FRANCE undoubtedly holds the FIRST PLACE out of all the wine-producing countries of the world. France produces one-fourth of the total wine produced in the world and has an area of 3,000,000 acres for wine production. France has an unending list and range of wines – dry red table wines of Bordeaux, Burgundy and the beefy reds from Rhone, zesty reds from Beaujolais, light fragrant whites from the Loire, dry whites from Burgundy, etc.
The latitude of France is ideal for wine production. The climate varies from cold and northerly (Alsace and Champagne), to marginal Atlantic (Bordeaux), to blisteringly hot (the south).
TERROIR is the single most important aspect that makes French wines very different from the wines of other countries. Terroir is a very vague term that really cannot be translated into English. The term refers to the geology of the soil and the micro and macro climate of the place (vineyard) in which the vines grow.
Factors such as:
* Amount of rainfall
* Amount, intensity, and hours of sunshine
* Frost
* Wind
* Humidity
* Composition of the soil
* Heat retention
* Drainage
* Topography, and so on....
are termed as TERROIR
The Terroir of one vineyard is different from the other.
FRENCH WINE LAWS AND CLASSIFICATION OF FRENCH WINES:
1855 Bordeaux wine classification by Emperor Napoleon III.
Classification is done on the basis of Chateau •
First established in the early 1900s – modified a number of times. •
Appellation Controllé (controlled naming) laws – the name of the wine reveals quality – helps prevent fraud & gives authenticity. The highest-rated wines.
• In 1935 INAO was established.
• INAO – Institut Nationale des Appellation d’Origine des vins et Eau-de-vis
• INAO created the order out of confusion.
• The ground rule for naming a wine is basically geographical - area, grape variety, yield, viticulture, vinification, aging, alcohol content, and a taste test.
GRADATION OF FRENCH WINES
AOC – Appellation d’Origine Controllée
• Highest quality and most prestigious grading for French Wines but produces only 25% of all wines.
VDQS – Vins Délimités de Qualité Supérieure
• Created in 1949 – one notch down from AOC.
• More scopes in choice – grape, yield, etc.
• Taste-test is a must.
• 5% of all wines.
Vin de Pay
• Literally means ‘Country Wines’. Even wider scopes but specific areas.
• Not much export.
Vin de Table
• Bottom-ranked but with certain standards.
• No geographical indication.
• Fully blended. Vin Ordinaire
• Labeled by alcohol content.
• Sometimes cheaper than even mineral water
NEW LAWS INTRODUCED
In 2012, France began the process of adopting the new European Union classification system of wine quality. Rather than the familiar four tiers of quality long used in France, wines now fall into one of three descending quality classifications.
• Appellation d’Origine Protégée (AOP). This classification designates the highest quality of wine (although there is no guarantee). Wines produced in a particular AOP/AOC are subject to strict laws governing, for example, the geographical origin of the grapes, minimum alcohol level, the amount of wine produced per hectare, and methods of production (including the varieties and percentages of grapes used). About 50% of French wines fall into this category. Formerly called Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée (AOC ), a term that is still widely used.
• Indication Geographique Protégée (IGP). These wines are subject to regulations about the geographic origin of the grapes and the amount of wine produced per hectare. This category accounts for about 30% of the production of French wines and quality varies significantly. Formerly called Vin de Pays (VDP). • Vin de France. These wines can be made from grapes grown anywhere in France and, thus, neither the appellation nor the region is specified on the label. About 20% of production falls into this category and quality varies significantly. Formerly called Vin de Table (VDT).
• The Vin Délimité de Qualité Supérieure (VDQS) wine category, which fell between AOC and VDP wines, was dropped; wines that would have fallen in this category were elevated to AOP wines or lowered to IGP wines.
W I N E P R O D U C I N G R E G I O N S
Important wine-producing regions of FRANCE are as follows
* Bordeaux
* Burgundy
* Alsace
* Champagne
* The Rhone Valley
* The Loire Valley
B O R D E A U X
MEDOC- Produces excellent red wines. The communes or villages of Medoc are better known than the district itself and they are as follows:
* Pauillac-- produces great red wines with a superb bouquet. Best known wines are Chateau Lafite, Chateau Mouton-Rothschild, and Chateau Latour
* Saint-Estephe-- Produces fruity and full-bodied red wines. Chateau Cos-dÉstournel, Chateau Calon-Segur, and Chateau Montrose are the most important wines
* Saint-Julien-- Produces wines of greatness with lovely fragrance. The three Leovilles- : Las Cases, Poyferre, and Burton are in this area and the renowned Chateau is Ducru-Beaucaillou
* Margaux-- Produces smooth, elegant, and lighter wine with a fine bouquet. Chateau Margaux, Rausa-Segla, and Lascombes are the most important wines
GRAVES- The name refers to the nature of the soil which is "GRAVELLY". This district is well known for its dry white wines, it also makes some excellent red wines. CHATEAU HAUT-BRION, the red wine which was included in the 1855 classification comes from GRAVES.
SAINT_EMILLION- produces rich red wines which are also called Burgundies of Bordeaux. Chateau Cheval-Blanc and Chateau Ausone are the famous reds
POMEROL- Red wines are full-bodied with a good bouquet. Chateau Petrus is a leading red wine. Fronsac, Bourg, and Blaye districts produce robust red and white wines.
SAUTERNES- It is the best white wine in Bordeaux. It produces sweet white wine of remarkable quality. The vineyards of this region are graded into 3- First Great Growths, First Growths and Second Growths. Chateau DÝquem is the First Great Growth.
The wines of Sauternes are one of the greatest sweet wines in the world. In autumn, grapes are left on the vines after the normal harvest dates, and if the weather is humid but sunny, they will be attacked by a beneficial fungus called "Botrytis Cineria" also termed as "Noble Rot".
Wine made from such grapes turns out to be a very sweet wine. The term is mentioned on the label.
CERONS- The area lies between Sauternes and Graves, on the South bank of the Garonne River. It produces sweet as well as dry wines.
Sainte-Croix-du-Mont- Situated on the North bank of Garonne River and makes sweet wines.
LOUPIAC- Produces white wines
ENTRE-DEUX-MERS- It produces dry and medium-dry white wine.
GRAVES de VAYRES- Produces quality white wines.
