So You Think You Know Wine ... Most wine "experts," "snobs," "geeks" and many publications will tell you that to really understand wine, you first have to understand French wine. I'll go along with that - the French have been doing it longer and better than most, and have set the standard to which many winemakers aspire. Sounds simple, right? Just go ahead and march into the French section on your next trip to the store and you'll see that simple is one thing French wine is not. Pick up a bottle, almost any bottle from France, and take a peek at the label. Chances are it'll be written in French, and unless you know the language or have some experience with their wine, you'll probably have no idea what is in the bottle (other than if it's red or white) or where it came from (other than someplace in France). Why so confusing? Tradition and French law plays a major role here. Unlike the United States, and many other wine producing countries, France labels most of its wines according to the wine's origin, region and producer instead of the grape variety. So, unless you are an expert in French geography and/or wine regions, you're going to be out of luck. For example, Chateau Mouton-Rothschild, a world famous Pauillac (see what I mean...) is made almost entirely of Cabernet Sauvignon, but there is no mention of Cabernet anyplace on the bottle. Learning to decode the ways of the French can be quite a challenge, but it can also be very rewarding for those with the patience. The entire point of this column is to identify only the most basic things you'll need to understand so you can begin to explore, and hopefully enjoy, the world of French wine. Once you get going, you can pretend to be the big shot next time you're out to dinner or offering a tip to a friend. Getting Started - Red & White Yes, it is true - France does produce both red and white wine. Unfortunately, this is where the simplicity stops and the confusion begins. French law dictates that only certain grapes can be used in certain regions - yield per acre and the alcoholic content are strictly controlled as well. France is home to all of the noble grape varieties - Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Noir and Syrah. The tricky part is trying to figure out which bottle contains which grape (and how much of it) and which region it comes from. Who cares where it's from? You do and here's why - (wrinkle your nose when you say it) - terroir. It is a French word that is a collective term for the growing conditions in a vineyard, such as climate, soil, drainage, slope, altitude and so on. Believe it or not, wines from the same grape can taste dramatically different in one vineyard than in the vineyard just across the road. Terroir is the culprit - you need to know where the wine is from to get an accurate flavor profile. There are about ten major wine regions in France - I'll briefly describe the five most common and perhaps the most important here. Bordeaux - The Shee-Shee Poo-Poo King of French Wine Most of the wines produced here are dry reds. Only five red grapes are permitted in the production of authentic French Bordeaux: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Malbec, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. There are some whites also produced in Bordeaux and they must be made from Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon and Muscadelle. Bordeaux accounts for about 10% of the entire wine production in France. In addition to being a big producer, Bordeaux is also home to some of the most prestigious producers and most expensive and rarest wines in the entire world. Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon are the most commonly used grapes (depending on which area of Bordeaux you are in) and the other three varieties are used primarily for blending purposes, but there are exceptions. Prices can range anyplace from $6 to $600 (and even more!) for a single bottle; however, most quality Bordeaux begins around $20. Fans of California Cabernet and Merlot will eventually find something to their liking - I would start here if I were looking to experiment with the French reds. Burgundy - The Other King of French Wine Looking for a French Chardonnay or Pinot Noir? If so, you are in the right place. Just knowing that a white burgundy is French Chardonnay and red burgundy is French Pinot Noir (most of the time) will set you apart from most wine consumers. As with Bordeaux, fine Burgundies are amazingly complex and are heavily sought after by the world's wealthy wine collectors. Part of the reason for this is that the best Burgundies are produced in fractional quantities in comparison to Bordeaux. Limited production means very few bottles (if any) of the best Burgundy ever make it to the retail shelves in the United States. There are five major regions in Burgundy: Chablis, Cote d'Or, Cote Chalonnaise, Maconnais and Beaujolais - the black sheep of Burgundy. The gamay grape, from the Beaujolais region in southern Burgundy, is the exception to the rule that all red Burgundies are made from the Pinot Noir grape. Gamay is used to make a very fresh, fruity, simple, light-bodied wines that sell for $5-$10. In most instances the wine is simply named Beaujolais, Beaujolais-Villages or Beaujolais Nouveau. Once again, there are exceptions to the rule. Want to learn more about Burgundy? Go buy a book! There is so much more to tell that it would take forever, and remember, this is just the basics! If you're going to shop for a Burgundy, know two things: they are usually expensive (the exception is Beaujolais) and make sure you are in the French section! The United States has prostituted the name "Burgundy" and "Chablis" and is now producing massive volumes of box wines with the name "Burgundy" and "Chablis" all over the package. These are "fakes" and low quality wines that bear no resemblance to the real thing! Yuk! If you're not sure if you've got the real thing, read the fine print on a French bottle - someplace on there it will say in English "white burgundy wine" or "red burgundy wine." Confused still? Just ask for help at the