For hundreds of years, the country has enjoyed a reputation as a world leader in winemaking. Today, France, producing new wines for the global and European markets, also preserves centuries-old national traditions. Varieties of French wines in the wine regions have a long history. Consider the most famous wine regions.
1. Alsace
Alsace's wine culture is imbued with a German tradition that produces mostly dry and fruity white wines. The naming and appellation rules here apply slightly different than in other wine regions of France.
In Alsace, wines are produced under a simple name, after which the grape variety will be indicated on the label in large print. Small vineyards have no names, although the name of the chateau is indicated on the labels of many Alsatian wines.
It produces mainly regional white wines: Riesling, Sylvaner and very fruity Gewurztraminer.
2. Bordeaux
One of the most famous brands of French wines. Bordeaux is the only major wine-growing region with access to the sea, so winemakers were the first to export wine from the regions of France. Products from the province of Bordeaux are widely known in the international market.
The vineyard is located around the port city of Bordeaux, along the estuary of the Gironde, Garonne and Dordogne rivers. While AOR covers medium-quality wines from all over the region, many top-quality clarets grown in the region benefit from more specific names, such as Medoc, Grave, Saint-Emilion.
In Bordeaux, a special classification of wine was developed. France and the regions did not mark their wines as “cru” before. Only the best estates of Bordeaux had the right to sell wines designated as “grand cru”. They are somewhat inferior to high-quality "cru bourgeois".
As far back as 1855, winemakers from the Medoc region classified their best wines of the Grand Cru category by rating from Premier Cru to Senkem Cru. These grand cru have a reputation as the best of all French wines, and, of course, their prices reflect this status.
Among the vineyards of the province of Bordeaux, Medoc deserves special attention. It produces the most prestigious wines of France. Very famous appeals in this area are the wines of Saint-Estef, Margot, Saint-Julien and Poyak.
Other areas of southwest France
Inland and south of the Bordeaux region are located the less well-known southwestern wine-growing region of France, the fifth largest, many of whose vineyards produce good wines. The region is heterogeneous, in fact, consists of four regions. Each has its own characteristics and wines.
These are Bergerac, Cahors, Gaillac and other controlled-name vineyards. The most famous red wines of the region.
Cahors produces the most exquisite dark red wines in France, sometimes called "purple wine". They are made from Malbec grapes. White wines are also produced in the region, including strong sweet aperitifs, which the Monbaziyyak vineyard specializes in on the slopes of the Pyrenees. There are surprisingly good white wines from the Juranson and Bearn vineyards. Pesharman vineyards are known for their excellent red tart aperitifs with a dense aroma, and Irrulega is an unusual floral aroma.
Southwestern wines of France, the main varieties of the region and appellations are represented by a wide range of products. These drinks are not inferior in taste to the wines of the province of Bordeaux.
3. Burgundy
Burgundy's vineyards occupy a narrow strip of land on the eastern hillsides to the southeast of Dijon, mainly the red Pinot Noir and white Chardonnay. In the ancient city of Beaune, which can be called the heart of winemaking in Burgundy, an annual autumn wine sale fair, a feast of winemakers is held.
By the number of appeals, Burgundy is ahead of almost all the wine regions of France. Here, wines are produced in four categories - from the lowest with the name Bourgogne to Grand Cru, like a clouge.
The best burgundy wines are reds, some of which are aged from 20 to 30 years. It also produces some high-quality, although not too sophisticated, white ones.
Unlike Bordeaux, Burgundy wines are produced in small, one might say, miniature volumes, but their assortment is huge.
4. Beaujolais
The south of Burgundy, bordering the vineyards of the Rhone Valley, a large area around the city of Godu produces light red Beaujolais wine. It is ironic that one of the most famous French wines has become an unremarkable young wine. The success of Beaujolais Nouveau has more in common with marketing than with the quality of wine.
5. Champagne
This is the most northern of the main wine regions of France. Initially, winemakers produced non-sparkling wines that were highly regarded. But when the competition with Burgundy escalated almost to the point of civil war, more and more Champagne winemakers focused on the production of sparkling wine.
Unlike most French wines, champagne is not produced from one grape variety. For the production of vintage champagne mix the juice of grapes of one crop, for non-vintage blend the juice of the crop of different years.
Since the quality of champagne depends on the balance between the quality of the original grape and the skill of the winemaker, it is ranked and marketed by the producer, and not by the owners of the vineyards.
The excellent taste and purity of real champagne are due to the chalky soil and the continental climate of the region.
Champagne is not a general term for sparkling wines in France. There are many good drinks in this category that are not sold under the brand name “champagne”, because the same grape variety is grown a couple of kilometers outside the province of Champagne. These wines (Cremant du Burgundy, Cremant du Jura, etc.) are produced using the same technology from similar grape varieties.
Only the most experienced sommeliers can distinguish average champagne from good sparkling wine.
6. Loire Valley
One of France’s 14 most famous regions, the Loire wine region, is famous for being the second sparkling wine producer after Champagne.
It mainly produces white, pink or pale red, dry and semi-dry, which combine perfectly with seafood. Touraine is famous for its exquisite light red wines, especially from the Gamay grape variety. The region also produces gris wines - a gray wine that actually has a very pale pink color. This is a white wine made from … black grapes.
The most prestigious varieties of sparkling wines in the region are the Vouvre and Saumur.
7. Cognac
Cognac, or the Charente region, is considered the main wine-growing region, although wine in itself is not its main product. Most of the wine produced is used for the production of cognac and other alcoholic beverages. In addition to the well-known French cognacs, they produce white and red aperitif Pinot de Charentes and simple table white wines under the brand name Vin de Pays.
8. Jura
It produces the most unique white wines from Savanyen grapes. In France, the variety is found only in this region and is its calling card. The wine has a characteristic smack of sherry. As in Alsace, the grape variety is indicated on the label.
In Jura, it also produces dark pink, sometimes called red, blended wines. But the fame was brought to the region by the famous "yellow", expensive aperitif wines, reminiscent of a bouquet of sherry "Amontillado" made exclusively from the Savannen variety, and the "straw" sweet wine of their own grapes.
9. Cote du Rhone
Côte du Rhone is one of those French wines that have become famous as a result of production rather than quality of wine. This is the second largest wine region after Bordeaux.
Cote du Ron wines - simple table white, red or pink blended, reminiscent of Mediterranean wines to taste and bouquet. The most popular are Viognier, Syrah and Grenache.
10. Provence
This is a large wine-growing region, famous for its pink wines, Cote de Provence and Cote d'ex en Provence. Provence winemakers also produce red wines, including some excellent, and gray wine.
The most famous drink in the area is Bandol.
