Fine Wines and Spirits

Although other fruits such as apples and berries can also be
fermented, the resultant "wines" are normally named after the fruit
from which they are produced (for example, apple wine or
elderberry wine) and are generically known as fruit wine or country
wine (not to be confused with the French term vin du pays).

Others, such as barley wine and rice wine (e.g. sake), are made
from starch-based materials and resemble beer and spirit more
than wine, while ginger wine is fortified with brandy.

In these cases, the use of the term "wine" is a reference to the
higher alcohol content, rather than production process.

The commercial use of the English word "wine" (and its equivalent
in other languages) is protected by law in many jurisdictions.

Regulations govern the classification and sale of wine in many
regions of the world.

European wines tend to be classified by region (e.g. Bordeaux
and Chianti), while non-European wines are most often classified
by grape (e.g. Pinot Noir and Merlot).

More and more, however, market recognition of particular regions
is leading to their increased prominence on non-European wine
labels.

Examples of non-European recognized locales include: Napa
Valley in California, Barossa Valley in Australia, Willamette Valley
in Oregon, Central Valley in Chile and Marlborough in New
Zealand.

More on White Wine

Labels: fine wines and spirits