1. Some of the World’s Best
The Wines of France
Some of the World’s Best

2. The Bordeaux Connection
The Soul of the Wine Industry

3. Classification System
Napoleon III called for classification before 1855 Exposition Universelle de Paris
Promoted by the Gironde Chamber of Commerce
Bordeaux Wine Brokers' Union
Only part of region was classified

4. The Implications Set certain Bordeaux wines apart from others
Set Bordeaux as the premiere wine production area
Limits potential for up and coming vineyards
Maintains control by a select few

5. French Wines Laws Classifications Vin de Table Vin de Pays
Vin Délimite de Qualité Supérieure
Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée

6. Vin de Table Primarily the southern regions
Produced using safe procedures
No quality standards
12% of total production

7. Vin de Pays Conversion from vin de table
Higher price and demand for better wines
Removal of less desirable vines
Regional tasting panel approval
Grown in region from recommended varieties
Regions, departments, zones like….
New England, New Hampshire, Seacoast
Roughly 33% of total

8. Vin Délimite de Qualité Supérieure
VDQS wines roughly 3% of total
Produced from slightly higher yielding vines that AOC
A step toward AOC classification

9. Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée- (Controlled Naming of Origin)
Roughly 52% of total
Region, district, village, single vineyard
Grapes grown within the names area
Grapes approved for that area
Reach a set alcohol level
Meet yield per acre standards
Maintain specific viticulture practices
Tested by taste and chemical analysis
Also crus designations

10. Terroir Soils Grapes Selection History
These four elements combine to produce the unique character that goes into each wine

11. Bordeaux in Brief Blending Cabernets strong on left bank
Fermented by lot
Blended to yield best potential wine of that vintage
Cabernets strong on left bank
Merlots strong on right bank
A typical offerings when one variety fails
Cabernet Franc grown minimally
Sémillon and Sauvignon Blanc primary whites
Second labels offer great value

12. Top Players Medoc Graves Pomerol Sauterne Margaux St. Julien Pauillac
St. Estephe
Graves
St Emillon
Pessac-Leognan
Pomerol
Sauterne

13. Margaux Margaux Châteaus in all 5 cru classifications 1 first growth
4 second growth
gravel
perfume
feminine
Château Margaux
75% cab 25% merlot

14. St Julien St. Julien 5 second growth Deep-rooted vines perfect
balance of opulence and austerity
Château Ducru Beaucaillou
75% cab, 20% merlot, 8% cab franc

15. Pauillac Pauillac 3 First growth 2 second growth Classic rich flavor
black current and cassis
pencil box
Château Lafite Rothschild
70% cab, 20% merlot, 10% cab franc
Château Mouton-Rothschild
76% cab, 13% merlot, 9% cab franc, 2% petit verdot

16. St Estephe St. Estephe 2 second crus Very deep rooted vines
high tannin but softening of late
longer to soften
Chateau Cos d’Estournel
60% cab, 38% merlot, 2% cab franc

17. St Emillon Gravel and limestone Higher merlot content
Drinkable young or cellar
Château Cheval Blanc
60% cab franc, 40% merlot

18. Pessac-Leognan Pessac-Leognan better graves smokey minerally reds
Chateau Haut Brion

19. Pomerol Pomerol deep clay creamy & seductively rich Chateau Pétrus
Average vine over 40 yrs.

20. Sauternes Sauternes Dry or sweet one vine= one glass three pressings
>20 degrees sugar
10 years

21. Alsace & Loire

22. Alsace- On the border of Germany
The geography and turns of historical events shape the wines of this region

23. History
1870 End of Franco Prussian War… Alsace becomes German territory
1918 End of WWI…Alsace becomes French
1945….German again
Always a French flare for wine making and matching with cuisine
Increasing move toward dryer wines

24. Alsacian Wine Region 70 miles long, avg. 1 mile wide
vines hang on eastern slope of Vosges
ft. elevation
slow ripening...low heat summation
influenced by Rhine river
extension of German Pfalz
wines more vinous than German cousins

25. Alsace- A Single AOC Strong German Influence
Typically, label carries grape variety
Sparkling=Cremant d’Alsace
Blended=Edelzwicker
10% Pinot Noir
90% White
Riesling, Gewurztraminer, Pinot blanc

26. Alsatian Wine Dry yet fruity Muskat Rieslings dryer than Germany
Gewurtztraminer that’s spicy, light bodied, & slightly sweet
Pinot blanc in small quantities
Some Tokay

27. Loire Valley Region

28. Loire Grape Varieties Four Regions Chenin Blanc Muscadet
Cabernet Franc (red)
Four Regions
Western (Nantes)
Central (Anjou & Saumur)
Upper (Touraine)
Jura & Savoie
mountainous

