France © 2007 Thomson Delmar Learning. All Rights Reserved. Chapter 5

France

© 2007 Thomson Delmar Learning. All Rights Reserved.

Chapter 5


Objectives

• After reading this chapter, you should be able to– discuss the grapes, regulations, and wine styles of the

six major wine regions of France.– list the subdistricts (the appellations) of each major

region in France and describe the climate and topographic differences among regions.

– describe the concept of terroir and why it is crucial to comprehending French wines.

– explain the French system of Appellation Contrôlée laws, as well as the heritage, history, and philosophy behind the evolution of this system, what it accomplishes, and how it may affect the future of French wines in the international marketplace.


Introduction

• Even though many other countries around the world are producing excellent wines, and even though some countries in Europe have winemaking traditions that go back as far in time as does France’s, no country can claim to produce world-class wines in so many categories.

• Only 3 percent of all wine consumed in France is imported.


Introduction (continued)

• In addition to producing great wines in every category, France is also the original home to most of the “noble varietals.” – Of the 12 most important noble varietals,

8 are indigenous to France:• Chardonnay, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, and

Chenin Blanc for whites• Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Noir, and

Syrah for reds


Introduction (continued)

• Another French important initiative was in the creation of a system of laws to control viticultural practices and winemaking.– One of the goals of these laws is to protect

the geographic names of the places of origin of specific wines.

– This is important as French wines are named for the region where the grapes were grown.

– This geographic designation of origin is called the appellation of the wine.


French Wine—A Historical Perspective

• The history of wine production in France is inextricably intertwined with the politics and sociological development of the country. – Grapes were established in the southern part of

Gaul (now called France) by Greeks as early as 600 BC.

– As the Romans colonized the country, the planting of grapes and the production of wine spread north.

– Barbarians invaded Gaul and caused the collapse of the Roman Empire by AD 400.

– During this time, it was the Christian monasteries that kept winemaking alive.


French Wine—A Historical Perspective (continued)

• Charlemagne brought stability to Gaul during his reign which began in AD 768. – He introduced the first laws on wine production. – In 1152 Eleanor of Aquitaine married Henri of

Anjou. An important trade alliance was established when Henri ascended the English throne as King Henry II.

– English entrepreneurs came to France, especially to Bordeaux, and played a crucial role in the building of the wine trade.


• After the French Revolution (1789–1791) and the rise of Napoleon, the church and the aristocracy lost a great deal of their power. – Land was taken by the government and

given to the farmers. – The production and exporting of French

wines, especially Bordeaux, continued to increase until the root louse phylloxera invaded French vineyards in the late 1880s.



• Phylloxera spread rapidly through French vineyards, and over the Pyrenees into the Iberian Peninsula, and eventually across the Alps into Northern Italian vineyards. – The solution was to find phylloxera-resistant

rootstocks on which the classic varietals could be grafted.

– Phylloxera-resistant rootstocks bred from native American vines are now throughout Europe.



Terroir

• The concept of terroir is critical to understanding the very foundation of French wines. – In the context of wines, the definition of terroir is

the unique and distinctive character a specific wine will exhibit due to the fact that it was grown in a specific vineyard.

– The term terroir encompasses the entire physical environment in which the grapes were grown.

– What the French care about more than anything else in their wine is that it reflect the terroir of its region, that it be typical of that region, and that it be authentic.


Appellation Contrôlée Laws

• As French wine production recovered after the setback of phylloxera, a new, man-made problem arose: fraud. – As certain regions became popular, their wines

became more valuable. – Once a price for a certain wine rose, some wine

merchants could not resist the temptation to increase the supply through fraud.

– Unscrupulous producers would simply attach a region’s name in order to get a higher price.

– Or producers within a famous region expanded production by buying grapes grown elsewhere.


Appellation Contrôlée Laws (continued)

• The need for government intervention to protect the authenticity of geographic names of origin became evident as early as the late 1890s. – Fraud proceeded to become so widespread in France

that some place names on bottles became essentially meaningless.

– The problem was particularly evident in the Champagne region. It has been estimated that by 1911, the Champagne houses were selling at least 11,000,000 more bottles of wine than their region produced.



• The grape growers rioted to protest the practice of the large Champagne producers buying grapes outside the region to expand production. – The government immediately passed legislation

defining the boundaries of the Champagne region and decreed that the valuable name “Champagne” on a label could be used only if all grapes used in the production were grown inside those boundaries.

– This was the first step towards a system that guarantees the authenticity of specific geographic locations.



• In the early 1900s there were similar protests by growers in Burgundy and the Rhône Valley– Finally, in 1935, the French government passed

legislation creating the Institut National des Appellations d’Origine des Vins et des Eaux-de-Vie (INAO).

– The INAO, working with local growers, established appellation boundaries and codification of grape-growing and winemaking practices appropriate to each area.

– The system has continued to evolve and is continually under review. It is not static.



• All wine regions of France are classified into one of four levels of quality.

• In ascending order of quality, the four levels are: – vin de table (table wine)– vin de pays (country wine)– vin delimité de qualité supérieure or VDQS

(quality wines from a limited area)– appellation d’origine contrôlée or AOC (higher-

quality wines from one of the better limited areas of production)


Vin de Table or Vin Ordinaire

• These can be made from grapes grown anywhere in France.– There are no limits on yield and no

specifications on varietals. – Wine that is fermented purely for the

purpose of being distilled into spirits fits into this category.


