Almost all regions in France have some claim to fame for fabulous wine. From the hills of Provence in the south to the forests of Alsace in the east and the countryside of Bordeaux, you can find picturesque vineyards and fantastic wines pretty much anywhere except for the northern coasts.
When I first moved to France, I knew nothing about wine or what constituted a good one. A local friend made it simple for me: “if you enjoy it, then it’s a good bottle,” he told me. Since then, I’ve grown much more fond of trying local wines and learning about the interesting craft of making them.
It isn’t hard to find a good French wine region to visit – they are literally all over the country. Your trip doesn’t have to be based on wineries, either. Doing some wine tastings and vineyard tours are great additions to a spring getaway in the Loire Valley or a summertime escape to Provence and the Côte d’Azur.
Following my friend’s advice, the best wine regions are the ones that you enjoy the most – not only for their tasty wines, but for the fun you can have there! Below, we’ll look at some of the most famous French wine regions, what they’re known for, and what you can do on a visit.
A Quick Introduction to Wine
If you’re new to this, too, let’s start with a super-fast orientation. There are red and white wines, which (sort of) correspond to the color of the grapes used to make them – red for reds or “white” (green) for whites.
The reason I say “sort of” is all grape juice is white, no matter the color of the grape, but if red grapes are allowed to ferment with their red skin, the result is red wine. If red grapes are used to make white wine, that’s called blanc de noirs, which you might understand if you know a bit of French!
Rosé is another type that is usually made from red grapes. Sparkling wine may be made using both red and white grapes together, or just one or the other. Fun fact – if it doesn’t come from the region of Champagne, it isn’t champagne, it’s just sparkling wine!
The fancy names you often see, like Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, and Sauvignon Blanc, are actually the variety of grapes used the make the wine, indicating flavor elements. People may describe a wine as dry, meaning it fermented out most of the sugars from the grapes and therefore isn’t as sweet, while the opposite would be just that – a sweet wine. You can use a…
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