France , in the winemaking world from grape growers to winemakers is considered the pioneer for premium wine production. France is also where the appellation controlee system was formulated, a concept to protect the reputation of their best wine with tight regulations. Almost all grape varieties grown around the world are French.

The red wines of Bordeaux or Clarets have been occupying a position at the pinnacle of winemaking and have long been the image of fine wine. The landscape of the Bordeaux region was perfect for growing vines on a larger scale compared to the other French regions. Bordeaux red is also one of the most expensive and highly sought after wines in the fine wine collectors list. Bordeaux reds are made from grapes like Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot. Meanwhile Bordeaux dry whites have recently started gaining popularity over the decades due to incorporating the Californian and Australian ways of winemaking which now feature fruitier flavors compare to what is used to taste before, which was fruitless and stale tasting.

 

The Bordeaux sweet whites was founded due to a fungal disease that attacks ripened grapes in late summer and early autumn caused by the strain of fungus called Botrytis cinerea or commonly known as rot. Botrytis strive in damp conditions. The close proximity of Bordeaux to the Atlantic Ocean makes it an ideal climate for botrytis. Both dry and sweet whites are made from grapes like Semillon, Sauvignon Blanc and Muscadelle.

One of France’s most idiosyncratic wines styles originates from Alsace, the most culturally distinct wine region that uniquely blends the best of Germanic and French culture. The wines of Alsace are bottled in tall, green Germanic flutes by producers with Germanic names like Pfingstberg. Alsace wines are the only wines that are named after the grape variety used rather than names of villages or properties like the rest of French wines. Alsace wines varies from dry to medium-dry whites. The following are one of the best Alsace wines to date, Gewurztraminer, Riesling, Pino Gris and Muscadet.

Burgundy was notoriously the region that was famous for its many passionate controversies within the French wine. Over time wine lovers were amicably divided into devotees of Bordeaux and Burgundy, where Burgundy was seen or secretly appreciates as the root of hedonistic sensuality compared to the cerebral contemplative personality of Bordeaux. Chablis, Cote d’Or, Cote Chalonnaise and Maconnais are the Burgundy region’s best vineyards growing grape varieties like Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Pinot Blanc and Aligote.

Beaujolais is France’s southernmost wine region and is devoted to Gamay, the red grape that produces the world’s most distinct red wine. Beaujolais which are of a younger and more basic quality should be drunk cold. Top Beaujolais wines to look out for are from villages like St-Amour, Chenas, Moulin-a-Vent, Chiroubles, Feurie and Brouilly. Fleurie is most loved of all Beaujolais due to its light creamy summer scented, strawberry and rose flavor. It is also one of the most expensive to date meanwhile the Brouilly is the most approachable and by far has the biggest production amongst all Beaujolais.

Finally Champagne, the most celebrated and respected name in the world’s finest sparkling wines. Champagne is located in the northernmost wine regions in France. Champagne was invented 350 years ago. Little known fact that Champagne was actually discovered due to the spoiling of wine. This happened when the slow fermentation of the delicate and high-acid wines was interrupted by sub zero temperatures during winter and as the weather gets warmer the yeast that were dormant during winter comes back to life and began feeding on the sugars left over from uncompleted fermentation, at the same time, the carbon dioxide gas that was formed during fermentation has no escape therefore dissolves into the wine and thus creating the fizz in the bottle. The largest and most famous champagne producer in the world is Moet et Chandon based in Epermay. Moet’s top champagne range is Dom Perignon, named after Brother Perignon, the Benedictine monk that perfected the technique of making a still white wine entirely from red grapes.

Champagne production is dominated by members of the Club des Grandes Marques who’s members are Moet de Chandon, Bollinger, Mumm, Taittinger, Veuve Clicquot and Pol Roger. Most champagne is labeled “Brut” that is the standard bone-dry style. The level of dryness or sweetness of champagne is determined at the last moment when the quantity of sugar in solution also known as ‘dosage’ is added for the final taste.

To fairly understand and appreciate French wine, you might need to be familiar with the Vin de Pays. The Vin de Pays designation was created to encourage higher quality easy-drinking reds , whites and rose wines. Vin de Pays or VdP was drawn up in the 1970s to denote wines that has some regional identity attached to it. The VdP is intended to be a representative of regional characteristics of wines.

Wine Article From: Wine-Blog.Net - Information About Fine Wine
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