Vin de Table or Vin Ordinaire (continued)

• The European Commission is putting pressure on France to decrease the amount of acreage dedicated to this level of wine, as the glut of bulk wine and wine grapes causes prices to fall.


Vins de Pays

• Higher yields and a higher percentage of nonindigenous grapes are allowed at this level.– Since 1979, wines at this level have

been permitted to be labeled by varietal.

– Today approximately 25 percent of French wine is designated as vin de pays.


Vins de Pays (continued)

• Vin de pays regions can fall within three different types:1. Regional: These are three very large areas.2. Departmental: This covers an entire

départment, the French equivalent of an American state.

3. Zonal: This is the smallest, often just one district or even one town. There are over

100 zonal vin de pays regions.


Vin Delimité de Qualité Supérieure

• Begun in 1949, these wines are also produced according to INAO guidelines, and producers are supervised by the local bureau. – Standards are not as strict nor as

numerous as at the AOC level. – Producers in these regions often aspire to

have their area elevated to AOC status. – At this time, only about 1 percent of

French wines are designated VDQS.


Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée

• In order to label with an AOC region, a wine must meet very specific criteria: – The wine must be made 100 percent from

grapes approved for that appellation.– The grapes must have all been grown

within a limited area of production. • Some AOC wines are further rated by the

authorities as “Grand Cru” or “Premier Cru” or some comparable term indicating high quality.


Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée (continued)

• To be an AOC wine: – The grapes must be harvested above a

minimal level of ripeness specified for that appellation.

– The amount of grapes harvested must not exceed a certain amount per hectare.

– The regulations of production methods are set for the vineyard and winery.


• To be an AOC wine:– The wine must be bottled in the same

region as the appellation.– The wine must pass a tasting test by

the local branch of the INAO.

• Presently over one-third of the wine produced in France is designated as Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée.

Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée (continued)


Appellation Contrôlée Laws

• The French system of wine laws is one of the most comprehensive and strict in the world.

• These laws guarantee the authenticity of wine names and thus protect the prestige of the finest wine appellations.

• However, despite its strengths, the system does have its weaknesses, the worst being that in some applications, the system protects the grower and producer more than it does the consumer.



• The tasting and analysis of AOC and VDQS wines should be done with an eye to quality, not just to typicality.

• Yields: As the law now stands, if a grower exceeds the allowable yield only the amount by which he exceeds the limit is downgraded. Logically, the entire crop should be downgraded.

• The requirements for the use of phrases like mise en bouteille à propriété (estate bottled) need to be made stricter so as not to mislead the consumer.


Bordeaux

• Bordeaux is one of the world’s largest and most diverse wine-producing regions. – There are almost 304,000 acres under vine, and

annual production is over 660 million bottles of wine.

– Fully 22 percent of France’s total AOC production is from Bordeaux.

– Bordeaux is a city and a wine region. – The city of Bordeaux, eighth largest in France, is

the capital of the département of Gironde, the largest of France’s 95 départements.


Bordeaux (continued)

• The region has large, self-sufficient estates in which the vineyards, the winemaking facilities, and often the owner’s house are all located together in close proximity. – The late seventeenth and early eighteenth

centuries were the period in which many of the great estates developed as exports in wine increased.

– Production of wine in Bordeaux was set way back by the infestation of phylloxera as well as downy mildew in the late nineteenth century.


Bordeaux (continued)

• The first half of the twentieth century saw an unprecedented string of man-made disasters: The First World War, the Great Depression, Prohibition in the United States, and, of course, the Second World War.

• In the second half of the twentieth century, the Bordeaux wine trade grew and strengthened.

• A rising standard of living throughout the Western world and an increasing appreciation for wine in the United States has widened the consumer base for Bordeaux’s wines.


The Soil and Climate of Bordeaux

• The département of Gironde is located on the west coast of France, on the Atlantic Ocean.

• Exactly halfway between the North Pole and the Equator, extending about 65 miles from north to south and 80 miles from east to west, the Gironde is spared any temperature extremes.


Bordeaux

• In Bordeaux, the grape varietals allowed by AOC laws are as follows:– Red: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet

Franc, Malbec, Petit Verdot, and Carmenère – White: Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, and

Muscadelle– For regional white wines, up to 30 percent

of lesser grapes such as Colombard, Merlot Blanc, and Ugni Blanc is allowed.


Bordeaux

• In Bordeaux, red varietals take up 89 percent of total acreage, and Merlot is the most widely planted red varietal with 162,000 acres as opposed to 70,000 acres for Cabernet Sauvignon and 32,110 for the third most important grape, Cabernet Franc. – The other red varietals can contribute

characteristics to the final blend: Carmenére adds deep color; Malbec adds additional body; Petit Verdot tends to be higher in acidity.


Bordeaux

• For the high-quality dry white grapes, Sauvignon Blanc is the most important. However, the most widely planted white grape is Semillon (18,387 versus 11,367 acres for Sauvignon Blanc). Muscadelle is third with 2,341 acres.


The Classifications of Bordeaux Estates

• The most famous rating was The Classification of 1855 for the wine-producing estates of the Haut-Médoc.

• There were already several informal rankings of Bordeaux’s chateaux.

• Moreover, the market reflected the comparative worth of different estates’ wines by the price consumers were willing to pay.


