Vineyards in France – Best Destination to Visit and Taste
It is the country that produces some of the finest wines in the world and choosing the best French wine is not an easy task, as the selection criteria is very subjective and it all depends on the tastes of each individual.
One reason for the importance of France lies in the extraordinary range of wines produced. The diversity of climates and soils allows you to draw from light white to powerful reds creating rich environments for the vineyards in France.
Each region has its typical vineyards in France and associated wines closely with the local cuisine. If you are in search of good wines, then I propose you next selection of French wines.
Or, even if you’re not in the mood to buy, or can’t like most of us due to their costs, these places are so worth the visit. The land is extraordinarily beautiful, many of the vineyard in France offer tours, and it really makes it worth going to these cool places.
Château Rayas
Year: 1990; 1995; 2005
Price: $800
Occasion: Great day in the market; Expense account
Where virtually all wines of the famed Châteauneuf-du-Pape are blends, Château Rayas goes against the grain and makes a 100 percent Grenache that can be opulent with pronounced flavors of licorice and lavender.
This creates a unique atmosphere for one of the top and most beautiful of vineyards in France.
Domaine Leroy Musigny
Year: 1999; 2003; 2005 (but really any would do)
Price: $4,500
Occasion: You accidentally discovered precious gems in your already highly profitable gold mine while simultaneously curing cancer
Coche-Dury is best known for its white wines, but Domaine Leroy is best known for red of the vineyards in France. The Grand Cru vineyard of Musigny is one of the best plots for Pinot Noir in all of Burgundy, and this wine is liquid power and finesse in a bottle. If you do ever come across one, well…you get the picture.
Domaine Coche-Dury Corton-Charlemagne
Year: 2004; 2005
Price: $2,700, give or take a few dollars
Occasion: You struck oil!
While I did single out the Corton-Charlemagne, any wine by Domaine Coche-Dury is a pure treat. Best known for its world class Chardonnays, all the wines display a level of purity and honesty that is becoming less and less common today.
Château-Grillet
Year: 1999; 2000; 2005
Price: $100
Occasion: Dinner at Le Bernardin or equivalent foodie destination
Château-Grillet is an appelation unto itself of all the vineyards in France. Producing just one wine from the Viognier grape with notes of honey and apricot, a bottle can be challenging to come by because of its small production.
Alphonse Mellot Sancerre Rouge Génération XIX
Year: 2003; 2009
Price: $85-plus
Occasion: Milestone birthday
Sancerre is probably the most famous Sauvignon Blanc appellation in the world, but the region also produces red wine. Red Sancerre is always 100 percent Pinot Noir, and Génération XIX has all of the depth and complexity you’d expect from world-class Burgundy.
Jacques Selosse Substance
Year: NV
Price: $300
Occasion: Accepted marriage proposal; made partner; just ballin’
Many great Champagnes are on the market, but Jacques Selosse “Substance” is in its own class. Made with a mixture of aged and young wine, the resulting Champagne is fresh yet complex.
Rene Rostaing Côte-Rôtie “Côte Blonde”
Year: 1988; 1990; 1991; 1999; 2000; 2001
Price: $135-plus
Occasion: Romantic dinner
I love Syrah from the Northern Rhone, and Rostaing’s line finds a way to stay true to tradition while incorporating some modern flair. Accessible yet ageable with dark fruit, herbs, and spices, I’ve never had a bottle that I didn’t enjoy.
Yes, these wines are expensive! Really expensive! But the history, the land, the homes, the area’s, the food, it’s all worth a visit up to see these vineyards in France.