France: Classically brilliant winemaking

From Bordeaux to Burgundy, Alsace to the Rhône, the finest French wines remain the benchmark for styles of wine that continue to be known, for the most part, by their region of origin rather than their grape variety.

While the rest of the world produces their own versions of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, they look to Burgundy for the finest examples of each. Winemakers working with Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot elsewhere set great stall by the renowned châteaux of Bordeaux, just as their counterparts do with Syrah from the Rhône or Riesling grown in Alsace. You’ll find all these wines within our selection at Lay & Wheeler.

Whether you’re buying by the bottle for a dinner party this weekend, or by the case to lay down for years to come, our expertly sourced range covers all the bases.

French wine FAQs

Why is French wine so famous?

France’s huge diversity, volume and history of production, mostly via specific grape varieties that have been planted in specific regions for centuries, means its wines have become benchmark examples across a range that spans most of the world’s most recognised styles. That, combined with a way of classifying sites and producers within individual regions, thereby affording them a certain inherent status, has led to such wines being put on a pedestal on the world stage.

Why don’t French wines list the grape variety on the label?

While some wines lower down the quality hierarchy – often blended from a range of different sites – do include the grape variety, most wines from the upper echelons of the French wine scene are classified according to their particular region – or their Appellation Controlée (AOC). This system sees wines having to adhere to certain requirements of site, grape variety and yield in order to carry the region’s name, thereby being emblematic of that regional style and quality. Such a style could be made up by a single grape variety, as seen with the steely minerality of Chardonnay in Chablis, or a blend of varieties, as in the plush roundness of the 13 varieties of Châteauneuf-du-Pâpe.

What are the most famous French wine regions and appellations?

The big three French wine regions are Bordeaux, Burgundy and the Rhône, and each of these have a multitude of smaller sub-regions, or appellations, within their boundaries. In Bordeaux, that encompasses the likes of Pauillac, Margaux and St-Emilion, among many others, while some of the most celebrated AOCs of Burgundy are Vosne-Romanée, Chambolle-Musigny and Meursault. The Rhône spans such renowned appellations as Cornas and Côte-Rôtie in the north to Châteauneuf-du-Pâpe in the south. Every region, though, has its own celebrated names, from Vouvray in the Loire to Moulin-à-Vent in Beaujolais.

What’s the difference between an appellation and a cru?

An appellation tends to cover wines grown to certain parameters within a set region, while a cru is also a reflection of quality. So AOC Alsace is an appellation covering wines grown in Alsace that encompass certain grape varieties, yields and alcohol levels, but are not from any specific sub-region. AOC Alsace Grand Cru, meanwhile, denotes that a wine comes from a certain ‘cru’ or sub-region that is recognised for the quality of its site. In Burgundy, there are premiers crus (good) as well as grands crus (great), while the crus classés, or ‘classed growths’ of Bordeaux are ranked by number – first growth, second growth, third growth etc.