The Classifications of Bordeaux Estates (continued)

• The merchants (also called brokers or négoçiants) proceeded to formalize the ranking that they, and the open market, had been using for Bordeaux’s wines. – The brokers were able to divide the top

Médoc estates into five tiers of quality. – It remains the official ranking to this day,

with only one change.


• In the top tier, called first growth or premier cru, there were only three Médoc estates, Lafite, Latour, and Margaux, as well as one in the Graves region Château Haut-Brion.

• In 1973, Château Mouton-Rothschild was elevated from second growth to first growth. – An additional 56 estates from the Médoc were

rated at deuxième cru or second growth, and on down to cinquième cru or fifth growth.



• In 1855, brokers also classified the estates of Bordeaux that produced the sweet white wines. – They ranked these estates into two classes, based

on market demand, price, and quality. These estates are all within the appellations of Sauternes and Barsac.

• The wine-producing estates of the Graves region were not officially classified until 1953 for the red wines and 1959 for the white wines.



• The estates of St. Émilion were first classified officially in 1955.– In an effort to ensure that their ranking be

always current there are periodic reassessments of the classification.

• The estates of Pomerol have never been officially classified. However, the best wines from this region rank among the world’s best red wines.



The Regions of Bordeaux

• The five regions of Bordeaux that produce champion wines are: the Haut-Médoc, Graves, Sauternes/Barsac, St. Émilion, and Pomerol.– There are several other Appellation

d’Origine Contrôlée districts that produce admirable wines as well.


The Wine Regions of Bordeaux:The Médoc

• The landscape is not particularly spectacular. It is a bit flat, actually, and in the southern portions, there are signs of urban sprawl. – Some of the châteaux are really simple

country homes. – Some are large, beautiful mansions

(Gruard-LaRose). – There are even former priories (Chateau

Meyney).


The Wine Regions of Bordeaux:The Haut-Médoc

• Most of the very best of Bordeaux’s wines come from famous estates in the lower two-thirds of the Médoc peninsula. This subregion is known as the Haut-Médoc.– Throughout the Haut-Médoc there is a good

balance between water stored in the soil and the depth of roots.

– Factors of soil content and microclimate are diverse within the Haut-Médoc.

– Wines from the southern communes are softer, richer, and more accessible than the more tannic and restrained wines from further up the peninsula.


The Wine Regions of Bordeaux: The Haut-Médoc (continued)

• There are twenty-nine communes (towns or villages) and a total of 25,000 acres of vineyards within the Haut-Médoc.

• The greatest estates have been classified, that is, officially rated as superior. Most of these classified estates are located within the boundaries of four villages: Margaux, St. Julien, Pauillac, and St. Estèphe. Each of these towns is a separate appellation.


The Wine Regions of Bordeaux: Graves

• Unlike the appellations Médoc and Haut-Médoc, which can be applied only to red wine, the appellation Graves is applicable to both reds and whites. – This large area runs about 34 miles along

the southern edge of the Garonne River (one of the two tributaries to the Gironde).

– Graves’ 8,255 acres of vineyards are 55 percent red wine grapes, 45 percent white wine grapes.


The Wine Regions of Bordeaux: Graves (continued)

• The dry whites of Graves can be among the most elegant, complex, and food-friendly wines based on the Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon grape.

• The best red wines of the Graves region are velvety smooth and full of ripe berry flavors. The leading estates plant anywhere from 25 to 40 percent Merlot and 50 to 65 percent Cabernet Sauvignon, with the balance being the three lesser varietals (Cabernet Franc, Malbec, and Petit Verdot).


• The soil of the Graves region is different than in other parts of Bordeaux. The region gets its name from the gravelly, pebble-strewn soil. – This top level of gravel allows for excellent

drainage, as well as heat retention that helps the grapes to ripen fully. The gravel sits on base soils of sand and clay.

– The finest vineyards in Graves are in the communes of Pessac and Léognan, in the northern section that produces both excellent reds and whites.



• In the southern part of Graves, almost 45 percent of the wine produced is white.– The predominant white grape here is

the Semillon, at some estates taking as much as 70 percent of the acreage.



The Wine Regions of Bordeaux: Sauternes

• The appellation of Sauternes is restricted to sweet white wines. The appellation actually encompasses five villages: Sauternes, Bommes, Fargues, Preignac, and Barsac.– The latter, Barsac, is an appellation in its

own right, and can be sold either as Barsac or as Sauternes. The communes lie on the south bank of the Garonne River, in the southern part of Graves.


The Wine Regions of Bordeaux:

Sauternes (continued)

• The wines from Sauternes and Barsac, which by law must be botrytized, are widely regarded as some of the best dessert wines in the world. – The appellations of Sauternes and Barsac

contain less than 5,500 acres of vines. The grapes planted are Semillon, Sauvignon Blanc, and Muscadelle.

– The climate here is perfect for the botrytis fungus, as the air is very damp.



The Right Bank

• The soils on the Right Bank are quite different from those in the Médoc, tending more towards clay and limestone. In this soil base, Merlot is the predominate grape.

• The second most widely planted varietal is Cabernet Franc.

• Cabernet Sauvignon, which excels in the gravelly soils of the Médoc, does not do well in the clay/limestone combination.



St. Émilion

• Wine was made in the village of St. Émilion during Gallo-Roman times.– There are few grand châteaux around St. Émilion.

