French red whine

Example of refined elegance

Talking about wine means talking about France−you cannot really separate these two. French red wine is an example of refined elegance, an object of desire for any serious wine lover. When talking about Bordeaux and Burgundy, no more needs to be said, these places are where the most coveted wines in the world are born. But there are also great Syrah wines in Côtes du Rhône, and not forgetting the famous Beaujolais Nouveau, young and fruity wines that are responsible for the biggest annual celebration in the world of wine. Aside from the best known and most glamorous areas in the winemaking world, France also offers some outstanding red wines made in other parts of the country, wines for everyone that we would encourage you to try.

France is one of the main wine-producing countries. It enjoys a great climate for growing vines and the diverse landscape allows the production of wines with very different profiles depending where they come from.

French red wine is world famous and many people would say it is home to the best wines in the world.

French red wines types.

Taking a look around the French wine scene, we find a wide range of diverse wines in all types.

The stand-out areas in the production of French red wine are Bordeaux with its Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc, Burgundy and its Pinot Noir and Gamay, the Rhône Valley and its Syrah and Garnacha Tinta and the Loire Valley, with Cabernet Franc and Gamay.

Characteristics of reds from these areas.

In Bordeaux, the area that produces the most Apellation Contrôlée (AC) rated wine, the best wines are generally powerful and structured with good aging potential. Bordeaux, the birthplace of Cabernet Sauvignon, is a world leader when it comes to working with this variety.

On the other hand, Burgundy wines in general stand out for their finesse and elegance. This is where the best and most sought-after Pinot Noir wines come from, as well as the rich and fresh Gamay wines made through carbonic maceration.

In the Rhone Valley the reds are rich and deep. This is where some of the world’s most coveted Garnachas and Syrahs come from. In the northern part of the Rhone, Syrah is often used alone, to make single-variety wines, and in the south, Garnacha is more prominent, although it is usually accompanied by Syrah or Monastrell.

Finally, the Loire Valley produces wines that are generally characterised by their lightness and good acidity, which is down to its location in the northernmost part of France.

Wineries.

Some of the classic wineries in these areas are Moueix in Bordeaux, who also own La Fleur-Pétrus, Trotanoy in Pomerol, and Château Bélair-Monange; Louis Latour and Jean Foillard in Burgundy and Chapoutier, M. Guigal and Jaboulet in the Rhone Valley.

French red wine has a good reputation and is different depending on where it comes from, and that can be down to the varieties used, the climate, soil or producer.

Which is your favourite region?