05the wines of france

8/8/2019 05The Wines of France

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The Wines of FranceThe Wines of France

Some of the Worlds Best


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The BordeauxThe Bordeaux

ConnectionConnection

The Soul of the Wine Industry


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Classification SystemClassification System Napoleon III called forclassification before 1855

Exposition Universelle de

Paris Promoted by the Gironde

Chamber of Commerce

Bordeaux Wine Brokers'

Union

Only part of region was

classified


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The ImplicationsThe Implications Set certain Bordeaux wines apart fromothers

Set Bordeaux as the premiere wineproduction area

Limits potential for up and coming

vineyards

Maintains control by a select few


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French Wines LawsFrench Wines Laws Classifications

Vin de Table

Vin de Pays

Vin Dlimite de Qualit Suprieure

Appellation dOrigine Contrle


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Vin de TableVin de Table Primarily the southern regions

Produced using safe procedures

No quality standards

12% of total production


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Vin de PaysVin de Pays Conversion from vin de table

Higher price and demand for better wines

Removal of less desirable vines Regional tasting panel approval

Grown in region from recommended varieties Regions, departments, zones like.

New England, New Hampshire, Seacoast Roughly 33% of total


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Vin DVin Dlimite de Qualitlimite de Qualit SupSuprieurerieure

VDQS wines roughly 3% of total

Produced from slightly higher yielding vines

that AOC

A step toward AOC classification


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Appellation dOrigine ContrAppellation dOrigine Contrlele--

(Controlled Naming of Origin)(Controlled Naming of Origin)

Roughly 52% of total

Region, district, village, single vineyard

Grapes grown within the names area Grapes approved for that area

Reach a set alcohol level

Meet yield per acre standards

Maintain specific viticulture practices Tested by taste and chemical analysis

Also crus designations


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TerroirTerroir Soils

Grapes

Selection

History

These four elements combine to produce

the unique character that goes into eachwine


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Bordeaux in BriefBordeaux in Brief Blending

Fermented by lot

Blended to yield best potential wine of that vintage

Cabernets strong on left bank

Merlots strong on right bank

Atypical offerings when one variety fails

Cabernet Franc grown minimally Smillon and Sauvignon Blanc primary whites

Second labels offer great value


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Top PlayersTop Players Medoc

Margaux

St. Julien Pauillac

St. Estephe

Graves

St Emillon

Pessac-Leognan

Pomerol

Sauterne


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MargauxMargaux Margaux Chteaus in all 5 cru

classifications

1 first growth 4 second growth

gravel

perfume

feminine Chteau Margaux

75% cab 25% merlot


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St JulienSt Julien St. Julien

5 second growth

Deep-rooted vines perfect

balance of opulenceand austerity

Chteau DucruBeaucaillou

75% cab, 20% merlot,8% cab franc


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PauillacPauillac Pauillac

3 First growth

2 second growth

Classic rich flavor

black current and cassis

pencil box

Chteau Lafite Rothschild

70% cab, 20% merlot, 10%

cab franc Chteau Mouton-Rothschild

76% cab, 13% merlot, 9%cab franc, 2% petit verdot


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St EstepheSt Estephe St. Estephe

2 second crus

Very deep rootedvines

high tannin butsoftening of late

longer to soften

Chateau CosdEstournel

60% cab, 38% merlot,2% cab franc


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St EmillonSt Emillon Gravel and limestone

Higher merlot content

Drinkable young or cellar

Chteau Cheval Blanc

60% cab franc, 40% merlot


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PessacPessac--LeognanLeognan Pessac-Leognan

better graves

smokey minerally reds

Chateau Haut Brion


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PomerolPomerol Pomerol

deep clay

creamy & seductivelyrich

Chateau Ptrus

Average vine over 40

yrs.


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SauternesSauternes Sauternes

Dry or sweet

one vine= one glass three pressings

>20 degrees sugar

10 years


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Alsace & LoireAlsace & Loire


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AlsaceAlsace-- On the border of GermanyOn the border of Germany The geography and

turns of historical

events shape thewines of this region


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HistoryHistory 1870 End of Franco Prussian War Alsace

becomes German territory

1918 End of WWIAlsace becomesFrench

1945.German again

Always a French flare for wine making andmatching with cuisine

Increasing move toward dryer wines


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Alsacian Wine RegionAlsacian Wine Region 70 miles long, avg. 1 mile wide

vines hang on eastern slope of Vosges

600-1500 ft. elevation

slow ripening...low heat summation

influenced by Rhine river extension of German Pfalz

wines more vinous than German cousins


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AlsaceAlsace-- A Single AOCA Single AOC Strong German Influence

Typically, label carries grape variety

Sparkling=Cremant dAlsace

Blended=Edelzwicker

10% Pinot Noir 90% White

Riesling, Gewurztraminer, Pinot blanc


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Alsatian WineAlsatian Wine Dry yet fruity Muskat

Rieslings dryer than Germany

Gewurtztraminer thats spicy, light bodied,

& slightly sweet

Pinot blanc in small quantities

Some Tokay


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Loire Valley RegionLoire Valley Region


