With origins tracing back to 8000 B.C, wine has always been a beloved drink, and the subject of many cultural revolutions. Countries have fought over the right to make wine, vines have been uprooted, and disease has eradicated entire regions. Winemakers have always fought back, establishing popular and longstanding wine regions worldwide. Wine is a global experience, but there is a wine country that holds a special place in my heart: France. If you see yourself marveling over picturesque vineyards while sipping everything from Cabernet Sauvignon to Riesling, let’s plan together.
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Champagne
We’ll start in Champagne, home of, you guessed it, Champagne! It’s bubbly and bright with high acidity and flavours of citrus fruit, biscuit, and bread. The longer Champagne is aged, the more intense and complex the flavours become, and the higher the price climbs. Whether you are on a budget or looking to splurge, you can enjoy your bubbly while overlooking lush gardens and Gothic architecture. Make sure to prebook your visit to at least one esteemed Champagne house, such as Veuve Clicquot in Reims.
Alsace
Next to Champagne is Alsace, home of Riesling, Gewurztraminer, and Pinot Gris. Gewurztraminer and Riesling have a reputation for being extremely sweet, but the wines of Alsace are often dry. To fully immerse yourself, book The Alsatian Wine Route, the oldest in all of France. The wine route consists of 170km of vineyards and hills, almost 70 wine making villages, and 1,000 wine producers. This tour will introduce you to scenic villages and fresh, aromatic wines. You will listen to passionate winemakers tell their stories while drinking Grand Cru wines, a regional classification given to vineyards known for producing outstanding wine.
Burgundy
The next stop on the map is Burgundy, one of France’s main wine-producing areas and the home of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Burgundy produces a variety of wines but is specifically known for producing some of the world’s most prestigious and most expensive wines. The Route des Grands Crus is an iconic French wine trail, featuring 24 of Burgundy’s 33 grand crus. You will see both prominent and more humble sites and visit winemaker’s 18th and 19th century homes. The trail is over 60km long, and you get to visit 38 wine villages, offering an immersive and hospitable experience of Burgundy wine country.
Beaujolais
Not far from Burgundy is Beaujolais, home of the Gamay grape, which produces young wines with delicious red fruit flavours. Beaujolais wines are light bodied, refreshing, fruity, and perfect for those just dipping their toes into the world of red wine. The Nouveau Beaujolais Festival is an annual event that takes place every year, starting on the third Thursday in November. The wine of that season is uncorked and celebrated with wine tastings, themed dinners, and dancing.
Bordeaux
The third “B” on the list is the iconic Bordeaux, known for Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Semillon, Sauvignon Blanc, Sauternes, and Bordeaux Blends. The total wine growing area is over 120,000 hectares, the largest in France. Much of the wine from Bordeaux is red, ranging from easy-drinking, affordable wine, to some of the most complex and expensive bottles in the world. There are multiple appellations in Bordeaux, and many wine routes that offer a comprehensive and fun learning experience about the history, flavours, and terroir.
This is by no means a complete list of all the wonderful places to visit in French wine country. Like in wine, there may be rules, but there is no rule that supersedes personal preference, so choose what locations and what flavours suit you. Whether you are a seasoned wine connoisseur or a newbie, France’s wine country has history and product for everyone to enjoy.
