 |
France
General Overview
France
can plausibly claim to be the world's greatest wine-producing nation. Although
outgunned by Italy in terms of volume of wine produced, and Spain in terms of
vineyard area, the classic French regions produce wines in a wide variety of
styles that have come to be seen as definitive examples of their type. And
French grape varieties have largely been the ones selected by new world regions
as the basis of their wine industries.
Bordeaux makes benchmark
structured red wines from grapes such as Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, while
Burgundy makes more sensual reds and whites from Pinot Noir and Chardonnay,
respectively. Champagne defines the standard for sparkling wines the world
over, and the Rhône makes powerful, spicy reds from Syrah and Grenache.
Then there's the Loire, home of Sauvignon Blanc and Chenin Blanc, and Alsace
with its varietally labelled white wines. Even the Languedoc, once known only
for its industrial-scale plonk production, now makes some seriously good
wines...the list goes on.
The good news for France is that quality
revolutions are taking place from region to region as a new generation of
vignerons begins to unlock the potential of France's diverse terroirs, pushing
back the boundaries while largely respecting the fascinating regional
variations. France's weakness, however, lies in marketing its wines, and this
has led to them losing ground to the new world in an increasingly
unadventurous, brand-led UK marketplace. As a result, many UK consumers are
unaware of some of the exciting new wines now emerging from across France.
Let's hope that this situation changes.
Bordeaux: overview
Are you rich? Then you might
like to explore Bordeaux, the world's most famous wine region and home to some
of the world's most aristocratic wines. But you'll need to have deep pockets,
because there is no getting round the fact that Bordeaux is expensive. The
easiest way to understand Bordeaux is to split it into the left and right banks
of the Gironde estuary, around which this huge region is arranged. On the left
bank are the Médoc and Graves regions, which produce some of the most
celebrated wines in the world from Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot,
Petit Verdot and Malbec. At the top of the price and quality pyramid are the
classed growths from the appellations of St Julien, Pauillac, St
Estèphe, Margaux, Pessac Léognan and Graves. On the right bank
are found St Emilion and also the small appellation of Pomerol, which is home
to super-expensive 'cult' wines such as Petrus, Lafleur and Le Pin. As if this
was not enough, the Sauternes region, just south of the Médoc, produces
stunning sweet white wines. However, fine wines such as these only represent a
tiny proportion of the output of Bordeaux: as well as producing some of the
world's greatest wines it also makes some of the worst. Each year a wine-lake
full of thin, hard, miserable wines flows from many of the lesser properties,
much of it finding its way onto supermarket shelves. The generally poor value
for money of these wines has devalued the image of Bordeaux in the eyes of many
consumers. In fact, it's hard work finding an interesting wine from Bordeaux
that costs less than a tenner.
Barsac
The largest of the five communes of the
Sauternes region located on the left bank of the Garonne river, in Bordeaux,
France. In fact, wines from here can be labelled as either Sauternes or Barsac
(which is what most of the better properties do). Like other Sauternes, these
are sweet wines made from the Semillon, Sauvignon Blanc and Muscadelle grapes,
and the better examples will have gained complexity from the noble rot (or
'botrytis') that attacks the fully developed grapes in the Autumn. They are
delicious, but expensive.
Médoc
Narrow strip of land on the left
bank of the Gironde river in Bordeaux, France, whose mainly gravelly soils are
responsible for some of the world's most aristocratic (and expensive) red
wines. This region encompasses such famous appellations as St-Julien, Pauillac,
St-Estèphe and Margaux. Away from the best vineyard sites, there's also
some fairly ordinary wine made here, though.
Graves
Large, famous region in Bordeaux, which
unfortunately lost many of its best bits to the new appellation of
Pessac-Léognan, which was created in the late 1980s. Unusually for
Bordeaux, Graves has a good reputation for its whites as well as its reds,
making some attractive, fresh wines from the Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon
grapes, as well as a few Sauternes-like sweet wines.
Pomerol
Fame has come relatively late to Pomerol,
a small appellation on the right bank of the Dordogne river in Bordeaux.
