France Wines by Region

Question 1

Loire Valley Reds

Answer 1

Cabernet Franc: Herbaceous style with notes of bell pepper, cherry, and gravelly minerality. Look for Cab Franc from Chinon, Bourgueil, and Saumur-Champigny.

Question 2

Loire Valley Whites

Answer 2

Sauvignon Blanc: Lean and herbal with flavors of thyme, lime, honeydew melon, and grass. Look for Sauv Blanc from Sancerre, Pouilly-Fume, Touraine, Reuilly, Quincy, and Cheverny.

Chenin Blanc: You can find dry to sweet Chenin Blanc and still to sparkling in the middle Loire Valley. The flavors can range from flowers and apricots in Vouvray and Montlouis-sur-Loire to rich applesauce flavors from aged Savennieres. Also, look for Anjou and Saumur regions.

Muscadet: Hailing from the western maritime region of Nantes in the Loire, wines are bone dry with notes of seashell, lime, green apple, and pear. Look for Muscadet Sevre et Maine.

Question 3

Champagne Reds

Answer 3

Sparkling Blanc de Noirs: Pinot Meunier and Pinot Noir produce wine with more body and notes of cherry, mushroom, lemon, and raspberry.

Question 4

Champagne Whites

Answer 4

Sparkling Blanc de Blancs: 100% Chard offering apple, lemon, and beeswax with crisp acidity and toasty, creamy bubbles.

Question 5

Alsace Reds

Answer 5

Pinot Noir: Cherry and violets.

Sparkling Alsace: Cremant d’Alsace rose of 100% Pinot Noir with raspberry and cherry notes with creamy bubbles

Question 6

Alsace Whites

Answer 6

Riesling: Dry style that is refreshing and sometimes smoky. All 51 Grand Cru specialize in this grape.

Pinot Gris: Sweeter style exploding with apricots, lime, and honeyed richness.

Gewurztraminer: Notes of rose water, lychee, and perfume. Richer in style and off-dry.

Sparkling Alsace: Cremant d’Alsace white made mostly of Pinot Gris and Pinot Blanc giving a sweet apricot kick

Question 7

Bugey, Jura, and Savoie Reds

Answer 7

Bugey: Rose uses at least 50% Pinot Noir and Gamay, and red wines use Gamay, Pinot Noir, or Mondeuse Noire. The sparkling Bugey Cerdon is a well-known fruity blend of Pinot Noir and Gamay bursting with cranberry, raspberry, and rose.

Jura: Poulsard, Trousseau, and Pinot Noir grapes are the most common red grapes. Check out Arbois, Cotes du Jura, and L’Etoile for these wines.

Savoie: Mondeuse is most common for reds. Look for the juicy, tart reds coming from Vin de Savoie with the Chignin and Chignin Bergeron Crus as special options.

Question 8

Bugey, Jura, and Savoie Whites

Answer 8

Bugey: White wines are Chardonnay blends.

Jura: White wines from Chardonnay and Savagnin grapes are seen throughout this region. Check out Arbois, Cotes du Jura, and L’Etoile for these wines. Another well-known is Vin Jaune from the Chateau-Chalon AOC. It is a sherry-like oxidative white wine with subtle notes of pear, nut, and spice.

Savoie: Jacquère, Roussanne, Altesse (also known as Roussette), and Gringet for white wines are common in this region. Look for the lean whites coming from Vin de Savoie with the Abymes, Chignin, and Chignin Bergeron Crus as special options.

Question 9

Bourgogne Rouge

Answer 9

Pinot Noir: Rustic and bold with notes of cranberry, hibiscus, rose hip, and earthy herbs. Start with Bourgogne Rouge and work to the greater quality reds from Bourgogne Villages.

Question 10

Bourgogne Blanc

Answer 10

Oaked Chardonnay: A richer style that is deeper. Look for Cote de Beaune.

Unoaked Chardonnay: Lean style with notes of quince, starfruit, and passionfruit. The most notable region is Chablis but Pouilly-Fuisse and regions in Macon are also noteworthy.

