Wine regions of france

Wine regions of france

Wine quality pyramid

Kimmeridgian chalk

alsaceOnly AOP in France allowed to designate its wines by varietalTop ranked vineyards have Alsace grand cru statusCremant dAlsace is a separate AOP for sparkling wine20% of regions productionSelection de grains noblesSweet sauternes-style wines from noble rotVendange tardiveLate harvested grapesMay or may not have been affected by noble rot

alsace8 grape varieties allowedAuxerroisChasselasGewurztraminerMuscatPinot grisPinot noirRieslingsylvaner

Loire valley

Loire Valley - GrapesNantais (Muscadet)Light, crisp white wineAnjou-SaumurCabernet Franc, Cabernet SauvignonGamay (Anjou-Gamay)Chenin Blanc (Saviennieres)TouraineChenin blanc (vouvray, montlouis-sur-loire)Cabernet franc, cabernet sauvignon (chinon, bourgueil)Sauvignon blancSancerre & Pouilly FumeSauvignon blanc

Bourgogne

bourgogne

Bourgogne - GrapesPinot noirChardonnayAligotegamay

Bourgogne flavor profileChablisCrisp acidity, flinty, stony characterCote dorRegions bestWhites rich and complexReds full, structured, age-worthyCote chalonnaiseLighter and simpler than cote dor, more versatileMaconnaisMostly whites, crisp, use of oak

Bourgogne Aop classification

Bourgogne producersMore important to know the producers Producers of noteMaison Louis JadotLouis latourDomaine faiveleyMaison joseph drouhinLa chablisienneWilliam fevre

bordeauxGaronne and Dordogne rivers meet to form the Gironde Left Bank & Right BankEntre-deux-mers lies in the middleRed, white (dry, Sweet)BotrytisMainly affects Semillon grapesWarm, moist conditions warm, dry conditions

Bordeaux Left bankLeft bank regions of noteMedocHaut medocSt. EstephePauillacSt. JulienMargauxGravesPessac-leognanSauternes, barsac, cerons

Bordeaux right bankRight bank regions of noteSt. Emilionpomerol

Rhone valley32 mile gap divides the north and south95% of the Rhones total production is in the southAOC/AOP was born in the Rhone with the intro to quality regulations in Cdp in 1923

Northern rhoneSyrahViognier, marsanne, roussanneMajor wine-growing regionsCote rotie syrah, may have a bit of viognier blended in (up to 20%)Condrieu viognierSt Joseph syrah (can have up to 10% marsanne, Roussanne)Crozes-hermitage (largest AoP) - syrah (can have up to 10% marsanne, Roussanne)Hermitage syrah (can have up to 15% marsanne, Roussanne)

Southern rhoneCotes du rhone 95% red wine aopCote du rhone-villagesCommunes within the aopHigher production standards than cotes du rhone aocProduces 99% red wineChateauneuf-du-pape95% redGigondasVacqueyrasTavelroseSweet winesMuscat beaumes-de-veniserasteau

provence

Rose!!!

provenceLocated between southern rhone valley & the Italian borderAppellations of noteCoteaux daix-en-provenceCotes de provenceBandolCassisGrapesMourvedre, syrah, cinsault, Grenache, carignanClairette, bourboulenc, ugni blanc, rolle

provenceRose de presseDirect pressRose de saigneeBleeding method

Languedoc-rousillonWorlds largest vineyard area over 700,000 acresMediterranean climateSummer temps 85+May-august, drought is common

Languedoc-rousillonPrimary grape varietiesCarignanGrenacheSyrahMerlotCabernet sauvignon

ChardonnaySauvignon blancMuscatGrenache blancmauzac

CorbieresLanguedocFitouMinervoisSt. ChinianCotes du RousillonBanyulsRivesaltesMauryMuscat de FrontignanMuscat de RivesaltesMuscat de LunelBlanquette de LimouxCremant de Limoux