Sicily and Campania
| Destination | Wine or zone | Grapes named by the source | Style, in the body's own terms | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuscany, Chianti | Chianti Classico | Sangiovese | Annata is fruity, balanced and easy to drink; riserva is fruity with oak that supports the structure; gran selezione is fruity and spicy, with balanced tannins and acidity. | Consorzio Vino Chianti Classico |
| Tuscany, Chianti | Chianti DOCG | Sangiovese, with other Tuscan grapes allowed | Dry, slightly tannic red with violet and small red fruit; ruby when young, turning garnet with age; can be drunk young or aged. | Consorzio Vino Chianti |
| Tuscany | Brunello and Rosso di Montalcino | Sangiovese, locally called Brunello | Brunello is released in the fifth year after harvest, after at least two years in wood. Rosso is the same grape made for earlier drinking, fresh and fruity. | Consorzio del Vino Brunello di Montalcino |
| Tuscany | Vino Nobile di Montepulciano | Sangiovese, with other authorized grapes | Red that cannot be released before two years of ageing counted from 1 January after harvest. The pages we read give the rules but no taste description. | Consorzio del Vino Nobile di Montepulciano |
| Langhe and Barolo | Barolo and Barbaresco | Nebbiolo | Barolo: full garnet color, scents of red fruit, cherry, rose, violet, pepper and leather, with elegant tannins. Riserva only after five years of ageing. | Consorzio di Tutela Barolo Barbaresco Alba Langhe e Dogliani |
| Langhe and Barolo | Barbera d'Alba, Dolcetto d'Alba, Nebbiolo d'Alba | Barbera, Dolcetto, Nebbiolo | The consortium calls Barbera the historic variety of the Alba area and Nebbiolo d'Alba the pure varietal wine of the Langhe hills. | Consorzio di Tutela Barolo Barbaresco Alba Langhe e Dogliani |
| Veneto | Prosecco DOC | Glera, the traditional variety | Sparkling, in spumante and frizzante versions, with floral and fruity notes; second fermentation in large sealed tanks (Martinotti method). | Consorzio di Tutela Prosecco DOC |
| Veneto | Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG | Glera | Sparkling wine from the hills of the zone, sold as extra brut, brut, extra dry or dry according to residual sugar. | Consorzio di Tutela Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco DOCG |
| Veneto | Valpolicella, Ripasso, Amarone, Recioto | Corvina, Corvinone, Rondinella | A range from the basic red to Amarone: dried grapes, slow fermentation, dry and high in alcohol, aged long in wood. The consortium pairs Amarone with meat, game and matured cheese. | Consorzio Tutela Vini Valpolicella |
| Sicily | Sicilia DOC | Nero d'Avola, Frappato, Nerello Mascalese, Nerello Cappuccio, Grillo, Catarratto, Carricante | Nero d'Avola is full-bodied, tannic and spicy; Frappato is light ruby, fruity and fresh; Grillo is deep straw, floral and citrusy; Carricante is high in acidity. | Consorzio di Tutela Vini DOC Sicilia |
| Campania | Fiano di Avellino, Greco di Tufo, Taurasi (Irpinia) | Fiano, Greco, Aglianico | Fiano: floral, white fruit, hazelnut, honey. Greco: citrus, white peach, almond, a sulfurous mineral note. Taurasi: red fruit, spice, leather, structured, the longest-lived of the three. | Consorzio Tutela Vini d'Irpinia |
Sources for this table: Chianti Classico consortium, wine types, Consorzio Vino Chianti, identikit (in Italian), Brunello di Montalcino consortium, Vino Nobile consortium, disciplinary, Langhe consortium, Barolo, Barbera d'Alba, Prosecco DOC consortium, Conegliano Valdobbiadene consortium, Valpolicella consortium, Amarone, Sicilia DOC consortium, grapes, Irpinia consortium guide (in Italian). Where these wines are poured: Tuscany, Chianti, Langhe and Barolo, Veneto, Sicily and Campania. The Campania row covers Irpinia only, the inland zone the consortium represents.
