Top Bordeaux wines are great wines and the better and older they are the pricier they are as well. Top red Bordeaux can reach prices that are out of reach for many people and not the kind of wine you would want to buy for your everyday consumption. However, if you are willing to get more common wines that are still good, but not to the level of the top ones, you can enjoy good reds and even whites at an affordable price.

Bordeaux is a wine that can reach depths and quality that no other wines have ever reached, and this is mostly the reason for its extremely high price. Cabernet Sauvignon which is always blended with other grapes, usually Merlot and Cabernet Franc are responsible for this sublime drink. Most people think of Bordeaux as a red wine, however, this French wine region also produces great white wines, dry and sweet which are much more affordable than the reds.

As just about every French wine, Bordeaux vintage can make quite a difference in the quality of the wine, because a sunny dry year or a rainy cooler year will definitely affect the taste of the wine. Whatever the vintage, however, good Bordeaux wines need to age a few years to reach full maturity and give their best flavor.

If you have never tasted Bordeaux, before you put the nectar to your lips, just make sure you are aware of the fact that you are tasting a GREAT Bordeaux or common one, so you will know what to expect and not be disappointed. The price of the bottle should also tell you which wine is which.

Want to discover more about wine making? We are making wine since the dawn of times and we are getting better and better at it.

Find the best of the best when it comes to wine here => http://www.squidoo.com/French-Wine-Wines-Of-Taste

Author: Regine Marne
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: Pressure cooker

The color of white wines is more of a golden hew, rather than what its name implies. But as it ages, its color also changes. From a beautiful golden color, which has the distinct fruit taste, to a magnificent amber color that acquires the taste of amber and honey.

Have you ever heard of Chardonnay or Burgundies? They are by far the most popular choices of white wine in constant demand at the market. White wine is available for every occasion and taste. So far, French Chardonnay takes top place when white wines are being compared.

But the label as “most famous of all white wines” goes to Champagne. Many would not believe so, but Champagne too is truly a wine, a white wine to be exact. Champagne is made from a mixture of grapes such as Chardonnay, Pinot Meunier or Pinot Nior. Champagne was first introduced by the French as a lighter alternative to red wine. Champagne is more commonly known as a “sparkling” wine.

The best way to truly appreciate French white wine is by lightly chilling it for at least 30 minutes. Different people have different ways of appreciating white wine. Most prefer drinking it over dinner with poultry or fish. Some prefer using a chilled glass, while some just pop a bottle and drink it straight up. There is no right way in enjoying white wine, its there to satisfy and excite anyones taste buds.

Author: Jimmy Sturo
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: Canada duty tariff

The 2 most famous French grapes used in white wines made in the U.S. and Canada, notably Pinot Gris and Gewurztraminer come from Alsace. This region, previously a part of the Roman Empire, changed hands between France and Germany several times between the 17th and 20th century.

The best Riesling wines in the world come from this region also. However, the grape originates from the Rhine region on the the German side. as where Gewurztraminer comes originally from the Rhine in Alsace, between the Vosges and the Blackforest on the French side.

Gewurztraminer is highly aromatic and usually off-dry, with a flamboyant bouquet of lychee. At the nose, it emanates aromas of roses, passion fruit with floral notes.

This distinctively fruity wine gives the impression of a sweet wine, but in reality it contains much less sugar than it makes belief. It is a perfect wine for amateur wine drinkers, specially the ones that do not necessarily like wine. It gives one the impression of drinking a high quality grape juice.

The more dry Gewurztraminers give a less sweet impression, but because they are considered more of a spicy wine, they are among the very few wines that are suitable for drinking with Asian dishes! Another particularly good match with this wine would be smoked salmon.

This lightly gold wine is a jewel that has to be discovered, and to discover it, you should not go further than looking for it in the Alsace region of France. Any imitation Gewurztraminers from other parts of the world do not even come close to it’s delicious, distinctive and joyful taste, and drinking them as Gewurztraminer, excuse my French, would be fooling yourself. So, please do yourself a favor and drink only the original Gewurztraminer d’Alsace.

Thank you and cheers.

