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Chile has a long viticultural history for a New World wine region dating to the 16th century when the Spanish conquistadors brought Vitis vinifera vines with them as they colonized the region. In the mid-19th century, French wine varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Carmenère and Franc were introduced. In the early 1980s, a renaissance began with the introduction of stainless steel fermentation tanks and the use of oak barrels for aging. The number of wineries has grown from 12 in 1995 to over 70 in 2005. Reasons for this sudden expansion vary in significancy, but all are essential to understanding Chilean wine culture. The largest factor, and arguably most prominent, relates to the large amount of French families immigrating to Chile during the late 20th century.

Wine is woven into the fabric of daily life in Italy, and vines can be found in nearly every part of the countryside, from the slopes of the Alps to the rolling hills of Tuscany and on down to the Mediterranean climate of Sicily.

Famous for the fortified dessert wine Port, this country is also home to the “green wine” Vinho Verde and an increasingly interesting (and affordable) array of red table wines. Portuguese wineries are building on a rich history — it might just be that Portugal has been a wine-growing nation since the time of the Phoenicians.

Renowned for its Rioja, a wine named after the River Oja comprising a blend of grapes grown along its banks, Spain also offers excellent sherry and sparkling Cava.