Rather this is an area of small properties.– St. Émilion is one of the most compact and densely

planted appellations in France with close to 13,000 acres of vineyards.

– The vineyards are planted primarily to Merlot, which ripens earlier than Cabernet Sauvignon.

– The wines of St. Émilion are softer, more fruit-forward than wines of the Médoc.


The Wine Regions of Bordeaux:Pomerol

• Pomerol is a much smaller grape-growing region than its neighbor St. Émilion, having only 1,900 acres of vines. – Fully three-quarters of the vineyards in Pomerol

are planted to Merlot. – The soils are a mixture of sand, clay, and gravel

over a base of either sedimentary rock or iron. – Even though the wines of Pomerol have never

been officially rated, their reputation is excellent.– The star of Pomerol is Château Pétrus, considered

one of the best Merlot-based wines made anywhere.


Burgundy

• Burgundy is much smaller than Bordeaux, producing only half as much wine.– In Bordeaux, the wine-producing estates grow

their own grapes, have the winemaking facility and aging caves on the property, and market the wines under their own name.

– In Burgundy, each village will have its own appellation, and the vineyards within that village may each have their own individual appellations. Those vineyards, although very small, may also have several owners.


Burgundy (continued)

• In Burgundy, winemaking facilities are located in the towns, away from the vineyards.– The name under which a wine is marketed may be

that of a merchant or négoçiant, who is not connected to the vineyards.

– The plethora of appellations and maze of ownership along with négoçiant labels do indeed make Burgundy difficult to comprehend.

– In the past few decades, moderately priced wines of good quality are being produced in Burgundy.



• The history of wine production in Burgundy precedes the Roman Empire. – There is clear evidence that viticulture was well

established here by the second century AD. – Over the next thousand years, Burgundy

evolved first into an independent kingdom that lasted until the early eighth century.

– The most important factor in the development of the winemaking of the region was the Catholic Church.



• During the Middle Ages, as its landholdings increased, the Church played a crucial role in perfecting techniques of viticulture and wine making. – The Cistercian order, in the northern part of

Burgundy, did extensive systematic research into the relationship among grape varietal, soil and climate conditions, and the wine that resulted.

– These monks were among the very first to investigate and define the concept of terroir. From their meticulous work evolved the idea of crus.



• After the Napoleonic Wars came to an end in 1815, economic and political conditions stabilized and wine production in Burgundy expanded. – With the rise of the bourgeoisie, France’s middle

class, a new market for Burgundy’s wines opened up.

– Attention to quality and authenticity was not always maintained.

– Vintners and négoçiants could expand production by blending in juice from grapes grown in inferior vineyards outside of Burgundy.



• The passage in 1935 of the Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée laws eliminated the worst of the fraud and gave protection to the place names within Burgundy.

• The AOC laws also established standards of viticulture and winemaking, thus increasing the overall quality.

• Furthermore, since the 1980s, there has been a trend away from the pattern of small growers selling their grapes to négoçiants, and instead the number of proprietaire labels has increased.


The Classification System of Burgundy

• When learning to decipher Burgundy’s classification system, it is helpful to think in terms of concentric circles. There are five levels.– In the case of Burgundy, the outermost

concentric circle is the general appellation, Burgundy. The label will say simply “Bourgogne Rouge” or “Bourgogne Blanc.”

– Grapes for this level of wine may be grown anywhere within the region of Burgundy.

– Burgundy is a small region with 98,000 acres under vines, and the grapes used have to be the approved varietals of Pinot Noir for reds and Chardonnay for whites.


The Classification System of Burgundy(continued)

• The classifications continue in decreasing order of size:– Regional appellation. For these wines,

the grapes must all be grown within a specific subregion of Burgundy.

– Commune appellation. A commune is a village or town. All the grapes used in a wine labeled with the name of a specific commune must come from vineyards located within its boundaries.


• The classifications continue in decreasing order of size:– Premier cru appellation (“first growth

designation”). The label for premier cru wines will show both the name of the vineyards and the name of the commune in which it is located.

– The grand cru appellation (“great growth designation”). The grand cru vineyards have been rated by the authorities as the very best.

The Classification System of Burgundy(continued)


The Wine Regions of Burgundy

• Burgundy is divided into six main regions.• They are: Chablis, the Côte d’Or (Côte de

Nuits and Côte de Beaune), the Côte Chalonnaise, the Mâconnais, and Beaujolais. – Chablis lies geographically separate from the rest

of Burgundy, some 81 miles to the northwest. – The remaining regions are spread in a contiguous

line from the city of Dijon in the north to the city of Lyon in the south.


The Wine Regions of Burgundy: Chablis

• Chablis is an appellation restricted to dry white wine. – These are among the driest and most elegant

wines made from the Chardonnay grape. – The climate here is cool enough that the

grapes maintain an excellent crisp acidity. – Chablis is a fairly small region, with less than

7,000 acres under vines. The soil throughout Chablis is uniform. It is a unique and unusual mix of chalky limestone and clay.


The Wine Regions of Burgundy: Côte d’Or

• Burgundy’s Côte d’Or (Golden Slope) is widely regarded as one of the world’s best areas for growing cool-climate grapes. – The area is only about 30 miles long and

under 2.5 miles at its widest. – Elevation is between 720 and 1,000 feet. – The hills protect the vineyards from excessive

rain, and provide south and east facing slopes that catch more sunlight.


