A BORDEAUX RED Bordeaux is France's most famous wine region and the reference point for Cabernet Sauvignon. But there's actually more Merlot (66%) in Bordeaux's vineyards overall than Cabernet (22.5%). This wine's blend mirrors that, and its black-and red-currant flavors and aroma are equally classic.
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.
The Region – Champagne
Ah, Champagne. The region that made sparkling wine famous and one that continues to be imitated around the world. This is the closest wine region to Paris and it comes as no surprise that huge quantities are drank in the capital, and not necessarily just for celebrating!
The most famous French wine regions are Alsace, Bordeaux, Burgundy, Champagne, Provence and Rhone Valley.
You may have heard that the French drink wine every day, and although we usually like to debunk clichés about les français, this one is pretty accurate. In the US, your average adult drinks 12.4 litres of wine per year, whereas in France the number is 50.2.
French people will drink different wines depending on the season. Right after the harvest in September, it's common drink wines that are best served fresh, like Beaujolais Nouveau. Red wine is most common in winter, although you can certainly drink red wine any time of year.
Pinot Noir is both the name of a red wine grape, and the wines made from this grape. Burgundy is the name of a wine region in France, and refers to the wines made from this region.
The city of Bordeaux is at the center of one of the most famous wine regions in the world. With 65 appellations and more than 7,000 châteaux spanning some 300,000 acres, Bordeaux produces more merlot and cabernet sauvignon than anywhere else on the planet.
Bordeaux is France's most famous wine region and the reference point for Cabernet Sauvignon. But there's actually more Merlot (66%) in Bordeaux's vineyards overall than Cabernet (22.5%). This wine's blend mirrors that, and its black-and red-currant flavors and aroma are equally classic.
Cognac is France's traditional brandy and perhaps the country's best-known liqueur variety worldwide. Named after the Cognac commune in France's south, this drink is made by distilling grapes into eau-de-vie before ageing the mixture.
France is the source of many grape varieties (such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Pinot noir, Sauvignon blanc, Syrah) that are now planted throughout the world, as well as wine-making practices and styles of wine that have been adopted in other producing countries.
Sauternes is a French sweet wine from the region of the same name in the Graves section in Bordeaux. Sauternes wine is made from Sémillon, sauvignon blanc, and muscadelle grapes that have been affected by Botrytis cinerea, also known as noble rot.
Sancerre is the most recognizable appellation for French Sauvignon Blanc in the Loire Valley.
All in all, white Burgundy is just Chardonnay, but the region is also the origin place of the variety, which is by the way, the world's most popular white grape. In Burgundy, the combination of climate, land, and tradition produce a wine that is coveted by many and never precisely replicated anywhere else.
Château de Goulaine, The Loire, France – circa 1000
Believed to be the oldest known wine business still in existence, today it produces a Muscadet, Sancerre and Vouvray. The estate also grows some Folle blanche.
Grenache Noir, Syrah, Mourvedre, Carignan, Tannat, Cabernet Sauvignon are some of the red wine grape varieties grown in Provence.
What is the number 1 wine in the world? The best overall wine of the world is Catena Zapata Adrianna Vineyard Fortuna Terrae Malbec 2016, renowned for its rich, aromatic aromas, full body and elegant, layered notes.
Speaking about spirits, one of the most famous is Cognac. Cognac is popular and loved by the French people, it can be drunk on its own or mixed with a bit of Schweppes. A drink which you can have as an aperitif as much as an after-dinner liqueur.
French adults usually drink some kind of coffee for breakfast. However, many of them prefer café au lait, which they often drink in bowls, rather than mugs. Bowls of coffee tend to be an at-home thing.
Prosecco. In advocating for lunchtime wine, we're also big supporters of everyday bubbly. In other words, there doesn't have to be a lunchtime celebration for Prosecco to be appropriate. Prosecco is a light, easy-drinking choice, and pairs nicely with salads, soft cheeses, and a variety of vegetables.
Wine at breakfast is totally acceptable in France, Italy and Spain - so why not in the UK?