Here in the United States we are on a first-name basis with our wine grapes. The majority of casual wine drinkers understand what “Merlot”, “Moscato”, and “Cabernet” mean. Nowadays “Pinot” and even “Riesling” are familiar pals too. This is largely because the United States and other New World regions label their wines by varietal rather than geographic area. Wine writer and merchant Frank Schoonmaker is credited with making the successful push for variety over geography in mid-20th century California. Robert Mondavi’s brilliant marketing skills made it a pandemic practice and now it’s a fact of the New World. What worked in Europe for ages just didn’t hold sway in the United States. But things don’t ever stay static, especially in wine. Just ask the Ancient Romans who poured their wine from amphorae!