The Wines of France

Course Summary

In the world of wine, France is special.  It is the birthplace of most of the principal grape varieties of the world: Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Merlot, and Syrah. It is the “mother ship” from which vine cuttings have been sent around the world.

Furthermore, French wines are unique. This is due to the variations in geography and climate found in France and to the fact that the French , through laws and wine-making practices, seek to make wines that express the particular soil and climate from which they come.

The four regions covered in this course are where these principal grape varieties are from – the Loire, Burgundy, Bordeaux, and the Rhone. They produce the very best of French wines. Participants will taste eight to ten regional wines each night. These wines, plus colorful maps, information sheets, and an interactive, educational environment, will afford participants a full taste of each region’s wines, its history and “terroir,” its classic food and wine pairings, the standards according to which its wines are normally assessed, and where it stands among the other great wine regions of the world.
                Dates: four Mondays: March 9, 16; April 6, 13.
                Fee: $315; $285 for WWS graduates and those in groups of two or more persons.
                Registration: call the WWS at 914-478-5197.

COURSE DESCRIPTION

Overview

Each evening we will explore and taste wines from one of France’s most important wine regions:

• Loire Valley
• Burgundy
• Bordeaux
• Rhone Valley

Participants will taste eight regional wines each night. These wines, plus colorful maps, information sheets, and an interactive, educational environment, will afford participants a full taste of a region's wines, its history and “terroir,” its classic food and wine pairings, the standards according to which its wines are normally assessed, and where it stands among the other great wine regions of the world.

Introduction

In the world of wine, France is special.  It is the birthplace of most of the principal grape varieties of the world: Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Merlot, and Syrah. Furthermore, French wines are unique. This is due to the variations in geography and climate found in France and to the fact that the French , through laws and wine-making practices, seek to make wines that express the particular soil and climate from which they come.

The four regions covered in this course are where these principal grape varieties are from. They produce the very best of French wines.

Wine Class 1: Loire Valley

The Loire is home to some of the most food-friendly white and red wines produced in France. The whites, in particular, are esteemed for their mineral, citrus, and grassy flavors. These include the famous Sauvignon Blanc wines from Sancerre and Pouilly Fumè, the Melon de Bourgogne wines from Muscadet, and the Chenin Blanc wines from Vouvray, Savennières, Coteaux du Layon and other districts.

This region also produces distinctive, medium-bodied red wines with the Cabernet Franc grape (from Chinon, Bourgeuil, Saumur-Champigny and other districts) as well as outstanding sparkling and dessert wines. Of the four principal regions of France, the Loire offers the largest diversity of grape varieties and wine styles.

Wine Class 2:  Burgundy

Burgundy is home to a 1,000-year history of wine making, to 100’s of small, family run wineries, and to many of today’s most sought-after wines. We will travel along the famous limestone ridge that defines the soil and forms the spine of Burgundy, and visit its five famous regional appellations: Chablis, Côte d’Or, Côte Chalonnaise,  Mâconmais, and Beaujolais. Here is where the Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grapes got their start and where they continue to be turned into wines that impress the world.

Wine Class 3:  Bordeaux

Bordeaux is the home of the grand chateaus, Lafite-Rothschild, Margaux and many others, the famous “classified wines”, and some of the most sought-after dry and dessert wines in the world. It is also home to some 10,000 grape growers, 57 distinct wine growing Appellations, and it is France’s largest producer of  AOC wines. We will experience the quality and variety of the famous blended wines of Bordeaux as we visit its important regions – the Mèdoc, St. Émilion, Pomerol, Entre-deux-Mers, Graves, and Sauternes.

Wine Class 4:  Rhone Valley

Rhone Valley wines, along with its principal grape, Syrah, have become modern stars in the world of wine. In the Northern Rhone (Côtes Rôti, Hermitage, Crozes-Hermitage, St. Joseph and Cornas) Syrah is the only red grape, sometimes mixed with the local whites, Viognier, Roussanne and Marsanne. In Southern Rhone(Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Vacqueyras, Gigondas, Côtes-du-Rhône Villages and Côtes-du-Rhône) up to 13 different grape varieties are used. We will taste wines from the principal regions and test whether, as some maintain, the best reds in the world come from these regions.