Loire Valley Wines Explained: From Muscadet to Sancerre
France's Loire Valley stretches from the Atlantic inland. Expect crisp Muscadet, Chenin Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet Franc, with styles ranging from bone-dry to sweet and sparkling.
Regions
Explore beginner-friendly guides to the world's most important wine regions. Learn how different terroirs influence grapes and wine, where they grow best, and which foods they pair with.
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Beginner-friendly guides designed to help you understand wine with confidence.
Chablis Explained: Grapes, Wines and How to Explore It
Chablis is a northern Burgundy region known for dry white wines made from Chardonnay. Its cool climate and varied vineyard sites produce wines that are typically fresh, citrus-fruited and savoury, with four appellation levels ranging from Petit Chablis to Grand Cru.
Pouilly-Fumé Wine Guide: Grapes, Taste & Terroir
Pouilly-Fumé is a dry Centre-Loire Sauvignon Blanc known for citrus, fresh acidity, floral notes and stony or smoky impressions. “Fumé” does not mean smoked, and flint does not directly flavour the wine; these descriptions reflect the combined influence of site, vintage, farming and winemaking.
Sancerre Wine Guide: Grapes, Styles and How to Explore the Region
Sancerre is a Loire Valley appellation in central France, famous for dry Sauvignon Blanc with citrus, orchard fruit and fresh herbal or mineral notes. These styles are shaped by a cool climate and a patchwork of vineyard sites. It also produces smaller amounts of Pinot Noir for red and rosé wines.
Champagne Explained: Grapes, Wines and How to Explore It
Champagne is a cool-climate region in north-east France producing some of the world’s most famous bottle-fermented sparkling wines. But Champagne is not a single style—it’s a system built on three grapes, key styles and a patchwork of vineyard areas that each taste different.
Corsica Explained: Grapes, Wines and How to Explore It
Corsica is a Mediterranean island producing fresh whites, elegant reds and fragrant rosés from native grapes, combining mountain freshness with sunny coastal ripeness.
Jura Explained: Grapes, Wines and How to Explore It
Jura is a small eastern French wine region bordering Switzerland, renowned for Savagnin, Vin Jaune, distinctive oxidative wines, elegant Chardonnay and light, fragrant reds made from native grapes.
Exploring Germany's Mosel: Wines, Grapes and Vineyards
Germany's Mosel is renowned for steep slate vineyards producing elegant Riesling with vibrant acidity, citrus, stone fruit and remarkable ageing potential, ranging from bone dry to lusciously sweet.
Exploring Marlborough: New Zealand's Most Famous Wine Region
Marlborough is New Zealand's largest and most internationally recognised wine region, located at the top of the South Island. It's famous for vibrant Sauvignon Blanc with citrus, passion fruit and fresh herb flavours, alongside excellent Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.