Question 11

Beaujolais Red

Answer 11

Gamay: Notes of plum, cherry, violet, and peony. There are plenty of Beaujolais Nouveau but the best Gamay comes from one of the ten Beaujolais Crus.

Question 12

Rhone Valley Reds

Answer 12

Syrah: Northern Rhone Syrah has savory notes of black olive, plum, and green herbs. Look for wines from St. Joseph and Crozes-Hermitage.

Grenache-Syrah Blends: Southern Rhone is famous for blends of Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvedre. Notes of raspberry, plum, lavender, and a smoky overtone. Look for wines from Vinsobres, Vacqueyras, Gigondas, and Rasteau, but keep an eye out for the most notable from Chateauneuf-du-Pape.

Question 13

Rhone Valley Whites

Answer 13

Marsanne Blends: A small portion of Southern Rhone is dedicated to white wine. It primarily utilizes regional varieties of Marsanne and Roussanne, a bolder white wine of lemon, apricot, and beeswax.

Question 14

Provence Reds

Answer 14

Rose: Notes of strawberry, watermelon, and crunchy celery which come from Mourvèdre, Syrah, Grenache, Cinsault, Carignan, and Cabernet Sauvignon grapes. Cotes du Provence has great quality rose.

Mourvedre: A tiny region of Bandol produces deeply black red wines with notes of plum, roasted meats, and Provencal herbs. These can age 10-20 years.

Question 15

Corsica Reds

Answer 15

Nielluccio (Sangiovese): Great as a red wine or rose with notes of raspberry, much richer than the Italian expression of Sangiovese. Look out for a blend with a rare local grape called Sciaccarellu.

Question 16

Corsica Whites

Answer 16

Vermentino: A richer, herbal white wine reminiscent of Sauv Blanc with a juicer and smoky presence.

Question 17

Languedoc-Roussillon Reds

Answer 17

Grenache Blends: Blends of Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre, and Carignan that offer raspberry, licorice, plum, and oregano notes. Look for Grenache blends from Corbieres, Saint-Chinian, Fitou, Cotes du Roussillon Villages, and Collioure.

Carignan: This grape produces wines with cranberry, raspberry, licorice, and cured meat notes. Look for old vine (vielles vignes) Carignan from Cotes Catalanes, Faugeres, and Minervois.

Fortified Sweet Red: Using primarily Grenache, fortified wines from Banyuls and Maury are bursting with raspberry, cinnamon, and caramel notes. These wines have been known to age for 100+ years.

Question 18

Languedoc-Roussillon Whites

Answer 18

Picpoul: Full-bodied, crisp white wines with notes of lemon, acacia, and hawthorn blossom. Look for Picpoul de Pinet.

Sparkling Limoux: Cremant de Limoux uses Chard for a dry brut style while Blanquette de Limoux uses Mauzac, a regional grape for notes of baked apple.

Question 19

South West Reds

Answer 19

Malbec: Medium-bodied with notes of cherry, plum, leaves, and softer tannins. Look for Cahors Malbec.

Tannat: Rich, tannic with fruit forward wine. Look for Madiran.

Question 20

South West Whites

Answer 20

Colombard, Ugni Blanc, and Gros Manseng Blends: Great value white wines offering juicy but crisp notes of melon, lemongrass, and apple with a long, tingly finish. Seek out Gascogne Blanc.

Question 21

Bordeaux Reds

Answer 21

Left Bank Red Blends: Cab Sauv and Merlot with flavors of blackcurrant, graphite, mint, and gravelly tobacco. Ages well for 20+ years. Look for wines in the appellations in the Medoc including Saint-Estephe, Saint-Julien, Listrac, and Margaux.

Right Bank Red Blends: Merlot and Cab Franc with flavors of black cherry, tobacco, and mint. Look for wines from Pomerol, Saint-Emilion, and Fronsac.

Question 22

Bordeaux Whites

Answer 22

White Bordeaux: The white wines are often Sauvignon Blanc and Semillion blends. Less than 10% of the region produces white wine but it is zippy and offers up grapefruit, melon, and beeswax. Look for wines from Entre-Deux-Mers and Pessac-Leognan.