Being what it is, the evolution of language tends to blurr the meaning between words. There exists a wide range of grape varieties, each of which have their own particular set of characteristics in terms of how they grow and ripen, and how their wines smell and taste. While virtually all wine is made from the same species of European grapevine (vitis vinifera), the differences between the varieties can be likened to the differences we know and understand between the kinds of apple we might buy at a grocer. Wines made from single grape varieties are known as ‘varietal’ wines. Outside much of traditional Europe, these wines are labeled according to their grape variety, and in an ideal world, each of these wines would faithfully reproduce to some measure or other the qualities anticipated from that variety. In other words, once you know what a chardonnay tastes like, you should know broadly what to expect from a wine labeled as ‘Chardonnay’ whether it might have been made in Australia, the US, Chile or wherever. While most non-sparkling French chardonnay is made as a 100% varietal wine, it is not usually labeled as such. Other southern regions have begun planting it widely, but I believe that Burgundy remains the largest producer of still French chardonnay. Provided it has been grown and made in a way that complies with the demands of the appellation, it will then be sold as ‘Bourgogne’, or else be given the name of the village or vineyard in whose appellation it might qualify. There are thousands of people who have been drinking white Burgundy for years without ever realising it to have been made from chardonnay. Before Australia grew any volume of chardonnay, its wineries were in the habit of selling some wines labeled as ‘White Burgundy’, as well as others called ‘Chablis’, ‘Claret’, ‘Hock’ and ‘Burgundy’. The so-called White Burgundy (and you can still find Houghton White Burgundy on the domestic Australian market) would typically be made from grapes like semillon or chenin blanc, but made as a full-bodied, full-flavoured white wine with a soft acid finish. In other words, as like a chardonnay as they could do, but without the chardonnay itself. From the point of view of definition, these were generically labeled wines, but with the subsequent trend towards varietal labeling, they are virtually confined these days to the very cheap end of the market. It’s not necessary for a wine to be made from a single variety for it to be varietally labeled. A blend of cabernet sauvignon and merlot, for instance, will be labeled as either ‘Cabernet Merlot’ or ‘Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot’. This is anything but a generic form of labeling, and it gives the buyer a very clear idea of what the wine is made from.