Author: Mike Samii
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: Cellphone news

White wines
Many will already be familiar with German wines. The Alsace-Lorraine area is inspired by some of that tradition. There are some very well-known grapes that give excellent white wines:

* Chardonnay

* Pinot Blanc

* Sauvignon Blanc

Just as I mentioned the German impact upon some white wines from France, the Riesling grape is very popular. There are many low-price wines (rather sweet), but certainly also some very fine Rieslings. Served chilled while the sun is baking is a lovely thing. Something you may want to remember for summer next year.

Red wines
There are quite a few grapes that provide interesting red wines:

* Cabernet Sauvignon

* Syrah

* Grenache

One of my personal favourites among pricey wines are either the Chinon wines from the Loire Valley or the especially the wine from 2004 entitled “Chteauneuf-du-Pape Cuve Grande Garde Saint-Benoit”. It’s a wine priced at roughly 12 here in Denmark, but truly fantastic. Amazing, however, that you can get wines in the Loire Valley at one third this price (ranging from 3,60-4,50 that will be just as good), but “Chteauneuf-du-Pape” signifies papal wine, and truly one can say that the papacy has had good taste in wine.

Facetiously one could say that since they can’t concentrate as much on lovely ladies, at least an interest in wine can be a very enjoyable experience.

Ross
There are many grapes that give ros wines you will want to taste:

* Grenache Gris

* Clairette

* Cinsault

Ross truly surprised me when we took our first vacation to France in 2006. In Denmark we might have ten-fifteen types of ros from mainly Spain and California – and later we began to see French ross also. But I was truly amazed when one of my very best friends, Cyril showed me a local supermarket called Gant. They had several rows of ross. You can imagine that for a couple like ours, where I have always preferred mature red wines and my wife previously liked semi-sweet white wines, then ross have taken both of us by storm. Previously I only knew of the Zinfandel ros wines from California, but I have taken both Greek and French ross very much to heart.

Voltaire’s philosophy
Notice this: there is no doubt that many abuse alcohol. In our society it is very easy to fall prey for that, but in moderation it is a true enjoyment. Voltaire once declared that “there was more philosophy in a bottle of wine than in many books”. He is truly right, but one needs to be mindful never to overdo that passion.

Good luck in discovering the same beauty as we have. When you visit France you owe it to yourself to take home many different bottles so you can experience some of the variety the French have truly implemented in many even smaller supermarkets. They don’t drink much of the wines that are exported, and guess what? I think they are wise enough even to export some of it so they can avoid digesting it themselves.

Author: Henrik Blunck
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: How Electric Pressure Cookers Work

Grapes grown in France, and at any vineyard in fact, are grown under a very specific set of conditions that contribute to its taste. This is called terroir (a French word that is difficult to translate into English), and French wines are famous for their terroir. Some conditions that contribute to taste include grape variety, climate of the area, slope, soil chemistry below the vine, and/or the length of the post-harvesting process to finish the wine. French wines collectively have over 100 different terroirs, which is a huge variety of different conditions where grapes are grown. In turn, this produces numerous different wines, so almost no one bottle of French wine is the same as another.

There are 19 grape varieties which can produce everything from cabernet sauvignon, merlot, and pinot noir (red wines) to chardonnay, chenin blanc, and pinot gris (white wines). French wines and their labels can be difficult to understand if you don’t know French. French wines are labeled by the region they come from. Most other wines are labeled by variety, like “cabernet sauvignon” or “chardonnay.” So knowing which wine to choose takes a little bit of advance knowledge on which regions produce the kind of wine you’re looking for. For example, the Pomerol and St. Emilion regions of France only produce merlots. In Burgundy, merlot and cabernet sauvignon grapes are grown.

Buying wine online can have many advantages, as well as disadvantages for the consumer and seller buying wine online For the true wine connoisseur, buying wine online can be a good way of finding obscure or hard-to-find wines. Many web sites out there allow the mystified shopper to organize wine types according to what they’re looking for or what they prefer. Plus, they usually include wine reviews that can guide the novice to some pretty good wine experiences. However, buying wine online also has some drawbacks.

