France has thousand years of wine production history, and some of the most famous wine producing regions in the world.
The river Gironde splits the area in the famous Left Bank (Southwest) and the Right Bank (Northeast) where the two famous, but very different, Bordeaux Blends are produced.
On the Left Bank, Cabernet Sauvignon is the primary grape.
A typical top-quality "Bordeaux Blend" consists of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Cabernet Franc, and 15% Merlot.
Left Bank wines are often spicy with bold tannins and are good candidates for aging.
On the Right Bank, Merlot is the primary grape.
A typical Right Bank blend consists of 70% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc, and 15% Cabernet Sauvignon.
Right Bank wines are also bold, but smoother, with softer tannins and typical Merlot fruity flavors. They can age, but are more "drink me soon" style.
Bordeaux Rouge
Cabernet Sauvignon
Médoc
Margaux
Graves
Pessac-Léognan
Bordeaux is dominated by red wine. Nearly 90% of all Bordeaux wine is red.
The most planted grape is Merlot, followed by Cabernet Sauvignon.
66% Merlot
23% Cabernet Sauvignon
10% Cabernet Franc
2% Malbec
1% Petit Verdot
47% Sémillon
45% Sauvignon Blanc
5% Muscadelle
Bordeaux Blanc
Pessac Léognan
Entre-Deux-Mers
Sémillon
Sauternes (Sweet)
On the Left Bank, Cabernet Sauvignon is the primary grape.
A typical top-quality "Bordeaux Blend" consists of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Cabernet Franc, and 15% Merlot.
Left Bank wines are often spicy with bold tannins and are good candidates for aging.
The terroir is rocky, with gravel (stones) and some limestone.
In the wine world, this bad soil means good wine because the more the roots have to struggle, the better the quality. Rocky soils and hillsides give a good drainage (too much water gives a watery berry).
Famous appellations are:
Flavors:
Young: Spices. Earth. Tobacco.
Aged: Leather. Smoke. Truffle. Herbs. Cigar box.
On the Right Bank, Merlot is the primary grape.
A typical Right Bank blend consists of 70% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc, and 15% Cabernet Sauvignon.
Right Bank wines are also bold, but smoother, with softer tannins and typical Merlot fruity flavors. They can age, but are more "drink me soon" style.
The terroir on the right bank is less difficult, with less gravel and more clay and limestone.
Famous appellations are:
Flavors:
Young: Black Cherry. Red Plum. Flowers. Chocolate. Licorice.
Aged: Earth. Truffle. Dark Chocolate. Tobacco.
White Bordeaux uses Sauvignon Blanc and Semillion as primary grapes.
Bourgogne has 5 wine-producing regions: Chablis Grand Auxerrois, Côte de Nuits, Côte de Beaune, Côte Chalonnaise, Mâconnais and Châtillonnais.
Red Burgundy
Beaujolais
Beaujolais Nouveau
Côte de Nuits
Côte de Beaune
Gamay
Pinot Noir
Aligoté
Chardonnay
Chablis
Petit Chablis
Meursault
Montrachet
Pouilly-Fuissé
Côte d’Or
The vineyards of Bourgogne stretch over 230 km from North to South.
The presence of two great rivers: Yonne in the North and Saône in the East and a temperate semi-continental climate, make it the perfect place to cultivate Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grapes.
Côtes du Rhône is an AOC (Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée) wine region in the Rhône Valley of France. There are two main regions:
In the North, the main grape is Syrah.
The grapes grow on very steep slopes, and are manually picked in hillside trolleys, wich adds to the price.
In the South, the main grape is Grenache.
The area is famous for its GSM wines: A blend of Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvèdre.
Anjou Blanc
Chenin Blanc Dry
Chenin Blanc Sweet
Muscadet
Pouilly Fumé
Sancerre
Saumur Blanc
Sauvignon Blanc
Bourgueil
Chinon
Saumur Rouge
Saumur-Champigny
Rosé d’Anjou
Rosé de Loire
Saumur Rosé
35% Sauvignon Blanc
25% Chenin Blanc
15% Cabernet Franc
6% Melon de Bourgogne
5% Pinot Noir
Alsace is dominated by white wine. 90% of all Alsace wine is white.
Gewürztraminer
Riesling
Pinot Blanc
Pinot Gris
Silvaner
30% Riesling
20% Gewürztraminer
15% Pinot Gris
8% Pinot Blanc
5% Pinot Noir
Wines from the Alsace region in France (in French: Vin d'Alsace) (German: Weinbau in Elsass) (English: Alsatian Wine) are primarily white wines.
