Cultivation of grape vines began several thousand years before Christ. Grape growing and wine are mentioned many times in the Old Testament. The ancient civilisations of Egypt and Greece made wine; and the ancient Greeks exported it on a massive scale.

During the Roman Empire vine cultivation extended to such a degree that there was a surplus and in AD 92 the emperor Domitian decreed that half the vines outside Italy be uprooted. When replanting of these decimated areas was permitted again, vineyards extended into northern France, Germany and even southern England.

During the Middle Ages (AD 400-1200) there was little progress made in viticulture. The monasteries became the keepers of wine knowledge and kept the art of wine making alive. The nobility also began to take an interest and owned extensive vineyards. Majority ownership of French vineyards was the Church and nobility from this time. From the beginning of the 13th century, the wines of Bordeaux (an area under the English crown from 1152 to 1435) were commonly shipped to England, the Hanseatic ports, and the Low Countries. Drinking habits were largely governed by changing fashions at court, political relations with producing countries, and changing rates of excise duty.

The French Revolution and Political Change

The French Revolution (1789-1799) was a period of major political and social change in the political history of France and Europe as a whole, during which the French governmental structure, previously an absolute monarchy with feudal privileges for the aristocracy and Catholic clergy, underwent radical change to forms based on Enlightenment ideals of democracy, citizenship, and inalienable rights. These changes accompanied by violent turmoil, mass executions, repression involved warfare with every other major European nation during this Reign of Terror.

In 1790 the State needed to replenish the empty State Treasury and the vineyards were seized across France. During the middle and second half of the 19th century the European vineyards suffered from a series of disastrous diseases and pests, particularly mildew, or Oidium, and the plant louse, Phylloxera. First discovered in 1863, Phylloxera spread across Europe, destroying the vines by attacking their roots. Not until about 1880 was the grafting of European vine species onto immune American rootstock accepted as the only viable solution. Selective replanting also led to improved grapes.

Appellation Controlée – Law Begins In France

A movement began in France around 1936 to ensure the authenticity of wine, when the appellation controlée (quality control) laws came into effect. These laws were the model for similar legislation in other countries. The law allows only wine made from grapes grown in a given region, the right to be named for the region. For example: Champagne may only be called champagne if it is made from grapes grown in the Champagne region. Burgundy may be named Burgundy if the grapes were grown in the Burgundy region.

The AOC label (Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée) label guarantees the origin of a product and its authenticity. Wines with the AOC label are more expensive but of a guaranteed good quality.

The French Influence on Wine Production

France is the birthplace of modern winemaking and serves as a model for wine production internationally. Even though it is only about the size of Texas, France produces between 7 and 8 billion bottles per year and has the second-largest total vineyard area in the world of over 800,000 hectares. France has also been making, perfecting, and exporting their wines since the 6th century and the country has been associated with winemaking since before Roman times.

The tradition and history surrounding French wines make them especially treasured but French vineyards also produce some of the highest quality wines in the world. France is also the source of many grape varieties (like Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Syrah) that are now planted around the world, and French winemaking practices are copied in many other countries. The names of many French wine regions such as Bordeaux, Burgundy and Champagne are well-known throughout the world, and the style of top French wines have long been the benchmark for winemaking in most wine-producing countries of the world. French wine therefore plays an enormously important role in French identity and pride, and the combination of French wine and the equally influential French gastronomy has been an important one.

Throughout history, the French wine industry has been influenced and driven by the commercial interests of the lucrative Dutch and English markets. Prior to the French Revolution, the Catholic Church was one of France’s largest vineyard owners wielding considerable influence in regions such as Champagne and Burgundy where the concept of terroir first took root. “Terroir” is a word that refers to all elements that contribute to the wine and give them unique characteristics. Aroma, soil type climate (macroclimate or mesoclimate), the wine makers knowledge, and topography. This is further extended to Les “produits du terroir” which refers to all the products produced in a region such as wine, cheese, pâté, charcuterie and so forth produced in the various regions of France.

Aided by the external and internal market and production influences, the French wine industry has been the standard-bearer for the world wine industry for most of its history with many of its wines considered the benchmark for their particular style. The late 20th and early 21st century brought considerable change—earmarked by a changing global market and competition from European wine producers Italy and Spain as well as New World producers USA especially California, Australia, New Zealand, and South America.

French Wine Growing Regions

Alsace

Alsace enjoys a great diversity of terroirs and landscapes. Its vine culture is gifted with a dry and temperate climate, complex geology, favourable soils and an ideal exposure for its vineyards. The geographical location at a crossroads of Germanic and Roman influences, also tells the story of a culture fostered at the beginning by the Romans and perpetuated since by passionate winegrowers. The wine varieties are dry, light and fruity and may be drunk very young or aged. They are named for the villages where they are made for example Sylvaner, Traminer, Gewürztraminer and Riesling to name a few.

