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

The Bordeaux Connection The Soul of the Wine Industry

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Alsace & Loire

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

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

Alsacian Wine Region 70 miles long, avg. 1 mile wide vines hang on eastern slope of Vosges 600-1500 ft. elevation slow ripening...low heat summation influenced by Rhine river extension of German Pfalz wines more vinous than German cousins

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

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

Loire Valley Region

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

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

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

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

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

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

Burgundy

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Rhone From Avignon to Vienne

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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