Alsace in France and the Rhine region in Germany are known to produce the best Rieslings in the world, and Alsace is also famous for a especially food friendly Pinot Gris, and a highly aromatic Gewürztraminer.
In Alsace, both dry and sweet white wines are produced.
In Alsace, some grapes thrive better than others, and just like in Germany (on the other side of the border), the king is Riesling.
Typical Alsatian Rieslings are dry, aromatic, a little fuller, and with more ripe fruit than the German ones.
Gewürztraminer is a grape many people love. It is also a grape many people hate.
Bad Gewürztraminer can taste like bad perfume, but the good ones have fantastic aromas that no other grapes can copy: Grapefruit, Pineapple, Mango, Apricot, Lychee, Rose Petals, and Spices.
Italian Pinot Grigio and Alsatian Pinot Gris is the same grape, but Alsatian wines are more fruity, with more aromas, and more sweetness.
Alsatian Pinot Gris has a balanced intensity that pairs well with many types of food. It matches spicy food (Mexican, Thai), sweet and sour food (Chinese), and fat food(Foie Gras. Pâté), and often it can accompany dishes meant for red wine.
According to the history, the grape Pinot Gris travelled from Alsace to Hungary in the 14th century. When it was brought back to Alsace in the 16th century, it was planted in Kientzheim under the name "Tokay" (taken from Hungary’s famous wine Tokaji).
For many centuries, Alsatian wine produced from Pinot Gris was called "Tokay d'Alsace".
However, in the 1990's, it was agreed in Europe to remove the name Tokay from non-Hungarian wine, and slowly, the today so famous Alsacian Pinot Gris was developed.
Silvaner (or Sylvaner) is a grape grown primarily in French Alsace and in the Franken region of Germany.
In Germany it is cultivated with the official name Grüner Silvaner. Italian and Swiss Silvaner tends to be lighter and more crispy than French / German Silvaner.
Pinot Blanc from Alsace, is known to be much like Chardonnay as a full body wine with good acidity.
Alsacian Pinot Blanc can show a range of flavors from apple to peach, along with nutty almond and spices depending on oak treatment.
Popular food pairings in Alsace are Omelet and Quiche.
Crémant d 'Alsace is a sparkling wine made by the Champagne method (Méthode Champenoise)). Made from several types of grapes (Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc, and Riesling), it can be an interesting alternative to French Champagne.
Alsatian wines are produced under three different AOCs:
Edelzwicker and Gentil may be used on an Alsatian wine label.
Edelzwicker means that the wine is a mixture of different grapes.
Gentil means the same, but can only be used for AOC wines where the blend has at least 50% Riesling, Muscat, Pinot Gris or Gewurztraminer, and the rest can be either Sylvaner, Chasselas or Pinot Blanc. Each variety must be vinified separately, and each variety must qualify as an AOC Alsace wine alone.
Vendange Tardive on the label, means that the grapes are harvested late. These wines are sweet like German Ausleese. Only noble root attacked grapes can be used (Riesling, Muscat, Pinot Gris, and Gewurztraminer), and Gewurztraminer and Pinot Gris provide the sweetest varieties.
Sélection de grains nobles means selected grapes that are attacked by noble rot, like German Beerenauslese.
In the 1950's the Alsace Wine Route was opened.
Starting as a popular touring rally, it is now the jewel of Alsace.
Route des Vins d'Alsace winds 170 km from the north to the south of Alsace, passing through 70 wine-growing villages, some renowned for being some of the most beautiful villages in the world. like Eguisheim, Kaysersberg, Ribeauvillé, Riquewihr, Andlau, and Obernai.
The Alsace Wine Route villages organise wine and harvest festivals from April to October, including wine-tastings, folklore, processions, and other entertainment.
Grape | Hectar (approx) |
---|---|
Riesling | 3400 |
Gewürztraminer | 2900 |
Pinot Gris | 2400 |
Auxerrois | 2200 |
Pinot Noir | 1500 |
Sylvaner | 1400 |
Pinot Blanc | 1100 |
Muscat | 350 |
Chardonnay | 90 |
Chasselas | 90 |
Other | 70 |
Total | 15500 |
Savoie is a wine region in the French alps, south of Lake Geneva (Lac Léman).
Altesse (aka Roussette) produces the finest white wines in Savoie, while Jacquère is the most planted grape. These are the appellations in Savoie:
Champagne is the region of the most famous sparkling wine in the world.
Champagne
Blanc de Blancs
Blanc de Noir
Chardonnay
40% Pinot Noir
30% Chardonnay
20% Meunier
Source: OIV Note de conjoncture mondiale 2017.
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