|
FRANCE
The French and Italians are the world's largest wine producers and consumers. Italy is first in vineyard area and France is second. Depending on the weather, either Italy or France makes the most wine in any given
year. France has about three times as much vineyard area as the USA. Dividing grape production by vineyard area gives an estimate of average yield:
France and Italy average about 3-4 ton/acre, the USA about 7 ton/acre, Germany about 6 ton/acre and Spain about 2 ton/acre.
France produces about 1.5 billion gallons of wine each year and most of the wine is everyday drinking wine or vin ordinaire. About 200 million gallons are fine wines or Appellation d'Origine Controlee (AOC)
wines. Additionally, France also imports about 300 million gallons of mostly cheap wines from Spain, Italy, Morocco, Tunisia, etc.. France exports about 100 million gallons annually to the rest of the EC and the
USA.
AOC wine production is tightly controlled through specification of vineyard location, varieties, training and pruning, fertilization, irrigation (none except for frost protection), yield, winemaking methods and wine
alcohol level. Most of these laws are based on centuries of experience with the specified varieties and their quality given the soil and climate. The best French wines are made in small quantity from grapes picked
from relatively non-productive vines that have been hard-pruned and are somewhat stressed by climate and/or soil.
Grape growing and winemaking has been important in France since the Roman occupation and wine has been made with varying degrees of success for over 2000 years. In the last 200 years the French winemakers have tried
to make their top quality wines unsurpassed in the world. Due to large variations in climate and soil, France makes the widest variety of great wines in the world.
Appellation d'origine controlee (AOC) laws
These were first proclaimed in 1889-91 but were reaffirmed on July 30, 1935. Wines are labeled by region and not by variety. The only exceptions to this rule are the wines from Alsace. The Alsatian wines are labeled
by variety. However, the USA export market has driven some winemakers to label their non-AOC wines with varietal labels. The AOC laws recognize four levels of increasing quality:
a. Vins de table (table wine):
These are often brand name wines including blends of French wines and wines imported from Morocco, Tunisia, Spain, etc..These wines tend to be sold as commodities, somewhat like milk in the USA.
b. Vins du Pays (country wine):
Wines made from approved varieties grown in approved regions.
c. Vin délimités de qualité supériere (VDQS):
Area, variety, alcohol etc. specified, but requirements are less rigid than for AOC wines. Wines can be elevated from here to AOC. All VDQS wines must pass a sensory evaluation test.
d. Vin d'appellation d'origine controlee (AOC):
Since 1979, a sensory panel has evaluated all AOC wines to ensure that they are not faulty or non-typical. The law assumes that the climate, soil, grape variety and local winemaking techniques create a unique wine
that cannot be duplicated elsewhere. The law gives legal protection to the wine and its name. The law is based on a series of concentric circles that define the areas where the grapes may be grown. The more
restrictive the law, the smaller the area that is included for the cultivation of the grapes and the higher the quality of the wine (see figure). The minimum requirements for the wines are increased as the growing
areas are narrowed. The widest circle (area) is the Region, then the District, followed by the towns and the narrowest, most restrictive circle is the vineyard. For example:
Region: Bordeaux. A great circle is drawn around city of Bordeaux and anywhere inside this circle grapes are grown for Bordeaux wine.
District: NW of the city of Bordeaux (inside Region circle) is the Haut-Medoc district; SE of the city are the districts of Graves, Barsac, Sauternes and NE of the city are the districts of Saint-Emilion
and Pomerol. Wines from all these districts can be called Bordeaux wine but winemakers will take the more specific district name if they can qualify.
Communes: These are smaller circles representing specific towns or communes within the districts. In the Haut-Medoc district some of the famous communes are Margaux, Saint-Julien, Pauillac and
Saint-Estephe.
Vineyard or Cru (in Burgundy) and Chateau (in Bordeaux):
Some superb vineyards may have their own separate appellations. These appellations are accompanied by very stringent winemaking and quality requirements. Examples are Chateau Lafite-Rothschild in Bordeaux and La Romanee in Burgundy (only 2.1 acres).
I. BORDEAUX:
This is the largest and most productive vineyard area in France. About 26% of the French AOC wines are made here and 37% of Bourdeaux wines are exported. It is adjacent to the Gironde, Garonne and Dordogne rivers in
the southwestern part of France. Eleanor of Aquitane was the wife of Henry Plantagenet (King of England, 1154) and through her, he acquired all of her property in Western France. King John (1199 to 1216) granted the
Bordelais tax exemptions and this made Bordeaux wines cheaper in England than any other. The area was under English control for more than 300 years. Bordeaux wines continue to be highly regarded in England. Bordeaux
has 54 districts and two of the top districts for red wines (clarets)
are Medoc and Haut Medoc. The Medoc has a few sub-appellations that are important (St-Estephe, Pauillac, St-Julien, Margaux, Moulis and Listrac-Medoc). The clarets are blends of the cabernet-type varieties (Cabernet sauvignon, Cabernet franc, Merlot, Malbec, Petite verdot).
