French Wine

No other country in the world can rival France for the quality, range and diversity of its wine. No other country in the world appears to take wine so seriously! France’s wine output is enormous but more than half of that yield is vin de table. France was the first nation to establish a system for controlling the origin and quality of its wines. Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée (AOC) is the highest grade, Vin De Qualité Supérieure (VDQS) is for lower strength and quality, followed by Vin de Pays and Vin de Table.

Even the highest AOC classification can be unpredictable and very often wine produced in a lesser known area can be outstanding. The very best French wines are almost all AOC, whether they come from Alsace, Bordeaux, Burgundy, Champagne, Côtes du Rhône, Languedoc-Roussillon, Loire, Provence, Corsica or the South West. Quality depends on factors like modern technology and choice of terroir, but above all it’s the “savoir-faire” of the wine maker that makes a difference. In France, he’s not just an artisan – he’s an artist!