France has the highest wine production of any country worldwide, producing between seven to eight billion bottles on a yearly basis. There are a number of wine making regions spread around France with some areas being dated as far back as 600 BC. The Romans are said to have brought wine to France as they were the first to be able transport the great drink.
The range of wines have undergone some changes resulting in a larger range of cheaper and more expensive wines available. To keep its reputation as the top wine making country, France has had to adapt and incorporate new manufacturing and transportation technology in its production process.
The French have been very protective of their origins in recent years, and rightly so, with the use of specific terms such as Bordeaux, Champagne and Burgundy now only apply to wines from those particular areas in France.
The AOC (Appellation d’Origine Controlee) system are the guidelines that are used to preserve the wine production and naming rights for all wine producing regions of France. The body in charge, sets down and enforces the rules in the AOE system which is also used to determine which wine making practices and grape varieties are allowed to be used in the specific wine producing regions of France.
Another French term that is held close to the heart is “terrior” which is used to indicate the natural growing conditions of the vineyard, such as soil, temperature and slope of the land.
A number of the most famous and prominent grape varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc and Syrah all originally came from the vineyards of France. As exploration and colonization spread across the globe, these popular varieties of grape were brought along and planted in numerous ‘new world’ countries.
The spread of grapes across many countries also brought with it a number of winemakers armed with the knowledge of French wine making techniques.
The rich history embedded in the French wine making conjures up dreamy images of the roving vineyards of France. It has remained a leader in grape varieties, wine sales and production for hundreds of years. On top of all of this, it has managed to retain the pole position while still adhering to its age old wine making traditions.
Its little wonder why French wine remains in high demand across the world.
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