The Wine Regions of Burgundy:

Côte de Nuits

• The Côte de Nuits starts in the north with the village of Marsannay, just south of the city of Dijon and continues for 14 miles.

• There are small quantities of rosé and white wines made here, but the Côte de Nuits is famous for its world-class reds.

• The important communes of the Côte de Nuits, going from north to south are Marsannay, Gevrey-Chambertin, Morey-St.-Denis, Chambolle-Musigny, Vougeot, Vosne-Romanée, and Nuits-St.-George.



Côte de Beaune

• The Côte de Beaune is famous for its whites, and all the Grand Cru vineyards are white except one. However, three-quarters of the production is red wine. – The Côte de Beaune is more than twice the size of

the Côte de Nuits, stretching some 71 miles from north to south. The hills here have more gentle slopes and face mostly southeast.

– Many villages also have their own appellation, but when grapes from two or more are blended together, the only appellation allowed is Côte de Beaune-Villages.



Côte de Beaune (continued)

• There are sixteen villages included in the Côte de Beaune appellation, including:– Aloxe-Corton– Savigny-lès-Beaune– Beaune– Pommard– Volnay– St. Aubin– Santenay



Côte Chalonnaise

• The region is named for the town of Chalône on the Saône River.– The vineyards are planted on hillsides a little

east of the Côte de Beaune. – The soil on these hills is similar to the soils of

the southern communes of the Côte de Beaune with a mixture of gravel and limestone.

– The wines of the Chalonnaise lack the reputation of those in the Côte d’Or, but they can be appealing and have excellent value.



Côte Chalonnaise (continued)

• In the Côtes Chalonnaise, there are four commune appellations of particular importance. Moving from north to south these villages are:– Rully– Mercurey– Givry– Montagny


The Wine Regions of Burgundy: Mâconnais

• The Mâconnais region, surrounding the small town of Mâcon, marks the transition, climatically and geologically, from northern France to its southern sections. – Although winters can be very cold and spring

chilly enough that frost can be a concern, the summers are warm.

– The majority of Mâconnais wines are white. They are primarily Chardonnay, but another grape, Aligoté, is also allowed.

– Red wines, which represent only about 15 percent of production, are made either from Pinot Noir or Gamay.



Mâconnais (continued)

• Grapes grown in any of 43 villages can be blended together to make Mâcon-Villages. If a wine is made exclusively from grapes grown in one village, the label can show that village’s name.– The two most important villages are:

Pouilly-Fuissé and Saint Véran


The Wine Regions of Burgundy: Beaujolais

• Beaujolais is a subdistrict of Burgundy; however, there are many differences. – The climate and soil are different; it is in a

different départment than the rest of Burgundy; the primary grape is Gamay instead of Pinot Noir.

• Beaujolais is one of the most popular red wines in many countries around the world. Beaujolais has 49,540 acres of vines.

• As much as 50 percent of a Beaujolais producer’s wine is released as Beaujolais Nouveau, a very light, simple wine that is released by mid-November.


Côtes-du-Rhône

• The region along the Rhône River in southern France is an ancient wine-producing area.– The valley of the Rhône extends from the city of

Lyon in the north where it is joined by the River Saône, and extends south for approximately 120 miles to the city of Avignon.

– For much of the length of the river the valley is heavily industrialized.

– Along the northern section lies rolling agricultural land, and in southern sections, ascending the slopes (the “côtes”) reveals rugged dry open spaces. This is where the vineyards are located.


Côtes-du-Rhône (continued)

• Although introduced by the Greeks, viticulture did not take hold in the Rhône until the early Christian period. – After the decline of the Roman Empire,

winemaking essentially disappeared, until 1309, when Bertrand the Goth was elected Pope Clement V.

– The new Pope established his papacy in Avignon and planted grape vines. His successor, Pope John XXII, continued to hold court in Avignon.

– Pope John’s large and beautiful new castle, that is, le Chateauneuf-du-Pape, lent its name to the surrounding vineyards and is one of the premier wine regions of the Rhône.



• The Rhône is separated into two regions, the Northern Rhône and the Southern Rhône. – The entire region is warm and dry. But the North is

definitely cooler, and the vineyards here cling to the stony soil of steep hillsides.

– The narrow northern section extends from Lyon to the village of Valence, a distance of about 45 miles.

– The southern section begins south of the town of Montélimar and continues on south of Avignon.

– Here the climate is definitely Mediterranean, very warm and sunny and dry.



• The principal grape varietals of the Northern Rhône is Syrah for reds and Viognier for whites. The Syrah grape produces full-bodied wines with fruity aromas. – Tight and austere when young, Syrah-based

reds will open up to show accessible flavors when mature.

– Viognier grapes have a deep yellow color and possess an intriguing floral/fruity aroma.



• The vineyards of the southern Rhône support a much more complex array of grape varietals.

• Whereas the wines of the Northern Rhône, both reds and whites, are mostly single-varietal, those of the Southern Rhône are blends of several varietals.

• The principal red grape of the southern appellations is the Grenache, a noble varietal that thrives in warm, sunny climates.

• Other varietals used for blending include Mourvèdre, Syrah, and Cinsaut, for reds, and Marsanne and Rousanne for whites.