Lorraine

The Lorraine region of France is not the most renowned wine-producing area of France but provides fine wines. The Lorraine vineyards are made up of the Cotes de Meuse, Cotes de Moselle areas and appellations as well as some others like the famous Grey Wine. The soil is mainly calcareous in the region. Toul Wine’s vineyard is the largest one in Lorraine. It produces the famous “Grey Wine” which is actually a rosé as well as the Auxerrois wine. Around one million bottles are produced each year. Cote de Moselle is produced around the city of Metz and Cote de Meuse is produced from just 40 hectares in Lorraine. Most wines are fruity and sharp and drink well with most food. Moselle wine is also from this region.

Champagne

Champagne that most famous of celebration drinks has its heart in France and is the most iconic wine in the world. All sparkling wine starts life as still wine and has the sparkle added later. One of the crucial factors in the quality of every sparkling wine is how the fizz is added. By the Champagne method, the carbon dioxide gas produced as part of the fermentation process (as yeasts devour sugar) is dissolved within the wine in its individual bottle, so that when it is released, the bubbles stream to the surface.

Geography and Climate

Champagne is France’s most northerly Appellation Contrôlée area, lying 90 miles Northeast of Paris. In truth, if the wines from the region were not sparkling, Champagne would hardly figure on the world wine map: the climate is such that grapes struggle to ripen and the basic wines that are produced are extremely thin and acidic. The earth here is composed of deep layers of chalk. This climate and soil is very similar to the Southeast of England, which many people believe has the potential to make sparkling wines of Champagne quality.

The Montagne de Reims isn’t really a mountain as such; more a hillside, but its slopes do accommodate some of the best vineyard sites in the Champagne region. The Côtes de Blancs grows mostly Chardonnay, and the Aube, 100 miles further south, grows mostly Pinot Noir

Grapes
Most Champagne is blended wine, made from a mix of 3 different grapes:
Chardonnay
Pinot Noir
Pinot Meunier

The first two varieties are the “noble” grape varieties from Burgundy. Pinot Meunier is another black grape and a relative of Pinot Noir. It is a vital constituent in most blends, but is generally regarded as the lesser of the three varieties. Though not common, you will find Champagnes labelled “Blanc de Blancs” which are made only from Chardonnay. Bottles labelled “Blanc de Noirs” are made from either or both of the black grapes.

All 300 or so Champagne villages scattered around the district are rated for the grape quality potential, and the top 17 are designated as Grand Cru vineyards. The best known of these are Bouzy, Aÿ, Sillery and Le Mesnil. The luxury Champagnes usually contain a higher proportion of grapes from these vineyards, though there is no such thing as a “Grand Cru” classification for Champagne itself.

The Champagne method

Having made a high quality, if acidic, dry white wine, it is placed into special heavyweight bottles and a fresh dose of yeast and sugar is added. The bottles are then capped and placed in the cool chalk cellars of the winery for a minimum of one and a half years. During this time, secondary fermentation takes place. CO2 is created by the fermentation process and with no means of escape, dissolves into the liquid.

The problem with this technique is the deposit of dead yeast cells that collects in the bottle. In still wines these would simply be filtered out, but since that would also remove the bubbles, another method had to be found. This process is known as Remuage: each bottle has its position gradually adjusted so that over the course of a few weeks the bottle goes from horizontal to upside-down. The dead yeast cells are captured in the neck of the bottle. Many houses still employ a highly skilled Remueur, who can adjust 40,000 bottles per day, controlling each one precisely. Others have installed less romantic, but just as effective, computer-controlled machines to do the job. At this stage the inverted bottles are carefully transported to a tank of freezing brine solution. The necks are dipped in, just to the level of the gathered sediment, which freezes into a solid “plug” of dead yeast cells.

The caps are removed and the gas pressure shoots the plug out. The bottles are topped up with a “dosage” of reserved wine, sweetened according to the desired style of wine (dry, medium or sweet). The bottles are corked, wired and at that stage the Champagne is complete.

The Great Wines of Champagne

As stated above, the base wine for Champagne is thin and very, very acidic, but this is not to say that it is a poor quality wine: only the best grapes and the most gentle pressing will result in fine, pure base wine that will make the finest Champagne. It is after the addition of the second dose of yeast and sugar, as the wines lie in the cool chalk cellars, that Champagne begins to fill-out and transform. This is wine that is kept for a minimum of 18 months Sur Lie, gaining weight and complexity from the lees on which it is sitting and adding yeasty, toasty, biscuity flavours. (The same process that adds weight and complexity to the otherwise tart white wines of Muscadet).

Champagne is made in various styles, from bone-dry to fully sweet. The style is identified on the label:

Brut – very dry and savoury, usually best quality and good with food
Extra dry – interestingly, a little more sweet than Brut – just off-dry
Sec – medium-dry – good for parties or Champagne breakfasts
Doux – sweet, dessert style Champagne.

Other than sweetness levels, Champagne also comes in different styles determined by the blend of grapes that go into the bottle and the treatment it receives in the winery:

Non-vintage – a blend of 2 or 3 vintages *
Vintage – made from a single harvest, and from the best grapes **
Blanc de Blancs – made only from Chardonnay. Fruity, creamy and elegant.
Blanc de Noirs – Made only from the two Pinots. Punchy and full-bodied.
Rosé – often made by blending some still red wine into Champagne.

