There are many great destinations worldwide for wine connoisseurs to visit, sample the local delights and embrace the full culture of a vineyard region, but we believe that the best is France.
It is home to a huge variety of different wines, many of which are inextricably linked to their region of origin.
Below are seven of the best wine-producing regions in France that should be top of your list of places to go, with a perfect mix of red, white, rosé and sparkling.
1. Burgundy
They have been producing wine in Burgundy since the reign of Charlemagne in the 8th and 9th centuries and the quality is exquisite. The vineyards here tend to be small and the best vintage reds take around ten to twenty years to fully mature. Two of my favourite areas within Burgundy for wine are Chablis and Beaujolais.
2. Bordeaux
The relation between the wines of Bordeaux and Great Britain dates back to the 12th century when a special trade relationship was established allowing this popular red wine, called claret in the UK, to flood the British market. These wines are largely full bodied, rich and flavoursome and I feel are best enjoyed among the wonderful scenery of their region of origin.
3. Champagne
Perhaps the best known of the French wines, true champagne originates in an area which is small and traditionally restricted in order to guarantee the quality and exclusivity that the name suggests. The region of Champagne is located north of Paris and has been the centre for this luxury tipple since Dom Pierre Perignon, a monk and wine producer, developed a method of making sparkling wine. The exquisite flavour is the result of an intensive process of ‘training’ the vines to produce only the choicest grapes.
4. The Loire Valley
The Loire Valley is a UNESCO World Heritage Site as a result of its natural beauty and historic towns and chateaux, but it is also famed for its wine. The climate is sunny and humid so not all grape varieties thrive. Nonetheless, in my opinion the Loire Valley has the most varied range of wines in France. It is a must-visit region for those who favour rosé, as it is a local speciality.
5. Languedoc
This region will be particularly familiar to any <wine distributor as it is France’s most productive wine region, being the source of over 40% of French wine. It is estimated that around 2,500 square kilometres of Languedoc is ‘under vine’, accounting for a third of France’s total. The main wine produced here is a standard table red which is widely consumed across the world.
6. Alsace
Located in the far east of France, Alsace is renowned for producing unique wines. These varieties aren’t found anywhere else. They are primarily white wines with a clean, fresh taste, as well as some lighter reds, both of which I feel perfectly complement the local cuisine, which can be quite rich and heavy. In this way, Alsatian white wines are unusually suited to accompany red meat. Some of my favourite varieties are the subtle Riesling and the stronger pinot gris.
7. Rhone Region
The Rhone region is fairly large and there are major differences between the wines produced in the north and those produced in the south. In my opinion, the higher quality varieties can be found in the north, including the ruby-red shiraz and the viognier white, while the south is famous for the sheer quantity of wine produced, ranging from red Grenache to white ugni blanc.
Overall, there is great variety across France and I’m certain that all wine connoisseurs will be able to find something to suit their tastes.
