France Wine Region
Northern Areas
Champagne
Major Varieties: Pinot
Noir, Chardonnay & Pinot Meunier
Alsace
Major Varieties: Whites: Riesling,
Gewürztraminer, Pinot Gris (often
called Tokay Pinot Gris), Pinot Blanc,
Sylvaner, Muscat; Reds: Pinot
Noir
Loire Valley
Major Varieties: Whites: Sauvignon
Blanc, Chenin Blanc, Melon de Bourgogne; Reds: Pinot
Noir, Cabernet Franc, Gamay
Principal Appellations: Pouilly-Fumé,
Sancerre, Quincy, Vouvray, Montlouis, Touraine,
Saumur-Champigny, Chinon, Bourgeuil, Anjou,
Quarts de Chaume, Coteaux de Layon and
Muscadet.
Southern Areas
Burgundy
Major Varieties: Whites: Chardonnay
and Aligoté; Reds: Pinot
Noir and a little Gamay Noir
Principal Appellations: Chablis,
Gevrey Chambertin, Morey-St.-Denis, Vougeot,
Flagey-Echeaux, Vosne Romanée, Nuits
St. George, Chambolle-Musigny, Aloxe-Corton,
Pernand-Vergelesses, Savigny-les-Beaune,
Beaune, Volnay, Pommard, Meursault, Puligny-Montrachet,
St. Aubin, St. Roman, Chassagne-Montrachet,
Santenay, Montagny, Rully, Pouilly-Fuissé,
Macon
Beaujolais
Major Varieties: Gamay
Noir
Cru-Beaujolais: Brouilly,
Côte de Brouilly, Morgon, Moulin-à-Vent,
Julienas, Fleurie, Chiroubles, St. Amour,
Chénas, Regnié
Rhone Valley
Major Varieties: Northern
Rhone Reds: Syrah; Whites: Marsanne,
Roussanne, Viognier
Southern Rhone Reds: Grenache,
Syrah, Mourvedre, Cinsaut, Carignane; Whites: no
dominant white, they include Grenache Blanc,
Bourbolenc, Marsanne, Roussanne, Viognier,
Ugni Blanc and others.
Leading appellations
of the northern Rhone: Hermitage,
Côte-Rôtie, St. Joseph, Cornas,
Crozes-Hermitage, Condrieu
Leading appellations
of the southern Rhone: Châteauneuf-du-Pape,
Gigondas, Vacqueyras, Cairanne, Tavel,
Lirac, Côtes du Rhône, Côtes
du Luberon, Côtes du Ventoux, Beaumes-de-Venise
Provence
Major Varieties: White: The
same as southern Rhone Red: Syrah,
Grenache, Cabernet Sauvignon, Mourvedre,
Cinsaut & Carignane
Leading appellations: Bandol,
Coteaux d’Aix en Provence, Les Baux-de-Provence,
Cassis, Cotes de Provence
Languedoc & Roussillon
Major Varieties: The
same as southern Rhone with different proportions
Leading appellations: Coteaux
du Languedoc, St. Chinian, Costieres de
Nimes, Muscat de Frontignan, Corbieres,
Vin de Pays de l’Herault, Pic Saint
Loup, Banyuls, Collioure
Bordeaux
Major Varieties: Reds: Cabernet
Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc & Merlot,
with Petit Verdot and Malbec permitted Whites: Semillon
and Sauvignon Blanc
The Southwest
Major Varieties: Many
Rhone varietals and Bordeaux varietals
and many indigenous varieties. |
