Intro To France Flashcards
Where were the first vines planted in France, and when were they planted
Vines had been planted since the 1st century, but were mostly in the south. The Rhône valley and near Bordeaux, for ease of sea trade.
When was the first major expansion of French vines
Under Charlemagne, and during the period of the monasteries (800 CE - 1000 CE)
When did French wine export begin to expand
The Middle Ages saw establishment of important export markets; England, Scotland, Holland. The 17-19th centuries saw huge expansion, eventually leading to the classification of 1855 (Bordeaux)
What was the key development that put Bordeaux on the map in early French wine trade
Dutch engineers drained the marsh of the Médoc during the 17th century. This made more land available and ports close to Bordeaux became more popular
French vineyards set backs of the 19th century
Powdery, downy mildew. Black rot. Phylloxera.
Vine training in France, generally
With the exception of the continued use of bush vines in the south of France, most French vineyards are planted with high density, vines trained on trellis. Often used - cane-replacement pruned guyot system with VSP.
How much of French winemaking is organic
Still increasing. In 2017, 10% of all vineyard area.
France’s 5 most planted grapes
- Merlot (Bordeaux is France’s largest producing region and Merlot is also found in IGP Languedoc wines)
- Ugni Blanc (cognac + armagnac in SW France)
- Grenache noir
- Syrah
- Chardonnay
How was France’s AOC system developed
Developed in the 20th century by the INAO (founded 1935) which oversaw creation of AOC and (much later in 2009) IGP. The AOC system is dedicated to geographically defined appellations, and rules about method of production (variety, density, training systems, yields, alcohol levels, required maturation)
Can a French wine be labeled with the variety?
Since 2009, given the popularity of this labeling tactic in new world countries, France (and the rest of the EU) agreed to allow this - along side the appellation.
Additionally, wine without a GI can now label variety + vintage
Percentage of French wines processed by co-ops
Over 40%. While vineyard holdings tend to be larger in France than Italy or Spain, co-ops are still vital for small producers.
Are French wine sales generally through larger or smaller companies?
3/4 volume produced are sold by small + medium local companies. The largest company is Castel Frères (12% of total sales by volume) but the market is highly fragmented.
Does France export or import more?
France exports less than both Spain and Italy, but is hugely a leader in value of export (50% more by value than Italy and 3x Spain). But import is still important. Lots of inexpensive wine is imported from Spain (a source of tension for French growers)