If while buying wine online, you order a single bottle, shipping costs can get very expensive. This is because the wine plus bottle are typically very heavy. If buying wine online, it is most practical to buy in bulk. This will save you money on shipping costs, since it will cost less per bottle to ship. Some distributors will also give a hefty discount when buying in bulk. Bottles of wine are also extremely vulnerable to major temperature changes during shipping.

Taste can be affected by temperature, humidity, light, and vibration, all of which could impact the shipment during transit. Having your wine shipped during the spring or fall months will most likely minimize temperature changes during shipping. During summer or winter, hot or cold temperatures could ruin your shipment. Quicker shipping options could also minimize temperature changes.

A little less than half of the states in the US also prohibit direct shipment of alcoholic beverages to anyone who lives in that state. Translation — buying wine online doesn’t mean you’ll be able to receive it. Those states that do allow shipment to you from buying wine online have many restrictions that can affect your planned shipment. You should do your homework before ordering that special bottle of chardonnay to be delivered to your doorstep.

Author: Sarah Freeland
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: Guest blogger

The reasonably constant sun combines with granitic soil in the north of the region and the limestone in the south of the region to produce Carignan, Syrah and Grenache grapes used in the production of red wines and Grenache Blanc, Clairette and Ugni Blanc for white wines.

The Grenache is the major grape grown and represents 55 percent of the total red wine grapes grown while the Clairette makes up just over one third of the white wine grapes grown in the region. Overall roughly 8,000 to 10,000 winemakers produce some 450 million bottles of wine on a vast 170,000 acres of land of which three-quarters is devoted to the fruity reds of Chteauneuf du Pape in the south and the full-bodied Cte Rtie in the north.

The village of Chartreuse de Valbonne enjoys a quite different climate from that of the surrounding area. Enfolded by forested horseshoe-shaped hills there are numerous terraces composed of stony chalk and limestone. Some of the barrels from this area date clear back to the 13th century and the village is home to plump Grenache Noir, spicy Syrah and plump Viognier grapes with aromas of acacia honey and violet.

Considered to be among the best of the Ctes du Rhne villages are Cairanne and Rasteau with Rasteau’s tannic Domaine du Trapadis being the preference of those who are looking for a zesty wine and Cairanne’s softer Domaine Catherine Le Goeuil being appreciated by those people who are a bit more easy going.

From the Ctes du Rhne villages stony limestone and clay earth come the Syrah and Grenache grapes that produce some 19 million bottles of medium body fruity red wines.

The history of the wine of Gigondas traces back to the Roman Empire and good advantage is taken today of the Mediterranean weather and the red clay soil to make an fragrant alternative to the expensive Chteauneuf du Pape. On about 3,000 acres vintners grow the Mourvdre, Syrah and Grenache grapes that go into making 5,500,000 bottles of this first class wine.

For wine lovers whose tongue requires a small shock of pleasure there is the Vignobles Darriaud’s Grenache Syrah which is a full-bodied red with earthy and plumy aromas and with chocolate tones that mix with a peppery finish after the wine has been allowed to age for about 3 or 4 years.

To conclude, we must turn our attention to the slopes of Chteauneuf du Pape which lie between Avignon and Orange and which were once used as the summer retreat of numerous Popes. The wine is thick and richly colored by the Syrah, Clairette, Grenache and some ten other grape varieties. On roughly 7,600 acres of quartz and sandy red clay soil grow the vines that produce 13 million bottles that can age for up to 20 years with aromas of red fruits, vanilla and cinnamon.

Author: Donald Saunders
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: Netbook, Tablets and Mobile Computing

Most of the wine regions are also known as important tourist destinations (and would be even if wine was not grown nearby). Some of the regions that are best known for both fine wines and for tourist attractions include:

Alsace

You will be impressed by the photogenic houses and villages of much of Alsace, and a common way to plan a visit is to follow the Alsace Wine Route which runs north to south through the highlights of the region.

Bergerac

Best known for medium red wines, Bergerac is located in the Dordogne department – one of the most popular tourist destinations in France, with a myriad of ancient villages and castles to explore, and the beautiful scenery of the river and region itself.

Bordeaux

Renowned for some of the greatest names in wine, especially full-bodied red wine, you could visit several wine chateaux a day here and still barely scratch the surface. When you tire of wine tasting, the other local attractions include the UNESCO listed village of Saint Emilion, the ‘city of culture’ itself at Bordeaux, the pleasant Atlantic resort at Arcachon, and the biggest sand dune in Europe!

