Is it a grape? Is it a place? Part 1: France

Five of the most famous French wines unpacked

I’ve spent the past week working on an article about lesser-known French wine regions and the value for money they offer compared with the heavy hitters like Bordeaux or Burgundy. I was getting close to publishing it when I realised: Wait. This is still too complicated. How can anyone recognise a cheaper alternative to Bordeaux when at least half the friends I speak to don’t know what a Bordeaux actually is. Is it a grape? Is it a place?

The confusion doesn’t stop at Bordeaux. Think of Champagne, Rioja, Chianti. All famous names of wine, but what are we actually talking about? A grape or a place? And if they’re a place, how on earth can you tell which grapes actually go into making them?

The issue is exacerbated in European wines, where labelling conventions are so complicated that in many cases the consumer is expected to know what’s in the bottle as if by magic. It’s too much to unpack in one Substack article, and I’ve promised to keep it simple. So for now, let’s just tackle five of the most famous French wines...

Bordeaux

If you’ve been lucky enough to visit southwest France, you’ll know that Bordeaux is not only a place – it’s a very nice city. When we’re talking about the Bordeaux wine region, we’re talking about grapes that are grown in a designated area on either side of the Gironde Estuary. And not just any grapes either: there are certain varieties that are permitted, but most Bordeaux reds rely heavily on Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. The exact percentages depend on all sorts of factors, and there may well be other grape varieties involved, but as a general rule: red wines made from grapes grown on the Left Bank of the river tend to be Cab Sav-led, whereas those from the Right Bank tend to be Merlot-led.

Fun fact: the term “Claret”, which your older relatives might still use, just refers to red Bordeaux wines. (Why anyone needed another word for that I have no idea…)

Burgundy

Yup, also a place. But not a city this time. Burgundy – aka Bourgogne – is a region towards the east of central France. In terms of wine, there are exceptions of course (there are always exceptions) but as a rule of thumb: red Burgundies are made from Pinot Noir, while white Burgundies are made from Chardonnay.

Chablis

…. Which brings us to: Chablis. Also a place, and technically part of Burgundy. Which means we’re talking Chardonnay again. Chardonnay can be a divisive grape, especially among people of my generation, but it deserves some respect for being just about the most flexible grape known to wine drinkers. If you think you don’t like Chardonnay but you’ve never tried Chablis, I urge you to give it a go. The climate (further north and significantly cooler) and the wine making method mean that Chablis tastes completely different from many other Chardonnays you’ll have tried. None of that heavy, oaky, butteriness – just clean, citrusy, steely freshness. I swear it must be good for you.

Sancerre

Speaking of giving grapes a second chance, how do you feel about Sauvignon Blanc? It’s another one of those love-it-or-loathe-it-grapes, predominantly because of the highly aromatic New Zealand Savvy Bs that became so popular in the late ‘90s. But in the Loire Valley in central France, it’s quite a different proposition. You might have heard of Sancerre, or even Pouilly-Fumé: both are smaller sub-regions of the Loire Valley that produce wines made predominantly from Sauvignon Blanc. But you may never have realised that because a) you won’t see Sauvignon Blanc on the label, and b) they taste quite different from their Kiwi counterparts. Think subtle grass and flint, rather than a face-full of flowers and passionfruit.

Champagne

Many Americans I know (and I know a lot – I’m married to one) use the term “Champagne” as a catch-all to describe any and all sparkling wines. Many Europeans will correct them: saying that that Champagne can only be used to describe bubbles from a particular part of northern France. But what’s actually in a bottle of Champagne? Just like Bordeaux, it’s a blend of grapes and only certain varieties are permitted. In Champagne’s case, it’s Chardonnay (good old workhorse Chardonnay), Pinot Noir (the grapes used in red Burgundy) and Pinot Meunier (another red grape that’s genetically related to Pinot Noir). The latter two are only briefly pressed, so that just the clear juice is extracted and none of the colour from the skins. (Or only a little colour, in the case of rosé Champagne).

That’s it for France! In Part 2, I’ll be tackling some other European wines that also beg the question: is it a grape or a place?

Useful links for buying wines online

I’ve not actually recommended any specific bottles in this article, but if any of my explanations have piqued your interest, you might be looking to try something new (a Chablis or a Sancerre, for instance). I know that my audience isn’t all based in one country, so it’s tricky to give you buying advice. That said, here are several reliable wine websites in the Netherlands, the UK and the US where I’ve bought wine in the past. Note that some of these are affiliate links, which means I make a small commission if you buy from them. This in no way affects the wines I recommend, but it does help me to keep up an increasingly expensive tasting habit!

• Colaris – Netherlands

• 8Wines – Netherlands and Belgium

• Majestic – UK

• Virgin Wines – UK

• Naked Wines – UK and US

• Total Wine – US

• One Stop Wine Shop – US

• Wine on Sale – US