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French gastronomy

France is one of the oldest wine-producing regions of Europe. The production of wine in France has its origins in the 6th century BC, with the colonization of Southern Gaul by Greek settlers. Viticulture soon flourished with the founding of the Greek colony of Marseille.^[1] Regions in the south were licensed by the Roman Empire to produce wines. St. Martin of Tours (316-397) was actively engaged in both spreading Christianity and planting vineyards. ^[2] During the Middle Ages, monks maintained vineyards and, more important, wine making knowledge and skills during that often turbulent period. Monasteries had the resources, security, and motivation to produce a steady supply of wine for both celebrating mass and generating income. ^[3] During this time the best vineyards were owned by the monasteries and their wine was considered to be superior. ^[4] Over time the nobility acquired extensive vineyards. However, the French Revolution led to the confiscation of many of the vineyards owned by the Church and others. ^[5] Image File history File links Mergefrom. ... The Berthomeau Report was commissioned by the French Ministry of Agriculture to establish the goals and means to be deployed in terms of people, regulations and finance for a winning strategy for French wine as we approach the year 2010 [1]. It was published in 2001. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1600x1200, 1041 KB) PRA French gastronomy - Wines Template:GFDL (self made) File links The following pages link to this file: Wine tasting Metadata This file contains additional information, probably added from the digital camera or scanner used to create or digitize... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1600x1200, 1041 KB) PRA French gastronomy - Wines Template:GFDL (self made) File links The following pages link to this file: Wine tasting Metadata This file contains additional information, probably added from the digital camera or scanner used to create or digitize... For other uses, see Wine (disambiguation). ... This list of wine-producing regions catalogues significant growing regions where vineyards are planted. ... For other uses, see Europe (disambiguation). ... Gaul (Latin: ) was the name given,in ancient times, to the region of Western Europe comprising present-day northern Italy, France, Belgium, western Switzerland and the parts of the Netherlands and Germany on the west bank of the Rhine river. ... wine grapes Viticulture (from the Latin word for vine) is the science, production and study of grapes which deals with the series of events that occur in the vineyard. ... City flag Coat of arms Motto: By her great deeds, the city of Massilia shines Location Time Zone CET (GMT +1) Coordinates Administration Country Region Provence-Alpes-Côte dAzur Department Bouches-du-Rhône (13) Subdivisions 16 arrondissements (in 8 secteurs) Intercommunality Urban Community of Marseille Provence M... Statue of Saint Martin cutting his cloak in two. ... Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations · Other religions Ecumenism · Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul · Church Fathers Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas · Luther Calvin · Wesley Arius · Marcion of Sinope Archbishop of Canterbury · Catholic Pope Coptic Pope · Ecumenical Patriarch Christianity Portal This box:      Christianity is... A common vineyard. ... The Middle Ages formed the middle period in a traditional schematic division of European history into three ages: the classical civilization of Antiquity, the Middle Ages, and modern times, beginning with the Renaissance. ... A Roman Catholic monk A monk is a person who practices monasticism, adopting a strict religious and ascetic lifestyle, usually in community with others following the same path. ... The French Revolution (1789–1815) was a period of political and social upheaval in the political history of France and Europe as a whole, during which the French governmental structure, previously an absolute monarchy with feudal privileges for the aristocracy and Catholic clergy, underwent radical change to forms based on...

Despite some exports from Bordeaux, until about 1850 most wine in France was consumed locally. People in Paris drank wine from the local vineyards, people in Bordeaux drank Bordeaux, those in Burgundy drank Burgundy, and so on throughout the country. The spread of railroads and the improvement of roads reduced the cost of transportation and dramatically increased exports. ^[6]

France now produces the most wine by value in the world (although Italy rivals it by volume and Spain has more land under cultivation for wine grapes). Bordeaux wine, Bourgogne wine and Champagne are important agricultural products. Bordeaux with sub-wine regions A Bordeaux wine is any wine produced in the Bordeaux region of France. ... Chardonnay vineyards in the south of the Côte de Beaune surrounding the town of Meursault. ... This article is about Champagne, the alcoholic beverage. ...

The appellation system

A number of laws to control the quality of French wine were passed in 1935. They established the Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée system, which is governed by a powerful oversight board (Institut National des Appellations d’Origine - INAO). Consequently, France has one of the oldest appellation systems for wine in the world, and strictest laws concerning winemaking and production. Many other European systems are modelled on it. With European Union wine laws being modelled on those of the French, this trend is likely to continue with further EU expansion. Appellation d’origine contrôlée (AOC), which translates as term of controlled origin is the French certification granted to certain French geographical indications for wines, cheeses, butters, and other agricultural products, all under the auspices of the government bureau Institut National des Appellations dOrigine (INAO). ... The Institut National des Appellations dOrigine is the France organization charged with regulating controlled place names. ... An appellation in its broadest sense is a name or designation. ...

