top france wine regions
The stereotypical Frenchman may no longer start the day with a shot of red wine to "tuer le ver" (kill the worm) followed by an espresso, but France is one of the top ten alcohol-consuming countries in the world. Wine, predictably, is the favorite tipple and there are dozens of wine-producing regions throughout France. Wines in France are generally named after the location of the vineyard rather than the grape varietal, and there are strict regulations governing where, how and under what conditions grapes are grown. Here are 7 picks adapted from Lonely Planet's "Top 10 spots to pop a cork in France." Text and captions courtesy of Lonely Planet.Do you like this? Click on map or magnifying glass to zoom France is a country synonymous with wine and fine wine regions like Bordeaux and Champagne are known by virtually all wine lovers on the planet. Burgundy of course is also a cult region for wine collectors and enthusiasts and who hasn´t heard of Sancerre or Muscadet (zippy Loire Valley wines)?
Alsace is revered for its aromatic whites and fairy tale villages. Provence is loved for its dreamy scenery and rosé wines that offer nostalgic reminders of summer vacations. The Rhône valley offers a treasure trove for red wine lovers, from spicy Châteauneuf-du-Papes to silky Côte-Rôties. The Languedoc is probably the most exciting region for wine lovers at the moment, offering a kaleidoscope of wine styles many of which are made by flying winemakers. And there are so many other wine regions in France to explore, from Cahors to Madriran, Jura and Savoie to Corsica.... Regional French Wine Maps Embed France Wine Map on Your Site: Copy and Paste the Code Below List of Major French Wine Regions Top Wine Tours of France Bordeaux - Bordeaux Wine Tours for Discerning Gourmets Sauternes - Premium Sauternes Tour for Savvy Travelers
It’s no doubt that up-and-coming wine regions are intriguing, but there are just 10 countries producing 80% of the wine on the planet. Let’s take a closer look at the top wine producing regions of the world. The top 3 major wine regions of the world are France, Italy and Spain. They produce almost half of all the wine produced in the world. To help you wrap your brain around the sheer volume of wine they make: The top 3 wine regions in the world make enough wine to fill 5,127 olympic-sized swimming pools. While France and Italy compete for the top wine production region of the world they are also reducing wine production every year. France has lowered production by 11% since 2007. Major Grapes Merlot, Grenache Spain is home to the largest vineyard acreage in the world. Despite this fact, Spain also has much lower wine yields than neighboring France and Italy resulting in less total wine. Major Grapes Tempranillo, Airén Argentina continues to grow their wine production year after year resulting in the highest growth rate (8%) of the top 5 wine producers in the world.
Argentina relies on wine exports. Major Grapes Malbec, Chardonnay German wine is known for their aromatic white wines. German wines are exported primarily to US and UK. Major Grapes Riesling, Müller-Thurgau Chile is proud of the red wine variety Carmenere, known as the ‘lost varietal’ of Bordeaux. Still, export markets demand traditional varieties. Major Grapes Cabernet, Chardonnay Italy may be second to France, but there is a growing trend in both countries to remove vineyards. Italy has reduced their production by at least 7% since 2007. Major Grapes Sangiovese, Trebbiano 90% of wine from the United States is from California. California is home to the world’s largest wine producer, Gallo, in Modesto, CA. Major Grapes Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay Australia relies primarily on the wine export market. Since the US dollar has weakened, Australia is expanding their wine marketing in Hong Kong and Asia. Major Grapes Shiraz, Chardonnay
South Africa has long been known for its Chenin Blanc and produces the largest volume of Brandy in the world Major Grapes Chenin Blanc, Colombard Portugal is known for Port wine, a high alcohol dessert wine from northern Portugal made by blending several grape varieties. Major Grapes Port grapes, Alvarinho How Knowing the World’s Top Wine Regions Helps You It’s useful to know what the most popular types of wine are in each of the top producing countries for two reasons: value and quality. Finding Value & Finding Quality Take a closer look at the regions above including Germany, Italy, Australia and Argentina. Each of these countries focus on a distinct wine variety. For instance, Spain produces the highest volume of Tempranillo in the world. This means that Spain produces both the most value Tempranillo as well as the best Tempranillo in the world. The next time you buy wine from these top regions, focus on what their exceptional wines are.