What is a single-varietal wine?

A single-varietal wine is all about one grape taking centre stage. Instead of blending several varieties to create complexity (the Bordeaux approach), you let one grape express everything it's got, its fruit character, its acidity profile, its texture.

EU rules say you can label a wine as a single variety if at least 85% comes from that grape. Some regions go further: Burgundy demands 100% Pinot Noir for its reds and 100% Chardonnay for its whites. No exceptions.

Alsace is perhaps the world's greatest showcase for single-varietal wines. Each bottle tells you exactly what's inside: Riesling, Gewurztraminer, Pinot Gris, Muscat, or Pinot Noir. This transparency makes it wonderfully easy to learn what each grape tastes like, and to discover which ones you love.

The New World has embraced single-varietal labelling as its primary marketing strategy. When you pick up a Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand, an Argentine Malbec from Mendoza, or an Australian Shiraz from the Barossa Valley, you know exactly what you're getting. This clarity has been a huge factor in making wine accessible to new drinkers.

So which is better, single-varietal or blended? Neither, really. A great Burgundy Pinot Noir and a great Bordeaux blend (Cabernet-Merlot-Cabernet Franc) are both magnificent, just different. Single-varietal wines are brilliant for learning grape character; blends are brilliant for complexity. The best wine is the one you enjoy most.