At the Paris Exhibition in 1855, the top sixty one vineyards or chateaux of the Medoc were classified, by price into five categories or growths ("crus"). At that time price was seen as a reflection of
quality. The 61 classified chateaux represent 25% of the Medoc production. The five Chateaux in the first growth (Premiers Crus) are: Chateau Latour (Pauillac commune), Chateau Margaux (Pauillac commune), Chateau
Lafite-Rothschild (Pauillac commune), Chateau Mouton-Rothschild (after 50 years of effort, Baron Philipe de Rothschild succeeded in having this chateau elevated from second to first growth in 1973; Pauillac commune)
and Chateau Haut-Brion (Graves district; discussed by Samuel Pepys in 1663). There are 14 second growths, 14 third growths, 11 fourth growths and 18 fifth growths.
There are also excellent chateaux in Pomerol, where more Merlot and less Cabernet sauvignon is used in the wines. The most expensive wines of Pomerol (and all of Bordeaux) come from Chateau Petrus ($380 a bottle for
1990 vintage).
The 9,000 chateaux may use the phrases "mis en bouteille au chateau" or "mise du chateau" on their labels. The chateaux grown, made and bottled wines are the best (and priciest) Bordeaux wines.
The Wine Spectator ranked the top 50 Bordeaux wines. They had tasted more than 300 wines from the eight best vintages between 1981 and 1990. The top ten wines were Margaux (1st growth), Mouton-Rothschild (1st growth) , Petrus, Le Pin (first wine made in 1979), Lafite-Rothschild (1st growth), Lynch-Bages (5th growth), Latour (1st growth), Haut-Brion (1st growth), Pichon-Longueville-Lallande and La Mission Haut Brion (sister estate to Haut-Brion). The Regional wines (labeled for the area) are less expensive. The least expensive Bordeaux wines are Proprietary wines such as Mouton-Cadet or Lacour Pavillon. These wines are nice to drink and tend to be consistent in quality. Many of the First and Second Growth Chateaux have second labels. Examples are: Les Forts de Latour (Latour), Pavillon Rouge (Margaux), Moulin des Carruades (Lafite-Rothschild) and Bahans-Haut-Brion (Haut-Brion).
Bordeaux is also well known for the very rich, luscious, flavorful, sweet, white wines
of Sauternes and Barsac ( within the Graves area). Sauternes and Barsacs are made from Semillon and Sauvignon blanc grapes that have undergone noble rot. Semillon is especially susceptible to the Botrytis cinerea infection. Due to the climate this infection is usually of the "noble rot" (pourriture noble)
rather than "sour rot" type. The premier Sauternes vineyard is Chateau d'Yquem. It is possible to find relatively inexpensive Sauternes and Barsac wines in the USA. Labels to look out for are Chateau
Nairac (Barsac), Chateau de Malle, Chateau Suduiraut. Many of the Sauternes can be aged for ten or more years, although they will also be drinkable when they are released. Sauternes are dessert wines and are usually
not consumed with the main meal.
The best Bordeaux dry, white wines
also come from Graves. These wines are also made from Semillon or Sauvignon blanc. The best dry, white Graves wines have the Chateau name on the label. Chateau Olivier and Chateau Carbonnieux are two examples. However, these wines are expensive and tend to be difficult to find in the USA. It is possible to find inexpensive Graves white wines, but the quality can be variable.
II. ALSACE:
This area in France (on the German border) is famous for white wines. Unlike the rest of France the wines from Alsace are labeled by variety not by commune or village. The best quality Alsatian wines are made from
the German varieties: Riesling and Gewurtztraminer. Unlike their German counterparts, Alsatian white wines are dry (not sweet) and have a higher alcohol content. Most of Alsatian wines are consumed within three to
five years of harvest. An Alsatian sparkling wine, called Cremant d'Alsace, is also made.
III. BURGUNDY
The Burgundian vineyard parcels are small and tend to be hilly. Before the French Revolution, the area was mostly owned by the church. During the French revolution (1789) the land was divided and distributed to the
peasants who further subdivided their parcels over time. This was the result of the Napoleonic-Sallic Code. The code required that upon the death of a parent, the land be subdivided equally among all sons. The
result is that some small vineyards have been tremendously fragmented in ownership. Clos de Vougeot is 123 acres and has 85 owners, Clos Saint-Denis has 16.4 acres and 14 owners, all making their own wine. In
Bordeaux, most of the land was already in private hands prior to the Revolution and thus there was not as much subdividing. In Burgundy, unlike Bordeaux, there are very few monopole (single owner) vineyards, purchased during this century by a single owner (Clos de Tart was purchased by the negociant firm of Mommesin in 1932).
The main red wine
producing areas are: Côte d'Or (divided into the northern, Côte de Nuits and the southern, Côte de Beaune), Beaujolais and Côte Châlonnaise. All red Burgundy wines except those from Beaujolais must be made from Pinot noir grapes. The wines from Beaujolais are made from Gamay.
The Beaujolais red wines are fruity, light and should be consumed young (within two to three years of production). These wines tend to be very affordable in the USA, especially when you look for the following
shippers: Drouhin, Duboeuf, Jadot, Mommessin.