Ignored in the 1855 classification of Bordeaux properties, it's really only
since the 1950s that the excellence of these Merlot-based reds has been
recognized. Now wines such as Petrus, Le Pin and Lafleur are among the most
expensive and sought after in the world.
Sauternes
Possibly the world's most famous sweet
white wine, Sauternes comes from five communes on the left bank of the Garonne
in the Bordeaux region, where it joins the smaller Ciron river. The proximity
of these two rivers to the vineyards creates ideal conditions (in good
vintages) for encouraging the development of noble rot (or botrytis) on the
already mature grapes (from the Semillon, Sauvignon Blanc and Muscadelle grape
varieties). This shrivels the grapes, creating a rich, sweet wine of great
complexity. The best Sauternes are heavenly and invariably expensive, but worth
it; inexpensive Sauternes are almost always a disappointment.
St-Émilion
Horribly inconsistent, the
wines of this large region of Bordeaux (on the right bank of the Dordogne
river, next door to Pomerol) range in quality from sublime to plonkish. Because
of the large number of producers and the gulf in quality between the best and
the worst, careful buying is required. First planted by the Romans, this
historic region is mainly devoted to red wines, and the key grape here is the
trendy Merlot variety.
Burgundy:
overview
One of the world's classic regions, the home of Chardonnay
and Pinot Noir, but a total minefield for consumers. The heart of Burgundy,
known as the Côte d'Or, is a narrow band of gently sloping hillside,
encompassing some 60 small appellations. There are four different quality
levels: regional (e.g. Bourgogne), village wines (e.g. Mersault, Santenay or
Gevrey-Chambertin), premier cru and grand cru. But it is not as simple as this:
because of French inheritance laws, vineyards are commonly divided into small
plots, each worked by a different grower. To add to the confusion, some growers
make their own wine, others sell their grapes to a négociant, and some
négociants even have their own vineyard holdings. Because of the extreme
variation in vineyard practice and winemaking competence, one vigneron's basic
Bourgogne blanc may therefore be better than another's premier cru from a
famous vineyard site. This is what is most infuriating about Burgundy: wines
from the better vineyards are always expensive, but you may pay a lot of money
and still get a poor wine. Pay very little, and you'll certainly end up with a
disappointing bottle. The key to success in purchasing Burgundy is therefore
knowing who the better producers are. At its best, white Burgundy is the
greatest and most long-lived expression of the Chardonnay grape, combining
complex smoky, toasty, buttery, nutty and mineralic elements with firm acidity
that holds everything together. And Pinot Noir reaches its zenith in red
Burgundy, making exotic, perfumed red wines commonly with hints of undergrowth
or mushrooms. To the north of the Côte d'Or, lies Chablis, which makes
lean, steely white wines of variable quality from the Chardonnay grape. To the
south lies the Mâcon region, which is notable for its inexpensive and
often good value crisp, lemony white wines, also made from
Chardonnay.
Côte
Chalonnaise
The relatively downmarket southern end of the Burgundy
region in France, this is may lack the famous names of the Côte d'Or, but
it is often a source of good value, solid red and white wines from appellations
such as Rully, Givry, Mercurey and Montagny.
Côte d'Or
Translated 'golden slope', this
is the famous 30 mile stretch of vineyards at the heart of the Burgundy region
in France, including some of the most revered names in the world of wine. The
northern half is known as the Côte de Nuits, and is predominantly a red
wine area, making complex, ethereal Pinot Noir from villages such as Nuits St
Georges, Vosne-Romanée, Chambolle-Musigny and Gevrey-Chambertin. In
contrast, the southern half -- the Côte de Beaune -- is mainly dedicated
to the production of white wines, making the worlds finest expression of
Chardonnay from villages including Mersault, Chassagne Montrachet and Puligny
Montrachet.
Mâconnais
The most
southerly part of the Burgundy region, this large district specializes in
producing inexpensive, good value white wines from the Chardonnay grape. These
are usually fresh, unoaked wines with lemony and appley fruit flavours. The
most well known of these include Pouilly-Fuissé, St-Véran,
Mâcon-Viré and Mâcon-Clessé. Some rather forgettable
red from the Gamay grape is also made here.
