France Region Facts Flashcards
What are the three French wine classifications?
AOC: Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée
IGP: Indication Géographique Protégée
Vin de France
How many AOCs are there?
363 AOCs
What are the designations of AOC wines?
- Regional: This refers to the broadest sense of an AOC. Examples: Bordeaux, Burgundy.
- Sub-Regional: Within those regions are smaller subregions known for more specific wine or terroir. Examples: Bordeaux’s Médoc sub-region, Burgundy’s Chablis sub-region.
- Commune/Village: Narrowing further within a subregion, these areas are sometimes only a few miles in scope. Examples: Pauillac in Médoc, Côtes d’Auxerre in Chablis.
- Special Classification: An AOC might be further specified for quality at this point, indicating a Cru, which refers to a specific vineyard or group of vineyards typically recognized for quality.
What are the Cru tiers?
- Grand Cru
- Premier Cru
- Villages
Loire Valley Quick Facts
65,383 hectares
Four Subregions (move west to east):
1. Lower Loire
2. Middle Loire
3. Central Loire
4. Upper Loire
Soils: Ranging from rocky sandy in Lower Loire to clay, sand, and gravel in the rest of the regions.
Loire Valley Notable AOCs
LOWER LOIRE
Muscadet Sevre et Maine AOC
MIDDLE LOIRE
Anjou AOC
Savennieres AOC
Saumur AOC
Chinon AOC
Bourgueil AOC
Touraine AOC
Valencay AOC
Montlouis-sur-Loire AOC
Vouvray AOC
Cheverny AOC
CENTRAL LOIRE
Pouilly-Fume AOC
Reuilly AOC
Quincy AOC
Sancerre AOC
UPPER LOIRE
Côtes d’Auvergne AOC
Champagne Quick Facts
33,910 hectares
5 Subregions:
1. Aube (Côte des Bar)
2. Montagne de Reims
3. Côte des Blancs
4. Côte de Sézanne
5. Vallée de la Marne
Soils: Predominately limestone soil.
Champagne Notable AOCs
Champagne AOC
Coteaux Champenois AOC
Rosé des Riceys AOC
Alsace Quick Facts
16,179 hectares
In a valley along the Rhine River – a river that separates France and Germany.
Two Subregions:
1. The Bas-Rhin (to the North, by Strasbourg)
2. Haut-Rhin (to the South in low slopes of the Vosges Mountains)
Soils: Rocky granite, limestone-rich clay, volcanic, and sandstone soils.
Alsace Notable AOCs
Alsace AOC
Crémant d’Alsace AOC
Alsace Grand Cru AOC
Bugey, Jura, Savoie Quick Facts
4,350 hectares
A region at the base of the Alps. All separate areas, so the subregions are:
1. Bugey
2. Jura
3. Savoie
Soils:
Bugey: Metamorphic, sedimentary, limestone-rich clay
Jura: Limestone-rich clay
Savoie: Metamorphic, sedimentary
Bugey, Jura, Savoie Notable AOCs
BUGEY
Rousette du Bugey AOC
Bugey Cerdon AOC
JURA
Cotes du Jura AOC
Cremant du Jura AOC
Vin Jaune
Arbois AOC
Chateau-Chalon AOC
L’Etoile AOC
SAVOIE
Vin de Savoie/Savoie AOC
Cremant de Savoie AOC
Unofficial - Chignin, Chignin-Bergeron, Abymes
Bourgogne Quick Facts
28,006 hectares
Five Subregions:
1. Chablis
2. Cote de Nuits
3. Cote de Beaune
4. Cote Chalonnaise
5. Maconnais
*Cote de Nuits and Cote de Beaune are called Cote d’Or together.
Soils: Limestone-rich clay
Bourgogne Notable AOCs
CHABLIS
Chablis AOC
COTE DE NUITS
Marsannay AOC
Gevrey-Chambertin AOC
Morey-Saint-Denis AOC
Nuits-Saint-Georges AOC
COTE DE BEAUNE
Pommard AOC
Volnay AOC
Meursault AOC
Puligny-Montrachet AOC
COTE CHALONNAISE
Givry AOC
Aligote AOC
MACON
Pouilly-Fuisse AOC
Vire Clesse AOC
Macon AOC
Beaujolais Quick Facts
20,280 hectares
Beaujolais Nouveau wines are the youngest expressions of Gamay, with the wine bottled only 6-8 weeks after harvest. These wines are meant to be consumed relatively quickly. Beaujolais AOC is released the following year and can be stored for 1-2 years.
Beaujolais Notable AOCS
Fleurie AOC
Morgon AOC
Regnie AOC
Cotes-de-Brouilly AOC
Brouilly AOC
Beaujolais-villages AOC
Beaujolais AOC
Rhone Valley Quick Facts
71,014 hectares
Two Subregions:
1. Northern Rhone
2. Southern Rhone (Experiences Mistral Winds)
Both the regions share the Rhone River but differ in geography, climate, soil, and grape varieties (the primary being Syrah and Grenache, respectively).
Soils: Clay-based with decomposing schist and mica, sandy-granite
Rhone Valley Notable AOCs
NORTHERN RHONE
Condrieu AOC
Crozes-Hermitage AOC
Saint-Joseph AOC
SOUTHER RHONE
Cotes du Rhone AOC
Cotes du Rhone Villages AOC
Chateauneuf-du-Pape AOC
Gigondas AOC
Lirac AOC
Vacqueyras AOC
Vinsobres AOC
Provence Quick Facts
43,728 hectares
Provence is the oldest wine-producing region of France. It experiences the Mistral Winds.
Soil: Limestone, crystalline schist (granite), and volcanic soils.
Provence Notable AOCs
Cotes de Provence AOC
Sainte-Victoire
La Londe
Fréjus
Pierrefeu
Coteaux d’Aix en Provence AOC
Coteaux Varois de Provence AOC
Les Baux de Provence AOC
Cassis AOC
Bandol AOC
Palette AOC
Bellet AOC
Pierrevert AOC
Corsica Quick Facts
6,117 hectares
Region: Vin de Corse
Soil: Granite based and rich in silica
Corsica Notable AOCs
Porto-Vecchio AOC
Figari AOC
Sartene AOC
Calvi AOC
Sartene AOC
Patrimonio AOC
Coteaux du Cap Corse AOC
Languedoc-Roussillon Quick Facts
212,000 hectares
Two Subregions:
1. Languedoc (Long-eh-dock)
2. Roussillon
Soil: Limestone
Languedoc-Roussillon Notable AOCs
LANGEUDOC
St. Chinian AOC
Faugères AOC
Corbières AOC
Minervois AOC
Picpoul de Pinet AOC
Limoux and Blanquette de Limoux AOC
ROUSSILLON
Maury AOC
Banuyls AOC
