What is a wine appellation?
Wine appellation refers to a legally determined and protected wine region. These regions are thought to produce the best quality wine in the world. While these days, not everyone agrees with this (some argue these wines are not worth their large price tags), the wines from these regions are sought after.
What is the role of appellation in the wine regions?
Very basically, an appellation is how a country categorizes its wines by geo-political boundaries. Each appellation has laws and regulations that may dictate where the grapes were grown and how the wine was made. Traditionally, the smaller and more specific the regions were considered best.
Is Bordeaux an appellation?
The appellation is one of the largest in the Bordeaux region and is situated between the Garonne and the Dordogne (which are actually considered inland seas). The area is responsible for three quarters of the red wine sold under the generic Bordeaux AOC or Bordeaux supérieur labels.
What is Champagne appellation?
The Champagne appellation is founded on the region’s pre-existing reputation for wine. Since the time of the Romans, wine had been produced on the slopes that border the Valley of the Marne. These were still wines, and they owed their existence to the good fortune of history and geography.
Why do you swirl wine in a glass?
Swirling the wine in the glass enables some evaporation to take place, which means more of the volatile compounds will dissipate. Some of these compounds include sulfides (matchsticks) and sulfites, (rotten eggs). 3. More space in the wine glass means the wine gets more surface area, and thus more exposure to oxygen.
What makes a vintage wine year?
A wine vintage is the year in which the grapes were harvested. A wine’s vintage can greatly affect the taste and quality, primarily because of the weather that affects the vines throughout the growing season. In the Northern Hemisphere (North America and Europe) the grape growing season is from about April to October.
What are wine areas called?
When a U.S. winery wants to tell you the geographic pedigree of its wine, it uses a tag on its label called an Appellation of Origin. Appellations are defined either by political boundaries, such as the name of a county, state or country, or by federally-recognized regions called American Viticultural Areas (AVAs).
Is Bordeaux left or right bank?
Situated on the west coast of France, Bordeaux is split in two by the Gironde Estuary, which divides into the Dordogne and Garonne rivers. When looking at a map of the region, the area to the north and right of the Gironde is the Right Bank and the areas below and to the left constitute the Left Bank.
What is the most popular French wine?
These include the number one most popular French wine, Mouton-Cadet Bordeaux. There are also tasty examples from the South of France, Languedoc and Rhône, such as: E. Guigal Red Côtes Du Rhône. J.P. Chenet Pays D’Oc Cabernet – Syrah . La Vieille Ferme Rouge. Famille Perrin Côtes Du Rhône Réserve Rouge.
What is the best wine country in France?
For wine-lovers, France will always be top of the list. The four key French wine regions – Champagne, Burgundy , Bordeaux and the Loire Valley – are breathtakingly beautiful, with turreted châteaux hidden among the forests, and the vine-covered hillsides of some of the best wine producers in the world.
Is France famous for producing wine?
France, besides being famous for its rich culture, age-old traditions and grand architecture, the country is globally renowned for its wine. The world swears by French wines and every region here produces its own beverage. So let’s take a trip to some famous French vineyards that will tell you everything to plan your vineyard trip in France.
What are the best white wines in France?
Top 10 most popular French white wines Condrieu. Condrieu is a French appellation from the northern Rhône that is well-known for its exceptional dry white wines produced from Viognier grapes. Chassagne-Montrachet blanc. Sauternes. Meursault blanc. Chenin Blanc.