France is the country that offers the quintessential wine destination experience. The names of so many wines are actually the names of certain regions in France – so champagne doesn’t really mean sparkling wine; it is the region located in the Northeast of France. Similarly, burgundy is not just a dark red color; it refers to one of the 27 regions of France.
Visiting some of these wine destinations in France could really be a matchless experience.
1. Champagne
If you’re visiting Paris, this could be a day trip you shouldn’t miss. A little over 100 miles from the national capital is the Champagne region that produces some of the best known wines in the world. Dom Pérignon, Moet et Chandon, Veuve Clicquot don’t just have to be names that you read in books; you can actually visit the places that produce these sparkling wines.
2. Bordeaux
Full bodied wines called clarets are produced in this region. Wines produced here are mostly reds made from blended grapes. Some of the most well known names in wine, such as Mouton Rothschild and Cheval-Blanc are made in this beautiful wine producing region.
3. Burgundy
This is one of the oldest wine growing regions anywhere, and wine was being produced here by monks as far back as 1500 years ago. Pinot noir grapes are used for the wines produced here. Burgundy wines aged 10 to 12 years are some of the most sought after vintages.
4. Provence
Provence is as well known for its rose wines as it is for its spectacular countryside. So if you want to see how the grape is cultivated and witness the wine making procedure as well as know a little bit about the history of wine making, Provence may be the region to head to.
5. The Loire Valley
The Loire Valley extends all along the river Loire and produces a wide variety of wines; ranging from the sweet to the dry, to sparkling wines. The sunny but humid climate means that not all grapes survive here. However this extensive area is the third largest wine producing area of France.
6. Beaujolais
This is a lovely part of France dotted with quaint hamlets just waiting to be explored. Cycling and walking holidays around this region is recommended.
7. The Rhone Valley
Perhaps the lesser known of France’s wine producing regions, this is nevertheless a picturesque area that starts south of Lyon and spreads over the river valley around Avignon.
I thoroughly recnmmeod this course to both wine connoisseurs and novices alike. I was definitely a novice myself at the beginning of the course, and I loved learning about and tasting the lovely wines every Tuesday evening. Hugo is incredibly knowledgeable, whilst being very patient in explaining things to those of us with less tasting experience I have learnt:A) to slow down my drinking;b) pay much more attention to what I am drinking, andc) now feel much more confident in choosing a mid-range bottle of wine from the supermarket to go with my dinner.I miss the course now it’s finished! Look forward to future courses.
Very sad that our wine tasting coruse is coming to an end! Would highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys wine, whether you know a lot or a little, it’s such fun and certainly void of any wine snobbery! Plus the snacks are great.