France's
Wine Regions (13):
(1) Champagne,
(2) Alsace & Lorraine, (3) The
Loire Valley, (4) Burgundy,
(5) Jura & Savoie, (7) Bordeaux,
(8) The Rhone Valley, (9) Languedoc-Roussillon,
(10) Provence and Corsica and
(11) Southwest. [13 total]
Unlike Italy, France is not able to grow grapes in
all the country. The latitude is approximately the same as the New
England states in the U.S.A. The temperatures do not get warm enough
to be able to ripen grapes in some parts of the country. The Mediterranean
Sea to the south moderates much of the weather along with the Gulf
Stream flowing threw the Atlantic Ocean to the west of France.
The wine growing regions of France are generally
in the river valleys where they are protected from the elements and
where the reflections of the sun from the rivers help to keep the
vineyards warm.
Dallas Bartenders
General
French Wine Information:
France has a strict method of production for wine
that dictates rules and regulations specific to the location of the
vineyard where the grapes are grown. France's wines are divided into
two major categories- table and quality. The table wines are also
subdivided into two sections, vin de table (the lowest quality),
where the wines may be produced from grapes anywhere in France. The
best quality of table wines is vin de pays where wines must
be produced from 140 specific regions but any style of wine may be
produced.
The better quality category of French wines are also
divided into two sections. Vin délimité de qualité
supériere (VDQS), translated as delimited wines of superior
quality, make up one percent of all wines. This status is sometimes
a temporary classification until it moves up to the highest quality
tier, Appellation d´Origine Contrôlée (AOC). These
wines represent about half of France's production.
Appellation d´Origine Contrôlée
or AOC is the system of regulations that control France's wine growing
regions. Most of Europe follows the French appellation system. The
regulations dictate which grapes may be planted, how those grapes
are cultivated and harvested, and what winemaking techniques may be
employed to turn the grapes into wine. The AOC divides the wine growing
areas into (1) regions, (2) districts, (3) villages, towns or communes
and (4) individual vineyards or crus, first growths.
