Why French wines deserve a second chance

(And which regions provide the best value)

It probably sounds strange coming from a wine person, but for years I’ve tended to avoid buying French wines. Don’t get me wrong: I love a classic Bordeaux, but I’m more likely to buy a Merlot/Cab Sav blend from South Africa. Same story with Burgundy: I’ll buy a Marlborough Pinot Noir instead. Because for a very long time, French wines were so much more expensive than the alternatives. And as a consumer, I’m looking for value for money – not big names.

But to judge French wines based solely on the famous regions – Bordeaux, Burgundy, Beaujolais, Champagne and the rest – would be to miss out on some of the fantastic wines to be found elsewhere in country. (Side note: if you want to understand more about the big names in French wine, read the article “Is it a grape? Is it a place?” that I wrote a couple of weeks ago.)

Go east of Bordeaux and you’re in the Dordogne: a very similar vine-growing climate without the eye-watering wine prices. Go south of the Rhone Valley (home to Châteauneuf-du-Pape and Hermitage) and you’re in the Languedoc-Roussillon region, with its sunshine-filled Chardonnays and juicy reds. Go east of Beaujolais and you’re in the mountains of the Savoie with its equally luscious Gamay.

All of which has led me to reconsider my wine-buying habits… And resulted this week’s pick of 5 French wines that represent great value for money:

Château Bélingard Reserve Blanc Sec (2021)

From the Dordogne region (just east of Bordeaux), Château Bélingard’s white blend is made from predominantly Sauvignon Blanc with 15% Semillon. It starts fresh and floral, but twists into flinty gun smoke (which went well with the smoked eel pictured below), followed by a hint of creaminess at the very end. If you aspire to Pouilly-Fumé or Pessac-Léognan but don't like the price tag, you'll enjoy this wine (and for only €12.49 from Mitra).

Domaine Lafage ‘Nicolas’ (2020)

Old-vine Grenache is the dominant grape behind pricy Catalan Priorat, but in this case it comes from the Roussillon region in the south of France. Domaine Lafage’s version is juicy with fresh red fruits, dried black fruits, and full bodied with tobacco and chocolate. An absolute treat, which would pair perfectly with duck or venison in a fruity sauce. Again, this was just €15!

Ventoux Les Berceaux Blanc, Ogier (2022)

This white blend actually is from the Rhone Valley, but perhaps because it’s made from lesser known white grapes – Vermentino, Bourboulenc and Clairette – it’s far better value for money than you might expect. I recently spent a month in Sardinia, home of Vermentino, where a bottle of the good stuff regularly came in around the €20 mark (even in the place it’s produced). Whereas this Ventoux Les Berceaux from Ogier had all the lemony, floral salinity of Sardinian Vermentino with just a touch of oiliness on the palate – and all for €10.95 a bottle.

Maison Robert Vic, Limoux (2022)

If you’re a fan of those big, buttery whites from southern Burgundy, I’ve got good news. This classic, bold Chardonnay by Maison Robert Vic shows prominent oak (vanilla, smoke, toast) as well as zingy pineapple and papaya. Although Limoux is deep in southwest France, it’s also in the foothills of the Pyrenees. And cool mountain/ocean breezes = balancing acidity. Admittedly, this isn’t quite as refined as a Burgundian Chardonnay – but it’s still delicious, with or without food, and a fraction of the price. This bottle cost me €15.99 from a wine store in Friesland, but I’ve seen it a little cheaper online.

Langlois-Chateau Brut Extra Crémant

If you like Champagne but don’t like the hefty price tag, look for Crémant. It’s essentially sparkling wine made using the same traditional method as Champagne, but it doesn’t come from the Champagne region. There are lots of regions in France that produce Crémant, including the Loire Valley, which is just a bit further south. The Loire is known for its Chenin Blanc, so this Crémant by Langlois is made from 60% Chenin Blanc, plus 20% Cabernet Franc (also a typical Loire grape) and 20% Chardonnay. It’s channelling classic Champagne flavours like lemon peel, pears and biscuit dough, with a fine creamy mousse. The “Extra” means it’s a bit drier than regular Brut, but in this case that extra acidity is welcome.

Where to buy wine online

A lot of the bottles in this months wine picks came from Silersshop (a lovely wine and liquor store in the village of Grou in the northernmost province of the Netherlands) or Mitra – primarily because those were my closest wine shops during my month-long stay in Friesland. However, I know that my audience isn’t all based in one country (and certainly not in Friesland), so it’s tricky to give you buying advice.

That said, here are several reliable wine websites in the Benelux, 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