Chablis
The northernmost outpost of the Burgundy
region, Chablis is famous for its crisp, mineralic white wines, made from the
Chardonnay grape. Because of its northerly location, frost is a common threat
in the spring. Petit Chablis, made from the least well sited vineyards is often
thin and unripe, but AC Chablis from a good grower can be quite nice. The best
wines are the Premier Crus (made from better-sited vineyards covering a quarter
of the appellation) and the Grand Crus (from the seven best vineyards): these
wines typically need some ageing to show their best.
Beaujolais
A pretty region just south of
Burgundy, Beaujolais makes fresh, fruity but sometimes rather simple red wines
from the Gamay grape. The problem is, Beaujolais is horribly unfashionable
these days. It has a 1980s sort of image: un-hip, but not un-hip enough to have
turned the corner to be cool again. The use of a winemaking technique called
carbonic maceration helps to preserve the fruitiness of the wines. There are
three quality levels. First, there's the veritable ocean of AC Beaujolais made
each vintage, most of which comes from the flatter land in the southern part of
the region (about half of total production). Second, there are the Beaujolais
Villages wines, from hillier sites (one-quarter of the wines made). Finally, at
the top of the quality tree come the wines from the ten 'crus': Brouilly,
Chénas, Chiroubles, Côte de Brouilly, Fleurie, Juliénas,
Morgon, Moulin-à-Vent, Regnié and St Amour. These are made from
Gamay grown on particularly favoured slopes, and each has its own appellation
-- the name Beaujolais will often not be found on the label. And from each of
these appellations come a spectrum of styles, from fresh and bright to fairly
serious and ageworthy. Although the image of Beaujolais has been somewhat
devalued by poor quality Beaujolais Nouveau, at their best these are fun,
joy-filled wines for early drinking.
Champagne
Champagne is possibly the world's
most famous wine, and one inextricably associated with celebration. This is the
most northerly wine region in France, and if you manage to track down one of
the few still wines in the region (labelled Coteaux Champenois), you'll realise
what an inspired idea it was to introduce bubbles into these thin, tart, mean
wines by allowing a secondary fermentation to occur in the bottle. Champagne is
usually made from a blend of grapes sourced from different vineyards across
this large region, and the varieties used are predominantly Chardonnay, Pinot
Noir and Pinot Meunier. Although you'd be forgiven for thinking that Champagne
is all about image, once you get away from the often unimpressive inexpensive
Champagnes and sample the vintage-dated examples from quality-minded producers,
you'll see what all the fuss is about. Three quarters of all Champagne sold is
designated as 'non-vintage': this is a blend vintages (predominantly the most
recent) and can vary widely in quality depending on the producer. Champagne
from a single vintage is designated 'vintage', and is produced in lower
quantities and only in the better years, so it is usually much higher quality.
Many Champagne houses also make a prestige cuvée, which is often the
pinnacle of Champagne production both in terms of quality and price: examples
include Dom Pérignon from Moët & Chandon, Belle-Epoque from
Perrier-Jouët and La Grande Dame from Veuve Clicquot. Other terms to look
out for on the label include Blanc de Blancs (made from Chardonnay only) and
Blanc de Noirs (made only from the red grapes Pinot Noir and Pinot
Meunier).
Alsace
Don't be put off
by the shape of the bottle! These may look like German wines, but they taste
noting like them. Alsace, in northwest France, produces some delicious full
flavoured white wines from grape varieties such as Gewürztraminer, Tokay
Pinot Gris, Riesling, Muscat, Pinot Blanc and Sylvaner. Although these wines
aren't cheap, they are generally good value because quality is often high. This
is the only region of France that routinely labels wines by grape
variety.