• The southern section of the Rhône Valley is much larger than the northern one. – The total acreage for the entire appellation

is almost 150,000 acres. – Of that, only 5,900 acres are in the nine

communes and crus of the Northern Rhône. – The rest is in that very large, highly varied

region of the Southern Rhône.


The Wine Regions of the Rhône

• The appellations of the Rhône fall into three quality levels:– Côtes du Rhône: Almost 98,000 acres,

with 7,000,000 cases, mostly red, produced annually; quality can vary widely.

– Côtes du Rhône-Villages: The standards are higher; the vineyard yield per acre must be lower, and the minimum alcohol content is higher.• There are thirty villages within this appellation.


The Wine Regions of the Rhône

(continued)

• Commune: The best wines carry the name of the commune or village where the vineyards are located. – Twenty-five percent of the Rhône’s

wines are labeled by commune. – Although there is no system for rating

vineyards as premier or grand cru, the very best vineyard sites are well-known.


The Northern Rhône

• Moving from north to south, the important communes of the Northern Rhône are Côte Rôtie, Condrieu, Chateau-Grillet, St. Joseph, Crozes-Hermitage, Hermitage, Cornas, and St. Peray.


The Southern Côtes du Rhône

• Whereas the communes of the Northern Rhône are compact and dense, the Southern Rhône’s appellations spread out in a huge lopsided circle. – In this enormous region of almost 100,000 acres

of vineyards, there is tremendous variation in terroir and in styles of wine.

– Approximately 85 percent of the wine made here is red. About 5 percent is dry white.

– There is also some very good rosé made, and very small quantities of sweet fortified dessert wine.


The Southern Côtes du Rhône

(continued)

• From north to south, the most important appellations of the Southern Rhône are Coteaux de Tricastan, Gigondas, Muscat Beaumes de Venise, Vacqueyras, Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Tavel, Côtes du Ventoux, and Côtes du Lubéron.


Champagne

• No appellation in the history of wine has been more misused than the term Champagne.

• Champagne is not merely a type of wine. It is a geographic region in France, and only wine made in a specific method from specified grape varietals grown inside the boundaries of that region is technically Champagne.


Champagne (continued)

• Champagne started out in the time of the Roman Empire as a producer of still white wines most of which was consumed by Roman legions. – After the decline of the empire, the

vineyards were destroyed and winemaking disappeared.

– As Christianity moved into northern Europe, winemaking re-emerged and the vineyards of Champagne flourished; winemaking techniques were perfected.



• It was monks who rescued the vineyards of Champagne.– A monk, Dom Perignon, although he did not

invent Champagne, he did use his skills in the vineyard and cellar to help develop the techniques used to make Champagne.

– The sparkling wine of Champagne did not find immediate favor, but once it was discovered by the royal court in the late eighteenth century, Champagne soon became the wine of celebration.



• Demand for Champagne increased at such a rate that demand could not keep up. – Some producers expanded production with

inferior grapes from outside Champagne. Fraud became so widespread that growers revolted in 1911, demanding protection.

– In 1927 the French government implemented laws spelling out the boundaries of the region.

– With the 1935 national Appellation d’Origin Contrôlée laws, the Champagne name received full protection.


Viticulture in Champagne

• There are three grapes that are allowed in Champagne: Chardonnay, Pinot Meunier, and Pinot Noir. – The latter two are red grapes, but the

juice of these grapes is white. – There are over 72,000 acres of

vineyards, owned by 19,000 individual growers.


The Terroir of Champagne

• The most distinguishing characteristic of this environment is the high concentration of chalk in the soil. – The poor nutritional content of the

soil means the vines have low vigor. – This results in a open canopy, which

reduces the likelihood of mildew.


The Terroir of Champagne (continued)

• Champagne is farther north than any other important wine region, and the damp cold weather barely allows grapes to ripen. – Acidity levels stay high in such a cool climate,

which is desirable in any sparkling wine. – However, a minimum sugar level must be

reached, and if the temperatures stay too cool, the grapes have a difficult time reaching the necessary ripeness.


The Style of Champagne Producers

• There are approximately 110 houses (or, in French, marques) that make Champagne. – Because these companies own only

10 percent of the vineyards in Champagne, they buy most of their grapes from growers.


The Style of Champagne Producers(continued)

• The oldest, most established houses are called grands marques.– Exports of Champagne play a vital role

in the French economy, accounting for 25 percent of wine and spirits exports.

– Each of the major Champagne houses has a distinct style that it maintains year after year.


• Champagnes are bottled at different levels of sweetness:– Extra Brut: Dry; residual sugar is less than

0.6 percent per liter. – Brut: This is the most common classification,

and forms the backbone of any house’s line. Residual sugar is between 0.5 and 1.5 percent per liter.

– Extra Dry: These Champagnes are off-dry, with residual sugar between 1.0 and 2 percent.



– Sec: Although sec means “dry,” these Champagnes have noticeable sugar—between 2 and 3.5 percent.

– Demi-Sec: The literal translation is “off-dry,” but these are quite sweet. The sugar is between 3.5 and 5 percent. These Champagnes are meant to be served with dessert.

– Doux: The sweetest form of Champagne has a minimum of 5.5 percent sugar, and in some cases contains as much as 8 percent.



• There are other important terms that show up on Champagne labels. Most of these types will be made in a Brut style.

• Nonvintage: Grapes from several different years are blended together to get consistency of quality, even in years when weather patterns are less than ideal.

