THE WINES OF FRANCE

THE WINE LAWS OF FRANCE

 First established in early 1900s – modified a number of times.Appellation Controllé

(controlled naming) laws – the name of a wine reveals quality – helps prevent fraud &
gives authenticity.In 1935 INAO was established.The ground rule for naming a wine is
basically geographical area, grape-variety, yield, viticulture, vinification, ageing, alcohol-
content and a taste

Wine Producing Regions of France

I) BORDEAUX

 Probably the most prestigious wine-region.

 Produces only 5% of all French wines but 25% of all AOC wines.

 Quantity – x Quality - 

 Climate: mild winters & warm summers – ideal.

 Soil: pebbly & stony, not fertile but rich in minerals – ideal.

 Grapes mostly used:

Green Grapes – Sauvignon blanc / Muscatel / Semillon

Black Grapes – Cabernet Sauvignon / Cabernet Franc / Malbec / Petit Verdot / Merlot

 Red wines – delicate, light-bodied & dry – very good accompaniment with food.

 Bordeaux red wines are referred to as claret (French ‘clairet’ – clear coloured).

 White wines – more sweet than dry, often golden coloured.

 A few rosé wines also are produced.

 More than 35 districts but the following five are most notable:

i) Médoc

ii) Pomerol

iii) St. Émilion

iv) Graves

v) Sauternes
II) BURGUNDY

 Hard climate: severe winters and hot, unpredictable summers.

 Wines susceptible to weather → rare vintage years.

 Early onslaught of winter → early picking → chaptalisation.

 Too much / too little rain.

 Hails destroy vineyards in 15 minutes flat.

 Red wines: robust, full-bodied but smooth.

 White wines: refined, distinguished, mostly dry.

 Grapes: Almost all reds from Pinot Noir (ripens early), Gamay in some areas (e.g.
Beaujolais). Almost all whites from Chardonnay.

 The 5 most notable districts are: Côte d’Or, Chalonnais, Mâconnais, Beaujolais, Chablis

i) Côte d’Or

ii) Chalonnais

iii) Mâconnais

iv) Beaujolais

v) Chablis

III) CÔTES-DU-RHÔNE

 Rhône river valley – southeast of France.

 Climate: hot & steady→ consistent quality.

 Rich & hearty wines with higher alcohol.

 90% red. Rest white and rosé.

 Red grapes: Syrah, Grenache Noir, Cinsault

 White grapes: Viognier, Clairette, Piquepoul

 IV) ALSACE

 Very northerly wine region – along the edge of the Alsatian plains where Rhine separates
France and Germany.

 Great sunshine, a little rain – good for ripening of grapes.

 German occupation for 50 years (freed in 1918). After the phylloxera disaster Germans
planted inferior vines. After 1918, the French replanted better vines.

 Alsace wines are similar to Moselle wines of Germany.

 95% are white and dry.

V) SOUTHWEST

 Southwest corner of France.

 Some notable wines are:

Bergerac, Cahors, Gaillac, Montravel

VI) SAVOIE

 Foothills of the Alps overlooking Lac Leman.

 Best wine: Crépy (w – dry)

 Another notable: Seyssel (w – sparkling)

GERMANY
 Not much wine – about 10% of France or Italy.

 National beverage is beer.

 Long history of wines – probably started by the Romans – great fame since Charlemagne’s time (800
AD).

 Best vineyards near the 50º line – chances of good wines look slim but when they are good, the style
is inimitable.

 In good years the sugar-acid balance is artistic – perfect combination of soil & fruit, of character &
interest.

 The finest wines are even enjoyed alone, lest any food should distract them.

 Vineyards are primarily in the valleys of Rhein and Mosel – most northerly in Europe.
 Steep riverbanks → good sunshine and warmth released by river during the night.

 Short summers – early winters – often frost → early picking = chaptalisation is allowed in the poorer
years.

 Some best and rare wines are made from over-ripened grapes.

