Say 'Bonjour' to a fabulous collection of French wines at Empouria!
When beginning your French wine journey, the biggest barrier to the eager novice is the lack of varietal labeling. The French appellation system seems needlessly opaque to Americans, most of whom are accustomed to seeing the NAME of the grape dominating the label rather than the REGION of origin. Thanks to the French influence on American winemaking, most French grapes are already familiar to us here in the United States, you just need to know what region grows the varietals you prefer. If you’ve ever heard of Cabernet Sauvignon, Sauvignon Blanc, Merlot, Pinot Noir, and Chardonnay well then… you like French grapes!
The history of French wine spans a period of at least 2600 years dating to the founding of Massalia in the 6th century BC by Phocaeans. Given this much history and development of winemaking techniques, the French truly have winemaking down to an Art! In fact, there are so many wines being produced currently, if you drank a new wine each night, it would take 8 years to drink your way through France; and no, that’s not a dare!
As complicated as it can seem with language differences and the varietal hidden in the “appellation-code”, anyone can jumpstart their knowledge by tasting their way through the iconic Major wine Regions. Learning which grape varietals are grown in each region gives you a leg up on finding a French wine you will love!
Read below to get a better feel, and head in to Empouria this week to try some on tap!
The Notable Wine Regions of France
While maps of French Wine Regions range from simple to extremely complex, here is one i came across at Wine Folly, that made a lot of sense to me.
Bordeaux
The vast majority of Bordeaux produces the eponymous red blend, which features Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Cabernet Franc. While the most treasured wineries (aka Château) command top prices, most wines can be found for great prices. You just need to know where to look.
Notable expressions in our Portfolio:
Chateau Lalande-Borie, Left Bank = Saint-Julien
Chateau Armens, Right Bank = Saint-Emilion
Burgundy
(French: "Bourgogne") Burgundy's vineyards can trace their origins back to medieval times, when Cistercian monks planted grapevines in walled vineyards called clos. What did the monks plant? Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, of course! These two grapes are now world renowned and Burgundy is considered the benchmark of quality.
Notable expressions in our Portfolio:
Domaine L'Alliance White Burgundy
William Fevre Chablis
Domaine Roux Pere et Fils Burgundy Pinot Noir
Champagne
As one of the coolest growing regions of France, Champagne has historically struggled with ripening grapes. Perhaps it's because of this that cellar masters in the 1600s, like Dom Perignon, focused on cutting-edge wine production, leading to the popularization of sparkling wines. There are three primary grapes of Champagne: Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier.
Notable expressions in our Portfolio:
Champagne Nicolas Feuillatte
Champagne Veuve Clicquot
Champagne Telmont
Loire Valley
The Loire Valley is a large region that follows the longest river of France and its many tributaries. As a cooler-climate growing area, the Loire is an exceptional place to find lean, racy white wines including those of Chenin Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc, and Muscadet. Red varieties include Cabernet Franc, Gamay, and Côt (Malbec), which produce herbaceous, rustic reds and fruity, dry rosé. In terms of wine, the Loire Valley is the third-largest wine producing region by volume in France. The best-known Loire Valley appellation for the Sauvignon Blanc grape is Sancerre, where it makes for a dry, steely and refreshingly citrusy wine. On the other hand, the Touraine offerings seem to be slightly rounder, richer, weightier and more aromatic.
Notable expressions in our Portfolio:
Patrick Noel Sancerre
Le Coeur de la Reine Touraine
Domaine Pichot Vouvray
Rhône Valley
Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvèdre are the primary varieties in the Rhône Valley. In the South, Côtes du Rhône blends (red and rosé) can feature up to 18 different grapes in a blend! In the Northern Rhône, single-varietal Syrah is the focus, along with scant plantings of Viognier.
Châteauneuf-du-Pape is one of the area's best known Appellations d'origine contrôlée located around the village of Châteauneuf-du-Pape in the Rhône wine region in southeastern France.
Notable expressions in our Portfolio:
Heritages Cotes-du-Rhone
Domaine Roger Perrin Chateauneuf-du-Pape
Alsace
Alsace is a historical region in northeastern France on the Rhine River plain. Bordering Germany and Switzerland, it has alternated between German and French control over the centuries and reflects a mix of those cultures.
Notable expressions in our Portfolio:
Domaine Weinbach Riesling
Provence
Ah, Provence! The name conjures up visions of lavender, sunflowers, olive trees, and wine – lots of wine – where 88% of vineyards are dedicated to rosé!
Notable expressions in our Portfolio:
Leos Rosé Fleur de Mer Rosé
Chateau Sainte Marguerite Fantastique Rosé
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