France - General

Question 1

The latitude of grape growing regions?

Answer 1

42°-49° N

Question 2

Most common vine training?

Answer 2

Planted at high density, on trellises. Most often cane-replacement guyot with VSP. The exception is the continued use of bush vines in parts of south France

Question 3

What is the direction of organic grape growing?

Answer 3

The number of hectares certified increased nearly 4x from 2007-2017, totalling 10% of vineyard area.

Question 4

What are the top 10 varieties planted in France, and the hectares of each?

Answer 4

1) Merlot, 112,000ha (dominance in Bordeaux and IGP Languedoc wines)
2) Ugni Blanc, 82,000ha (largely due to cognac and armagnac)
3) Grenache Noir, 81,000ha
4) Syrah, 64,000ha
5) Chardonnay, 51,000ha
6) Cabernet Sauvignon, 48,000ha
7) Cabernet Franc, 34,000ha
8) Carignan, 33,000ha
9) Pinot Noir, 32,000ha
10) Sauvignon Blanc, 28,000ha