 Degree of ripening, therefore, is a major criterion for grading the wines.

 Labels often name grapes.

 Best wines from the great German grape Riesling.

 Price of quality is quantity – yield of Riesling is half of that of commoner Sylvaner.

 Sylvaner is popular in some areas (e.g. Franconia) but lacks the balance and breed of Riesling.

 Müller-Thurgau is a hybrid of Riesling and Sylvaner.

 Spätburgunder & Portugieser – red wine source – the valley of Ahr is the only specialist area foe red
wines (of course not comparable to the whites).

WINE LAWS OF GERMANY

WINE REGIONS OF GERMANY

 11 regions fall under Qualitätswein.

 Each region has 2 or more districts (total 34).

 Each district has several villages.

 Each village has several vineyards.

 About 1400 wine-villages (gemiende).

 About 2600 vineyards (einzellagen).

 Each of these may appear on the label.

Rhein wines (Hock wines)

 5 of the 11 wine regions: Rheingau, Rheinhessen, Rheinpfaltz, Mittelhein and Nahe – the first three
are important.

 Elegantly light & dry – some slightly sweet.

 Liebfraumilch used to be a wine from Rheinhessen, now a generic term for all Rhein wines.

 The English refer to Rhein wines as Hock wines – from Hockheimer, a popular wine.
 Rhein bottles are made of brown glass.

 The better-known wines are:

 Rheingau – Winkeler, Johannesberger, Eltviller

 Rheinhessen – Bingener, Oppenheimer, Nackenheimer

 Rheinpfalz – Wackenheimer, Ungsteiner, Forster

WINES OF ITALY
 One vast vineyard.Some of the oldest in Europe.More varieties than any other
country.Half the size of France but quantity is almost equal.Vines in all 20 provinces –
tremendous variety at moderate price – some extremely fine.60% reds – probably second
only to Bordeaux and Burgundy.More like Burgundies – robust, full-bodied, deep
red.Many of them undergo long ageing in cask = mature taste.

WINE LAWS OF ITALY

 Not as well-classified as in France.Names may be confusing – named after village or

district or both, some neither, some denote dry/sweet/sparkling, etc., some denote
all.Small growers have co-operatives: Consorzio / Cantina Sociale The co-operative
seal on the label.The co-operatives produce half of Italy’s all wines.In mid-1960s the
Govt. framed stricter rules.Known as DOC (Denominazione di Origine
Controllata).Specifies and controls:Geographical limits, grape varieties, yield, minimum
alcohol content, minimum ageing,

 WINE REGIONS OF ITALY

 Every province/region in Italy has its own identity – customs, traditions, culture, etc.

 The important regions are:

LOMBARDY

 Major wine-province – centre of very north of Italy (capital Milan).

 Better-known wines are:

Valtellina (hardy red), Franciacorta Pinot (white wine), Franciacorta Rosso (red wine),
Lugana (delicate white)
TUSCANY

 Located in central Italy (capital Florence).

 Known for one of the most popular and famous Italian red wines –

Chianti – from Sangiovese grapes.

- Marketed in a straw-wrapped flagon-shaped bottle (fiasco).

- nowadays in Bordeaux-type bottles also.

 Best is Chianti Classico Reserva – aged longer.

 Other quality wines are:

Brunello di Montalcino, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano , Tignanello , Solaia, Galestro

VENETO / VENETIA / VERONA

 Northeastern Italy (capital Venice).

 Best-known for reds: Valpolicella (fresh, light-bodied red), Bardolino (hardy red), Soave
(one of the best Italian whites)

PIEDMONT

 Northeastern Italy (capital Turin).

 Italy’s best and most varied wines.

ome better ones are:

Barolo (r), Barbaresco (r), Gattinara (r), Boca (r), Fara (r), Barbera d’Alba (r)

 Asti Spumante – a delicate, sweet, sparkling white wine from Moscato (Muscat) grapes.