What to taste in Champagne, Bordeaux, Burgundy, Provence and the Rhône
| Destination | Wine or zone | Grapes named by the source | Style, in the body's own terms | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Champagne | Champagne | Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Meunier | Sparkling. Pinot Noir gives body and red-fruit and floral aromas; Chardonnay gives freshness with floral and citrus notes; Meunier is supple and fruity and tends to age faster. | Comité Champagne |
| Bordeaux | Bordeaux | Reds: Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc. Whites: Sauvignon Blanc, Sémillon, Muscadelle | Blends. The council says one trait of Bordeaux is the assemblage of several grapes, with minor grapes such as Petit Verdot, Malbec and Carménère added in small amounts. | Conseil Interprofessionnel du Vin de Bordeaux |
| Burgundy | Bourgogne | Chardonnay, Pinot Noir; also Aligoté and Gamay | Mostly single-variety wines; the council describes a purity of expression in which each plot gives each vintage its own character. | Bureau Interprofessionnel des Vins de Bourgogne |
| Provence | Côtes de Provence | Reds and rosés: Cinsault, Grenache, Mourvèdre, Syrah | Rosé is the category the interprofession promotes, dry, crisp and pale. Grenache adds fullness, Cinsault freshness, Mourvèdre firm tannins and spice. | Conseil Interprofessionnel des Vins de Provence |
| Rhône Valley | Rhône Valley, north and south | North: Syrah, Viognier, Marsanne. South: Grenache noir blended with Syrah, Mourvèdre, Carignan, Cinsault | Châteauneuf-du-Pape: Grenache noir leads; reds are powerful and structured and suit ageing, whites are ample and fresh. | Inter-Rhône |
Sources for this table: Comité Champagne, grape varieties, CIVB, grape varieties (page in French), BIVB, Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, CIVP, Côtes de Provence, CIVP, rosé, Inter-Rhône, grape varieties, Inter-Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape. The matching destination pages are Champagne, Bordeaux, Burgundy, Provence and Rhône Valley.
Grapes and styles in Portugal, Spain, Greece and Georgia
| Destination | Wine or zone | Grapes named by the source | Style, in the body's own terms | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Douro Valley | Douro DOC (still wine) | Reds: Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinta Roriz, Tinta Barroca, Tinto Cão. Whites: Malvasia Fina, Viosinho, Gouveio, Rabigato | Mostly blends. Young reds are ruby with red-fruit scents; reds for ageing are deep, with black fruit and persistent tannins. Dry whites are citrusy and floral. Port is a separate, fortified wine. | Instituto dos Vinhos do Douro e do Porto |
| Lisbon and Arrabida | Setúbal Peninsula | Castelão, Syrah; Moscatel de Setúbal | Castelão is structured and fleshy, with cherry and plum. Moscatel de Setúbal is golden, sweet, with citrus and compote notes. | Comissão Vitivinícola Regional da Península de Setúbal |
| Rioja | Rioja | Reds: Tempranillo, Garnacha tinta, Graciano, Mazuelo, Maturana tinta. Whites: Viura, Garnacha blanca, Malvasía, Verdejo, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and others | Reds from light, fruity and young to fuller and barrel-aged. Tempranillo shows red and black fruit and violet. Whites have medium-high acidity, young and fruity or more complex. | Consejo Regulador DOCa Rioja |
| Penedes and Priorat | Cava (Penedès) | Macabeo, Xarel·lo, Parellada; Chardonnay and red Garnacha also authorized | Traditional-method sparkling. Macabeo is light and floral, Xarel·lo gives body and structure, Parellada gives freshness and refinement. | Consejo Regulador del Cava |
| Penedes and Priorat | Priorat | Garnacha (Garnatxa) and Carignan (Carinyena) lead; others permitted | Low-yield reds from steep slopes and terraces, made from very ripe grapes with long maceration. The council calls Grenache and Carignan the DNA of the denomination. | Consell Regulador DOQ Priorat |
| Santorini | Santorini PDO | Assyrtiko, Aidani | Lean, mineral, concentrated dry whites that lean on texture more than aroma. Sweet Vinsanto also exists. The body suggests grilled fish and seafood. | Wines of Greece |
| Kakheti | Kakheti, including qvevri wines | Saperavi, Rkatsiteli, Mtsvane | Saperavi is inky and tannic with marked acidity, made dry, sweet or fortified. Rkatsiteli leads the whites. In Kakheti qvevri wines ferment with all of the skins. | National Wine Agency of Georgia |
Sources for this table: IVDP, Douro wines, Setúbal Peninsula commission, varietals, Moscatel de Setúbal, Rioja council, red wines, white wines, Tempranillo, Cava board, authorized grapes, Priorat council, varietals, Wines of Greece, Santorini, Assyrtiko, Georgian National Wine Agency, red varieties, white varieties, qvevri wine. Destinations: Douro Valley, Lisbon and Arrabida, Rioja, Penedes and Priorat, Santorini and Kakheti. For the method behind Georgian amber and skin-contact wines, see the qvevri guide.
