France, home of Bordeaux, Burgundy and Champagne, is arguably the world's largest wine-producing country. For centuries, it has produced more wine - and apparently better quality - than any other country. Wine is embedded in French culture at almost every level of society; it is the drink of the elite and the common people, and a key symbol of Roman Catholicism, the majority religion in France.
However, the lasting appeal of French wine is not necessarily its Volume or prestige, but rather the variety of styles available.
Consumer preferences have Evolved over the centuries, encouraging the development of New wine styles based on the Terroir and Grape varieties available to French winemakers. Red, white, rosé, Sweet, Dry, sparkling, opulent, austere, mineral, fruity - French vineyards have produced wines that fit each of these descriptors.
The diversity of French wines is due, in part, to the country's wide variety of climates. Champagne, its northernmost region, has one of the coolest climates in the wine world, in stark contrast to the hot, dry Rhone Valley, 560 km to the Southeast.
Bordeaux, in the southwest, has a maritime climate strongly influenced by the Atlantic Ocean to the west and by the various rivers that weave their way through its vineyards. Far from any oceanic influence, eastern regions such as Burgundy and Alsace have a continental climate, with hot, dry summers and cold winters. In the deep south of France, Provence and Languedoc-Roussillon have a definite Mediterranean climate, characterized by hot summers and relatively mild winters.
Geology and topography play an equally important role in the diversity of French wines.
Mainly cultivated in the Languedoc region, carignan originates from Spain. Because of its very resistant branches, it is often called hardwood. Its bunches are quite large. They are compact and winged with a lignified stalk. The berries are spherical in shape and take on a bluish-black colour. Carignan has a total of 25 approved clones, the best known of which are 274, 65 and 9. The carignan buds at the beginning of June and is protected from spring frosts. It does not reach maturity until the third period. Also, this grape variety needs warmth and sunshine. It appreciates dry and not very fertile soils. Carignan vines can live for more than 100 years. Those that are more than 30 years old produce a better wine. This wine is well coloured. It is generous and powerful at the same time. Pepper, cherry, blackberry, banana, raspberry, almond, prune and violet are some of the aromas that this grape variety gives off.
natural sweet wines from the region of France go well with generally quite well with dishes of beef, lamb or spicy food such as recipes of beef with cider, baked lamb neck on a bed of vegetables and grapes or island grouper.
On the nose in the region of France often reveals types of flavors of cream, almonds or black currant and sometimes also flavors of burnt sugar, walnut or nutty. In the mouth in the region of France is a powerful with a good balance between acidity and sweetness.
Felix Debavelaere, from Domaine Rois Mages mentions the different personnalities of the Rully appellation. It is not easy to put it in a single box, not only because it can be produced in red and white but also because the wines can show different characters according to where the vines are planted. This video is taken from the “Rendez-vous avec les vins de Bourgogne” program (February 2021). Our social media: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BourgogneWines Twitter: https://twitter.com/Bourgo ...
Laurent Lignier from Domaine Hubert Lignier and Président of the winegrowers union, mentions the great diversity in the expression of the Morey-Saint-DenisPremier Cru wines. This video is taken from the “Rendez-vous avec les vins de Bourgogne” program broadcasted in April 2021. Our social media: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BourgogneWines Twitter: https://twitter.com/BourgogneWines/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vinsdebourgogne/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bivb ...
Sequence from the video « At the heart of the Mâcon terroir » which offer a stroll at the heart of the Mâcon terroir. It offers a focus on Mâcon-Prissé, one of the 27 geographical denominations of the Mâcon appellation. Travel through the terroirs of the Mâcon appellation by watching the full video : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GF20y1aBZh8 Both are available in French and English. Our social media: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BourgogneWines Twitter: https://twitter.com/BourgogneWine ...