Blending is one of the keys to Champagne’s consistency in terms of taste and quality.

* NV wines will often be a blend of all 3 permitted grapes unless otherwise stated. These wines are made for immediate consumption, though many will benefit from further ageing.

** Not every year is declared as a vintage year, and vintage Champagne is only made if conditions are good enough. These wines are usually considerably more complex than NV Champagnes and are capable of further development if cellared.

De-luxe Cuvées

These super-expensive vintage Champagnes are to a certain extent “statement” wines, marketed and bought as “luxury goods” as much as fine wines. Given that they can cost 2 or 3 times as much as fine vintage Champagnes it is debatable whether they represent good value, but they can be extraordinarily good.
The De-luxe Cuvées are usually made with grapes from Grand Cru vineyards and are always suitable for cellaring.

Champagne houses whose non-vintage and vintage wines are always worth drinking include: Veuve Clicquot, Pol Roger, Charles Heidsieck, Billecart-Salmon, Laurent-Perrier and Louis Roederer. Of the De-luxe Cuvées, the following are definitely worth drinking: Dom Pérignon, Pol Roger “Cuvée Winston Churchill”, Krug “Grande Cuvée” and Laurent-Perrier “Cuvée Grand Siècle”.

The Still Wines of Champagne

Bouzy Rouge (from the Grand Cru vineyards of Bouzy) is probably the most widely known still wine of the region. A Pinot Noir, it is lighter in style than the Pinots of Burgundy and is made for early drinking, but it can be very fine. This and most still wines of the region are within the Coteaux Champenoise Appellation Contrôlée (AC Champagne is reserved for the sparkling wines). The rarely seen Rosé des Riceys AC covers Pinot Noirs from the most southerly Champagne vineyards of the Aube.

The New World

Many of us are now as familiar with New World sparkling wines as we are with Champagne. For a long time the Champagne houses fought a rearguard action against those making quality sparkling wines by the traditional method, fighting legal battles on many fronts to stop anyone stepping into their territory.

The house of Mumm was one of the first to break ranks. With a philosophy of “if you can’t beat them, join them” they set up a sparkling wine operation in California in the ’80s to make a sparkling wine by the traditional method that would compete directly with its own Champagnes. Better to produce with the new world than watch them steal an important share of their market.

Nowadays most of the great Champagne houses have outposts in California, Australia, New Zealand, often South America and South Africa too. Quality sparkling wine is being produced by New World houses that many people believe is as good, at least at the blended, non-vintage level.

Bourgogne (Burgundy)

The fine wines of Burgundy and Bordeaux could not be further apart in terms of what “makes them tick”. Whilst Bordeaux is dominated by large estates each producing a classic red wine, Burgundy is composed of thousands of small-scale growers, often with only tiny parcels of land, who may make a range of a dozen or more different wines, both red and white. In Bordeaux, almost all wine is labelled Mis en Bouteille au Château which means the whole process, from growing the grapes to bottling the wine, is carried out by the Château. Whilst there are many similar producers in Burgundy (usually referred to as “domaines” rather than “châteaux”), a very significant part of the production comes from négociants: merchants who may own no vineyards, but who buy grapes and finished wines for blending and bottling under their own label.

Geography and climate

The Burgundy region lays a couple of hundred miles east and north of Bordeaux. It covers a large area, the vineyards running in a long, thin line from Auxerre in the north to Lyon in the south. The climate is continental, with cold winters, hot summers but plenty of rain. It is easiest to think of Burgundy in terms of its distinct regions. Running from north to south, these are:

Chablis

The most northerly of Burgundy’s regions is known exclusively for dry white wines.

The Côte de Nuits

Home of the great red Burgundies. Some white is produced too, but the reds are the region’s glory.

The Côte de Beaune

Known for both red and white wines, but the greatest white Burgundies (other than Chablis) are from here.

The Côte Chalonnaise

Generally regarded as a lesser district. It still produces some extremely fine wines, both red and white.

The Mâconnais

The most southerly limits of Burgundy. Wines tend to be cheaper and made for drinking young but can be excellent value.

Beaujolais

This area is quite a bit further south. Though not part of Burgundy, it is usually included when wines are mentioned.

Grapes

The great Burgundies, both red and white, are un-blended wines made from a single grape variety. This again is a major difference from Bordeaux. The grapes used are:

Pinot Noir (red wines), Chardonnay (white wines) .Various other grape varieties are permitted within Burgundy, though these are never used in the great wines and can be considered as the “second rank” of grapes. They will appear in budget level bottlings and are increasingly common the further south you travel into the Côte Chalonnaise, Mâconnais and Beaujolais. Varieties include, Gamay (red wines), Aligoté, and Pinot Blanc (white wines)

Appellation Contrôlée areas

Burgundy is divided into many, many different appellations. Often these are tiny, sometimes covering only a single vineyard. This, along with a rather complicated system for naming wines, can make the region seem quite difficult to understand for the Burgundy beginner. Like Bordeaux, there is a quality hierarchy. Partly, this is governed by Appellations that cover tighter and tighter geographical areas. The main geographical unit of Burgundy is the village. The original wine villages gave their names to many of the wines as we will see.

