Term coined in California from the mid-1980s for inexpensive varietals, i.e. single-varietal wines. At that time, these wines made from Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Merlot and other varieties, produced in large quantities, became popular and overtook the generic wines that had been common until then. In terms of quality, however, they were superior to the jug wines and, unlike the latter, were not bottled in bag-in-boxes but in 0.75 litre bottles. Fighting wines included the brands Woodbridge from Mondavi and Carlo Rossi from Gallo, but the term is rarely used today and has been replaced by value brands. See also under branded wine and bulk wine.
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For my many years of work as an editor with a wine and culinary focus, I always like to inform myself about special questions at Wine lexicon. Spontaneous reading and following links often leads to exciting discoveries in the wide world of wine.
Dr. Christa Hanten
Fachjournalistin, Lektorin und Verkosterin, Wien