Based on Wikipedia there are about 1,000 recognized wine regions, with wines produced commercially in 74 countries. Each of these regions has distinct characteristics, terroir and varietals, and each has a story to tell. The wine regions of France, are particularly unique and the French are experts in telling their unique stories to a worldwide audience. Over the course of the last few weeks, we have had the opportunity to attend presentations on three of these French vinicultural regions, Roussillon, Provence, and Chablis.
Three Regions: Roussillon, Provence, and Chablis
Every wine has a distinct story to tell, and that is particularly true of the products from these three very different regions.
We have mentioned the idea of terroir in these pages before. This French term loosely translates to the word habitat.
The concept of terroir has been around at least as long as the Ancient Greeks, who would stamp their amphorae with a seal denoting the region that it came from. This is because the climate, soil, geography and native grape varietals all influence the type and characteristics of wine produced in different regions.
So to do the traditions of local winemakers, and even the native foods. All of these go into the style and types of wines produced in different areas, some near to each other, and some continents apart.
Unique Wines From Provence:
One of the most important wine producing regions of France is Provence. We have recently reviewed a number of Provencal wines, particularly the rosé wines that the region is famous for. About 90 percent of all wine produced in the region is rosé.
Provence is responsible for about 5 percent of all rosé wines sold on the planet.
The region is located along the Mediterranean Sea, and has hot dry summers. Most importantly, the region experiences a prevailing hot, dry, Mistral wind. The winds help keep the vines dry and free from diseases and pests.
Provence rosé wines are made predominantly from the Grenache and Cinsault grape varietals but may also contain sizable amounts of Syrah, Mourvedre, or Tibouren. This depends upon the actual AOC from which they are produced.
These unique wines come in a range of pink hues, ranging from a light almost clear color, to a darker salmon hue.
The wines often have an herbal nose (known as the garrigue) which comes from the lavender, rosemary and thyme that are also produced in the region. The rosés are generally dry with a citrusy acidity, but in general the palate tends to be dominated by minerals and red berries. Think salty strawberry.
This makes the wines easy and approachable, but also great for pairing with a range of dishes, particularly traditional Provencal dishes like asparagus, ratatouille, tapenade, lamb and particularly bouillabaisse.
Rose is the fastest growing wine category both in America and around the world, and the flexibility and approach-ability of Provence rosé wines is one of the main reasons.
Unique Wines From Roussillon:
From Provence, we head west toward the Pyrenees mountains, to another Mediterranean region, Roussillon. While not as well known as its neighbor to the east, Roussillon is one of the more unique vinicultural regions of France.
Straddling an area between the sea and the mountains, Roussillon consists of small microclimates, encompassing 14 AOP (Appellation d’Origine Protégée) areas.
There are more than 24 different wine varietals recognized in Roussillon. Since the region is hot, much of the fermentation is done in concrete.
Roussillon is best known for producing Vins Doux Naturels. These are naturally sweet unique wines. They’re made primarily from various forms of the Grenache grape varietal.
While the region produces just about 2 percent of French wine, it is the major producing region for these fortified sweet wines. These wines are fortified with a neutral grape spirit to stop the yeast before fermentation is complete, allowing them to retain some sugar, giving them a natural sweetness on the palate.
We were fortunate to try Roussillon wines at a rooftop luncheon, so we were able to experience some excellent pairings.
Dishes of crab and smoked salmon were paired with a nice acidic and citrusy white wine made from Macabeu, Rolle and Carigan grapes.
We also sampled grilled octopus with a Grenache (blanc, noir and gris) rose. Then a lamb with a still-tannic red produced from Syrah and Grenache.
Two Vins Doux Naturels, both Grenache-based, complemented a selection of cheeses and a rich chocolate mousse.
What the luncheon showed, was that the Roussillon region is a small but extremely versatile area. It generates a wide range of wines that can be used for a variety of occasions and pairings.
Wine From Burgundy:
Finally, we hop across the country to the northernmost wine district of the Burgundy region in France, Chablis.
Chablis is a place where terroir and a single grape varietal, Chardonnay, have come together to form truly unique wines.
The underlying soil is known as Kimmeridgean. It dates from the time of the dinosaurs.
This soil was once the bottom of a seafloor. It contains countless fossilized marine creatures. These give a strong flinty minerality to the wine.
On the tops of the hills, a slightly younger limestone dominated soil is used to produce Chardonnay for Petit Chablis. For some reviews of specific wines read our advicesisters.com review.
Unique Wines, Chablis:
Chablis wines are all about this soil and the cool northern climate. They tend to have extremely high acidity and often have a flinty note. The wines that we tasted were all bright light gold in color with a light floral and citrus nose.
Younger Chablis is not particularly approachable to the average drinker, being dominated by the high acidity and minerality. However, the wine mellows with age and Chablis can age for over 10 years.
Also, the wines produced from vineyards on the right bank of the Serein River is slightly warmer. The wines there tend to have more fruit. Those from the left bank are more acidic and tight.
The traditional pairing for Chablis is oysters, and shellfish. It’s interesting because these do not come from the hilly region.
The local cuisine tends to use the wine in sauces. A classic dish Le Jambon à la Chablisienne. It is a whole ham cooked on the bone in Chablis with a tomato and shallot sauce.
Otherwise Chablis is a great wine to have with fresh fish and simple seafood-based dishes.
As these three regions show, terroir is a key ingredient in wine. Understanding the terroir of a region allows one to better select and pair wines with different foods and occasions.
Get More Information:
For more about the Provence region visit: www.vinsdeprovence.com
Learn about the Roussillon wines region visit: www.winesofroussillon.com
For more about the Chablis region visit: www.chablis-wines.com