Individual Vineyard Premiers Crus

These wines come from superior vineyards, the name of which is shown on the label: Chassagne-Montrachet Premier Cru for example. These wines should be extremely fine and worth the considerable money they cost.

Grands Crus

These are the élite of Burgundy. These wines come from the very best slopes and the label will bear only the name of the vineyard, not the name of any village. Examples include: Musigny, Montrachet, Echézeaux. These wines, red or white are extremely costly but are everything a fine wine should be.

Often the Premier or Grand Cru sites are shared by many growers, the land divided into small parcels owned by each. A dozen different producers might each make an Echézeaux Grand Cru, for example. Other sites are Monopoles that is the whole Cru is owned by one domaine, like La Tâche Grand Cru, owned solely by Domaine de la Romanée-Conti.

Domaine or Négociant bottled

The tradition of négociants in Burgundy is as old as Burgundy itself. Négociants play a vital role in taking the grapes and sometimes finished wines from small estates to produce wines which they can market on a commercially viable scale. Their role can range from simple labelling and distribution, to carrying out the entire wine-making process. Négociants may supply wines at all quality levels, including Grand Cru.

Many négociants are also vineyard owners, producing domaine bottled wines alongside their négociant bottlings. The larger houses are generally very reliable and their wines widely available.

The Great Red Wines

The Pinot Noir seems happiest on the cool limestone slopes of Burgundy, finding only limited success when planted elsewhere in the world. The area lies on the edge of the quality wine-making zone.

The Pinot Noir is also a fickle grape and is easy to over-crop. These factors, along with the question of terroir and the vast range of wines and domaines, mean that choosing red Burgundy has to be done carefully.

The Côte de Nuits (which together with the Côte de Beaune are known as the Côte d’Or, or “Golden Slopes”) is the home of the great red Burgundies and the vast majority of Grands and Premiers Crus. Here too are some of Burgundy’s most famous villages such as Gevrey-Chambertin and Vosne-Romanée.

Any wine from this region will be expensive but all should be of good quality. The wines from each village area have their own character: sturdy, tannic and long-lived from around Nuits-St-Georges, aristocratic, rich and complex from Vosne-Romanée for example.

Further south the Côte de Beaune is most famous for its whites, but there are very good, reliable, sturdy Pinots Noirs. They might lack the finesse of the best Côte de Nuits, but they are also a little cheaper. Corton is the only red Grand Cru of the Côte de Beaune, whilst Pommard is probably the most widely known red of the region, made just south of the city of Beaune.

The Great White Wines

Chardonnay has been grown very successfully all over the world. As a variety it is relatively easy to grow and tolerant of a wide variety of soil and climatic conditions.

Chablis

By far the most northerly area of Burgundy, Chablis lays almost half-way between the Côte d’Or and Paris. It is home to one of the world’s best known Chardonnay wines which should be steely and dry with flavours of lemon and minerals. Traditionally Chablis is un-oaked, setting it apart from most other top Chardonnays from Burgundy and elsewhere. There are 4 quality levels for Chablis, each with its own AC:
It is a consistent area, so most Chablis is good.

The Côte de Beaune

Chardonnay from here is quite different from Chablis. It is generally aged in oak barrels and the fruit is usually more ripe giving much fuller, rounder wines. The best known villages of the area include Meursault, Puligny-Montrachet and Chassagne-Montrachet.

As elsewhere in Burgundy, quality and prices vary dramatically. The wines at Premier Cru level and above should be nutty, buttery and toasty, but with racy acidity and often hints of unusual mineral and stony flavours. Unusually, these are white wines that can reward cellaring for between 5 and 15 years.

The Minor regions

As with Bordeaux there are many excellent wines available from outside these great regions. The Côte Chalonnaise has many fine mid-range reds which have good, strawberry fruit and will keep for 5 years or so. Top villages include Mercurey, Givry and Rully. Look for the wines from the Co-operative at Buxy – very reliable.
The Mâconnais is better known for its Chardonnay whites which are fresh and sappy with honeysuckle aromas. The top wines come from Pouilly-Fuissé and St-Véran, though wines labelled Mâcon-Villages or Mâcon-Lugny should come from the better vineyards, are reliable and should be quite cheap.

Beaujolais can range from the light, hopefully fresh and fruity wines of Beaujolais Nouveau to the more serious wines of the Beaujolais-Villages. The best 10 Villages have their own ACs and often the name “Beaujolais” doesn’t appear on the label. These wines are known as the “Crus”: Brouilly, Chénas, Chiroubles, Fleurie, Morgon, St-Amour, Côte de Brouilly, Moulin-à-Vent, Réginié, Juliénas.

It is often said that without Beaujolais, France wouldn’t be France. There are, in fact, twelve Beaujolais wines. It is a relatively young wine. It did not exist in the middle ages, in its present form, but developed in the 18th century.