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LoireLoire Grape Varieties Chenin Blanc

Muscadet

Cabernet Franc (red)

Four Regions Western (Nantes)

Central (Anjou & Saumur)

Upper (Touraine)

Jura & Savoie mountainous


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NantesNantes ~1635 Burgundians introduced Melon grape

Survived 20C temps in 1709

Became known as Muscadet First appellations

Muscadet de Svre et Maine

Muscadet des Coteaux de la Loire

Muscadet

1972 compulsory tasting instituted to grant ordeny use of appellation


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Anjou & SaumurAnjou & Saumur Vineyards begun in middle ages

Monks played major role

Canalization of tributaries important for

trade

Anjou known for rose wines

Different grapes in each sub region

Cabernet in Cabernet dAnjou

Grolleau in Ros dAnjou


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Anjou & SaumurAnjou & Saumur Saumur is known for.

Sparkling wines made from red (primarily

cabernet franc) and white (primarily chenin)grapes

Campigny made from cabernet franc

Reds from cab and cabernet franc Whites primarily from chenin blanc grape


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TouraineTouraine Most credit to monks in 300s AD

Numerous sub-areas-

Chinon= primarily red from cab franc, deep

red

Vouvray solely from chenin grape to produce a

dry to semi-sweet wine Touraine primarily gamay from reds and

sauvignon for whites


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CentreCentre Evidence to the first century

Major development in 12th century

Sancerre best known sub-region

Sancerre grape for white

Some pinot noir for rose


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BurgundyBurgundy


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Burgundy in BriefBurgundy in Brief 100 miles SE of Paris..225 miles long

6 major districts

111,000 acres of AOC wines

27+ million cases each year

15% of Frances AOC output Great Wine.Montrachet

Popular Wine.Beaujolais


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Labeling of WinesLabeling of Wines Small vineyards

Bottling & distribution primarily by

negociant-eleveur

Self-bottlers = domains or clos

e.g. Mis en Bouteille au Domaine

Limited quantities, high prices

Best wines carry name of vineyard


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Labeling of WinesLabeling of Wines

Single vineyard=Grand Crus

Best communes= Premiere

Crus

Communal level= Village

names

Regional level=

Bourgogne, BourgogneOrdinaire, Bourgogne Passe-

Tous-Grains

Grape variety= major

distinguishing feature


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By the SubBy the Sub--RegionsRegions Chablis-4.7%

7 grand crus, 17

premier crus Chablis, Petit Chablis

northern location,

limestone, south facing

vineyards


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Continuing SouthContinuing South Cote de Nuits-3.2%

Gevrey Chambertin,

Nuits St. George 25 grand crus


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Still further SouthStill further South

Maconnais-10.9%

white equivalent ofBeaujolais

68% chardonnay, 25%

gamay, 7% pinot noir

Vlgs- Pouilly-Fuisse,Macon-Villages


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Most SouthernMost Southern Beaujolais-59.2%

largest area in

Burgundy

14.8M cases red, 98K

cases white

gamay grape country

half of the production

is consumeddomestically


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BeaujolaisBeaujolais-- 35 m. long 535 m. long 5--10 wide10 wide

Haut Beaujolaisincluding Crus Beaujolais= 25% of total

39 Beaujolais Village=25%

Bas Beaujolais.

Beaujolais

Beaujolais Superieur total of

50%

Beaujolais Nouveau 3rd

Thursday of November eachyear


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The RhoneThe Rhone

From Avignon to Vienne


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A Bit About the RiverA Bit About the River Much of the river is canalized

Agriculture and industry share the shore

Dozens of medieval cities line its banks


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The RegionThe Region Divided into

Northern Rhone

Single varietal wines (Syrah) Temperate climate, fair rainfall

Southern Rhone

Blended wines

Mediterranean climate

Cte du Rhone term used throughout

Cte du Rhone Village reserved for defined area


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Northern RhoneNorthern Rhone Top appellations:

Chateau-Grillet

Condrieu, Cornas Cote-Rotie

Croze-Hermitage

Hermitage

St. Joseph St.-Peray


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Northern RhoneNorthern Rhone Syrah grape predominates

Some viognier

Marsanne and Roussanne for white

Hermitage


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Southern RhoneSouthern Rhone Top appellations:

Chateauneuf-du-Pape

Cotes du Rhone

Cotes du Rhone Village

Grenache grape predominates

Syrah and Mourvedre used for blending

Clairette, Grenache Blanc, Bourboulenc arethe primary white grapes


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ChateauneufChateauneuf--dudu--PapePape

A favorite that feel from grace in the 1980s

Now staging a comeback

Primarily grenache but blended with up to

13 other wines

320 domains produce this wine today


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VermouthVermouth

Red or White

Originally aged in casks at sea

Now aged in seaside courtyard Barrels left loosely corked

Speeds aging


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VermouthVermouth

Herbs and other botanicals blended withwine to impart subtle flavor

White vermouth as aperitif or mixed inmartini

Red vermouth in Manhattan or on therocks


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ChampagneChampagne

We cover Champagne in a separate

presentation along with sparkling wines

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