There is hardly an area of France where vines are not grown. Why not take a tour of some of the most famous vineyards? We’ll start with a discussion of the major wine regions, and then head to the great vineyards of Burgundy, as good a place as any to start.
If you’ve had a glass of wine in the last decade, or at least watched an old black and white movie with rich people, you’ve likely heard the names of at least three of France’s great wine regions: Burgundy, Champagne. , and Bordeaux. There are also other regions to consider when driving through France. Here are some highlights:
- Burgundy – Many of the vines here have been cultivated by monks since at least the 500s. The names of religious orders became the names of some of France’s most famous wines: Chambertin, Santenay, Pommard, Meursault. You will be surprised how small the great vineyards are if you decide to walk through them. Each property is made up of many small, disconnected parcels of land. 3,500 properties are responsible for two-thirds of the 24,000 hectares of vineyards planted. You can visit Burgundy by train. We suggest staying in Beaune for the small town experience, or Dijon if you prefer a larger town.
- Champagne: Less than 200 km northeast of Paris (a long day trip) the Champagne region begins. Think of Veuve Clicquot, Moët et Chandon, Ruinart, Krug, Pommery, Dom Pérignon. Originally the wines of this region were not sparkling. Dom Pérignon started it all by realizing that it was carbon dioxide that was making the bubbles and he could put it to good use by bottling the wine before it was fully fermented.
- Bordeaux: the largest wine region in France. Think of Petrus, Yquem, Cheval-Blanc, Mouton Rothschild, Château-Margaux, Haut-Brion. Mainly red composed of a mixture of red grapes. But there are also the sweet sauternes from Yquem that pair surprisingly well with foie gras .
- Alsace – Mostly white wines produced near picturesque villages on the northeastern edge of France. Twelve different grape varieties are grown in Alsace: gewürztraminer, riesling, pinot gris (or tokay; the current common name is tokay-pinot gris), small-fruited white and pink muscat, muscat otonel, pinot blanc, white auxerrois, pinot noir , white sylvaner, white and pink chasselas, klevener d’Heiligenstein (or pink savagnin) and chardonnay.
- Loire: a diverse region where you will find my favorite version of Savignon Blanc: Sancerre. And there are also reds, try a Chinon.
- The Rhone Valley: home to many of France’s lesser-known but noble wines, including my favorite white Tournon sur Rhone, as well as the whites and reds from the Coasts of the Rhone.
- Cognac Country: The Romans started the production of wine in Cognac, but in the 16th century everything changed when they began to distill it to transport it more easily on ships. The Dutch called it ” brandewijn ” for “burnt wine” and with a second distillation and some barrel aging, Cognac was born.
When to visit
April or May is good, as is the harvest time from mid to late September, there are generally harvest festivals around this time.
Wine tasting
Look for signs that say ” tasting ” for the tasting. » En vente directe» means that they have direct sales and » vin a ’emporter » means that they sell wine for you to take with you.
Many villages in the wine country have tasting rooms within the village, sometimes representing more than one winery. There may or may not be a small tasting fee at these locations, but remember that a fee can alleviate the ominous hard-selling tactics used by some organizations and wineries.
You will need a car (or at least a bicycle) to get to most of the wineries. Tours of the facility or meetings with the winemaker are more of a hassle – you may need to contact the credentialed winery to speak to the winemaker or get a tour.
Guided tours: pros and cons
Although most wine tours are quite expensive, they offer several advantages: you will get access to wineries and winemakers who may not have credentials, you will get translations of talks and tasting notes, you will not have to drive around looking for tasting signs. (or drive at all). On the other hand, if you are just looking to integrate a small wine tasting into your overall vacation, a detour to a wine country can be a great pleasure and will greatly increase your chances of seeing breathtaking views alongside stately villages where people have enjoyed great wines and foods for centuries.
It is not an advantage of dealing with a product that is always in high demand!
