French Wine Region

How to Read Wine Labels

Wine Tasting Step by Step

 

Loire Valley

Bordeaux

South West

Languedoc-Roussillon

Provence

Cotes du Rhone

Beaujolais

Burgundy

Alsace

Champagne

 

     Wines are typically referred to by the type of grape from which they are made.

The most famous varieties are found in France, Germany, and Italy,

with the French varieties being, by far, the most popular.

     Grape varieties are often identified on wine labels, especially on American and

Australian wines.

 

     Many types of grapes are used in Provence to make wine. Rose is the great specialty of this region.

It is gorgeous and fruity. The white wine from Provence is rather dry and sometimes sparkling.

 

     Alsace produces excellent dry and sweet white wines. They are so typical that the grape varieties used there only grow in Alsace.

 

     Rhone Valley is probably the most diverse wine region in France, from the very different full-body red wines of Cote Rotie in the north and Chateauneuf du Pape in the south to the exquisite white wines of Condrieu and Chateau Grillet and the fruity red wines of Crozes Hermitage and of the southern Rhone region.

 

     This region is best known for the production of the sparkling white wine that bears the region's name. The laws of most countries reserve the term "Champagne" exclusively for wines that come from this region.

 

     Wine labels are a good source of information for consumers; in addition to indicating the type of wine, they may also identify the winery, the region and country of origin, and the vintage. Other information found on the label may include the grape varieties, the alcohol content, the bottler, and/or the importer.

controlled term of origin (Appelation d'origine controlee)

 

 

Look at the wine, and tilt the glass a bit to see the way the color changes.

This will allow you to check for any off odors that might indicate spoiled wine.

 

Step Two      aroma therapy 芳香療法

Swirl the wine in your glass. Doing this allows some oxygen to mix with the wine and helps its aromas to open up.

 

Sniff the wine's aroma

 

Take a sip of wine, but do not swallow it yet. Let the taste buds on your tongue come into contact with the wine. Depending on the wine, you will be able to detect varying degrees of sweetness, sourness, saltiness, and bitterness.