Jura

The Jura wine region stretches from just north of Arbois to some kilometres south of Lons le Saunier in the western foothills of the low Jura mountain range. Around 80km east of Burgundy, it makes an excellent stopover if you are driving from northern France to the Alps, or even en route to the Med. (view over Arbois, right)

Louis Pasteur was born in Arbois. He owned a vineyard there and used it for his experimentations in fermentation. His home is now a very interesting and well visited museum.

The Jura has a broadly northern continental climate with clay-limestone soils that include outcrops of marl in particular, with plenty of fossils. There are four regional appellations: Arbois, Côtes du Jura and the smaller Etoile and Château-Chalon, plus two wine style appellations that cover the whole area, Crémant du Jura and Macvin (a Vin de Liqueur).

Five grape varieties are used today: for whites, Chardonnay and Savagnin (sometimes called by its old name, Naturé), plus Poulsard (also called Ploussard), Trousseau and Pinot Noir for reds. Colour in the Jura is often not what it seems! Whites can vary from pale greenish through to dark amber (and that includes the famous jaune or yellow), and reds are more often than not pink, or tile-coloured at best. On labels, variety is indicated sometimes, but the style of wine rarely, unless it is the famous Vin Jaune or the sweet Vin de Paille. Any style may be made under the Arbois or Côtes du Jura appellations; Etoile is restricted to whites (including Jaune and Paille); Château-Chalon is exclusively Vin Jaune, but note that in this case the words “Vin Jaune” do not appear on the label. Apparently all this makes sense to a Frenchman and is part of la patrimoine.

The most straightforward style made in the Jura is Crémant du Jura, a traditional method sparkling wine usually from 100% Chardonnay (though some reds may be blended in) and generally of a very credible quality, at least as good as most Crémant de Bourgogne. The dominant flavours are of soft apples and it makes a delightful aperitif, offering excellent value.

Chardonnay is the Jura’s most planted variety and the growing success of Crémant seems to have benefited the quality, because any unripe grapes go for the sparkling base, leaving the riper stuff for the whites. A traditional Jura Chardonnay (the words Tradition or Typé are sometimes noted on labels and wine lists) is an acquired taste to outsiders. It will have been aged in old pièces and may have formed a slight voile, so displays distinct oxidative notes. If the thought of this abhors you, avoid Côtes du Jura and l’Etoile whites unless you know the producer. Arbois Chardonnays are mostly matured fully ouillé (essential vocabulary in the Jura, meaning that barrels, foudres or tanks have been regularly “topped up”, preventing oxidation).

Chardonnays matured in old foudres have been a revelation to me, as even bottled three years after the vintage; they taste as fresh as a young wine and age extremely well thereafter. Flavours are like old-fashioned, but good Burgundy, with little oak influence, and they make wonderful food wines. Daniel Dugois makes some excellent cuvées. There are modern Chardonnays also being made now in the Jura, fermented and matured in new or fairly new oak and sold somewhat younger. Much disapproved of by local traditionalists, they can demonstrate a superb mineralogy, seemingly really expressing the fossil-rich soils of the area.

Confusingly, Jura reds are sometimes labelled as rosé, because of their pale colour, even though the tannins evident on the palate make it obvious to any modestly experienced wine taster that the wines have been vinified as a red. Other names, such as Rubis (recommended by the regional comité) or Corail are seen around too. The unusual 2003 vintage allows Jura reds for once to be properly red.

But, to really uncover the mystery of the wines of the Jura, you must explore the caves of the vignerons in villages such as Montigny-les-Arsures, Pupillin, Le Vernois and Rotalier, and be prepared later to wash the wines down with some hearty mountain fare in the local restaurants.

Savoie

Ski resorts are the life-blood of the small Savoie wine industry, which has less than 1,800 hectares of vineyards scattered from south of Lac Léman (Geneva) in Haute Savoie, down to the Isère Valley and Chambéry on the borders of the départements of Savoie and Isère. But, except in a few very smart restaurants in the more expensive resorts, and those hideaway auberges known only to the favoured few, skiers rarely get to try the best Savoie wines on offer. These are reserved for a select private clientele and the better restaurants in the larger towns, like Evian, Thonon, Annecy, Albertville and Chambéry.

In the vineyards near Lac Léman, the Chasselas grape is used, as it is across the water in Switzerland. But the most interesting white grapes are Altesse, whose wines are confusingly labelled “Roussette de Savoie”, and Bergeron, which is none other than the Rhône’s Roussanne. Even more obscure are whites from the rather bland Molette in Seyssel; the relatively aromatic Gringet (from the Traminer family) in Ayze, near Bonneville; and even tinier quantities of so-called Malvoisie (probably Veltliner Rouge) and Mondeuse Blanche (confirmed as one of the parents of Syrah, no less!). For reds, Gamay is widely planted and Pinot Noir less so, but the real interest is in wines from the potentially spicy and rich Mondeuse (possibly related to Syrah, but probably not related to Italy’s Refosco as previously thought). There are red obscurities too, the most exciting of which is the Persan grape, enjoying a tiny revival.

Provence

Provence is a wine region in the far south-eastern corner of France, best known for the quality (and quantity) of its rose wines and for its warm, mild climate.