SICILY

 Large island off the toe of Italy.

 Famous for the fortified dessert wine Marsala – often used in kitchens.

 Also famous for Etna (r & w).

ITALIAN SPARKLING WINES

 Labelled Vino Spumante.

  Made from aromatic moscato grapes.

 Most are sweet.

 If dry – brut / brut reserva / brut nature

 Metodo Champenois / Fermentazione Naturale in Bottiglia (bottle-fermented)

 Crackling wine: Vino Frizzante

 Asti Spumante is the most popular Italian sparkling wine (delicate and sweet -Charmat
process – from Piedmont).

 Lacrima Christi is another popular one (dry – methodo champenoise – from Campania).

SPAIN

 The third largest wine-producing country in the world.Bulk are ordinary, some fine ones, and of
course . . . SherryNew laws in 1970 – modern methods helped raise standards.Production and
labeling governed by INDO (Instituto National de Denominacione de Origen)Wines labeled DO are
of guaranteed standard – but not as stringent as AOC.There are 28 wine regions.

SPANISH SPARKLING WINES

Vino Espumoso

 Lately quite popular.

 Some are good, especially from Penedes.

 Most are sweet.

SOME SPANISH LABEL TERMS

 Tinto: Red

 Blanco: White

 Rosado: Rosé

 Cepa: grape variety

 Reserva: matured quality

 Vino de mesa/pasto: table wine

 4º Ano / 4 Anos: bottled at 4 years old.

 SPAIN

 The third largest wine-producing country in the world.Bulk are ordinary, some fine ones, and of
course . . . Sherry.New laws in 1970 – modern methods helped raise standards.Production and
labeling governed by INDO (Instituto National de Denominacione de Origen)Wines labeled DO are
of guaranteed standard – but not as stringent as AOC.

There are 28 wine regions.

SPANISH SPARKLING WINES

Vino Espumoso

 Lately quite popular.

 Some are good, especially from Penedes.

 Most are sweet.

SOME SPANISH LABEL TERMS

 Tinto: Red

 Blanco: White

 Rosado: Rosé

 Cepa: grape variety

 Reserva: matured quality

 Vino de mesa/pasto: table wine

 4º Ano / 4 Anos: bottled at 4 years old.

 Consejo Regulador: organising and controlling co-operative body

INDIAN WINES
REGIONS

Four major regions of vineyard: NASIK REGION, SANGALI REGION, BANGALORE

REGION, HIMACHAL REGION

Nasik Region

 Located in the state of Maharashtra.

 Region include Pune,Nasik,Ahmed Nagar.

 Above 800 meter from sea level.

 Several top wineries are located here.

 Chateau Indage, Sula wines.

Sangali Region

 Also located in Maharashtra.

 Nearly 750 meter above sea level.

 This region includes places like

-solapur,sangali,satara and latur.

Bangalore Region

 Nandi Hills located about around 45 kilometer North of Bangalore City.

 Grover Vineyards is located in Nandi Hills.It is above 800 meter sea level.

Himachal Region

 Located in northern India.

 It is upcoming state for the wine in India.

 Temperature varies from 20 C to 40 C.

 Unique Climate of this region attracts the wine makers to produce delicate wine grapes.

Some Famous Wine Makers

Indage à Narayangaon (Pune)

Grover Vineyards àBangalore

Sula à Maharashtra

Renaissance Wines à Nashik

ND Wines à Nashik

Mandala Valley à Solapur

Flamingo Winesà Nashik

Vinicola à Goa

Few Brands

Red Wine

Syrah

Galaxy

Vallet Sailo

Satori Merlot

Cabernet Shiraz

La Reserve

WHITE WINE

Sailo Rio

Et tu Brutus

Mark Antony

Sauvignon Blanc

Dia white

Madera white

Rose wines

Shiraz rose

Maderas rose

Sula Blush Zinfandel

Sparkling wine

Sula Brut

Sula Seco