French wine seems to hold a distinction and elegance unmatched with any other country, perhaps because of the rich history of wine, or the romantic associations we have with France. The wines you find in France are bottled with Old World emphasis on the region rather than by grape varietal labeling done for New World wines. The climate and type of soil in region creates subtle differences in aroma and flavor.
Thus, you will find most French wine labeled by vineyard and region, such as a Montrachet Burgandy wine, from the Montrachet vineyard in the Burgandy region in France. This wine is made with Chardonnay grapes, but you will not notice this on the label. However, wines from America, Australia, New Zealand, or South Africa would label a wine made from Chardonnay as Chardonnay!
With 13 different regions that house thousands and thousands of regulated wine-producing vineyards, enthusiasts can enjoy a seemingly unlimited amount of French wine choices. Many of you just starting to learn about wines may have already heard of some regions, such as the Bordeaux and Burgundy regions. However, there is also the Alsace, Beaujolais, Champagne, Charentes, Corse, Jura-Savole, Languedoc-Roussillon, Provence, Sud-Ouest, Val de Loire, and Vallée du Rhône!
Purchasing French Wine
Many wine enthusiasts wish to try different French wines to experience the different tastes, textures, and aromas. Although there are some more commonly found wines at most retail locations, some of you may wish to try some rare, fine wines. You may want to consider an online resource with a wider selection that will ship right to your front door!
