The Wines of France
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This document provides an overview of the major wine regions and styles of France. It discusses the historic 1855 classification system in Bordeaux that set certain wines apart. French wines are categorized into four main types: Vin de Table, Vin de Pays, Vin Délimite de Qualité Supérieure, and the highest level of Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée. Key regions covered include Bordeaux, Burgundy, Rhone Valley, Loire Valley, Alsace, and Champagne. The document outlines the predominant grapes and styles within each area.
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The Wines of France
- 1. The Wines of France Some of the World’s Best
- 2. The Bordeaux Connection The Soul of the Wine Industry
- 3. Classification System • Napoleon III called for classification before 1855 Exposition Universelle de Paris • Promoted by the Gironde Chamber of Commerce • Bordeaux Wine Brokers' Union • Only part of region was classified
- 4. The Implications • Set certain Bordeaux wines apart from others • Set Bordeaux as the premiere wine production area • Limits potential for up and coming vineyards • Maintains control by a select few
- 5. French Wines Laws • Classifications – Vin de Table – Vin de Pays – Vin Délimite de Qualité Supérieure – Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée
- 6. Vin de Table • Primarily the southern regions • Produced using safe procedures • No quality standards • 12% of total production
- 7. Vin de Pays • Conversion from vin de table – Higher price and demand for better wines – Removal of less desirable vines – Regional tasting panel approval – Grown in region from recommended varieties • Regions, departments, zones like…. – New England, New Hampshire, Seacoast – Roughly 33% of total
- 8. Vin Délimite de Qualité Supérieure • VDQS wines roughly 3% of total • Produced from slightly higher yielding vines that AOC • A step toward AOC classification
- 9. Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée- (Controlled Naming of Origin) • Roughly 52% of total • Region, district, village, single vineyard – Grapes grown within the names area – Grapes approved for that area – Reach a set alcohol level – Meet yield per acre standards – Maintain specific viticulture practices – Tested by taste and chemical analysis • Also crus designations
- 10. Terroir • Soils • Grapes • Selection • History • These four elements combine to produce the unique character that goes into each wine
- 11. Bordeaux in Brief • Blending – Fermented by lot – Blended to yield best potential wine of that vintage • Cabernets strong on left bank • Merlots strong on right bank • A typical offerings when one variety fails • Cabernet Franc grown minimally • Sémillon and Sauvignon Blanc primary whites • Second labels offer great value
- 12. Top Players • Medoc – Margaux – St. Julien – Pauillac – St. Estephe • Graves – St Emillon – Pessac-Leognan • Pomerol • Sauterne
- 13. Margaux • Margaux • Châteaus in all 5 cru classifications – 1 first growth – 4 second growth – gravel – perfume – feminine – Château Margaux – 75% cab 25% merlot
- 14. St Julien • St. Julien – 5 second growth – Deep-rooted vines – perfect – balance of opulence and austerity – Château Ducru Beaucaillou – 75% cab, 20% merlot, 8% cab franc
- 15. Pauillac • Pauillac – 3 First growth – 2 second growth – Classic rich flavor – black current and cassis – pencil box – Château Lafite Rothschild • 70% cab, 20% merlot, 10% cab franc – Château Mouton-Rothschild • 76% cab, 13% merlot, 9% cab franc, 2% petit verdot
- 16. St Estephe • St. Estephe – 2 second crus – Very deep rooted vines – high tannin but softening of late – longer to soften – Chateau Cos d’Estournel • 60% cab, 38% merlot, 2% cab franc
- 17. St Emillon • Gravel and limestone • Higher merlot content – Drinkable young or cellar • Château Cheval Blanc – 60% cab franc, 40% merlot
- 18. Pessac-Leognan • Pessac-Leognan – better graves – smokey – minerally reds – Chateau Haut Brion
- 19. Pomerol • Pomerol – deep clay – creamy & seductively rich – Chateau Pétrus • Average vine over 40 yrs.
