Wines of France

France, in vinous terms, has everything. It has climates cool enough to make the world’s benchmark sparkling wine in Champagne, and regions hot enough for fortified wines that are the local version of port. It also has everything in between: classic, oak-aged whites, long-lived reds, fresh rosés and gallons and gallons of good, inexpensive everyday wines.

The south of France (the picture shows Caramany in the Côtes du Roussillon) is one of the fastest-changing parts of the country at the moment. It may still look the same, and thyme and rosemary still grow in the hills along with the vines, but new wine-making techniques are transforming the quality of its wines.

One reason for France’s versatility is that she has three distinct climates. Along the Atlantic coast the climate is maritime, damp and seldom very cold. In the south-east a Mediterranean climate prevails, with hot, dry summers and mild winters. North of Lyon the conditions become more continental, with colder winters and relentlessly hot summers; autumn storms are a constant threat to the ripening grapes. Rain can also be plentiful in the cool south-west, especially as the ground rises towards the mountains.

Click on the regions for more information.

Wine Regions of France