May 21, 2009
Why French Wine is Still King of the Hill
France has the largest wine production of any country in the world, producing between seven to eight billion bottles every year. There are a number of wine making regions dotted around France with some areas being dated as far back as 600 BC.
The wines produced today vary across the gambit of the pricing structure with both expensive and lower priced wines available worldwide. In recent years, France has had to adapt to match the rest of the emerging world in wine production and distribution as the world grows smaller with modern technologies.
The French have been very protective of their origins in recent years, and rightly so, with the use of specific terms such as Bordeaux, Champagne and Burgundy now only apply to wines from those particular areas in France.
The AOC (Appellation d’Origine Controlee) system are the guidelines that are used to preserve the wine production and naming rights for all wine producing regions of France. The AOE system is enforced by a governing body, which determines the winemaking practices and grape varieties used in each region.
Another French term that is held close to the heart is “terrior” which is used to indicate the natural growing conditions of the vineyard, such as soil, temperature and slope of the land.
A good portion of the most popular gape varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc and Syrah all originally hail from the vineyards of France. As exploration and colonization spread across the globe, these popular varieties of grape were brought along and planted in numerous ‘new wold’ countries.
The spread of grapes across many countries also brought with it a number of winemakers armed with the knowledge of French winemaking techniques.
The rich history embedded in the French winemaking conjures up dreamy images of the roving vinewyards of France. It has remained a leader in grape varieties, wine sales and production for hundreds of years. In the same breath without leaving its age old traditions behind.
Its little wonder why French wine remains in high demand across the world.
Follow the link for more information on French Wines.
Filed under Home Wine Storage by Wine Storage Expert
















































