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A Little Wine, Anyone?

© Sara Dellinger

The French know their wine. French culture boasts centuries of tradition and ritual associated with wine and everything having anything to do with it. And while centuries of tradition, ritual and perfection are hard to beat, you too can become more knowledgeable about tasting and enjoying French wines.

Two important factors go into winemaking: the grapes and the location. Which do you consider most important? If you are from America, Australia, South Africa or New Zealand, the type of grape is the primary factor and most wines are labeled by their varietal names, or by grape combinations. Not so in France. Here, as in other wine-producing European countries, the location, or origin of the wine is considered more important than the variety of grapes used. Traditional French table wines, with the exception of the vins de pays (local wines), carry no reference on the label to the grape used. The vins de pays will indicate the vine variety as well as their region of origin. Before getting into the why and how of wine origins, let's talk about the grapes.

Different grapes offer different characteristics. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Zinfandel are all red grapes, but the wines they produce are all different. When grown in different appellations and processed into wine using different techniques, a varietal wine will still keep certain qualities, which are inherent in the grape's personality. The Wine Spectator magazine sums it up with a few easy to remember descriptions: Muscat is spicy, Sauvignon Blanc is a bit herbal. Zinfandel is "zesty", with flavors that remind us of pepper and wild berry. Cabernet Sauvignon is marked by plum, currant and black cherry flavors and firm tannins. "Understanding what a grape should be as a wine is fundamental, and knowing what a grape can achieve at its greatest is the essence of fine-wine appreciation."

Now, about origin: Wines take on the characteristics of their particular area of growth. In Europe, grape types are precisely matched to soil and climate, where the best growing conditions for each have long been established. In Burgundy, the major grapes are Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. For Bordeaux, it's Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petite Verdot. Syrah dominates the reds in northern Rhôn. In general, the red wines from Bordeaux will be tannic while the reds from Burgundy will be fruitier.

In order to qualify for certain levels of commercial classification in France, such as the vin du table (table wines) or the Grand Cru , each area of the wine country has lists of acceptable grape varieties, the quantity and method which are to be used in blending, the types of containers in which the blended wines may be stored and for how long. This is quite a process, and never left to chance.

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