• Vintage: If conditions are favorable, the wine-maker can choose not to blend in wine reserved from lesser vintages. The wine must contain at least 80 percent grapes from the declared year.



• Blanc de blancs: Literally, “white from white” is a Champagne made exclusively from Chardonnay grapes.

• Blanc de noir: Literally, “white from black.” The wine is made exclusively from the two allowed red varietals.

• Rosé: If some red wine is added to a cuvée of white wine, or if the juice of the red wines is given some skin contact, the resulting Champagne will be a rosé.



• Tête de cuvée: Most marques have a prestige label, the top of the line. These bottlings are almost always made from vintage brut. Each marque has a name for their tête de cuvee. – Each marque’s distinct house style guarantees

consistency of quality in every release. – Among the factors that influence the style are the

proportion of Chardonnay to the red grapes; the vineyards; the blending (assemblage); the time spent aging on the lees.



Alsace

• Two natural barriers define the small region of Alsace. On the west the Vosges mountains separate Alsace from France. On the east, the Rhine runs between Alsace and Germany.– Forced by conflicts between these two powerful

nations to change political affiliation many times over 1,000 years, the people of Alsace have absorbed the influences of each culture.

– The wines produced here (90 percent of which is white) are named for the varietals, mostly of German origin, from which they are made.


The Terroir of Alsace

• Although Alsace lies quite far north (of French wine regions, only Champagne is more northerly), it enjoys a far milder climate. – The warmer temperatures and lower rainfall are

due primarily to protection from the prevailing westerly winds provided by the Vosges mountains.

– Winters can be quite cold, but spring is mild allowing for good bud-set, summers are usually warm and sunny, and very importantly, fall stays sunny, dry, and frost-free on into October.


The Varieties of Alsace

• The varietals of Alsace are Riesling, Gewürztraminer, Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir, Muscat, Pinot Blanc, Chasselas, and Sylvaner. – Riesling takes just over 20 percent of vineyard acreage, and

that is increasing as Sylvaner, a blending grape, is being removed, but still accounts for 20 percent of acreage.

– Pinot Blanc is widely planted and accounts for another 20 percent of acreage.

– Gewürztraminer can be a picky grape to work with, being slow to ripen, but it accounts for 20 percent of the vineyards space.

– Pinot Noir, Alsace’s only red varietal, now covers about 5 percent of acreage.


Classifications of Alsace

• The great vineyards of Alsace have long been recognized. – For two decades after being awarded AOC

status, the vignerons of Alsace saw no need for a system of classification of their vineyards.

– The grand cru appellation was created in 1983, and has been creating controversy ever since.

– Of the 94 sites originally considered for designation as grand cru, 25 were initially chosen in 1983.


Classifications of Alsace (continued)

• By 1990 there were 50 grand cru vineyards. Some producers feel standards have gotten too lax. – Furthermore, some of the classified

vineyards are very large, spreading over differing terroirs.

– Moreover, growers do not want to stop using vineyard designations they have used for generations.


Wines of Alsace

• There are other styles of wine produced in Alsace in addition to varietal table wines.– Crémant d’Alsace: Based mostly on Pinot

Blanc, with Pinot Noir and Riesling sometimes blended in, Alsace’s sparkling wine is made in the Champagne method. It now accounts for about 10 percent of total production in the region.

– Vendage Tardive: The French term for these wines means “late picked.” They are left on the vine to develop additional sugars.

– Sélection de Grains Noble: Wines at this level almost always contain some grapes infected with botrytis, the noble rot.


The Loire Valley

• There is a large, regional appellation of the vin de pays level that encompasses all the Loire Valley and some of its surrounding areas: Vin de pays du jardin de France, “Wine from the Garden of France.” – The Loire is a very long river, the longest in

France. It starts in the south and flows north for 635 miles before spilling out into the Atlantic Ocean.


The Loire Valley (continued)

• The Loire and its tributaries drain a quarter of the land mass of France. The jardin de France is a huge area, where a variety of fruits and vegetables is grown, livestock and dairy cows graze, and a total of almost 440,000 acres of grapevines is planted.

• However, the fine wines of the Loire AOC appellation are found only in the final third of the area.


The Loire Valley (continued)

• Viticulture in the Loire Valley has been traced back as far as the eighth century AD. – Many of the aristocrats who built their châteaux

along the river during the next several hundred years also planted grapevines. By the late eleventh century, the wines of the Loire were highly regarded in France.

– Commerce in the fine wines of the Loire continued to grow, and its reputation enhanced until the move by King Henri IV to Paris. Loire wine production was cut back. Most wine was consumed locally.


The Upper Loire

• The majority of wine made here is made entirely from the Sauvignon Blanc grapes.

• There is a little red wine made from the Pinot Noir.

• The appellations are the names of individual communes. – Pouilly-Fumé: The village of Pouilly-sur-Loire

dates from Roman times. Its wine is named Pouilly-Fumé because of the grey-green color on the ripening Sauvignon grapes.


The Upper Loire (continued)

• Sancerre: Across the river from Pouilly, most of the 5,800 acres of vineyards are held by small growers.

• Menetou-Salon: Located just 18 miles southwest of Sancerre, the village of Menetou-Salon was granted its own appellation in 1959.

• Quincy: Twenty-five miles southwest of Menetou-Salon, the average temperature is a little cooler.

• Reuilly: This is a small appellation, only 150 acres of vines, very near to Quincy.


