Diffident to express your wine tasting vocabulary other than ‘Yuk!’ or ‘Yum!’? Read on. Beginning Wine Lovers need to know French wine because it is the quality standard against which all other wines are measured. In THE FRENCH WINE LOVER’S BIBLE, you will learn basic knowledge such as that White Burgundy can only be made with Chardonnay. And Red Burgundy is made 100% with Pinot Noir. By law!
That the difference between Grand Cru Classé Bordeaux and the neighboring communes of Pomerol and St. Emilion is weather and the varietals planted in the vineyards. It’s cooler in inland Pomerol/St. Emilion and warmer where Bordeaux reaches into the Atlantic and is warmed by the Gulf Stream and the North Atlantic Drift. You may forever remember that St. Emilion/Pomerol glory in early ripening varietals such as Cabernet Franc and Merlot while their warmer neighbors—Pauillac, Ste. Estephe, St.-Julien and Margaux--can ripen Cabernet Sauvignon of fantastic quality (when Bordeaux has a fantastic vintage which only happens 3 years out of 10).
The reader will learn of the Sauvignon Blanc wines grown on both sides of the Loire River. And too learn of the fantastic Syrah grape grown in the northern reaches of the Rhone Valley south of Burgundy and expressed regally in the Côte-Rôtie, Hermitage, St. Joseph and Cornas.
The new wine lover will learn too of the white wines of Macon just south of the Côte d’Or, that river of those Chardonnays known already too many newbies as St. Veran and Pouilly-Fuissé. And of Champagne, Chablis, Alsace and the Loire River valley with its Sauvignon Blancs and Muscadet. And the picnic wines of Beaujolais. And finally learn of Provence Rosé and Languedoc/Rousillon the great source of bulk wine destined to become cheap supermarket wine.
The French were the first—--and justifiably so—to proclaim their wines the greatest. The image took. And this quality image continues to shine brightly—and deservedly--outward from the legendary and historic vineyards of France. Competition from Italy, Spain and the New World is fierce when it comes to quality wines, but French wine remains the standard of comparison.
Allons, mes amis!
That the difference between Grand Cru Classé Bordeaux and the neighboring communes of Pomerol and St. Emilion is weather and the varietals planted in the vineyards. It’s cooler in inland Pomerol/St. Emilion and warmer where Bordeaux reaches into the Atlantic and is warmed by the Gulf Stream and the North Atlantic Drift. You may forever remember that St. Emilion/Pomerol glory in early ripening varietals such as Cabernet Franc and Merlot while their warmer neighbors—Pauillac, Ste. Estephe, St.-Julien and Margaux--can ripen Cabernet Sauvignon of fantastic quality (when Bordeaux has a fantastic vintage which only happens 3 years out of 10).
The reader will learn of the Sauvignon Blanc wines grown on both sides of the Loire River. And too learn of the fantastic Syrah grape grown in the northern reaches of the Rhone Valley south of Burgundy and expressed regally in the Côte-Rôtie, Hermitage, St. Joseph and Cornas.
The new wine lover will learn too of the white wines of Macon just south of the Côte d’Or, that river of those Chardonnays known already too many newbies as St. Veran and Pouilly-Fuissé. And of Champagne, Chablis, Alsace and the Loire River valley with its Sauvignon Blancs and Muscadet. And the picnic wines of Beaujolais. And finally learn of Provence Rosé and Languedoc/Rousillon the great source of bulk wine destined to become cheap supermarket wine.
The French were the first—--and justifiably so—to proclaim their wines the greatest. The image took. And this quality image continues to shine brightly—and deservedly--outward from the legendary and historic vineyards of France. Competition from Italy, Spain and the New World is fierce when it comes to quality wines, but French wine remains the standard of comparison.
Allons, mes amis!