Rhône: Northern
Rhône
Driving north from Valence? I strongly recommend that you
leave the autoroute and take the N86, which follows the course of the sleepy
Rhône river. There's a continuous swathe of vineyards following the
contours of the hills on the left of the road for some 40 miles, with the
appellations of St Peray, Cornas, St Joseph, Condrieu and Côte
Rôtie merging into each other. Over on the right bank of the river, the
land is flatter and there's just one large hill, that of Hermitage, with the
lower land around it home to Crozes Hermitage. Some of the vineyards here are
spectacular, and the many of the wines no less so. It's predominantly red wine
country, and Syrah is the grape here. Its expression varies both with the
appellation and the producer, reaching different but similarly exalted heights
in Côte Rôtie and Hermitage, with the best examples from Cornas
lagging not far behind. White wines are less common but can be brilliant, with
the peaks coming in the form of Condrieu (from Viognier) and Hermitage
(Rousanne and Marsanne star). Vineyard area of the top appellations is
restricted, and only small quantities of wine are made, making availability a
problem.
Condrieu
A village in the
Northern Rhône, home to one of the world's most distinctive white wines.
Condrieu is made from the super-trendy Viognier grape, and good examples will
show a spicy floral nose and complex flavours of peaches, apricots and pears,
together with a rich texture. Because so little is made, it is always
expensive.
Cornas
A small
appellation in the Northern Rhône of France, the steeply terraced slopes
of Cornas produce inky, rustic, tannic wines from the Syrah (aka Shiraz) grape.
Like much of the Northern Rhône, this is a region undergoing revival,
making an increasing number of seriously good ageworthy wines that, while not
cheap, represent good value for money.
Côte-Rôtie
Happening appellation in
the Northern Rhône, responsible for some of the most enthralling wines to
be made from the Syrah grape. The sun-facing terraces above the Rhône
river produce smoky red wines with great depth and complexity, and an
increasing number of growers who previously sold their grapes are now making
their own wines -- something that's almost always a good thing. These
limited-production wines are never going to be cheap, but for the quality on
offer, they are often very fairly priced.
Crozes Hermitage
This large appellation in the
Northern Rhône of France produces red wines from the Syrah grape and
whites from Marsanne and Roussanne. Quality varies widely depending on both
producer and site, but at the top end the reds sometimes resemble the more
famous (and vastly more expensive) wines of Hermitage.
Hermitage
Appellation in the Northern Rhône
consisting of a single south-facing slope, famous for producing red wines that
are arguably the finest expression of the Syrah (aka Shiraz) grape variety. Red
Hermitage from a good producer is dark, tannic and long-lived, with a
smoky/earthy complexity and inevitably a large price tag. White Hermitage, from
the Marsanne and Roussanne grape varieties, is made in small quantities and is
less well known, but can be very fine.
St
Joseph
This is a large appellation in the Northern Rhône, best
known for its Syrah-based reds. Quality here varies widely, but at their best
these can be attractive, perfumed wines with a smoky/earthy complexity. The
white wines, made from Marsanne and Roussanne can taste a bit odd if you aren't
used to them.
Southern Rhône:
overview
The Southern half of the Rhône region is quite
different from the North. The climate is noticeably warmer, and the vineyards
are predominantly flatter. They also occupy a much larger area. The most famous
appellation is Châteauneuf du Pape, north of the famous papal town
of Avignon. It is best known for its spicy, herby, alcoholic red wines that are
made from a total of thirteen permitted varieties, most significantly Grenache,
Syrah and Mourvèdre. Good examples are substantial wines that repay
cellaring, but there are plenty of dull ones still to be found - none are
cheap. And although people often think of red Châteauneuf as a 'powerful'
wine, it is often quite light in colour when compared with the Syrah-based
wines from the Northern Rhone. Quite similar in style are the wines from
villages such as Gigondas, Rasteau and Vacqueyras. Since
receiving its own 'appellation contrôlée' status in 1971, Gigondas
has proved to be a worthy competitor to its better known neighbour,
Châteauneuf du Pape. Although some white and rosé is made here,
this region is really all about solid, chunky red wines, predominantly from the
Grenache grape but also with a bit of Syrah and Mourvèdre in the blend.
