Vineyards for Sale in France

Vineyards in France

France is one of the most well-known and productive wine-producers in the world, with 7 to 8 billion bottles produced annually. Wine has been produced in France since the 6th century BCE when Greek settlers began cultivating wine grapes in regions still known for their wine production today.

French Red Wine Grape Varieties

Many popular red wine grape varieties originated in France including Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, and Pinot Noir. France’s red wines have traditionally been blended from several grape varieties rather than from a single kind of grape like many of its white wines. These are some of the most commonly grown red wine grapes:

• Merlot is one of the most commonly planted and used grapes in Bordeaux, one of France’s well-known wine regions.

• Grenache grapes grow well in the hot, dry conditions in the south of France. Grenache grapes make fruity, peppery wine with a high alcohol content.

• Syrah grapes are very dependent on the climate in which they are planted. In moderate climates, Syrah grapes produce medium to full-bodied wines. In hotter areas, though, Syrah wines take on a more earthy flavor and are consistently full-bodied.

• Carignan grapes are widely grown in France but require a warm climate as they ripen late in the season.  Carignan grapes are incredibly popular because they produce tremendous yields, though they are susceptible to rot and mildew.

• Cabernet Sauvignon grapes are popular because they are very easy to grow: though the vines are naturally low yielding, the grapes are hardy and bud late. Since they bud late in the season, the grapes aren’t very susceptible to frost, rot, or insects.

French White Wine Grape Varieties

Two of the most widely consumed white wines, Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay, originated in France. Less white wine grapes are grown in France than red wine grapes, but France is nonetheless renowned for certain white wines:

• Chardonnay grapes are native to the Burgundy wine region in eastern France. Chardonnay grapes are fairly neutral, and much of the flavor of Chardonnay is dependent on the terroir and how it was aged. Chardonnay grapes are also used in sparkling wines including in Champagne.

• Sauvignon Blanc grapes take on different characteristics based on the climate in which they are grown. In cooler places, the resulting wines have notable acidity. In warmer areas, the wines develop fruit flavors but lose complexity due to the over-ripeness of the fruit.

• Ugni Blanc, also known as Trebbiano, is the most commonly planted white wine grape in France. However, Ugni Blanc grapes are generally not used to produce their own wines. These grapes are sometimes used in blended wines, or are used to make Cognac or Armagnac.

French Wine Regions

In France, the concept of “terroir” is very important to viticulturists. An area’s terroir is its particular climate and soil that determines the flavor and quality of the grapes grown there. Each wine region in France has a unique terroir which determines the characteristics of its wine and which wine grape varieties will thrive. Because of this, French wines are more distinct to their region than they are to France.

These are some of the most famous wine regions in France:

• Bordeaux

  is one of the most well known wine-producing regions in France. Vineyards in Bordeaux primarily grow red wine grapes that are used in blended red wines.  The most commonly produced wines in Bordeaux are Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Merlot.

• Champagne

  is one of the coldest wine regions in France. The region is well known for its sparkling wine, which can be either white or rosé.

• The
  

  Rhône Valley

  is a wine region in southeastern France along the Rhône River. The Rhône Valley and the Bordeaux region are France’s major traditional red wine producers.

• Both red and white wines are produced in the
  

  Burgundy

  wine region. The region is divided into four smaller parts that produce fairly distinctive wines based on the terroir. The most commonly grown wine grapes in the region are Chardonnay for white wine and Pinot Noir for red wine.