Red Wine Regions

France remains as the best producer for high quality, expensive red wines. The Rhone Valley in Southeastern France produces top grape varieties used in popular red wines Northern Rhone yields Syrah grapes while Southern Rhone cultivates the Grenache variety. Rhone Valley grapes are used in making the famous Cote Rotie and Hermitage red wine brands.

Italy also has wide acres of red-wine producing regions, such as the Piedmont which produces the Barbera grape variety that yields a type of strong red wine characterized by deep red or ruby color, high acidity level, yet not so much tannins, quite an experience to drink. Piedmont also cultivates the Dolcetto, Brachetto, Freisa and Grignolino varieties.

Meantime, Spain is not to be left behind when it comes to red wine excellence. The nation prides itself with the Rioja region, dubbed the Spanish red wine's “sweetheart region” which produces 80 percent red grapes and only 10 percent white grapes. The Rioja produces acclaimed red wine labels Crianza, Reserva and Gran Reserva made from the Tempranillo, Garnacha, Graciano and Mazuelo grape varieties.

In the United States, California's 1,730 square kilometers of planted vineyard tracts produce many varieties of red grapes which trace their origins mostly from France, like the Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Malbec. Up until the 1980s, California produced bulk red wine varieties until modern manufacturers came up with more fruity flavored wines and new wine concoctions like sparkling and fortified wines.