As an individual you have come to appreciate fine wine. However, every time you get to the french wine section and find a bottle that looks intriguing you hesitate. The hesitation comes from the foreign language, no mention of a grape varietal that you recognize and little if any understanding of the geography of France. After all, its pretty easy to distinguish California from Oregon on a domestic wine label. Consequently, you put down that intriguing bottle and turn back to the familiar such as a Napa California Cabernet Sauvignon. We have this conversation almost weekly with our customers and because we are all about helping make wine more approachable we have developed a simple graphic to help you navigate the French wine aisle. Unlike wine labeling in the United States, consumer product labeling laws especially wine labeling in France are highly regulated. As a result french wine labels actually provide the consumer with a plethora of information about the wine. The one thing to remember is that french wines are labeled by region, as opposed to grape variety which is common in the United States and most other wine producing countries. You will most commonly find broad, regional classifications, such as "Burgundy" or "Côtes du Rhône," which is why understanding France's specific wine regions is key.

1. Name of the
Producer or
Winery
1
1
2
2
3
3
4
4
5
5
8
6
6
7
8 7
Vintage, the
Year the Grapes
were Harvested
Appellation or
Sub-Region of
France where
the grapes were
grown
Style and
Taste
Endemic to
the Region
Amount of
Alcohol
Content in
the Wine
Indicates the
Wine was
bottled at the
Estate
Volume
amount of
Wine
Winery
Address
How To Read a
French Wine Label
Bordeaux
Cabernet Sauvignon
Merlot, Cabernet Franc
Petit Verdot
Burgundy
Pinot Noir,
Chardonnay, Gamay
Champagne
Pinot Noir,
Chardonnay, Pinot
Munier
Rhone
Syrah, Grenache,
Mourvedre, Viognier
Alsace
Riesling, Pinot Gris,
Gewürztraminer
Loire
Cabernet Franc,
Sauvignon Blanc,
Chenin Blanc
Another Today’s Wine™ Infographic | www.todays-wine.com
FRENCHWINEREGIONS