Knowledge
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WineTracking is built for collectors who want to understand their cellar, not just count it. The resources here cover the geography, the vines, and the vocabulary that give context to every bottle you own.
Terminology
Three terms every collector should know
Region, grape, varietal — the words appear on every label, but they mean different things. Here's how they relate.
Where
Regions & Appellations
A region is a geographically defined wine-producing area — France, Napa Valley, Tuscany. An appellation is a legally bounded sub-zone within it, with rules governing which grapes can be planted and how wine must be made. When a label says “Bordeaux AOC” or “Napa Valley AVA,” it's citing an appellation. The region shapes everything: climate, soil, tradition, and the rules a winemaker must follow.
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Grapes
A grape variety is the vine itself — Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay. Each is a distinct cultivar of Vitis vinifera, with its own flavor profile, growing requirements, and aging potential. The same grape can taste radically different depending on where it grows: a Pinot Noir from Burgundy and one from Oregon are made from the same vine, shaped by entirely different climates and soils.
Browse grapesWhat wine
Varietals
A varietal is a wine labeled by its primary grape. “Napa Cabernet Sauvignon” names both the place and the grape — that's a varietal wine. Not every bottle is: Bordeaux blends, Champagne, and many Italian DOC wines are labeled by region because no single grape dominates. In WineTracking, the Varietal field identifies the primary grape a wine is made from, whether it's a single variety or a blend family like “Red Bordeaux Blend.”
Browse varietalsThe region shapes the style. The grape provides the raw material. The varietal label tells you which grape took center stage.