The red wines of the Côte d'Or are classified from lowest to highest quality (also most to least quantity) into: generic Bourgogne (Burgundy), Village, Premier Cru and Grand Cru. Grand cru wines are identified only
by their vineyard names (Chambertin, Le Montrachet, La Romanee) while the premier crus are identified by both the vineyard and the village names (Puligny-Montrachet "Les Pucelles" and Gevrey-Chambertin
"Clos St Jacques"). Winemakers feel that the quality differences among the Cote d'Or wines are due to the soil and the slope of the vineyard (resulting in more or less sunshine). The wines need to be aged
for a few years (not as long as the Bordeaux clarets) and shippers to look for in the USA are Joseph Drouhin, Louis Jadot, Louis Latour, Bouchard Pere et Fils.
The Beaujolais area is also famous for Beaujolais nouveaux
wines. These very young wines are released on the third Thursday in November in the year of harvest. Thus, they are about six weeks old at release. These delicate, fruity, light wines are made to be consumed within six months of production. About 50% of the Gamay crop is made into this type of wine.
The areas of Burgundy especially known for white wines
are Chablis, Mâcconais and Côte de Beaune. All the white Burgundies are dry and made from Chardonnay grapes. However, the different areas produce different styles of wine due to different winemaking practices. The white Chablis wines are fermented and aged in stainless steel. The wines from the other areas are fermented in wood and aged in small oak barrels. The wines are classified (like the red Burgundies) into Village, Premier Cru and Grand Cru. The Chablis wines tend to be high in acid and fruity tart in flavor ("fish wines"). The best wines have the name of a vineyard preceding or following the designation Chablis. The shippers to look out for are Albert Pic & Fils, Joseph Drouhin, J. Moreau & Fils, Robert Vocoret and Louis Jadot. Drink Chablis within five years of harvest.
The white wines from Côte de Beaune are excellent and the best come from the following villages: Meursault, Puligny-Montrachet and Chassagne-Montrachet. The best known wine from Mâcconais is Pouilly-Fuisse.
IV. CHAMPAGNE
The Champagne area is the coldest and most northern grape growing area in France and it is centered around the cities of Epernay and Reims. The area is not quite as far north as some German vineyards. The soils are
very chalky and many underground cellars are carved from the chalk; these are used for aging and storage. The short and cool growing season is not a problem since grapes for champagne are picked at relatively low
sugar levels and high acid content. Champagnes are made from Pinot noir and Chardonnay grapes. All harvesting is done entirely by hand to prevent broken berries because broken red grape berries can lead to unwanted
color in the wine.
The area has a simple appellation with only one AOC for sparkling wine. Champagnes are generally a blend of years, vineyards and varieties. The wines are made in a number of styles: either light or full-bodied and
dry or sweet. The lighter style wines contain more white grapes and the heavier ones more red grapes (up to 70% red grapes in some). Some Champagne houses also do the first fermentation in wood, which increases the
flavor of the wines. Some houses also allow the Champagne to stay on the second fermentation yeast for a long time (sur lies), which increases the yeasty, toasty flavors of the sparkling wines.
Champagne does not improve with aging and can be drunk as soon as it is released. Some land (13%) is owned by the champagne houses (Moet & Chandon; Roederer; Taittinger) but most is owned by individual, often
part-time, farmers selling to the Champagne houses. The champagne houses are consistent in styles and the full-bodied wines come from Bollinger, Roederer; medium-bodied wines come from Deutz, Mumm; and light-bodied
wines are made by Perrier-Jouet, Taittinger.
The meaning of some words found on French wine labels:
BORDEAUX
Negociant: dealer buys wine when it is a few months old, cellars and bottles it and then sells it. Uses own labels.
Chateau: estate
Recolte: vintage
Grand Vin
: great wine, no legal meaning
Cru Classe: One of the first five official growths of the Medoc (1855) can also be any classified growth in any other district.
Cru Exceptionnel
: In Medoc this is the second rank below Cru Classe
Cru Bourgeois Superieur: Third rank
Cru Bourgeois: Fourth rank, often still very worthy wine.
Premier Grand Cru Classe
: First rank of St. Emilion growths (1954)
Grand Cru Classe: Second rank of St Emillion growths (1954)
Mise (en bouteilles) du: made and bottled on the property
BURGUNDY
Climat: individual vineyard
Commune: parish
Grand Cru: top growth in Burgundy
Premier Cru: second tier growth in Burgundy
au Domaine (or a la Propriete)
: made and bottled on the property
Mise par le proprietaire: bottled by the grower
Mise dans nos caves: bottled in our cellars
Negociant-Eleveur
: merchant who buys young wine and ages it
Monopole: the whole vineyard belongs to the same owner.
Proprietaire-Recoltant: Owner-manager.
CHAMPAGNE
Vintage: wine of one outstanding year (rare)
Non-vintage: blend of wines from normal years (usual)
Cuvee: Blend (all Champagnes are blended)
Blanc de blancs
: made from white grapes only
Blanc de noirs: made from red and white grapes
sur lies: very yeasty due to aging on the yeast (lees)
|