Burgundy

The Burgundy region is one of tradition, and of historical wealth, and includes many highlights from the medieval hospital at Beaune to the unspoiled countryside of Morvan – combined with some of the highly regarded wines produced in the region, this makes for a very inviting French destination.

Loire

Perhaps best known for the magnificent castles that follow the Loire as it heads westwards towards the Atlantic, there are also many fine wines (especially white wines) that are grown along the quiet Loire Valley. Note that the river itself is also a listed UNESCO world heritage site, and is one of the prettiest rivers in France.

Provence

Wine isn’t the main attraction in Provence – that honour is reserved for the Cote d’Azur, the perched villages of Luberon, the lavender fields of Drome Provencal…but be sure to find time to enjoy some of the local fine wines while enjoying the scenery of this lovely part of France.

Author: Marcus Smith
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: Canada duty rate

The confusion over French wines, specifically French wine labels is understandable. After all, there’s the language barrier – all those French words! In addition, most French wines – except some from Alsace, are labeled and named by the region, not by the grape.

Unless you have some basic knowledge about the French wine regions and their grapes, you would not know how to choose a bottle of French wine, and what to expect in the bottle. Having the knowledge of the French wine regions, the grapes, styles & quality of the wine is information built over time. However, this article offers descriptions of the major French wine regions and the main grapes in each region, to help you enter the world of the French wines.

Being familiar with the regions and their major grapes would help you recognize the regions on the French wine label you see next time.

Clockwise from the top right corner of the map of France, the wine regions are Alsace, Burgundy, the Rhone Valley, Province, Languedoc-Rousillon, Bordeaux, and the Loire Valley.

Many wines from Alsace for non-French wine drinkers are probably the most user-friendly for the reason that the wine labels tell you the grape variety in the wine. Alsace makes all white wines, except those from Pinot Noir. The white grapes of Alsace are Riesling, Gewurztraminer, Muscat, Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc, Sylvaner.

Burgundy (French "Bourgogne") is the land of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.

The Rhone Valley is really divided into Northern Rhone and Southern Rhone since the grapes and the styles of wines are different. In Northern Rhone, the white wines are made from the fragrant Viognier, Marsanne and Roussanne, while the red wines are made from the inky dark Syrah. In Southern Rhone, Clairette, Grenache Blanc, and indigenous grapes make the white wines, while Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre and indigenous grapes make the red wines.

In Province (French "Provence"), it wouldn’t be surprising if the wine has lavender aroma! The red grape Cinsault makes rosé wines. Another red grape, Grenache makes both rosé and dry red wines. The other red grapes for dry red wine blends are Mourvedre and Syrah.

In Languedoc-Rousillon, you’ll find all the grapes from Province, except Cinsault, and adding Carignan and some Bordeaux grape varieties.

Next comes to Bordeaux and its wines that is loved by everybody. Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon are the white grape here. Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Petit Verdot and Malbec are the red grapes in Bordeaux.

Last but not the least is the Garden of France, the Loire Valley, with red grapes of Pinot Noir, Cabernet Franc and Gamay, and white grapes of Chenin Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc and Melon de Bourgogne.

Another fact to bear in mind is many French wines are not single varietal wines, and instead are blends of local grapes.

Pick up a French wine next time and look for the region. You have now taken the first step into the French Wine World. Welcome!

Author: Bonny-Morgan Lin
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: Beading Necklace

Approximately six thousand wine growers live in this smallest of the French winemaking regions and the people of this area are very proud of their centuries old winemaking tradition.

Alsace is situated between to Vosges mountains to the west and the Black Forest to the east and is thus sheltered from both easterly and westerly winds. This makes the area particularly hot in the summer and leaves it very cold in the winter. The soil in this area is very diverse including sand, granite, clay and marl and the combination of the climate and soil conditions means that this is not the easiest of areas in which to grow grapes. Nevertheless, the region produces some of the finest Riesling, Pinot Blanc and Gewrztraminer grapes.