What to taste in California, Canada, Argentina and Chile
| Destination | Wine or zone | Grapes named by the source | Style, in the body's own terms | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Napa and Sonoma | Napa Valley AVA | Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Zinfandel, Cabernet Franc | The vintners list these grapes without ranking them and tie the range to many microclimates and soils in a small valley with a Mediterranean climate. | Napa Valley Vintners |
| Napa and Sonoma | Sonoma County, 19 AVAs | Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon | Chardonnay and Pinot Noir from Russian River Valley and Sonoma Coast; dense, flavorful Zinfandel from Dry Creek Valley; approachable Cabernet from Alexander Valley and Sonoma Valley. | Sonoma County Winegrowers |
| Niagara-on-the-Lake | Niagara Peninsula, VQA | Riesling, Chardonnay, Gamay Noir, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Franc | Cool-climate wines shaped by Lake Ontario and the Niagara Escarpment; the appellation authority lists Niagara-on-the-Lake as one of its appellations. | VQA Ontario (Ontario Wine Appellation Authority) |
| Okanagan Valley | Okanagan Valley | North: Gewürztraminer, Riesling, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir. Center: Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Merlot. South: Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon | Aromatic whites in the cooler north, bold reds in the hot, desert-like south; Icewine is also part of the range. | Wines of British Columbia |
| Mendoza | Mendoza | Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon, Bonarda, Cereza, Criolla Grande | Malbec is dark and intense, with cherry, strawberry, plum and black pepper scents; oak adds coffee, vanilla and chocolate. Tannins are sweet and silky. | Wines of Argentina |
| Maipo and Casablanca | Maipo Valley | Cabernet Sauvignon, with Merlot, Syrah, Carménère | Reds with well-structured tannins; Cabernet is the main variety planted. | Wines of Chile |
| Maipo and Casablanca | Casablanca Valley | Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay; Merlot and Syrah at warmer elevations | Cool, fog-influenced valley near the Pacific; whites with distinctive minerality. | Wines of Chile |
Sources for this table: Napa Valley Vintners, the AVA, Sonoma County Winegrowers, terroir, VQA Ontario, Niagara Peninsula, Wines of BC, Okanagan Valley, Wines of Argentina, Mendoza, Malbec, Wines of Chile, winegrowing regions. We used VQA Ontario for Niagara because the Wine Country Ontario site blocked our requests. Destinations: Napa and Sonoma, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Okanagan Valley, Mendoza and Maipo and Casablanca Valleys.
What to taste in South Africa, Australia and New Zealand
| Destination | Wine or zone | Grapes named by the source | Style, in the body's own terms | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cape Winelands | Stellenbosch district | Almost all noble varieties, in blends | WOSA says the district is known for the quality of its blended reds. | Wines of South Africa (WOSA) |
| Cape Winelands | Cape-wide grapes you will meet | Chenin Blanc, Pinotage, Pinot Noir | Chenin Blanc is the most widely grown Cape grape and runs from dry to sweet, including sparkling. Pinotage is a local cross of Pinot Noir and Cinsaut, created in 1925. Cap Classique is traditional-method sparkling. | Wines of South Africa (WOSA) |
| Hunter Valley | Hunter Valley | Semillon, Chardonnay, Shiraz | Semillon is delicate, fresh and citrusy when young and ages for decades; the Hunter style is unoaked. Shiraz is savory and food-friendly, turning earthy with age. | Wine Australia |
| Barossa Valley | Barossa Valley | Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Grenache | Shiraz is bold, with blackberry, blackcurrant and plum. Grenache is lighter, with raspberry, strawberry and pepper, and often blended with Shiraz and Mourvèdre as GSM. | Wine Australia |
| Yarra Valley | Yarra Valley | Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon | One of Australia's coolest regions: elegant, fresh Chardonnay and strawberry-and-cherry Pinot Noir. Shiraz comes in a bold style and a lighter savory one. | Wine Australia |
| Margaret River | Margaret River | Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc blends | Cabernet is powerful, with cedar, blackcurrant and herbs; the Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc blend is a signature white, with tropical fruit and citrus. | Wine Australia |
| Marlborough | Marlborough | Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, aromatic whites | A cool, sunny, dry climate produces vivid wines. The Southern Valleys sub-region is singled out for Pinot Noir and aromatics. | New Zealand Winegrowers |
| Waiheke Island | Waiheke Island (Auckland region) | Cabernet blends, Syrah, Chardonnay, Montepulciano, Petit Verdot, Viognier, Pinot Gris | A warm, dry maritime island climate; long known for Cabernet blends, more recently for Syrah and Chardonnay. | New Zealand Winegrowers |
Sources for this table: WOSA, winegrowing areas, red varieties, white varieties, wine styles, Wine Australia, Hunter Valley, Barossa Valley, Yarra Valley, Margaret River, New Zealand Winegrowers, Marlborough, Auckland and Waiheke. Destinations: Cape Winelands, Hunter Valley, Barossa Valley, Yarra Valley, Margaret River, Marlborough and Waiheke Island.
