A Beginner's Map of Wine Regions
Wine comes from everywhere — France, Italy, Spain, Argentina, New Zealand. Here's how to make sense of the map without memorising anything.
· 7 min read
Key takeaways
- 'Old World' (Europe) wine tends toward structure, earth, and restraint; 'New World' (Americas, Australia, etc.) tends toward riper fruit and more obvious oak. The line blurs with every new generation of winemakers.
- France and Italy dominate the map, but some of the best-value bottles in the world come from Spain, Portugal, and Argentina.
- The region tells you what to expect before you open the bottle — climate, permitted grape varieties, and centuries of local tradition are baked into every appellation.
- Switzerland imports 65% of the wine it drinks, mostly from France, Italy, and Spain. Swiss-grown wine almost never leaves the country, which means buying it here is the only real way to drink it.
Frequently asked questions
- Do all the world's wine regions taste different?
- Not as different as you might expect at the entry level — a basic Bordeaux and a basic Languedoc from the same grape can taste very similar. The differences become more pronounced as you move up in quality. Regional character is real and consistent, but it takes some experience to tune your palate to it.
- Is Old World wine better than New World wine?
- No. They're different. Old World wines tend toward structure, acidity, and terroir expression; New World wines tend toward riper fruit, warmer character, and more consistency year to year. The best of both are extraordinary. The question is which style suits the occasion.
- Which wine region should a beginner start with?
- For reds: the southern Rhône (Côtes du Rhône, Gigondas) or Rioja. Generous, consistent, affordable, and widely available in Switzerland. For whites: Alsace Pinot Gris or a Swiss Chasselas. Both are dry, versatile with food, and forgiving of imperfect serving temperature.
- Why does France have so many different wine regions?
- Geography and history. France stretches from the cool, rainy north (Champagne, Alsace) to the warm Mediterranean south (Provence, Languedoc), through Atlantic-influenced Bordeaux and continental-climate Burgundy. Each climate suits different grapes. And two thousand years of winemaking tradition have produced a fine-grained system of appellations — each protecting the local style that evolved over those centuries.
Not sure which wine to pick? Tell our sommelier what you are eating or the occasion and we will find the right bottle — or browse the full sommelia.ch collection.