29. Nantes ~1635 Burgundians introduced Melon grape
Survived –20C temps in 1709
Became known as Muscadet
First appellations
Muscadet de Sèvre et Maine
Muscadet des Coteaux de la Loire
Muscadet
1972 compulsory tasting instituted to grant or deny use of appellation

30. Anjou & Saumur Vineyards begun in middle ages Monks played major role
Canalization of tributaries important for trade
Anjou known for rose wines
Different grapes in each sub region
Cabernet in Cabernet d’Anjou
Grolleau in Rosé d’Anjou

31. Anjou & Saumur Saumur is known for….
Sparkling wines made from red (primarily cabernet franc) and white (primarily chenin) grapes
Campigny made from cabernet franc
Reds from cab and cabernet franc
Whites primarily from chenin blanc grape

32. Touraine Most credit to monks in 300’s AD Numerous sub-areas-
Chinon= primarily red from cab franc, deep red
Vouvray solely from chenin grape to produce a dry to semi-sweet wine
Touraine primarily gamay from reds and sauvignon for whites

33. Centre Evidence to the first century Major development in 12th century
Sancerre best known sub-region
Sancerre grape for white
Some pinot noir for rose

34. Burgundy

35. Burgundy in Brief 100 miles SE of Paris..225 miles long
6 major districts
111,000 acres of AOC wines
27+ million cases each year
15% of France’s AOC output
Great Wine….Montrachet
Popular Wine….Beaujolais

36. Labeling of Wines Small vineyards
Bottling & distribution primarily by negociant-eleveur
Self-bottlers = domains or clos
e.g. Mis en Bouteille au Domaine
Limited quantities, high prices
Best wines carry name of vineyard

37. Labeling of Wines Single vineyard= Grand Crus
Best communes= Premiere Crus
Communal level= Village names
Regional level=
Bourgogne, Bourgogne Ordinaire, Bourgogne Passe-Tous-Grains
Grape variety= major distinguishing feature

38. By the Sub-Regions Chablis-4.7% 7 grand crus, 17 premier crus
Chablis, Petit Chablis
northern location, limestone, south facing vineyards

39. Continuing South Cote de Nuits-3.2%
Gevrey Chambertin, Nuits St. George
25 grand crus

40. Further South Cote de Beaune-6.9% Cote Chalonnaise-2.1% 15 Grand crus
Beaune, Pommard, Puligny-Montrachet
Cote Chalonnaise-2.1%
increased plantings since 1980
primarily pinot noir and chardonnay
Vlgs- Mercurey, Montagny

41. Still further South Maconnais-10.9% white equivalent of Beaujolais
68% chardonnay, 25% gamay, 7% pinot noir
Vlgs- Pouilly-Fuisse, Macon-Villages

42. Most Southern Beaujolais-59.2% largest area in Burgundy
14.8M cases red, 98K cases white
gamay grape country
half of the production is consumed domestically

43. Beaujolais- 35 m. long 5-10 wide
Haut Beaujolais…including
Crus Beaujolais= 25% of total
39 Beaujolais Village=25%
Bas Beaujolais….
Beaujolais
Beaujolais Superieur total of 50%
Beaujolais Nouveau 3rd Thursday of November each year

44. The Rhone
From Avignon to Vienne

45. A Bit About the River Much of the river is canalized
Agriculture and industry share the shore
Dozens of medieval cities line its banks

46. The Region Divided into Northern Rhone Southern Rhone
Single varietal wines (Syrah)
Temperate climate, fair rainfall
Southern Rhone
Blended wines
Mediterranean climate
Côte du Rhone term used throughout
Côte du Rhone Village reserved for defined area

47. Northern Rhone Top appellations: Chateau-Grillet Condrieu, Cornas
Cote-Rotie
Croze-Hermitage
Hermitage
St. Joseph
St.-Peray

48. Northern Rhone Syrah grape predominates Some viognier
Marsanne and Roussanne for white Hermitage

49. Southern Rhone Top appellations: Grenache grape predominates
Chateauneuf-du-Pape
Cotes du Rhone
Cotes du Rhone Village
Grenache grape predominates
Syrah and Mourvedre used for blending
Clairette, Grenache Blanc, Bourboulenc are the primary white grapes

50. Chateauneuf-du-Pape A favorite that feel from grace in the 1980’s
Now staging a comeback
Primarily grenache but blended with up to 13 other wines
320 domains produce this wine today

51. Vermouth Red or White Originally aged in casks at sea
Now aged in seaside courtyard
Barrels left loosely corked
Speeds aging

52. Vermouth
Herbs and other botanicals blended with wine to impart subtle flavor
White vermouth as aperitif or mixed in martini
Red vermouth in Manhattan or on the rocks

53. Champagne
We cover Champagne in a separate presentation along with sparkling wines