Wine Education Class: Wines of France

800 North 10th Place,Renton WA 98057

27 June, 2022

Description

Wine Education Class: Wines of FranceFrance’s reputation as the world leader in fine wine is earned because French winemakers have spent centuries cultivating the grapevine and paying attention to the minute differences among wines made from various plots of land. France remains one of the top wine producers, with wines of every style and quality level coming from hundreds of unique appellations across the country. French wine regions are scattered in all corners of the map of France. Bordeaux is the largest region in terms of quality wine production, where many of the world’s most expensive wines are made. The Burgundy (Bourgogne) region also makes some of the most highly-sought wines, but these are made in miniscule quantities compared to Bordeaux, so their rarity also adds to their value. Champagne rounds out the top three regions, making special occasion sparkling wines that are pricey because of the amount of labor that goes into their production. The Languedoc-Roussillon area in southeast France is the largest wine region, but the majority of production is bulk wine that is not exported. The centrally-located Loire Valley (Val de Loire) region produces most of France’s white wine, in addition to wines from many interesting native grapes found nowhere else. The Rhône Valley (Côtes du Rhône) is known for red wines, from syrah in the north to grenache in the south. France shares borders with other winemaking countries including Germany, Spain, Italy, and Switzerland. The Alsace wine region has, in the past, been part of Germany, and the wines made there reflect that history. Smaller regions like Savoie and the Jura have alpine Swiss influence. Southwest France’s underappreciated wines overlap with neighboring Spain, and the island of Corsica combines the best of French and Italian traditions. The Basics of Bordeaux Wines Bordeaux, in southwest France, is primarily known for blended red wines driven by cabernet sauvignon on the left bank of the Gironde River and merlot and cabernet franc on the right bank. Bordeaux is defined by its historic wine-producing châteaux, which were classified in 1855 into five quality levels, or “growths,” that still influence the Bordeaux market today. The five first-growth estates (also called premier crus) command the highest prices, with their wine often sold as futures before the vintage is even released. All 61 classified châteaux are in the Médoc region on the left bank of the Gironde River. The right bank appellations of Pomerol and Saint-Émilion, although not included in the 1855 classification, are home to a handful of equally famed producers. Cabernet sauvignon-led Bordeaux blends have blackcurrant and new oak aromas with earthy, herbal flavors, and strong tannins. Merlot-led blends tend to be softer and plummy, and easier to drink without long aging. White Bordeaux wines are barrel-aged blends of sauvignon blanc and sémillon. The sweet wine appellation of Sauternes produces luscious dessert wines made from botrytis-affected grapes, which means a good fungus rots the grapes slightly making them sweeter and have a higher alcohol content. Ready to learn more? Cost: $30 per person ($5 Off for Wine Club Members). 6+ wines to taste in a fun relaxing atmosphere! We only have 24 seats available so please purchase your tickets in advance. Taught by, Rick McMaster WSET Certified and Owner of Vino at the Landing and Reds Wine Bar in Kent. 📧If you have questions about this event please email our marketing manager at [email protected]