Quality is improving with each vintage, and the best examples reward long
cellaring. Finally, Côtes du Rhone is a generic appellation used
as a catch-all to label the vast amount of largely inexpensive wine made here.
Quality varies dramatically, but most of it is inexpensive but reliable
plonkish red made mainly from the Grenache grape. Some 16 villages are entitled
to use the Côtes du Rhône-Villages appellation: the peppery,
spicy, rustic reds from these communes are often more substantial wines that
represent excellent value for money.
Loire:
overview
This large region in Northern France is a source of diverse
and fascinating wines, and because it is overlooked by most wine lovers, prices
are very reasonable. Reds, mainly from Cabernet Franc, can be an acquired
taste, but the varied styles of white wines from Sauvignon Blanc and Chenin
Blanc are often stunning. Arranged along the course of the Loire river,
starting from the West the region encompasses the appellations Muscadet (bone
dry, acidic whites), Anjou, Coteaux du Layon (sweet Chenin blanc-based whites,
often with botrytis), Samur, Bourgueil (lean, herbaceous reds), Chinon (leafy,
raspberry-laced reds), Vouvray (Chenin Blanc-based whites, ranging from bone
dry to sweet and botrytised), Touraine (racy, inexpensive Sauvignon blanc),
Sancerre (classic bone dry whites from Sauvignon Blanc) and Pouilly-Fumé
(bone dry, aromatic Sauvignon Blanc). There are also a host of smaller
subregions, each making their own styles of wine.
Anjou
A mish-mash Loire appellation, making
inexpensive and largely forgettable reds (from Gamay and Cabernet Franc) and
whites (Chenin Blanc, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc). The better wines of this
region (Coteaux du Layon, Bonnezeaux) have their own
appellations.
Bonnezeaux
The
best vineyard site in the larger Coteaux du Layon appellation in the Loire,
making complex, noble-rotted white wines in a similar style to Sauternes, but
with a different grape (Chenin Blanc).
Chinon
One of the best red wines from the Loire,
made almost exclusively from the Cabernet Franc grape. Good Chinons have bright
raspberry fruit flavours with a delicious leafy edge to the fruit.
Coteaux du Layon Appellation
at the heart of the
Anjou-Samur region of the Loire, making sweet white wines of rather variable
quality from the Chenin Blanc variety. In good vintages the best are often
affected by noble rot (botrytis), and represent super value for money.
Menetou-Salon
Next door to the
better-known appellation of Sancerre in the Loire valley, Menetou-Salon is best
known for its fresh, grassy white wines from the Sauvignon Blanc grape. These
can make worthy but inexpensive alternatives to the more pricey wines of its
neighbour. This appellation also produces some tasty but light red wines from
the Pinot Noir grape.
Montlouis
Small, underrated appellation next door
to Vouvray in the Loire Valley of France, making good value wines from the
Chenin Blanc grape, in a variety of different styles depending on the vintage
conditions.
Muscadet
Large region at
the western end of the Loire making well known but rather neutral bone-dry
white wines from the Melon de Bourgogne grape. Mostly dull and often rather
plonkish. Well, at least it's cheap.
Pouilly
Fumé
Not to be confused with Pouilly-Fuissé
(Chardonnay-based wine from the south of the Burgundy region), Pouilly
Fumé is an appellation in the Loire valley that makes some of the
world's most impressive examples of Sauvignon Blanc. The best examples are
grassy, gooseberry-tinged whites that are full-flavoured yet delicate, but
quality can be pretty variable.
Sancerre
Well known appellation in the Loire
valley of France, best known for its fresh white wines from the Sauvignon Blanc
grape. The best are full flavoured with grassy, gooseberry-tinged fruit, but
many examples are rather acidic and neutral. This region also makes rather
light, tart red wines from the Pinot Noir grape.
Vouvray
Fascinating but horribly untrendy
appellation at the heart of the Touraine district in France's Loire Valley.
Vouvray makes a remarkably diverse range of wines from the Chenin Blanc grape,
which can be dry, sweet, still or fizzy, depending on the vintage conditions
and whim of the producer. The best represent total bargains, but stick to the
estate-bottled wines and avoid inexpensive supermarket versions.
