FRANCE

Winegrowing in France dates back to the Greek and Roman times. It first began in the South East of France and spread towards the North and West to result in the wine regions we know today (with the exception of the « vins de France » produced in the Ile-de-France region which are not produced any more because of the damages caused by phylloxera). The French system of “appellation” which guarantees authenticity, origin and quality of the products, is now a world reference. France produces wines from a wide range of varieties, with regional, sometimes local, differences and possesses a level of quality of winemaking which has reached world fame.

Surface: 800 000 ha

Production : 41 Mhl

Consumption : 30 Mhl

Terroir

soils : all types, including limestone, shale, granit
climate : all types, moderate in general from continental in Alsace, Savoy or Jura to Mediterranean in Provence and Corsica
main white grape varieties: chardonnay, , sauvignon, chenin, viognier, riesling, sémillon, gewürztraminer, ugni blanc (the latter mainly for Cognac and Armagnac)
main red grapes varieties: mMerlot, cabernet franc, cabernet sauvignon, pinot nNoir, syrah, grenache, mourvèdre, gamay

Main wine regions

Alsace
Beaujolais
Bourgogne
Bordelais
Bugey
Champagne
Corse
Jura
Languedoc-Roussillon
Provence
Savoie
Sud-Ouest
Vallée de la Loire
Vallée du Rhône

Legislation

The AOC (Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée) system was created in France in 1947 by the INAO (Institut Nationale des Appellations d’Origine). The « appellations » are awarded according to the terroir, the climate and quality, on the basis of strict regional product specifications. They allow to secure the quality of wines produced in France and the authenticity of the terroir.

Sites

Chevaliers de Saint Bacchus
Consulat de la Vinée de Bergerac
Confrerei Als Templeres de la Serra
Chevaliers de la Syrah et Roussette
Commanderie du Clos de Montmartre
Confrérie du Franc Pineau
Commanderie du Bontemps de Médoc, des Graves, de Sauternes et Barsac
Commanderie du Taste de Saumur
Compagnie du Sarto
Confrérie de l’Ordre des Côteaux de Champagne
Confrérie de St-Etienne d’Alsace
Confrérie des Baillis de Pouilly-sur-Loire Caves de Pouilly-sur-Loire
Confrérie de Saint Romain en Bordelais & Pays Libournais