The modernization that is occurring in so many southern-French, traditional wine-growing regions has not taken such a firm grip in Provence, but there are definite signs of change. The region’s grape varieties, in particular, have been under heavy scrutiny in the past few decades, with traditional varieties such as Carignan, Barbaroux (Sardinia’s Barbarossa) and Calitor being replaced by more commercially viable grapes like Grenache, Syrah and even Cabernet Sauvignon. Although Barbaroux and Calitor are being gradually phased out (between 2000 and 2015), the traditionally successful local varieties Mourvedre, Tibouren and Vermentino have retained favour.

The vineyards of Provence cover an area of France’s south-eastern coastline that measures roughly 125 miles (200km) from east to west. In this definitively Mediterranean climate (no Provencal vineyard is more than 25 miles/56km from the Mediterranean Sea), the vines enjoy around 3000 sunshine hours per year, along with an annual average temperature of 58F (14.5C). The long, dry summers provide ideal harvest conditions in most years, leaving the majority of the region’s grape-growers free from worry about unwanted rot and vine disease.

The winds that punctuate the southern French climate (such as the cold mistral that blows down the Rhone) are a significant factor here; they further reduce the likelihood of fungal disease, but increase the risk of actual physical damage to the vines. Additionally, the ideal conditions of the summer are somewhat offset by the violence of the storms that strike in spring and fall, bringing most of the 30 inches (760mm) of annual rainfall.

While the archetypal Provence wine is a Cotes de Provence rose, it is the smaller, more peripheral appellations that really make the region interesting to wine enthusiasts. In the far east of Provence, the perfumed wines of the tiny Bellet appellation are made in the tightly ridged hills above Nice. The far west is home to the organic reds and roses of the geologically distinctive Les Baux de Provence. The two most famous individual names from the region are located right on the Mediterranean coast between Marseille and Toulon. Here, the deeply coloured, richly flavoured reds of Bandol are produced just 12 miles (19km) from the herby, full-bodied whites of Cassis (not to be confused with the blackcurrant-based liqueur of the same name).

Auvergne

The Auvergne region is in the middle of France, surrounded by extinct volcanoes. It is one of the oldest wine growing areas of France but the wines are little known outside the region. The climate produces light, fresh and fruity wines, with the Reds dominated by the Gamay grape. It produces modest little wines, mostly consumed by its inhabitants.

The South-West of France…

The South West of France is known for its medieval fortresses like Carcassonne and the Citadelles du Vertige as well as for its rich foods like foie gras and duck confit, not forgetting the wine with reds similar to those from Bordeaux and sweet, white wines similar to Sauternes. Many of the wines from this region do not have AOC ratings but are VDQS classified, which means they are wines on the waiting list for the prestigious AOC classification. These are some of the highest quality wines in France without the expensive price tag.

Almost all the most famous grape varieties used in the world’s wines are French varieties, meaning that they either originated in France or became famous through their expression in French wines. These varieties include Chardonnay, Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, and Syrah, among many others.

Over the centuries, different grape varieties have acclimatised and do better in certain regions of France. In some regions, winemakers make blended wines, from several grape varieties; in other regions, the wines derive from a single variety. The Bordeaux region was almost lost in 1152. This was due to Eleanor of Aquitaine giving her lands, vineyards and her heart to Henry II, Plantagenet king of England. This alliance meant there were subsequent claims to the French throne that resulted in the One Hundred Year War in France. The English developed a taste for Bordeaux and many more vineyards were planted to satisfy demand. Vineyards cover the entire area of Gironde which lies at the river estuary where the Atlantic Ocean meets in the Bordeaux region produces great wine due to a soil rich in iron and thousands of pine trees covering its slopes. Pines trees are an element of “terroir” contributing to a very smooth wine. Bacchus the God of wine is often represented with a pine cone in his hand.

The wines are so good in Bordeaux that a raking system is needed to classify the best of the best. Some of them are universal: Margaux, Yquem, Petrus Cheval Blanc, Haut Brion and all the others. Bordeaux has about 7,000 chateaux.

Bordeaux is the planet’s largest source of fine wine, the model for Cabernet Sauvignon- and Merlot-based wines around the globe. Bordeaux wines are considered by many wine connoisseurs to be the world’s greatest reds.

The Bordeaux region encompasses both banks of the Gironde estuary in southwest France, as well as the land bordering the Garonne and Dordogne, which split off from the Gironde in the southern Medoc. Bordeaux’s highest-quality red wines generally come from seven major appellations: Saint-Estephe, Pauillac, Saint-Julien, and Margaux in the greater Medoc region, Graves to the south of the city of Bordeaux, and Pomerol and Saint-Emilion to the east (an area commonly referred to as the “Right Bank”). The best dry white wines come from the large Graves region, while the finest sweet wines are made in Sauternes and Barsac, enclaves within the southern reaches of the Graves appellation.