- 20. Sauternes • Sauternes – Dry or sweet – one vine= one glass – three pressings – >20 degrees sugar – 10 years
- 21. Alsace & Loire
- 22. Alsace- On the border of Germany • The geography and turns of historical events shape the wines of this region
- 23. History • 1870 End of Franco Prussian War… Alsace becomes German territory • 1918 End of WWI…Alsace becomes French • 1945….German again • Always a French flare for wine making and matching with cuisine • Increasing move toward dryer wines
- 24. Alsacian Wine Region • 70 miles long, avg. 1 mile wide • vines hang on eastern slope of Vosges • 600-1500 ft. elevation • slow ripening...low heat summation • influenced by Rhine river • extension of German Pfalz • wines more vinous than German cousins
- 25. Alsace- A Single AOC • Strong German Influence • Typically, label carries grape variety • Sparkling=Cremant d’Alsace • Blended=Edelzwicker • 10% Pinot Noir • 90% White – Riesling, Gewurztraminer, Pinot blanc
- 26. Alsatian Wine • Dry yet fruity Muskat • Rieslings dryer than Germany • Gewurtztraminer that’s spicy, light bodied, & slightly sweet • Pinot blanc in small quantities • Some Tokay
- 28. Loire • Grape Varieties – Chenin Blanc – Muscadet – Cabernet Franc (red) • Four Regions – Western (Nantes) – Central (Anjou & Saumur) – Upper (Touraine) – Jura & Savoie • mountainous
- 29. Nantes • ~1635 Burgundians introduced Melon grape • Survived –20C temps in 1709 • Became known as Muscadet • First appellations – Muscadet de Sèvre et Maine – Muscadet des Coteaux de la Loire – Muscadet • 1972 compulsory tasting instituted to grant or deny use of appellation
- 30. Anjou & Saumur • Vineyards begun in middle ages • Monks played major role • Canalization of tributaries important for trade • Anjou known for rose wines • Different grapes in each sub region – Cabernet in Cabernet d’Anjou – Grolleau in Rosé d’Anjou
- 31. Anjou & Saumur • Saumur is known for…. – Sparkling wines made from red (primarily cabernet franc) and white (primarily chenin) grapes – Campigny made from cabernet franc – Reds from cab and cabernet franc – Whites primarily from chenin blanc grape
- 32. Touraine • Most credit to monks in 300’s AD • Numerous sub-areas- – Chinon= primarily red from cab franc, deep red – Vouvray solely from chenin grape to produce a dry to semi-sweet wine – Touraine primarily gamay from reds and sauvignon for whites
- 33. Centre • Evidence to the first century • Major development in 12th century • Sancerre best known sub-region – Sancerre grape for white – Some pinot noir for rose
- 34. Burgundy
- 35. Burgundy in Brief • 100 miles SE of Paris..225 miles long • 6 major districts • 111,000 acres of AOC wines • 27+ million cases each year • 15% of France’s AOC output • Great Wine….Montrachet • Popular Wine….Beaujolais
- 36. Labeling of Wines • Small vineyards • Bottling & distribution primarily by negociant-eleveur • Self-bottlers = domains or clos – e.g. Mis en Bouteille au Domaine • Limited quantities, high prices • Best wines carry name of vineyard
- 37. Labeling of Wines • Single vineyard= Grand Crus • Best communes= Premiere Crus • Communal level= Village names • Regional level= – Bourgogne, Bourgogne Ordinaire, Bourgogne Passe- Tous-Grains – Grape variety= major distinguishing feature
- 38. By the Sub-Regions • Chablis-4.7% – 7 grand crus, 17 premier crus – Chablis, Petit Chablis – northern location, limestone, south facing vineyards
- 39. Continuing South • Cote de Nuits-3.2% – Gevrey Chambertin, Nuits St. George – 25 grand crus
- 40. Further South • Cote de Beaune-6.9% – 15 Grand crus – Beaune, Pommard, Puligny- Montrachet • Cote Chalonnaise-2.1% – increased plantings since 1980 – primarily pinot noir and chardonnay – Vlgs- Mercurey, Montagny
- 41. Still further South • Maconnais-10.9% – white equivalent of Beaujolais – 68% chardonnay, 25% gamay, 7% pinot noir – Vlgs- Pouilly-Fuisse, Macon-Villages
- 42. Most Southern • Beaujolais-59.2% – largest area in Burgundy – 14.8M cases red, 98K cases white – gamay grape country – half of the production is consumed domestically
- 43. Beaujolais- 35 m. long 5-10 wide • Haut Beaujolais…including – Crus Beaujolais= 25% of total – 39 Beaujolais Village=25% • Bas Beaujolais…. – Beaujolais – Beaujolais Superieur total of 50% – Beaujolais Nouveau 3rd Thursday of November each year
- 44. The Rhone From Avignon to Vienne
- 45. A Bit About the River • Much of the river is canalized • Agriculture and industry share the shore • Dozens of medieval cities line its banks
- 46. The Region • Divided into – Northern Rhone • Single varietal wines (Syrah) • Temperate climate, fair rainfall – Southern Rhone • Blended wines • Mediterranean climate – Côte du Rhone term used throughout – Côte du Rhone Village reserved for defined area
- 47. Northern Rhone • Top appellations: – Chateau-Grillet – Condrieu, Cornas – Cote-Rotie – Croze-Hermitage – Hermitage – St. Joseph – St.-Peray
- 48. Northern Rhone • Syrah grape predominates • Some viognier • Marsanne and Roussanne for white Hermitage
- 49. Southern Rhone • Top appellations: – Chateauneuf-du-Pape – Cotes du Rhone – Cotes du Rhone Village • Grenache grape predominates • Syrah and Mourvedre used for blending • Clairette, Grenache Blanc, Bourboulenc are the primary white grapes
- 50. Chateauneuf-du-Pape • A favorite that feel from grace in the 1980’s • Now staging a comeback • Primarily grenache but blended with up to 13 other wines • 320 domains produce this wine today
- 51. Vermouth • Red or White – Originally aged in casks at sea – Now aged in seaside courtyard – Barrels left loosely corked • Speeds aging
- 52. Vermouth • Herbs and other botanicals blended with wine to impart subtle flavor • White vermouth as aperitif or mixed in martini • Red vermouth in Manhattan or on the rocks
- 53. Champagne • We cover Champagne in a separate presentation along with sparkling wines