TOP 5 French Vineyards To Visit

When most of us think of wine, we think of strolling through a vineyard and watching a vintner and his or her workers cultivate the vines in one of the most (if not the) largest wine producing countries in the world â?? France. This beautiful country has been producing wine since the 6th century BC and even though the production of wine has existed for thousands of years around the world, France has made wine production a part of their culture. However, the wine industry in France wasnâ??t always beautifully free of disasters, which is how Quality became a very big part of that culture. It was during this era of uncertainty that the French established a system called, the â??Appellation d'Origine Contrô léeâ?, which is overseen by an authoritative board (Institut National des Appellations d'Origine, INAO). The system is so stringent that many other European systems are modeled after it. The system was established in 1935 subsequent to calamities that plagued the industry beginning with mold followed by the Great French Wine Blight, which was caused by sap-sucking insects known as Phylloxera that attached themselves to grape vine roots causing fungal infections that ultimately cut off flow of water & nutrients. There was also an economic depression and not one, but two world wars that collectively resulted in decimation of vineyards throughout. Once France was met with competition from other countries, the government had no choice but to regulate how wine was made and who better to know than a vintner, which is how Baron Pierre Le Roy, producer of Châteauneuf-du-Pape co-founded The Institut national de l'origine et de la qualité. Even though the organization consists of a board, it is a part of the Ministry of Agriculture, which is governed by the French Government.

There are a total of 12 major â??white grapeâ? varieties in France:

Grape Variety	Region
Chardonnay	Burgundy, Champagne, Languedoc
Chenin Blanc	Loire Valley
Sauvignon Blanc	Bordeaux, Loire Valley, South West France, Languedoc
Gewürztraminer	Alsace
Pinot Gris	Alsace
Pinot Blanc	Alsace
Marsanne	Rhône Valley
Muscadet	Loire Valley
Riesling	Alsace
Roussanne	Rhône Valley
Sémillon	Bordeaux, Southwest France
Viognier	Rhône Valley, Languedoc

As much white grape varieties there are throughout France, there's just as much "red grape" varieties as well:

Grape Variety	Region
Cabernet Sauvignon	Bordeaux, Southwest France, Languedoc
Cabernet Franc	Loire Valley, Bordeaux, Southwest France
Carignan	Rhône Valley, Southern France
Cinsault	Rhône Valley, Southern France
Gamay	Beaujolais
Grenache	Rhône Valley, Southern France
Merlot	Bordeaux, Southwest France, Languedoc
Malbec	Southwest France, Bordeaux
Mourvèdre	Rhône Valley, Southern France
Pinot Noir	Burgundy, Champagne
Syrah	Rhône Valley, Southern France

Based on the information we have above, we can clearly see that the TOP 5 Major Regions these wines are produced in are:

Burgundy

Burgundy: This region is located to the southeast of Paris, and it has an enormous amount of importance, historically speaking. Until 1477, the region was completely independent of France. In fact, during the One Hundred Years War, Burgundy fought on the side of the English in order to keep their independence. Once home to the powerful Dukes of Burgundy, the region is said to produce the worldâ??s most expensive Pinot Noir & Chardonnay. The region is also famous for its Dijon Mustard (Excuse me, do you have any Grey Poupon?)

 

Loire Valley

Loire Valley: Referred to as the â??Cradle of the Frenchâ?, the Loire Valley has acres upon acres of wine vineyards, fruit orchards, and vegetable fieldsâ?¦ In 2000, UNESCO added the central area of the region to its list of World Heritage Sites. Wines in this region are said to exhibit fruity pallets.

 

Southern France

Southern France covers quite a bit of terrane including Languedoc, Rousillon, and Provence. The following wine appellations can be found in each of the provinces mentioned above:  Fitou, Saint-Chinian, Minervois, Corbieres, Faugeres, Cabardes, and many others. In addition to Langedoc, Rousillon, and Provence, Southern France also includes the island of Corsica, which can be visited frequently by cruise ships.

 

Bordeaux

Bordeaux: In addition to being dubbed the â??Wine Industry Capital of the Worldâ? and home to Vinexpo, (key event for major international wine operators), combined with its suburbs and other communities, the port city of Bordeaux is the sixth largest metropolitan area in France. Similar to Loire Valley, Bordeauxâ??s historic section is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Bordeaux is certainly more than meets the eye! When Emperor Napoleon III instructed Baron Haussman to transform Paris into a modern capital that would make France proud, it was Bordeauxâ??s model that he used to design Paris.

 

Rhône Valley

Rhône River Valley: Two sub-regions make up the whole of the Rhône River Valley, first of which is the Northern Rhône, which produces red wines from the Syrah grape. The southern sub-region produces an assortment of red, white, and rose wines, not to mention the fact that they usually blend the grapes, which is something Châteauneuf-du-Pape is known for. It is speculated that the first vines were planted around 600 BC. There are lots of theories floating around regarding the origins of the Syrah grape, the first of which is grapes brought by Greeks from Persian city of Shiraz, and another theory is grapes brought from Sicilian city of Syracuse.

Here are the Top 5 most popular wine regions that have been visited in France:

• Champagne Region > Moet Chandon
• Loire Valley > Pouilly-Fumé
• Burgundy Region > Domaine Armand Rousseau Père et Fils
• Rhône River Valley > Châteauneuf-du-Pape
• Bordeaux Region > Saint-Emilion

I admit that the thought of picking up and taking a flight to Paris in order to begin a â??Region to Regionâ? adventure filled with wine & motor-coach rides is exciting, but there is another more fantastic option for us wine enthusiastsâ?¦ Ever heard of a â??European Wine Heritage River Cruiseâ?? It exists, and in addition to including all our meals, wine, taxes, and accommodations aboard a five star AMA Waterways River Cruise Vessel, the package also includes an Expert Wine Host! The hosts range from winery owners, vintners, award winning wine journalists, and collectors.

Based on what weâ??ve discussed as it pertains to France, there is one itinerary that I would love to take and itâ??s the â??Provence & Spain (Wine Themed)â? river cruise by AMA Waterways. I would have to fly into Barcelona, which would NOT be an issue as I love Barcelona (or how Spaniards say it) Barthelona! Las Ramblas, Familia Sagrada, Gaudi Park, Tapas, Spanish Wineâ?¦ Whatâ??s There Not To Love??? But I digressâ?¦

The map indeed seems to contradict what I was saying about flying into Barcelona, but the vessel does sail up and down the Rhone and Saone, and I would so much rather begin in Barcelona and sail up to lovely Paris â?? what did Gertrude Stein sayâ?¦ Ah yes, â??America is my country, and Paris is my hometownâ?. Gertrude may have uttered these words, but when Iâ??m there looking at the world through rose colored glasses, those words easily become my own.