A World of Wines
Wine is all about discovery. Whether you are purchasing a bottle at your favorite shop, attending a wine pairing dinner, or simply ordering a glass when dining out, there’s much to be learned and enjoyed.
Sipping a glass of wine can also transport you to another place. With global production and increased marketing, people are experiencing wines from many interesting regions.
Woman Around Town has been attending wine tastings. We have some information from three wine-producing areas that you may want to know about.
Wines of Portugal
Portugal has more than 250 indigenous grapes that were introduced to Portugal over their long winemaking history that archaeologists have dated back to the Bronze Age. Portugal’s Douro Valley was the world’s first wine region that was designated and regulated by the year 1754. Today it is a UNESCO world heritage site. The Portuguese were the first to bring European wines to the Americas and to Asia. There is a spectrum of impressive varietals that include white grapes like Alvarinho, Encruzado, and Arinto. Reds include Baga, Touriga Nacional and Baga. Visitors to Portugal can find tasting rooms for Wines of Portugal in Lisbon and Oporto where the country’s diverse selection of wines can be enjoyed.
Brunello di Montalcino, Italy
The wines of Montalcino are produced in the municipal territory of Montalcino, a hill town in the province of Siena, Tuscany, central Italy. The quiet Tuscan village has had few changes since medieval times, when it was a stronghold relative to the nearby city of Siena. The climate of the area is typically Mediterranean with most of the precipitation concentrated in the spring and late autumn months. Only four wines have the right to be produced in Montalcino with the Protected Designation of Origin. They are the Brunello di Montalcino DOCG, the Rosso di Montalcino DOC, the Moscadello dei Montalcino DOC, and Sant’Atimo DOC. The production of these can be done in the territory of the Montalcino Municipality only, and in no other areas. Brunello di Montalcino wines are made from 100% Sangiovese grapes.
Wines of Bulgaria
Bulgaria has two main regions for the production of their wine vaieties, the Danubin Plain and the Thracian Lowlands and fifty-five regions for wine production that have a protected designation of origin. The Danubian Plain is in the northern part of the country between the Danube River to the north, the Timok river to the west, and the Black Sea to the east. The region’s specific varieties are Gamza and Misket Vrachanski. The Thracian Lowlands are located in the southern part of Bulgaria. The climate is continental, with a very hot and dry summer and a mild winter. The region’s specific varieties are Mavrud and Misket Cherven. Various archaeological findings in Bulgaria support the presence of a well-developed wine culture that dates back thousands of years. Currently Bulgarian wines are being dubbed “New Old World Wines.”
Stay tuned to Woman Around Town for more articles on wine. Whether you’re a wine lover or wine aficionado, personal taste and pleasure is everything. Raise a glass and enjoy!
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