Wine Area in France

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(Free-Press-Release.com) July 8, 2006 --

French wines lead the world in quality. The area adjacent to the port of Bordeaux is the home of the widely planted "noble" vine, the Cabernet Sauvignon, which, with other related varieties, principally Cabernet Franc and Merlot, produces such famous red wines as the ch�teaux Lafite-Rothschild, Latour, Margaux, and Mouton-Rothschild in the M�doc district; Haut-Brion from the Graves; Cheval-Blanc and Ausone in Saint Emilion; and Petrus in Pomerol. Equally renowned is Ch�teau d'Yquem, a luscious white wine produced in Sauternes from Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon grapes. A large number of other ch�teaux produce a vast quantity of red and white wine of middle and lesser quality.

Burgundy is a smaller region but produces many famous wines from two related grape varieties: Pinot Noir for reds and Chardonnay for whites. The best reds come from the C�te d'Or, a narrow strip of hilly land that follows the course of the Sa�ne River and extends roughly from Dijon for 60 km (37 mi) south to Chagny, a town 20 km (12 mi) to the south of Beaune, the municipal heart of the Burgundian wine trade. The C�te d'Or is traditionally divided between the stronger, heartier red wines of the C�te de Nuits, such as Gevrey-Chambertin, Chambolle-Musigny, Vosne-Roman�e, and Nuits-Saint-Georges, and the more delicate reds of the C�te de Beaune, such as Beaune, Pommard, and Volnay. Of equal standing are the dry white Burgundies: Chablis from the north; and Corton-Charlemagne, the Montrachets, and the Meursaults from the southern part of the C�te d'Or. Southern Burgundy has extensive vineyards producing good red wines of lesser quality: Macon Rouge, Mercurey, and Beaujolais from the Gamay grape, plus dry whites, including the currently popular and overpriced Pouilly-Fuiss�.

The Champagne region in northern France produces indisputably the best sparkling wine in the world. Other good sparkling wines are produced in the Loire, Burgundy, and Savoie. The Rh�ne valley produces excellent full-bodied reds such as Ch�teauneuf-du-Pape, C�te Rotie, and Hermitage; rare and subtle whites such as Condrieu and Ch�teau Grillet; and the most renowned ros�, Tavel. Alsace, in the Rhine valley to the east, produces consistently good quality white wines named for the grape variety: Riesling, Gewurztraminer, Muscat, Sylvaner, and others. The Loire valley, in west central France, produces excellent, light, and refreshing white wines such as Sancerre and Muscadet; the well-known ros� d'Anjou; and the minor reds Chinon and Bourgeuil. The Midi and Provence regions in the south of France produce a great deal of ordinary wine, as well as some aperitif and dessert wines and popular ros�s.

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