The area produces about 20 percent of France’s annual production of wine (approximately 165 million bottles) and the vast majority of the grapes grown are used in the production of a number of world famous white wines whose names echo their German influence. The most well known of these are Riesling and Gewrztraminer, which together account for about 40 percent of Alsace wines but other wines include Tokay and Sylvaner.

Although perhaps not well known, Tokay is a full-bodied white wine made from the Pinot Gris grape with a wonderful aroma of wood and spice and is perfect alongside Quiche Lorraine. As a full-bodied wine it is also an excellent choice as an accompaniment for meat for people who prefer a white rather than a red wine.

Sylvaner, which was originally made in Austria, has been produced in Alsace for about two hundred years and is a fruity and dry white wine which is often served with both fish and pork.

Another excellent wine from this region is the Crmant d’Alsace, a sparkling white wine made in the manner of Champagne. Crmant d’Alsace is a blend of Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris or Pinot Noir grapes and has an aroma of red fruits, apricots and almonds.

If you are buying an Alsatian wine, either for yourself or as a wine gift, be sure to look for the words ‘Grand Crus’ on the label which distinguishes a wine as being one of this region’s best wines.

Author: Donald Saunders
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: Digital TV, HDTV, Satellite TV

By the time Jesus turned water to wine, viticulture in France had been established for many centuries. It was the Greeks who started it all with their colonization of Marseille, and later the Romans were all too willing to pick up the baton and run with it. In the Middle Ages, Monks were the guardians of the wine-makers skills. They not only made wine for their own use, but also sold it to a grateful public, who considered wine from the monasteries to be of the finest quality. Today, French wine producers are protected and policed by the ‘Institut National des Apellations d’Origine’, who make sure that a wine meets with the strict guidelines imposed.

Wine producers throughout the country are naturally proud of their world renowned product, and rightly so, with each region having its distinctive taste and style.

Alasace, in Eastern France shares the Rhine River with Germany, and is predominantly an area concerned with the production of white wine. Many grape varieties used in this region are also employed by the Germans.

Bordeaux on the other hand is a producer of red wine, although it does boast some of the world’s most famous sweet whites, such as Chateau d’Yquem and Barsac. The well known red wine producer, Chateau Lafite lies in this area. Situated on the Atlantic coast, Bordeaux has a long tradition of wine exportation, which I suspect will continue for many years hence.

In Burgundy, red and white wines share equal billing, with Cote d’Or being the most famous and possibly one of the most expensive too. The three main varietal wines in Burgundy are Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Aligote. Beaujolais, although in the Burgundy area is quite often considered as a separate region. Here, red wine is king, Beaujolais Nouveau is the only wine that can be consumed in the year of its production. White wines are made in Chablis, which also comes under the jurisdiction of Burgundy.

Champagne in the east of France has the coldest climate of all the major wine regions. Although a small quantity of ‘still’ wine is made, the region is of course famous for its sparkling wines.

Corsica produces a local wine that very rarely leaves the shores of the Mediterranean island. It has nine of its own wine regions and a vin de pays designation system in place.

The lesser known Jura is a mountainous region near Switzerland where Vin Jaune and Vin de Paille are produced. Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grape varieties are used here.

Languedoc Roussillon has the largest growing area in France and is responsible for the large amount of cheap wine produced in the country. As mentioned earlier, more wine is produced in this region than the whole of the United States of America.

The Loire Valley produces mainly white wines along the stretch of the Loire river in central and western France. It is divided into the four sub-regions of Sauvignon Blanc, Touraine, Anjou-Saumar and Pays Nantais. Chenin Blanc and Cabernet Franc originate from Touraine, whilst Sancerre is from the Upper Loire (Sauvignon Blanc).

Provence lies in a temperate zone on the South-east coast and is the home of Bandol, where the now famous wine festival is held every December.

The Rhone Valley is primarily a producer of red wine with the north and south areas differing in style.

Lying between lakes and mountains, The Savoie or Savoy region makes white wines in an alpine region close to Switzerland.

The South West of France is home to such names as Bergerac, Cotes de Gascogne and Armagnac.

The regions mentioned above are the major wine producers of France, however there are many more smaller areas that lie outside of these, especially in the north of the country.

Author: Alan Liptrot
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: Canada duty rates