store... The Rhone Region This region is known primarily for its reds, but some whites are produced here as well. Unlike Burgundy and Bordeaux, some of the best wine values in the world can be found in the Rhone. The region is divided into North and South - Syrah dominates the North and Grenache in the South. The Northern Rhone accounts for only about 10% of the regional production and many of its wines are rich, full bodied, rare and very expensive. On the flip side, the majority of the wines in the South are high in alcohol, low in tannin, inexpensive, uncomplicated and widely available. A great wine to start with is from the Cotes du Rhone, a large region in the South that is home to many of the regions best values. See the tasting notes below for one such example. The Rhone is another great place to wet your whistle with French wine. The Rodney Dangerfields of France - The Loire and Alsace No respect! More bargains can be found in these two regions that are primarily known for their whites. The Loire is home to crisp, dry whites made from Sauvignon Blanc, Chenin Blanc and Muscadet. These are perfect wines for those of you that have burned out on California and Australian Chardonnay. Some reds are also produced, but the best from the Loire are the whites. Look for Sancerre, Vouvray and Pouilly-Fumé. Remember, these are actual places in France, not names of wineries, or as the French would say, (wrinkle your nose again) chateaux. These are ideal wines for picnics and as summer sippers - the acidity in these wines also makes them very food friendly. Check these out - you will be pleasantly surprised! Alsace can also go into the black sheep category with Beaujolais. Why? Because after all of this ranting about how French wines are labeled by their origin and producer, etc and not their grape type, the Alsace wines come along and contradict everything I've already said about French wine. This is the only top French region to systematically label its wines by grape type and name, which is simply Alsace (just like a bottle of Chardonnay from California). No mysteries here. The major grapes found in Alsace are Riesling, Gewürztraminer, Pinot Gris and Pinot Blanc. Another way to quickly spot a wine from Alsace is the bottle's shape - they always come in a tall thin bottle called a flute. Most of the better wines from this region are a little pricey, but you still can get a good bottle without dipping into the 401K. The Alsace is another great place to start drinking French wine, especially as summer approaches. In Conclusion ... We have only scratched the surface here - there are literally hundreds of books devoted to each of these regions alone! The point was to give you some basic background so you'd wander into the French section of the store without the fear of getting lost, confused and frustrated. Not only is France home to some of the most sought after wines in the world, but also to some of the best values as well. All it takes is a little patience, a French dictionary, an atlas and the courage to ask a few questions - the challenge is worth the rewards that await you. Happy hunting! TASTING NOTES - hey, give me a break - I'm not Robert Parker! 1998 Laboure-Roi Pouilly Fuissé - pale yellow in color, looks very light in the glass, apples/pears on nose - very delicate bouquet, this one is racy and well balanced, dry, earthy notes on finish - people looking for an "oakey butter bomb" of a Chardonnay are looking in the wrong place, kind of a plain wine - don't get very much for the $13 price tag. 1996 Château Lynch-Moussas, Pauillac (5th growth) - purple/red in color, still looks very young. Nose is full of ripe berry fruit. Complex and well balanced - silky smooth on palate. Excellent wine that will age gracefully. 1996 Chateau Briand Cuvee Speciale Bordeaux Superior - vegetal/green notes on nose. Very dry on palate, short watery finish. Tastes like it's already dying. Not very interesting or very good, definitely past it's prime. 1996 Chateau Liot, Sauternes - golden yellow color - very pretty looking in the class. Fruity nose - very concentrated and bold on the nose. Notes of pineapples? May be lacking in acidity for this type but not too sure - have only tried a few Sauternes. Very nice finish - worth a try if you can find it, and it's affordable at about $20 for a 750ml. 1998 Lucien Barrot Chateauneuf-du-Pape - Complex nose - earthy/mushroomy notes mixed with cherry fruit. Layers of flavor unfold on the palate. Good tannic structure and a long finish with all kinds of flavors. An excellent wine from a great vintage in the Southern Rhone. 1994 Remoissenet Chassagne Montrachet "Caillerets" - Golden yellow color. Fruity nose - smooth and balanced on the palate. Earthy/mineral notes on palate. Nice lingering finish with good acidity. Lots of good flavors in this premiere cru. Not as full and rich as CA Chardonnay's - definitely worth investigating for those that have burned out on high alcohol oak bombs. That's it, finally! Thanks for the visit. Please feel free to write me at cellarbrat1@yahoo.com with your comments, questions and suggestions. Everyone gets a reply! All feedback is welcomed and appreciated. Know someone that likes wine? Send 'em the link - I'd love to increase my circulation to double digits! See ya next time from the cellar, and remember wine is more fun than you think. Gunerman writes "The Brat In The Cellar" twice per month for the Rochester, NY chapter of Wine Brats, found at www.ggw.org/winebrats/. Wine Brats is a national non-profit organization based in California. They are an active group of adult wine enthusiasts who are mostly young in age but absolutely young at heart. Wine Brats enjoy sharing their passion for wine with their peers and take pride in breaking down the cultural walls that for too long have mystified this beautiful beverage. Ultimately, as a non-profit organization, the Brats' purpose is to attract a whole new generation of adults to the wonders of life with wine. For more information, visit the national site at www.winebrats.org/. March 16, 2001
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