French Wine Regions

It would be far easier to name all those areas of France that have nothing to do with grapes, than it would be to mention all French wine regions. Still, some areas tend to more popular than others.

Amongst the most popular French wine regions are: Alsace, Bordeaux, Burgundy, Champagne, Cotes du Rhone, Languedoc-Roussillon, Loire Valley, Provence, and Corsica, and the South West regions. Within each of these areas are different varieties of grapes. If you are familiar with the bottles that come from any of these regions, you probably already have some idea as to what you like. If you are not familiar with the grape varieties in each of these regions, you will find a small breakdown listed below.

Let’s begin with the Alsace region. The six appellations that come from Alsace are Riesling, Gewürztraminer, Pinot Blanc, Tokay Pinot Gris, Sylvaner, and Cremant d’Alsace. The bottles that come from this region tend to be on the sweeter side, though all of them are highly praised across the world. Now, let’s move to the ever-popular Bordeaux region. As opposed to the quaint Alsace region, there are 21 different appellations that come from Bordeaux. While there are many others, Medoc, Fronsac, Cotes de Castillon, and Margaux are the most popular.

As with Bordeaux, Burgundy is home to 21 different appellations including Chablis, Rully, and Clos Vougeot. While Champagne, Cotes du Rhone, Languedoc-Roussillon, Loire Valley, Provence, Corsica, and the South West regions all have play an important part in the most popular French wine regions, these are not quite as popular as Alsace, Burgundy, and Bordeaux. Generally, those bottles that come from Bordeaux and Burgundy tend to be dark, red, and a bit dry, while Alsace tends to be quite the opposite. Additionally, you should know that Burgundy and Bordeaux are mass wine producers, while smaller gems can still be found throughout Alsace.

Really, the wines that you prefer to drink are up to you, though it won’t hurt to try many of the varieties listed above. If you travel to France, you will be able to see just how different all of those bottles really are.

Now that you know a bit about the numerous French wine regions, you can try all of those lovely bottles for yourself. Soon enough, you will find the one that is just perfect for you.