Drink where you are.
Practical wine guides for the region you’re visiting: what to order, what the label means, and what’s worth bringing home. Read it at the level you want, in the time you have.
Regions
Austria
Austria wine basics- Wachau, Kremstal & Kamptal
Dry Grüner Veltliner and Riesling from Danube terraces - peppery to powerful.
Last checked 11 October 2026
France
France wine basics- Alsace
Aromatic, grape-labelled whites from dry Riesling to sweet late harvests, plus value Crémant.
Last checked 11 October 2026
- Bordeaux
Cabernet-Merlot blends from gravel and clay, crisp whites and Sauternes.
Last checked 11 October 2026
- Burgundy
Pinot Noir and Chardonnay mapped vineyard by vineyard - the producer is everything.
Last checked 11 October 2026
- Champagne
Cool chalk country making the world's benchmark bottle-fermented sparkling - houses and growers.
Last checked 11 October 2026
- Loire Valley
Crisp, food-friendly whites, light leafy reds and France's best-value sparkling.
Last checked 11 October 2026
- Northern Rhône
Peppery, perfumed Syrah and rich Viognier from France's steepest riverside slopes.
Last checked 11 October 2026
- Southern Rhône
Warm, generous Grenache blends - from easy Côtes du Rhône to grand Châteauneuf.
Last checked 11 October 2026
Germany
Germany wine basics- Mosel
Featherweight, high-acid Riesling from steep slate - dry, off-dry or sweet.
Last checked 11 October 2026
Greece
- Santorini
Bone-dry, salty, high-acid Assyrtiko whites and a raisiny sun-dried sweet wine.
Last checked 11 October 2026
Hungary
- Tokaj (Tokaj-Hegyalja)
Volcanic whites from Furmint: bone-dry and mineral, or honeyed, tangy and sweet.
Last checked 11 October 2026
Italy
Italy wine basics- Alto Adige
Crisp Alpine whites plus light Schiava, dark Lagrein and fine Pinot Nero.
Last checked 11 October 2026
- Bolgheri
Tuscany's coastal home of Bordeaux-style reds, led by Sassicaia.
Last checked 11 October 2026
- Chianti Classico
Savoury, cherry-scented Sangiovese from the hills between Florence and Siena.
Last checked 11 October 2026
- Conegliano-Valdobbiadene
The steep hills where the best Prosecco is made.
Last checked 11 October 2026
- Etna
Pale, perfumed volcano reds and salty whites from Sicily's mountain.
Last checked 11 October 2026
- Langhe & Roero
Nebbiolo's homeland: Barolo and Barbaresco, with Barbera and Dolcetto for every day.
Last checked 11 October 2026
- Montalcino
Tuscany's grandest Sangiovese: Brunello for keeping, Rosso for tonight.
Last checked 11 October 2026
- Montepulciano (Vino Nobile)
Sangiovese town: savoury cherry reds, plus a rare amber Vin Santo.
Last checked 11 October 2026
- Umbria
Tannic Sagrantino, Sangiovese blends and crisp Orvieto - Tuscany's quieter neighbour.
Last checked 11 October 2026
- Valpolicella & Soave (Verona)
Verona's cherry reds, from light Valpolicella to heavy Amarone; almondy Soave whites.
Last checked 11 October 2026
Portugal
Portugal wine basics- Douro
Port's homeland, now just as good for powerful dry reds and fresh whites.
Last checked 11 October 2026
Spain
Spain wine basics- Jerez (Sherry)
Spain's great fortified wine, from salty Fino to syrupy PX.
Last checked 11 October 2026
- Priorat and Montsant
Catalonia's slate-grown powerhouse reds, plus Montsant: the great-value neighbour.
Last checked 11 October 2026
- Ribera del Duero
Spain's high-plateau Tempranillo: darker and firmer than Rioja.
Last checked 11 October 2026
- Rioja
Spain's classic red, plus aged whites and pale rosados worth seeking.
Last checked 11 October 2026