For the longest time France has been known to be the best in the wine making business. While recently other countries are starting to catch up, France remains the queen of wine. France is divided into many regions, we will only explore the most famous. In alphabetical order:
Region 1 – Alsace
Famous as a white wine region Alsace also produces red, rose, sweet wines as well as sparkling wines. This region is quite small, situated in the eastern part of France along the river Rhine.
This region shares many grape types with it’s neighbor Germany. The primary grapes grown in Alsace number Pinot noir, Gris and blanc as well as the German Gewurztraminer, Muscat and Riesling.
Region 2 – Bordeaux
Compared to Alsace this is a large region, concordantly, on the other side of France. This region mostly grows red wines and is famous for many Chateaus.
Usually the wines produced are blended with Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. One peculiar sweet-heart is the Chateau d’Yquem. This is known as one of the best sweet wines in the world.
Region 3 – Burgundy
Back to eastern France is a region that shows a balance between the former 2. Bourgogne is a highly priced region that equally grows red and white wines. It is divided into 4 parts.
Cote de Nuits
Cote Chalonnaise
Maconnais
Cote de Beaunne
Burgundy grows 2 main types of grapes. Chardonnay for whites, Pinot noir for reds. The geographical position is not that significant. More interesting is a small, commonly overlooked, region known as Chablis where a unique Chardonnay is produced due to the chalky soil.
Region 4 – Champagne
Champagne gets it’s name from the delicious sparkling wine it produces. It is usually served as a desert or festive wine.
Champagne is a great match to dishes such as oysters, caviar and foie gras. Champagne is one of the coolest regions in France.
Region 5 – Corsica
Unlike the other regions in France, Corsica is actually an island situated in the Mediterranean sea.
This region mostly consumes it’s own wines. The unique style is, sadly, seldom appreciated by other countries.
Region 6 – Jura
One of the smaller regions in France, for comparison – about a quarter of Alsace – it is situated in the Alps.
Some unique wines are produced here such as Vin Jaune and Vin de Paille. Like Burgundy it uses the same 2 grape varieties as it’s main compounds: Pinot noir and Chardonnay.
Region 7 – Languedoc-Roussillon
In contrast with Jura (I feel a pattern here) Languedoc is the largest region. The most notable thing about this region is that here France makes most of it’s cheap wines.
While responsible for the biggest bulk of production in the country there are still some original wine makers who combine the old and the new in interesting ways.
Region 8 – Loire
Cutting France in two parts, strictly speaking, Loire is one long out-stretched region. It primarily deals with white wine production. Divided into 4 main regions, each are known for a specific wine.
Pays Nantais is closest to the Atlantic. The Melon de Bourgogne grape variety is mainly used here. Anjou-Saumur produces dry Savennieres and Coteaux du Layon. Similarly Touraine also produces white wines (Chenin Blanc) and some reds like Cabernet Franc. The final region, Upper Loire is famous for Sauvignon Blanc.
Region 9 – Provence
The region of Provence excels in warmth. Most suitable for the production of red and rose wines.
Like Bordeaux it is classified in smaller estates, but share grape varieties to the Southern Rhone wines. So naturally next up is:
Region 10 – Rhone
To be brief, Rhone Valley is a red wine producing region divided into 2 parts. Northern and Southern Rhone.
While both parts differ they rival the Bordeaux region in both grape variety and style.
Region 11 – Savoy
Savoy is known for being refreshing. It is a small region situated in the eastern part, in the Alps, close to Switzerland.
Savoy grows a number of very rare grape varieties. Jacquere, Altesse Gringet and Roussanne form the quartet of white wine grape varieties. Red wines are mostly made from Mondeuse.
Region 12 – Southwest
The Southwest region is a conglomerate of several parts around the region of Bordeaux. While the areas closest to Bordeaux share some characteristics in term of grape variety, unusual grape types are used, such as Tannat.
French wines are not popularized by the type of grape each region grows, but by the name of the region. This is why emphasis is placed on each of the good regions in France.
Further reading:
- Wine Regions – Pro’s And Con’s - Every wine drinker knows that the wines available in his country are most often sub-par in comparison to the best regions for specific wines. Fact is each type of wine grape works better for certain climates and worse for others....
- California’s Best Wine Regions - For a wine making district California is one very large state. It can be divided in more than one way, so we’ll only talk about the most famous regions. The fact that it is such a large state makes it...
- The Best Bordeaux Wineries - Although Bordeaux is a region affected by diseases and other problems that concern vines, this misfortune is a true challenge for some of the best winemakers in the world. Their dedication has surpassed the shortcomings and even learned to use...
- Napa Valley – The Famous Youngster - Napa Valley is a perfect region for growing wine grapes. The Mediterranean nuances are indicative to the quality wine grapes we can expect from here. Napa Valley originally established itself as a wine region in 1981. Premium wine production dates back...
- Mendocino County – Wines And Wine Regions - California wines have long ago made a statement in the wine world as being able to deliver unique aromas and textures; I would say that they are wines with soul. Mendocino is the northernmost region of the state and is...