In general, red wines from the left bank of the Gironde, particularly from the Medoc region of Bordeaux, are based on Cabernet Sauvignon, blended with varying amounts of Merlot and Cabernet Franc and sometimes bits of Malbec and Petit Verdot. These red wines are dry and firm, with a solid tannic spine, and are often austere in their youth. They are among the longest-lived wines made anywhere. Red wines from the gravel and sand soils of Graves often show a bit more texture early on, as well as more roasted notes of smoke, hot stones, and tobacco. Wines from Bordeaux’s Right Bank, located mostly to the east of the town of Libourne, are blends based on the softer Merlot grape. They are generally fleshier and more pliant than wines from the Medoc and are accessible earlier, though the best of them are capable of improving in bottle for decades.

There are over three thousands appellations of Bordeaux wines: red rosé and white. Two bottles out of three however, are white wine. Unlike the wines of Burgundy, Bordeaux wines offer a variety of labels. In white Bordeaux wines, you find Semillon, Sauvignon and Muscadet. Among red Bordeaux, you find Cabernet, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and the little known outside of France Bouchet and Malbec. These are the vineyards of Grands Domaines. Vintages are blended. Medoc produces light wines. They age perfectly and are rich in iron. It is the region of France that boasts of having the most centenarian, men, women and bottles. Great wines come from that part of France; just to name a few: Chateau Lafite, Latour, St. Estephe, Margaux, St. Julien, Pauliac.

There are more French wine making regions to be discovered, not covered in this article but the vineyards of Charente have to be mentioned as they produce the grapes that make France’s glorious cognac. Made by blending several varieties of the best grapes in Charente and allowing them to age in oak barrels for a minimum of twenty-five years before distillation, the cognac is then aged further.

The following tables name the major white and red grape varieties of France, and indicate in which of France’s wine regions each grape is important.

France’s Major White Grape Varieties

Grape Variety      Region(s) Where Important

Chardonnay            Burgundy; Champagne; Languedoc
Chenin Blanc          Loire Valley
Sauvignon Blanc     Bordeaux; Loire Valley; southwestern France; Languedoc
Gewürztraminer      Alsace
Pinot Gris              Alsace
Pinot Blanc            Alsace
Marsanne              Rhône Valley
Muscadet              Loire Valley
Riesling                Alsace
Roussanne           Rhône Valley
Sémillon               Bordeaux; Southwest France
Viognier                Rhône Valley; Languedoc

France’s Major Red Grape Varieties

Grape Variety           Region(s) Where Important

Cabernet Sauvignon    Bordeaux; Southwest France; Languedoc
Cabernet Franc          Loire Valley; Bordeaux; Southwest France
Carignan                   Rhône Valley; Southern France
Cinsault                    Rhône Valley; Southern France
Gamay                     Beaujolais
Grenache                 Rhône Valley; Southern France
Merlot                      Bordeaux; Southwest France; Languedoc
Malbec                    Southwest France; Bordeaux
Mourvèdre                Rhône Valley; Southern France
Pinot Noir                Burgundy; Champagne
Syrah                      Rhône Valley; Southern France

Sweet French Wine

Almost every region of France makes some type of sweet, dessert wine, but no particular region specializes in it. The quantity varies quite a lot from year to year because sweet wine production often depends on specific weather patterns that don’t visit a region predictably each year. Sauternes are probably the world’s most revered type of sweet wine in the eyes of serious wine collectors.

Collectable to highly affordable

France’s finest wines enjoy the highest reputation of any wines anywhere. The best wines of the Champagne, Bordeaux, Burgundy, and Rhône regions dominate the cellars of the world’s most celebrated wine collectors, as well as the auctions where rare wines are bought and sold. Bottles of mature wines can cost thousands of dollars each, depending on the wine and the vintage.

But France makes plenty of mid-range and inexpensive wines, too. In just about any good wine shop in the U.S., you can find wines from southern France that sells for as little as $6 a bottle — good, everyday wines for casual enjoyment. Between the least expensive and the most precious French offerings are the majority of French wines — high quality wines that cost from about $15 to $35 and are suitable either for drinking young or for aging a few years.

France has been the leader of the winemaking world for centuries. France is number one in wine production (most years) and also in wine consumption. In the quality department, the most critically-acclaimed, most treasured red wines, white wines, sparkling wines, and sweet wines all come from France. The country’s renown is such that winemakers from all over the world find inspiration and motivation in French wines.

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France is still considered the most influential wine-producing area in the world and is renowned for excellence in the production of still and sparkling wines, the finest of sparkling wines being Champagne. From Bordeaux region comes red wine known as claret (or just Bordeaux after the region) and dry white wine, except for delicious Sauternes.

The most well-known Bordeaux wines are those of Médoc (red), classified and known by the vineyard names, as Château Lafite-Rothschild, Château Margaux, and Château Latour; Graves (red or white); Sauternes (white), sweet, made from overripe grapes and including the noted Château d’Yquem; and St.-Emilion and Pomerol. Wines from the Burgundy region red and white are lighter bodied than the Bordeaux.