Languedoc
Traditionally the region that made
the largest contribution to the European wine lake, churning out millions of
litres of inexpensive table wine. Over the last couple of decades, things have
begun to change, and many producers have begun to shift their focus from
quantity to quality. The best wines are made from Grenache, Syrah and
Mourvèdre grapes, and sub-regions such as Faugères, Pic St Loup,
Montpeyroux, Minervois, St Chinian and Corbières are leading the field
in terms of quality. The best producers make robust, full-flavoured earthy red
wines that offer good value for money.
Corbières
Large and varied appellation in
the Languedoc, producing mainly red wines, which can offer good value for
money. Traditionally, the rather dull Carignan grape has been the dominant
variety, but increasingly Syrah, Mourvèdre and Grenache are gaining
ground, resulting in ripe, full red wines with a warm, herby
character.
Faugères
Improving appellation in the Langudeoc, now producing some
attractive, inky red wines with an increasing proportion of Syrah in the
blend.
Fitou
While the rest of the
Languedoc has seen a recent revolution in quality, the appellation of Fitou has
been a bit of an underachiever, making rather uninspired, plonkish reds
predominantly from the Carignan grape. With the exception of the quality-minded
Mont Tauch co-operative, the producers here could do better.
Minervois
Predominantly
red wine appellation in the Languedoc region, this is a region on the up.
Quality-minded producers are now making full-on liquorice- and herb-laced red
wines with a lovely soft texture. One to watch.
Roussillon: overview
Often lumped together with
the Languedoc, this is a huge wine region adjoining the Spanish border in the
Southeast of France. As well as the variable but often good value reds of the
Côtes du Roussillon and Côtes du Roussillon Villages, look out for
the excellent fortified red wines of Banyuls, the spicy, concentrated reds of
Collioure and the grapey sweet 'vin doux naturel' fortified white wines of
Rivesaltes.
The Southwest:
Bergerac
Large region in the Dordogne (south-west
France), and just to the west of Bordeaux. Produces mainly inexpensive red
wines for early drinking, with a similar character to cheap
Bordeaux.
Cahors
This appellation in
the Southwest of France produces rather tough, rustic red wines that are made
mainly from the Malbec grape (which is at least 70% of the blend, along with
others such as Merlot and Tannat). Cahors used to be called the 'black wine',
because of its inky colour, but these days many wines are lighter and more
fruity.
Jurançon
An
appellation nestled in the foothills of the Pyrenees in the far Southwest of
France, Jurançon specializes in white wines from the Gros Manseng, Petit
Manseng and Corbu varieties. Two styles are made: a late-harvested sweet wine
and a refreshing, full-flavoured dry white.
Madiran
Appellation in Southwest France well
known for its dark, meaty, tannic red wines, made mainly from the Tannat grape
(this must be at least 40% of the blend), with contributions from the likes of
Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. This is a region on the up: there are
some serious wines now being made from ambitious producers such as Alain
Brumont.
Monbazillac
This
appellation, part of the Bergerac region of Southwest France, produces sweet
white wines from Semillon, Sauvignon Blanc and Muscadelle. They are often
thought of as a cheap and cheerful alternative to Sauternes, but since the mid
1990s quality has been rising, and some of these wines - particularly when they
are affected by noble rot (botrytis) - are pretty impressive in their own
right.
Provence: overview
More
than half of the wines made in Provence are of the pink variety, used to quench
the thirst of multitude of thirsty tourists who descend on the region each
year. While these are mostly forgettable, there's an increasing number of
top-notch red wines being made by a dedicated band of producers caught up in
the winemaking revolution that is sweeping the South of France. Especially good
are the Mourvèdre-based wines of Bandol.
Bandol
A scenic fishing port in Provence which
gives its name to the wines made from grapes grown on the hills surrounding the
town. Reds, predominantly from the excellent Mourvèdre grape, can be
sensationally good (and often are). Expensive but full-flavoured Rosés
and expensive but dull whites are also made here. |
|
|
