Wine Regions of France

France is world renowned for its wine. The caliber and variety of wines that are produced all over France are stunning in their diversity and quality. The climate, temperature, types of soil and culture of each region uniquely combine to produce a different wine in each location that you can visit in France. People from all over the world travel to France every year to have a look at the vineyards and grapes that produce legendary wine. If your goal is to understand the intricacies of French wine and the places where it is created, you have a lot of learning ahead of you. This article is part one of a two part series about the wine regions of France.
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Aslace
This wine region of France is located at the foothills of the thickly wooded Vosges. The area of vineyards spans 170km from north to south. There are seven Alsatian varieties of grapes including: Syvaner, Pinot Blanc, Riesling, Muscat D'Alsace, Tokay Pinot Gris, Gewurztraminer, and Pinot Noir.
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Armagnac
Located in the heart of Gascony, vineyards spring up between walled cities and medieval castles. This region is famous for brewing its very own brandy, which is named, not surprisingly, Armagnac. This unique and flavorful beverage is made by the distillation of white wine in a still. Then the wine is aged in oak casks until it has reached perfection. This region has approximately 300 chateaux that are open to touring by the public.
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Beaujolais
Beaujolais wine is one of the most famous types of wine in the world. The region is well known for the phrase “le beaujolais noveau est arrivé!” which means the new Beaujolais has arrived in French.
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Bergerac
Aside from its contribution to classical literature, of Cyrano de Bergerac, this region also provides the Monbazillac, Côtes de Bergerac, Pécharmant wines to the world. The fertile grape growing fields owe their nutrients to the region's location along the River Dordogne. Bergerac contains 1000 wine growers and 100 chateauxs that are open to touring by the public.
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Bordeaux
The Bordeaux region has soil as rich as its history. Primarily made of gravel, limestone and clay, the Bordeaux soil has produced grapes for hundreds of years. It is located along the estuary where the Garonne and Dordogne rivers pour into the ocean. The city of Bordeaux is the trade center for this region, and provides a place for the winemakers to pedal their wares.
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Bourgogne
Burgundy wines are another of the most famous in the world. This wine region of France covers 25,000 hectares and there are five main areas that grow the grapes for this legendary wine: Chablis/Auxerrois in Yonne, Côte de Nuits and Côte de Beaune in Côte-d'Or, Côte Chalonnaise and Mâconnais in Saône et Loire. Aside from the five wine growing regions within Burgundy, there are 99 different varieties of wine that come from this region. You could get lost in just the Burgundy region itself. Thankfully, there are plenty of tours, informational courses, and wine festivals available to help you keep track of all that is Burgundy wine.
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Champagne
It should not be hard to guess what type of beverage and grape are grown in this region. Champagne is a drink that is used to mark special occasions and celebrations all over the world. This sparkling concoction was created right in this region of France, and there are tours available if you are interested in learning about its development and the secrets of perfect champagne. Aside from the wine that is given its name by the region, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pino Neunier grapes are also grown in Champagne. Visitors to the region can enjoy excellent scenery, rich culture of gastronomy and, of course, excellent wine.

...continued in part 2.