Wine lovers prize the Burgundies of the Côte d’Or, especially the white Montrachet, and red Clos Vougeot and Romanée. The Chablis area produces fine, white Burgundy. Good wines are made all over France including the Loire valley (Vouvray), the Rhône valley (Hermitage and Châteauneuf-du-Pape), Alsace, and the Jura Mountains. Wine produced in the south of France tends to be made into vermouth, distilled into Brandy or used for blending.

The special selection of wines chosen for your enjoyment brings you the best of

France’s fine wines

to you at favourable prices. Enjoy these exceptional wines from the most respected wine producers in the world.

DOPFF & IRION CRUSTACES

This wine is a very pale straw colour and is clear, light, and clean. It has aromas of vanilla, pear, citrus, lemon, and vinous aromas; light, delicate, clean, and pleasant, barely dry, citrus, grapefruit and mineral flavours. There is a light body, good balance, crispness, and slight astringency

The Irion and the Dopff families have been wine connoisseurs since the 16th century and have been closely involved in the fortunes of the village of Riquewihr throughout the ages. The firm of Dopff & Irion was established when Rene Dopff joined fortunes with the widowed Madame Irion.

The grapes at Dopff & Irion are picked by hand and carefully sorted. Everything possible is done to avoid crushing them before pressing. The grapes are pressed gradually in pneumatic presses, and only the juice from the first pressing will be used for the Domaine wines. Each wine produced at Dopff & Irion is made according to strict tradition.

Located in Riquewihr, The 68-acre vineyard worked by Dopff & Irion is extremely well-situated. With the different types of soil and the varied climate, the estate is able to produce rich, powerful, and complex wines.

ZIND HUMBRECT REISLING
Medium-yellow in colour, its expressive nose is classically Alsatian Riesling with a lot of power. There are mint flavours and spice initially and it feels lively on the palate with dancing flavours of apricot and pineapple with a balanced acidity it is a huge yet balanced wine that dances. A brilliant wine that should age well.

Since 1620, the Humbrecht vineyards in Alsace have been passed down through successive generations of the family. Originally, they worked their plots by horse, made wine, then sold it in cask, but in 1947 new technology and a decrease in bulk wine prices inspired Emile Humbrecht to begin bottling his own production. In 1959, Domaine Zind-Humbrecht was born. Today Domaine Zind-Humbrecht consists of 100 acres. The success of Zind-Humbrecht wines lies in the attention they pay to the vineyards. Today the Domaine Zind-Humbrecht has 40 hectares of vineyards located in five different villages in the Haut- R

BONTERRA MERLOT ORGANIC
Offers a dry, vaguely woody spice flavour accented with touches of green. This wine is 100% organically produced. Bonterrra Vineyard wines are made from top-quality, organically grown grapes and this beautifully crafted Merlot is a great example of their meticulous winemaking. It has a rich, full, plum and spice nose, with silky texture adding to the harmony, complexity, and depth of the lasting finish.

Bonterra’s name literally means “good earth” and the winemakers at Bonterra agree that when the vineyards are healthy and full of life, the grapes are just naturally more flavourful. At Bonterra, they passionately believe that organic grapes make better wine. Bonterra has been producing wine from 100% organically grown grapes since 1993. The grapes are grown using certified organic practices, such as composting, cover crops, and biodiversity. These organic practices give grapes that offer a quality of fruit and vibrancy of taste that create wines that express the purity and intensity of each varietal’s unique character.

DOMAINE DE BERNIER CHARDONNAY
This wine has aromas of flowers and oak on the nose when first poured which fades. Citrusy and crisp with a mineral like accent, it has a wonderful crisp finish. This is an estate-bottled wine from the Couillaud brothers of Château de la Ragotière, from vineyards just outside the appellation of Muscadet. They are separated only by a small road and the soil is almost identical to that of Muscadet, a heavy clay with a little bit of chalk.

Built by the noble Loré de la Ragotiere family in the fourteenth century, Château de la Ragotière was purchased in 1979 by the Couillaud brothers. After acquiring the property, Bernard, François, and Michel discovered an old cellar in the chapel housing vintages dating back to 1947. The Couillaud brothers strive to carry on the tradition of making high quality, long-lasting Muscadets.

To enable their soil to express all its qualities, the Couillaud brothers pay careful attention to cultivation methods: planned cropping, organic and mineral fertilisers, weed control through the sowing of grass, green harvesting techniques, etc. These methods work side by side with progressive ideas: they have just installed a weather station connected to a computer in order to optimise treatments. Similarly, 17 hectares of the chardonnay vineyard are equipped with anti-frost spray booms

ZIND HUMBRECT GEWURZTRAMINER
A wonderful aroma captures the grape variety. The rose petal perfume is heady and loaded with honey, apricot, peach and pear flavours.

This is another great wine from the same stable as Zind Humbrecht REISLING in the Alsace region.

DOMAINE GERARD CHABLIS
This Chablis is straw yellow and sparkling with a clean fresh bouquet with lemon notes, mint and spring rain. It is light on the palate showing delicate flavours of green apple and grapefruit with a nuance of steely minerals.

This vineyard 34 hectares, including about 10 in Premiers Cru and others in Chablis, Petit Chablis and Grand Cru, including a fantastic Valmur, one of the greats in Chablis.

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