Central Loire

• Touraine: Named for the city of Tours, this region is home to a variety of wines—white, red, rosé, and sparkling. – Wine from approved varietals grown within

the Touraine region, but outside any of the commune appellations, or a blend of grapes from two or more communes, is given the generic appellation of Touraine.

– Both white and red wines are produced in almost equal quantities.


Central Loire (continued)

• Anjou/Saumur: The large province of Anjou contains 19 appellations at the AOC level, including generic Anjou and generic Saumur. – The vineyards of Anjou cover 35,600 acres. A

variety of wines is made here, including dry whites, reds, rosés, sparkling wine, and sweet whites.

– Rosé d’Anjou is made in copious quantities from a lesser grape. Much better are the dry and semisweet rosés made from the Cabernet Franc varietal.


Lower Loire

• The Nantes, or Atlantic region, of the Loire is home to the bone-dry white wine, Muscadet. – The grape called Muscadet is actually Melon de

Bourgogne. – The grape is easy to grow, has high yields, and

produces a clean, fresh, uncomplicated wine that perfectly complements the seafood diet of the region.

– Over three-quarters of Muscadet comes from vineyards in the Sèvre et Maine district, named for the two rivers that flow through it to join the Loire.


The South of France

• The six major wine regions of France covered so far account for only one-third of the AOC production, and barely 15 percent of total wine production, for the country. – There are a great many other regions producing

very nice wine. Many of the best of the lesser-known appellation d’origine contrôlée regions are found in the South of France.

– In the past the south was known for rugged, mostly red wines, made from indigenous varietals like Mourvèdre, Cinsault, and Carignan.


The South of France (continued)

• In the past several decades, there have been improvements in the quality of wines. – Partially this is due to the planting of better

varieties.– Another factor has been the modernization of

winemaking techniques. – In the south of France, one can now find

some impressively elegant and balanced wines.


Provence

• In southeastern France, Provence extends from the delta of the Rhône River east to the border with Italy.

• There are seven AOC appellations in Provence, two of which, Bellet and Palette, are so small as to be inconsequential. There is also a large section, the Coteaux Varois, which is rated VDQS.– Côtes de Provence: With 44,500 acres, most of

them in the easternmost section of Provence, this is the largest of the three generic AOC appellations. Production is mostly red wine.


Provence (continued)

• Coteaux D’Aix-en-Provence and Coteaux D’Aix-en-Provence-les-Baux are the other two generic AOC appellations. They encompass 10,550 acres of vines in the western section of Provence. The wines, mostly red, are similar to those of Côtes de Provence.

• Bandol: Big, structured, and full reds based on Mourvèdre (by law at least 50 percent) blended with Grenache and Cinsault.

• Cassis: Not to be confused with the black currant liqueur of the same name, Cassis is a small region unique in that it is more famous for white wines than red or rosé.


Languedoc-Roussillon

• The very sizable region of Languedoc-Roussillon, also known as the Midi, is popular tourist destination on the Mediterranean.

• The region is producing ever-improving wines as investment in the area and awareness of its wines in foreign markets have increased.

• This very large and varied region reaches from the western side of the Rhône delta along the coast to the border with Spain at the Pyrénees mountains.


Languedoc-Roussillon (continued)

• Midi is still the source of much of France’s vin ordinaire, as well as copious quantities of vin de pays. Eighty percent of the country’s vin de pays is from this area.

• Languedoc and Roussillon contain 40 percent of the vineyards in the nation of France, yet account for only 10 percent of AOC production.


Languedoc-Roussillon (continued)

• The climate is Mediterranean with mild winters and warm summers, perfect for a wide variety of varietals, including Chardonnay, Viognier, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Syrah.

• The soils are consistently limestone-based, with enough variation in topsoils to allow discernible if subtle differences in terroir among the regions.


The Southwest

• The catchall term “the Southwest” encompasses a huge part of France, including all viticultural areas south of Bordeaux and east of the Midi. – In such a large area, there is obviously a

huge variety of terrains, microclimates, soil types, and winemaking preferences.

– Of the 70,000 acres of vines in the Southwest, only about half produce AOC wines.


The Southwest (continued)

• Madiran: In the extreme Southwest, the most important appellation is Madiran. The principal grape is the Tannat, which is made into big heavy complex wines, quite tannic.

• Bergerac: Just east of Bordeaux, Bergerac has vineyards planted along the banks of the Dordogne River. Source of a variety of wines—dry whites, reds, rosé, sparkling and sweet whites.


Corsica

• The island of Corsica, off the coast of southern France, has always produced wines.

• By some accounts, Corsica is Europe’s oldest wine-producing region, dating from 570 BC when Phoenicians first settled there.

• Corsica produces a wide variety of wines, red, white, rosé, still, sparkling, and sweet. Most is vin de pays and vin ordinaire. Very little Corsican wine, even the miniscule amount that is AOC, is exported off the island.


Summary

• The task of becoming familiar with France’s many different wines may seem daunting, but it is worth the effort.

• The best of French wines will provide a benchmark against which all other wines can be measured.


Summary (continued)

• Moreover, an understanding of France’s Appellation d’Origin Contrôlée laws is helpful in understanding the quality control laws of other European wine-producing countries, as most of them modeled their system on the French system.

Documents

France © 2007 Thomson Delmar Learning. All Rights Reserved. Chapter 5