French Wine Labels

[Innkeeper]

The first thing to remember that most French wine is named by region rather than after the grape variety as is common in the New World. Two exceptions are in Alsace and the fairly recent Vins de Pays produced in Southern France.

So, you have to know what grapes are used in what regions. You don't have to get a book on French Wine, as any basic book such as Tom Stevenson's "101 Essential Tips - Wine" or "Wine for Dummies" will cover the French regions. Some examples: Red wine from Burgundy is pinot noir, White wine from Burgundy is chardonnay. Beaujolais is made from gamay. Bordeaux wines are a little more complicated. They are all blends. Reds are primarily either cabernet sauvignon or merlot with the other and others playing a minor role. Whites are sauvignon blanc or SB and semillion blended. It goes on and on through the other regions such as Loire Valley and the Rhone Valley. Appellations cover districts and communes within a region. They not only define the area the wine comes from as in other parts of the wine world, but dictate what grapes go into the wine in what proportions. Check the threads on this board for recommendations of various wines by region and by appellation