French Wine Regions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

French Wine Regions - Essay Example In fact, almost every region of France can boast of commercial wine production, and only five regions on the north coast of the country are not engaged in wine production. Among the most famous regions of wine growing in France are the following ones: Bordeaux, Burgundy, Champagne, the Rhone Valley, the Loire Valley, Alsace etc. The Bordeaux region of Aquitaine is among the most famous regions of wine production not only in France but in the entire world as well. The center of the region is the Atlantic port city of Bordeaux. This region is regarded as the heart of red wine production in the country: more than 60 appellations are grown on its territory. Basically, such grapes as Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Cabernet Sauvignon are used in the production of red wine. In addition to this, white wine, both dry and sweet, is also produced in the region (Marnie Old and Old Wines LLC, 2005). In Bordeaux, there are two sub-regions of red wine production; they are referred to as â€Å"Right Bank† and â€Å"Left Bank†. The right bank has soil that perfectly suits the early-ripening Merlot grape because of the high content of clay in it. The left bank’s soil rich in gravel is more suitable for Cabernet Sauvignon. One of the main rules of wine production in the region of Bordeaux is varieties blendi ng. Originally, varieties were blended to avoid bad harvests. Today, winemakers also balance flavors of different grapes in one appellation (Marnie Old and Old Wines LLC, 2005). The Burgundy region is situated in the eastern part of France. This region is famous for its both red and white wines. The major grape varieties grown on the territory of Burgundy are Chardonnay (for white Burgundy wines), Pinot Noir (for red Burgundy wines), and Gamay (for Beaujolais). Unlike Bordeaux, Burgundy wines are not the product of varieties blending.