Wines of Italy
Italy, a country three-quarters the size of California, makes one-fifth of all the wine in the world. It does that by cultivating one million vineyards in every one of its 20 regions, areas such as Tuscany and Piedmont. Indeed Italy is not so much a country as one vast vineyard. No other country produces the variety of wines that Italy does nor does any other country grow as many different types of grapes. And, with the notable brotherhood of France, no other country makes wines that accompany food so well.
Wines of Portugal
It is a good thing, when people think of Portugal’s wine, that they think of port, one of the world’s truly great beverages. But it is not good thing that that is all people think of when they think of Portuguese wine. There is a second Portugal that makes wine and has for much longer than Port has existed. It is the Portugal that excels in both red and white table wines.
Wines of South Africa
Along with Australia the Americas, South Africa is thought of as a New World wine country, as distinct from Old World wine countries such as France or Germany. But even as a member of the New World group, South Africa’s wine roots are very old. The first governor of the Cape, Jan van Riebeeck, made South Africa’s first wine in 1659—40 years before California would plant its first vines and 130 years before Australia and New Zealand.
Wines of St. Julien
Though commonly and universally known as St.-Julien, the full name of the commune is St.-Julien Beychevelle, the names of the two very small villages that tie the commune together historically. Beychevelle, the château, was once the property of an admiral of France. It was the custom, as a sign of respect for him, for ships passing his estate to lower their sails—a practice known as bacho velo in old Gascon French, corrupted to "Beychevelle."