While the wine you choose to purchase and drink always does and should come down to selecting wines you like, there are very clear differences between wines produced in the old world appellations of Europe and those from the new world, including those made here in the U.S. As we always say though too, trying different wines for us is a big part of the joy of wine so as you have the opportunity to try some of the wines from Europe here are a few things to watch for.

Many of these observations are based on generalities, so clearly there are aberrations from both Europe and the U.S. most times centered on the background, training, personal preferences of the winemaker and winery owners. Our recent tasting with Serge Laville, the winemaker for Spring Valley Winery who hails from Cte Rtie in France, is a great example. It would be a stretch to expect a winemaker whose roots run deep into this famed French wine region to fully embrace U.S. methods and ignore all of his prior training.

Many of the regional differences you will find in wines from Europe and the states start in the vineyard with some factors that are uncontrollable, but most that are. The vines in Europe are simply older, resulting in lower yields and more concentrated flavors. Combined with different weather and soil conditions they represent the bulk of the uncontrollable factors.

On the controllable side the Europeans will typically keep their yields lower too by "dropping" fruit (cutting it off prior to ripening) during the growing season to further enhance the flavors in the wine. So too winemakers and vineyard managers throughout the continent tend to harvest the fruit when it is slightly less ripe with lower sugars and higher acid levels. While they still prefer "hang time," or extended time on the vine once the fruit is ripe, ranging into the fall Europeans prefer wines from grapes harvested at these levels.

Lower sugar levels produce wines that have lower alcohol, since there is less sugar for the yeast to consume and convert to alcohol. The higher acid levels in the grapes at harvest creates two characteristics; age-ability and food friendliness, the latter being more important in Europe as wine is consumed as an aperitif less frequently than here in the U.S.

The flip side in America is a harvest at higher sugar and lower acid. The reverse therefore is true as wines tend to have higher alcohol levels and richer flavors. With lower acid the wines tend to finish with more opulence, are less austere and are created to be consumed now.

Another big difference is the choice of cooperage, and when oak is employed the length of time the wine is left in the oak barrels. Europeans generally use less oak, instead employing stainless steel tanks, concrete vats and at times for the home winemaker just plain old glass jugs. When they do use oak, French and Hungarian are the choice. These barrels have the oak staves cut differently exposing a smaller wood grain resulting in reduced oak flavors. The vessels too are many times bigger, further reducing oak flavors, and the wood is less "toasted" also reducing the oak notes in the wine, and as mentioned the wine spends less time in the barrels.

Here in the states more of the toasty warm oak flavors and the smoothness that oak imparts on the wine are still the preferred characteristics. While generally speaking American winemakers are reducing the wood influence, our palate preferences are simply different and more geared to wines fermented in oak.

The use of sulfites is virtually indispensible when running a winery, whether it is used as a preservative, a sterilization agent to stop fermentation or kill unwanted yeast or the many other uses; it is a part of the winemaking process. Again speaking in general terms though the Europeans use a lower sulfite load than we do here at home. This is of great concern to those who are faced with wine allergies related to sulfites. In fact, when customers are concerned about sinus reactions to wine our first recommendation is to try drinking wines from France, Italy, Spain and the other winemaking regions of Europe.

The other major cause of wine allergies is tannin. Tannins come from the grape skins and their time in contact with the wine and the aforementioned oak barrels. Europeans tend to use a more hands off approach to winemaking employing fewer "punch downs." This is the exercise despised by many young winemaking assistants where a large paddle is used to punch the grape skins down through the fermenting juice. This winemaking technique results in more color and flavor as well as tannin being extracted from the grape skins. The fact that the Europeans do less of this technique results in lower tannin levels.

While all of this is unlikely to change your wine preferences it is helpful for consumers to identify the characteristics they prefer most as they continue their journey through the world of wine.

If there is a topic you would like to read about or questions on wine you can email George@thedinnerpartyshop.com or make suggestions by contacting the Healthy Community section at the Coeur d'Alene Press.

George Balling is co-owner with his wife Mary Lancaster of the dinner party - a wine and table top decor shop in Coeur d'Alene by Costco. George is also the managing judge of The North Idaho Wine Rodeo and writes frequently for the online version of Coeur d'Alene Magazine at www.cdamagazine.com. His articles can also be found on the blog at www.thedinnerpartyshop.com.