The White Wines of France

Question 1

Wine Region = Champagne

Style and Major Grapes

Answer 1

Sparkling Wine

Pinot Noir

Chardonnay

Question 2

Wine Region = Loire Valley

Style and Major Grapes

Answer 2

Mostly White

Sauv Blanc

Chenin Blanc

Cabernet Franc

Question 3

Wine Region = Alsace

Style and Major Grapes

Answer 3

Mostly White

Riesling, Gewurztraminer

Question 4

Wine Region = Burgundy

Style and Major Grapes

Answer 4

Red and White

Pinot Noir, Gamay, Chardonnay

Question 5

Wine Region = Bordeaux

Style and Major Grapes

Answer 5

Red and White

Sauv Blanc, Semillon,

Merlot, Cabernet Sauv, Cabernet Franc

Question 6

Wine Region = Cotes du Rhone

Style and Major Grapes

Answer 6

Mostly Red

Syrah & Grenache

Question 7

Wine Region = Lanquedoc Roussillon

Style and Major Grapes

Answer 7

Red and White

Carignan, Grenache, Syrah, Cinsault, Mourvedre

Question 8

Wine Region = Provence

Style and Major Grapes

Answer 8

Red, white, and rose

Grenache & Syrah

Question 9

“French winemaking is regulated by…

Answer 9

strict government laws that are set up by the Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée. If you don’t want to say “Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée” all the time, you can simply say “AOC.”

Question 10

“What are the four major white wine–producing regions of France?

Answer 10

ALSACE
LOIRE VALLEY
BORDEAUX
BURGUNDY”

Question 11

Alsace, the Loire Valley, and Chablis (a white wine–producing region of Burgundy) have one thing in common:

Answer 11

They’re all located in the northern region of France. These areas produce white wines predominantly, because of the shorter growing season and cooler climate which are best suited for growing white grapes

Question 12

German Riesling vs Alsace

Answer 12

• German winemaker adds a small amount of naturally sweet unfermented grape juice back into the wine to create the distinctive German Riesling. The winemaker from Alsace ferments every bit of the sugar in the grapes, which is why 90 percent of all Alsace wines are totally dry.
• Wine from Alsace1.13, 1.15 has 11 to 12 percent alcohol, while most German wine has a mere 8 to 9 percent.

Question 13

“What are the white grapes grown in Alsace?

The four grapes you should know are:

Answer 13

• Riesling: accounts for 22 percent
• Pinot Blanc: accounts for 21 percent1.17
• Gewürztraminer: accounts for 19 percent
• Pinot Gris: accounts for 15 percent

Question 14

“Why are the shippers of Alsace so important?

Answer 14

• The majority of the landholders in Alsace don’t grow enough grapes to make it economically feasible to produce and market their own wine.
• Instead, they sell their grapes to a shipper who produces, bottles, and markets the wine under his own name.
• The art of making high-quality wine lies in the selection of grapes made by each shipper
• Quality of Alsace wines is determined by the shipper’s reputation rather than any labeling on the bottle

Question 15

Loire Valley starts at the city of _______ and stretches inland for _______ miles along the ______ River.

Answer 15

Nantes

600

Loire

Question 16

Loire Valley gapes to be familiar with….

Answer 16

Sauvignon Blanc

Chenin Blanc

Question 17

Pouilly-Fumé:

Answer 17

A dry wine that has the most body and concentration of all the Loire Valley wines. It’s made with 100 percent Sauvignon Blanc

Question 18

Muscadet:

Answer 18

A light, dry wine, made from 100 percent Melon de Bourgogne grapes.

Question 19

Sancerre

Answer 19

Striking a balance between full-bodied Pouilly-Fumé and light-bodied Muscadet, it’s made with 100 percent Sauvignon Blanc.

Question 20

Vouvray

Answer 20

“Vouvray: The “chameleon” can be dry, semisweet, or sweet. It’s made from 100 percent Chenin Blanc.”

Question 21

“What’s the difference between Pouilly-Fumé and Pouilly-Fuissé?

Answer 21

But Pouilly-Fumé is made from 100 percent Sauvignon Blanc and comes from the Loire Valley, while Pouilly-Fuissé is made from 100 percent Chardonnay and comes from the Mâconnais region of Burgundy.”

Question 22

“Doesn’t Bordeaux always mean red wine?”

Answer 22

“Actually, two of the five major areas of Bordeaux— Graves and Sauternes—are known for their excellent white wines. Sauternes is world-famous for its sweet white wine.”

Question 23

Major white grape varieties used in Bordeaux

Answer 23

Sauvignon Blanc

Semillon