What will the style change on a tour?
Style decides what you see in a cellar. The Prosecco consortium describes a second fermentation in large sealed tanks, so a Prosecco visit centers on large tanks. The Cava board and the Comité Champagne describe the traditional method, with the second fermentation in the bottle, so those visits go down to cellars and racks of bottles. South Africa's Cap Classique follows the traditional method too.
It also decides how early a wine is ready. The Brunello consortium separates a Brunello, released in the fifth year after harvest, from a Rosso made to be drunk sooner. IVDP separates young Douro reds from reds kept for ageing. The Irpinia consortium calls Taurasi the longest-lived of its three flagship wines.
Sweet and fortified wines are the third group. Port and Douro are separate wines from the same valley according to IVDP. Moscatel de Setúbal, Santorini's Vinsanto and Okanagan Icewine all sit outside the dry table wine default, so ask about them if a listing mentions a dessert pour. For how a listing words that, read how to read a wine tour listing; for the weather that shapes each region, see weather and climate in wine regions.
Common questions about what to taste
Is Chianti the same as Chianti Classico?
No. The Consorzio Vino Chianti and the Consorzio Vino Chianti Classico each publish their own rules and their own description of the wine. Both use Sangiovese. Check the label for the word Classico.
What grape is red Rioja made from?
Tempranillo is the core grape, per the Rioja regulating council, alongside Garnacha tinta, Graciano, Mazuelo and Maturana tinta. The style runs from young and fruity to barrel-aged.
Which grapes go into Champagne?
Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Meunier are the three main ones, says the Comité Champagne. Five other varieties are authorized and cover only a small share of the vines.
Is Prosecco a grape?
No, it is a denomination. The Prosecco DOC consortium names Glera as the traditional grape and describes a tank-fermented sparkling wine.
Does the region name tell me the wine style?
Only loosely. A denomination sets origin and rules, and one name can cover light and heavy wines. Use the tables above and ask the winery which wine you are pouring.
Sources and method
On 2026-09-30 we opened the pages linked under each table, downloaded their raw text and searched it for each grape and style phrase before writing the row. Style lines are our paraphrase, not quotations. Three pages were read in another language (the Italian Consorzio Vino Chianti and Irpinia pages, and the French CIVB page), and the Wines of Argentina pages had to be read in a browser because they do not load as plain text.
- Italy: Chianti Classico, Consorzio Vino Chianti, Brunello di Montalcino, Vino Nobile, Langhe, Prosecco DOC, Conegliano Valdobbiadene, Valpolicella, Sicilia DOC and Irpinia consortia.
- France: Comité Champagne, CIVB, BIVB, CIVP and Inter-Rhône.
- Portugal, Spain, Greece, Georgia: IVDP, the Setúbal Peninsula commission, the Rioja, Cava and Priorat councils, Wines of Greece and the National Wine Agency of Georgia.
- The Americas: Napa Valley Vintners, Sonoma County Winegrowers, VQA Ontario, Wines of BC, Wines of Argentina and Wines of Chile.
- South Africa, Australia, New Zealand: WOSA, Wine Australia and New Zealand Winegrowers.
What is missing: the Lisbon wine region itself, Franschhoek as a separate row (WOSA names no grapes for it in the page we read), Etna, San Gimignano, the coastal and Vesuvius zones of Campania, the still wines of Penedès, and any Wine Country Ontario text. We could not open an official page for them today, so they stay out. Return to the section hub at Wine knowledge for travelers.
Data verified on. Grapes and style descriptions checked against the consortium and council pages linked under each table, on the date shown.
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Taste it where it is made
Start with a denomination whose rulebook you now know how to read.