Bounce Magazine March 2015

FOOD & DRINK
MARCH 2015 | ISSUE #29 | FOOD & DRINK
Bordeaux
Considered together with Burgundy to be the
world’s top wine producing areas, certainly from
a historical point of view. The main grapes here
are Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet
Franc. There are other minor grapes sometimes
used but most Bordeaux is a blend of the main
three. The region is split into several sub-regions,
11 in total. They have Classification ratings for
these areas and each Chateau can have its own
rating. The top ones here are called Premier Cru
and include such illustrious names as Chateau
Latour, Chateau Mouton Rothschild and Margaux.
The sub-regions include
Medoc, St Emilion and Graves
among others. Graves
includes the most famous
Dessert wine Sauterne.
The region supplies a vast
amount of mostly red wine
which can be blended from
different regions but can
only be called Bordeaux. In
past times and today it is
been called Claret but that
is only Red Bordeaux.
The Loire Valley
The longest river in France has many varied
wine areas. Pays Nantais is the sub-region and
Muscadet is a grape variety in the region nearest
the Atlantic. It benefits from the cooling effect
of the Ocean. Anjou Saumur is the next area
inland and houses many fine wine producers.
Rose d’Anjou is famous as is Sparkling wine at
Saumur from the Chenin Blanc grape, and also
red Saumur from the Cabernet Franc grape.
One particular dessert wine from the Chenin
Blanc grape and can live for 50 years is Quart
de Chaume, near to the city of Angers. Further
inland is the area Tourraine also with the Chenin
Blanc. The famous Vouvray come from here and
can be dry medium or sweet. They also produce
good sparkling. Some distance away but still on
the Loire is Sancerre which uses the Sauvignon
Blanc grape. Close by is another called Pouilly
Fume (not to be confused with Pouilly Fuisse
in Burgundy).
The Rhone Valley
This region has two distinct parts, Northern and
Southern Rhone. The North includes Cote Rotie
and Hermitage from the Syrah grape. The best
white from here is called Condrieu and has the
Viognier grape. The Southern Rhone includes
the famous Chateauneuf du Pape and Gigondas.
A blend of many grapes for these wines, the
main ones being Syrah, Grenache, Cinsault and
Mourvedre. It is possible to
use up to 17 grape varieties
for Southern Rhone reds. The
standard Cotes du Rhone is
invariably good wine.
Other regions
Languedoc-Roussillon and
Provence run along the south
coast of France and provide a
considerable amount of wine for
the market. Most grape varieties
are grown here, a majority of the
Rhone varieties, but increasingly
grapes from around the country. Previously these
areas were mostly low quality, low price bulk
wines but are now providing class quality wines
challenging the more traditional wine areas.
Footnote
You could do a wine tour of France by car and it
would be feasible to cover the areas in about a
fortnight with preferably someone else doing the
driving. I would not recommend that, try each
area on separate visits and take time to sample
some of the world’s great wines. At the rate of
one per year with at least the seven shown that
should take you seven years. I suggest however
that you will want to go back time and time
again.
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