Learning French Wines

 

Learning French Wines is easy by breaking down the subject into two categories.  These categories are grapes and regions.  By learning French wines this way, it will become second nature in choosing a French wine that will suit every palate.

 

The regions are set in key locations throughout France.  They are Alsace, Bordeaux, Burgundy, Champagne, Cotes du Rhone, Languedoc – Roussillon, Loire Valley, Provence, Corsica, and the South West.  There are vineyards in each of these regions that produce numberous varities of wines from specific grape selections grown in these regions. The Alsace region’s wines are dry, sweet wines.  The grapes used are Reisling, Pinot Blac, Gewurztraminer, Tokay Point Gris, and Sylvaner.  These wines are paired with entrees such as seafood and shellfish, spicy dishes, poultry, quiches, salads and pork.

 

Learning French wines in the Bordeaux region includes the grapes Merlot, Cabernet- Sauvigon, Cabernet- Franc, Semillon, and Sauvigon.  The bodies of these wines are full-body red, medium- body red, dry white, and sweet wine.  Oysters, lamb, duck, beef and veal, as well as pheasant and poultry will complement any of the wines from the Bordeaux region.

 

Burgundy wines are described as velvety for the red wines and characteristically sensual for the white wines.  There are only two grapes in this region which are Pinot Noir for red wine, and Chardonnay for the white wine varieties.  Full bodied medium reds are paired with wild game and red meats, while the dry white wines are great with grilled fish and oysters.

 

Learning French champagne is to learn indulgence at its peak.  It is a sparkling wine made from Chardonnay, Pinto Meunier, and Pinot Noir grapes.  It is popular for celebrations and is wonderfully paired with smoked salmon, caviar, lobsters and Foie gras.

 

Cotes du Rhone uses Grenache grapes for its reds and Clairette grapes for its white wines.  The northern part of this region produce full body reds and dry full bodied white wines, while the south has light to medium fruity red wines.  The white wine still leans toward grilled sea foods, and the reds are best with roasted red meats, wild game and steaks.

 

The Laguedoc-Roussillon region uses the Carignan, Grenache, Mourvedre, Cinsault, Merlot and Cabernet- Savignon grapes to produce red, rose and white wines.  The wines are full bodied, medium, light and dry rose, dry white, sweet reds, and sweet or sparkling white wines.  Grilled red meats, pate, sausages and roasted turkey go habitually with the red wines.  Rose is for lighter dishes such as salads, omelets or onion tarts and the white wines gear towards sea foods.

 

As the educational task of learning French wines expands forethought into wine bodies, food pairings, aroma, regions and grapes, there will be a clear understanding into what wines to consume.  The last wine regions that remain are Loire Valley, Provence, Corsica, and Southwest.  These vary from subtle rose, dry whites, fruity reds, sparkling white, sweet whites and full bodied red wines.  Remember that red wines are paired with heavy meats and dishes.  Any of the remaining white wines go with light dishes and deserts.