French law divides wine into four categories, two falling under the European Union's Table Wine category and two falling under the EU's Quality Wine Produced in a Specific Region (QWPSR) designation. The categories are:

Table wine: In the United States, table wine is used as a legal definition to differentiate standard wine from stronger (higher alcohol content) fortified wine or sparkling wine[1]. In the European Union it is meant to designate the lowest quality level of wine produced, one that qualifies for neither an appellation...

• Vin de Table - Carries with it only the producer and the designation that it is from France
• Vin de Pays - Carries with it a specific region within France (for example Vin de Pays d'Oc)

QWPSR: vin de table (often called vin ordinaire) is the 4th and lowest ranked wine under the French wine classification. ... Vin de pays is the third highest ranking in the French wine system, after VDQS, preceding Vin de table. ...

• Vin Délimité de Qualité Superieure (VDQS) - Less strict than AOC, not often used
• Appelation d'Origine Contrôlée (AOC) - Wine from a particular area with many other restrictions, including grape varieties and winemaking methods

• Today there are 450 different wine appellations in France, ^{[citation needed]} yet only 15% of all French wines enjoy the marketing benefits of AOC designations. ^{[citation needed]}

VDQS is an acronym in French standing for Vin Délimité de Qualité Superieure (Delimited Wine of Superior Quality), the second highest ranking of wine, after AOC under the French ranking system. ... Appellation d’origine contrôlée (AOC), which translates as term of controlled origin is the French certification granted to certain French geographical indications for wines, cheeses, butters, and other agricultural products, by the government bureau Institut National des Appellations dOrigine (INAO). ...

Labeling practices

The labels on a bottle of French wine often carry important information that can help the consumer evaluate its potential quality. Following are some potentially important phrases: Image File history File links Logo-vigneron_Thmb. ...

• "Mis en bouteille au..." chateau, domaine, or propriété indicate the wine was actually made at the same location as it was grown. "Au chateau" means that it was bottled at the chateau printed on the wine's label, using grapes from vineyards around the chateau itself. "Au domaine" means that it was bottled "at the field," while "à la propriété" means bottled "at the estate." "Mis en bouteille dans nos caves" or "mis en bouteille dans nos chais" means that it was probably bottled in a different place than it was grown, using grapes traded and bought on the open market.
• "Vigneron indépendant" is a special mark of independent wine-makers, to distinguish themselves from larger corporate winemaking operations and symbolize a return to the basics of the craft of wine-making. Bottles from independent makers carry a special logo that is usually printed on the foil cap covering the cork.

Terroir

A Cahors chateau and vineyard

Terroir refers to the unique combination of natural factors associated with any particular vineyard. These factors include such things as soil, underlying rock, altitude, slope of hill or terrain, orientation toward the sun, and microclimate (typical rain, winds, humidity, temperature variations, etc.) No two vineyards, not even in the same area, have exactly the same terroir. Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (1024x768, 723 KB) Chateau and vineyard in Cahors, France Photo by French Duck File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (1024x768, 723 KB) Chateau and vineyard in Cahors, France Photo by French Duck File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Cahors is a town in Western France in the Lot département. ... Terroir was originally a French term in wine and coffee appreciation used to denote the special characteristics of geography that bestowed individuality upon the food product. ... A common vineyard. ... Loess field in Germany Surface-water-gley developed in glacial till, Northern Ireland Soil is a complex mixture of materials, principally ground up rock and water. ... Altitude is the elevation of an object from a known level or datum. ... This article is about the mathematical term. ... In geography, aspect generally refers to the direction to which a mountain slope faces. ... Tree ferns thrive in a protected dell at Heligan Gardens, in Cornwall, England, latitude 50° 15N A microclimate is a local atmospheric zone where the climate differs from the surrounding area. ...

Wine regions of France

Map of wine regions in France

• Alsace
• Beaujolais
• Bergerac
• Bordeaux includes Medoc, Graves, Saint Emilion and Sauternes
• Bourgogne or Burgundy including Chablis, Cote d'Or (which contains Cote de Nuits and Cote de Beaune) and Maconnais
• Champagne
• Jura
• Loire Valley, including Muscadet, Vouvray and Sancerre
• Rhone Valley including Cotes du Rhone, Rochefort-du-Gard, Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Signargues, Côte Rôtie and Crozes-Hermitage AOC
• Languedoc-Roussillon region including Minervois, Corbières, Faugères and Cabardès.
• AOC Côtes du marmandais including Cocumont
• Savoie

