Burgundy wines are red wine most commonly made from Pinot Noir grapes and white wines from Chardonnay grapes located in the Burgundy region in eastern France. Red and white bugundy wines are also made from other grape varieties, such as Gamay and Aligoté respectively. Generally, burgundies are classified as Grand Cru, Premier Cru, and Village. Some of the most prized burgundies come from Côte d'Or.

Wines: Domaine de la Romanée-Conti La Tache, St. Vivant, Richebourg, Grands Echezeaux, Echezeaux, and Romanee Conti.
 

While some of the most sought after Pinot Noir based wines in the world come from Burgundy, California has made signifcant strides in quality over the last few decades. Pinot Noir tends to grow best in cooler climates. In California, the varietal is widely grown in the Russian River, Sonoma Valley and Carneros growing region in Napa and Sonoma.

Wines: Marcassin Estate, Blue Slide Three Sisters, and Bondi Vineyards, Sine Qua Non, Kistler, Kosta Browne and Rochioli.
 

Sauternes is a French sweet dessert wine made in the Graves region of Bordeaux. The primary grape varietals used include Sémillon, Sauvignon Blanc, and Muscadelle grapes that have been affected by Botrytis cinerea, also known as noble rot.The Sauternes wine region comprises five communes that include Barsac, Sauternes, Bommes, Fargues and Preignac.

Wines: Chateau d'Yquem
 

Bordeaux produces numerous varietals, of which the overwhelming variety for red wine is Cabernet Sauvignon. In the communes of St Emillon and Pomerol, Merlot happens to be the major grape. Other varietals include, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, and Malbec. Bordeaux’s whites include Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc. While Alsace and the Loire produce some reds, they are more known for their white wines.

Wines: Chateau Latour, Lafite, Mouton, Haut Brion, Margaux, Petrus, Cheval Blanc, Leoville Las Cases, Angelus, La Mission Haut Brion, Ausone, Palmer, Montrose, Pichon Lalande, Pichon Baron, Ducru, Lafleur, Lynch Bages, L'Evangile, and Pavie.
 

Cabernet Sauvignon is widely planted throughout the world. While the great first growths of Bordeaux produce incredible Cabernet based wines, in the New World, Napa Valley and Washington State produce wines recognized as some of the best in the world. Cabernet is widely planted in Sonoma Alexander Valley, and throughout the Napa Valley, including the hillside vineyards of Diamond Mountain District, Howell Mountain, Mt. Veeder, and Spring Mountain District

Wines: Screaming Eagle, Harlan, Bryant Family, Colgin, Sine Qua Non, Heitz, Dunn, Silver Oak, Chateau Montelena, Dalla Valle Maya, Abreu, Araujo, Shafer Hillside Select, Opus One, Stags Leap, Caymus, Dominus, A Rafanelli, Philip Togni, Pahlmeyer, Pride, La Jota, Hundred Acre, Hourglass, Lokoya, Joseph Phelps Insignia, Ridge Monte Bello, Quilceda Creek and Peter Michael.
 

Meritage and blended wines are those generally made from two or more of the following grape varietals: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, and Malbec. Generally wines that are labeled Cabernet are blended with small amounts of other wine, however in the case of proprietary red wines, a single varietal does not dominate.

Wines: Dalla Valle Maya, Pahlmeyer Red, Colgin, Peter Michael Les Pavot, Pride Claret
 

The Rhône wine region in Southern France is situated in the Rhône river valley. The region is generally divided into two sub-regions with distinct vinicultural traditions, the Northern and Southern Rhône. The northern sub-region produces red wines from the Syrah grape, sometimes blended with white wine grapes, such as Viognier grapes. The southern sub-region produces an array of red, white and rosé wines, often blends of several grapes such as in Châteauneuf-du-Pape.

Wines: Guigal La Mouline, La Landonne, La Turque, Chapoutier
 

Merlot is a red wine grape that is used as both a blending grape and for varietal wines. Along with Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot, Merlot is one of the primary grapes in Bordeaux wine. In the New World, Merlot is widely planted in the Sonoma and Napa Valley.

Wines: Pahlmeyer, Pride, Quilceda Creek