This is an interesting part of the question you're exploring here! But while I use the shorthand from time to time for others (so I don't have to wonder if they know what I'm trying to say) I actually don't use it for myself, pretty much at all.
I don't find French and Italian wine similar AT ALL. And I'd mistake a New Zealand Pinot for a German any day of the week. Many Spanish and Portuguese wines I'd mistake for American or South American wines. Same with South Africa. At least if we're talking in broad strokes. I tend to think of similarities and differences in terms of individual countries, and then regions and sub-regons, but never by continent. There's just too much range within any given country, let alone a whole damn continent.
This is an interesting part of the question you're exploring here! But while I use the shorthand from time to time for others (so I don't have to wonder if they know what I'm trying to say) I actually don't use it for myself, pretty much at all.
I don't find French and Italian wine similar AT ALL. And I'd mistake a New Zealand Pinot for a German any day of the week. Many Spanish and Portuguese wines I'd mistake for American or South American wines. Same with South Africa. At least if we're talking in broad strokes. I tend to think of similarities and differences in terms of individual countries, and then regions and sub-regons, but never by continent. There's just too much range within any given country, let alone a whole damn continent.