Wine Art in France

If you happen to be a person who is interested in French wines but don't know much about them the following information can help you a lot. French wines are the top rated wines in the world. They are grown in six major distinct regions in France. The wine varietals in all these different terriors have a uniquely different name, flavor, tone, and quality. Allow me to enthrall you with the details of the six major wine producing regions in France.

ALSACE - This region is close to the German border and lies in the north western part of France. Naturally, the German influence in wine growing and production is clearly felt in the taste and quality of wine produced in it. Even the food that goes along with the wine is not devoid of German influence. The prime grape varieties grown in this region are white, with the important ones including Gewrztraminer, Pinot Gris, and Riesling.

The region has a dry and sunny climate because of which the grapes have an intense flavor to them. The wine produced is dry and bold in stark contrast to the German wine which is sweeter and softer. The best Alsatian wine of this region is clearly the Lucien Albrecht Gewrztraminer.

BORDEAX - This lies in the southwest in France slightly inland and along the Atlantic Ocean coast. The red wine produced in this region is world famous. The recommended red wines of the region are Merlot and Cabernot Sauvignon. However, there are three more notable wines produced in this region. They are the Petit Verdot, Cabernet Franc, and Malbec.

Bordeaux wines are robust and go along best with steaks. In contrast to the wines produced in other regions of France which age best in about 3 to 6 years, those produced in Bordeaux continue to improve till even more than 10 years. This tells greatly about the quality of Bordeaux wines.

BURGUNDY - This region is in the east central part of France and the famous red wine produced in it is known as the wine of romance. Pinot Noir is the best red wine varietal produced in the region, the best white wine varietal being none other than Chardonnay. Next in the ratings chart is Chablis, followed by Beaujolais. The wine recommendation from Burgundy currently is the 2006 Frdric Magnien Pinot Noir. You will enjoy it best with broiled salmon.

CHAMPAGNE - This region in France is known best for its sparkling wine of the same name. It lies slightly to the northeast of Paris. It produces three main sparkling grape varietals, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Pinot Meunier. The soil in the Champagne region, coupled with the northern latitude, and the sea breezes combine to produce a matchless fresh, racy, and rich sparkling wine.

LOIRE - This region is in the valley of the Loire River near the central Atlantic coast. The well known Sauvignon Blanc white wine varietal and Muscadet are sourced from the soil here. Both go well with shrimp and oysters. Cabernot Franc is the major red wine produced in Loire.

RHONE - This lies in south eastern France and Viognier, Hermitage, and Grenache are the better known wines produced in this region.