Image File history File links Viticulture_France. ... Image File history File links Viticulture_France. ... Alsatian wine has a long history. ... A Beaujolais label Beaujolais is a historical province and a wine-producing region in France. ... Bergerac is a market town and a sous-préfecture of the Dordogne département in France. ... Bordeaux with sub-wine regions A Bordeaux wine is any wine produced in the Bordeaux region of France. ... The Médoc is one of the most famous of the French wine-growing regions, consisting of the region in the département of Gironde, on the left bank of the Gironde estuary, north of Bordeaux. ... This article is about the wine region of Bordeaux. ... Saint- milion is a small town near Bordeaux, France that is famous for the eponymous wine region that surrounds it. ... A half bottle of Sauternes from Château dYquem Sauternes is a type of dessert wine made from Sémillon, Sauvignon Blanc, and Muscadelle grapes that have been affected by Botrytis cinerea, also known as noble rot. ... Burgundy wine (in French, Bourgogne) is wine made in the Burgundy AOC region of France. ... The Chablis wine region is the northernmost sector of Burgundy, France, and also the name of a town located there. ... Côte-dOr is a département in the eastern part of France. ... The Côte de Nuits lies at the northern end of the Cote dOr, the main area of Burgundy wine production. ... Chardonnay vineyards in the south of the Côte de Beaune surrounding the town of Meursault. ... Location of the Champagne province in France The Champagne wine region (archaic English: ) is a historic province within the Champagne administrative province in the northeast of France. ... Jura wine, is wine produced in the Jura département of France. ... A Loire Valley wine is any wine produced in the Loire Valley region of France. ... Muscadet is a type of dry French white wine. ... Vouvray, from the region of the same name is made through the vinification of the Chenin Blanc grape. ... Sancerre is one of the most famous white wines in France named from the town Sancerre. ... The Rhône wine region is first divided into north and south. ... Côtes du Rhône is a wine-growing AOC for the Rhône wine region of France, covering vineyards outside the other named appellations both in the north and south. ... Rochefort-du-Gard is a town and commune in the Gard département, in southern France. ... Châteauneuf-du-Pape is an AOC for wine made near the village of Châteauneuf-du-Pape in the Rhône wine region. ... Rochefort-du-Gard is a town and commune in the Gard département, in southern France. ... Côte-Rôtie is a wine-growing AOC in the northern Rhône wine region of France. ... Crozes-Hermitage is a wine-growing AOC in the northern Rhône wine region of France. ... Languedoc wine (typically labeled vin de pays dOc) is produced in the Languedoc region of south-west France bordering Spain to the west and the Mediterranean Sea to the south. ... Minervois is an AOC in the Languedoc-Roussillon wine region. ... Corbières is the largest Appellation dOrigine Contrôlée in the Languedoc-Roussillon, encompassing an enomrous variety of soil types and microclimates. ... Cabardès is an AOC named after the Lords of Cabaret who defended the Châteaux de Lastours against Simon de Montfort in 1209. ...

Trends

France has traditionally been the largest consumer of its own wines. However, wine consumption has been dropping in France for 40 years. During the decade of the 1990s, per capita consumption dropped by nearly 20 percent. Therefore, French wine producers must rely increasingly on foreign markets. However, consumption has also been dropping in other potential markets such as Italy, Spain and Portugal. For other uses, see Export (disambiguation). ...

The result has been a continuing wine glut, often called the wine lake, that has led to the distillation of wine into industrial alcohol as well as a government program to pay farmers to pull up their grape vines through vine pull schemes. A large part of this glut is caused by the re-emergence of Languedoc wine. The wine lake refers to the continuing surplus of wine over demand (glut) produced in the European Union. ... Vine pull schemes are programs whereby grape growers receive a financial incentive to pull up their grape vines, a process known as arrachage in French. ... Languedoc wine (typically labeled vin de pays dOc) is produced in the Languedoc region of south-west France bordering Spain to the west and the Mediterranean Sea to the south. ...

Immune from these problems has been the market for Champagne as well as the market for the expensive ranked or classified wines. However, these constitute only about five percent of French production. Champagne is often consumed as part of a celebration Champagne is a sparkling wine produced by inducing the in-bottle secondary fermentation of wine to effect carbonation. ...

French regulations in 1979 created simple rules for the then-new category of Vin de pays. The Languedoc-Roussillon region has taken advantage of its ability to market varietal wines. Vin de pays is the third highest ranking in the French wine system, after VDQS, preceding Vin de table. ... (Region flag) (Region logo) Location Administration Capital Regional President Departments Aude Gard Hérault Lozère Pyrénées-Orientales Arrondissements 14 Cantons 186 Communes 1,545 Statistics Land area1 27,376 km² Population (Ranked 10th)  - January 1, 2006 est. ...

Organizations

L'Office national interprofessionnel des vins, abbreviated ONIVINS, is a French association of vintners. The term vintner is applied to wine merchants as well as (erroneously) winemakers. ...

References

See also

• Wine label
• History of Wine

This article needs a complete rewrite for the reasons listed on the talk page. ... The history of wine spans thousands of years and is closely intertwined with the history of agriculture, cuisine, civilization and man himself. ...

External links

• The official French wines home page
• Portal of Burgundy wines
• The official Vouvray wines home page
• Official Website of Côtes du Rhône
• Official Site of Bordeaux Wine
• Official Site of Medoc Wine
• Official Site of Alsace Wine
• Official Site of Champagne Wine
• French Wine Regions Map
• French Wine Tasting in Paris