French Wine

As previously mentioned, along with Germany, France held the spot as producing only exceptional wines until the twentieth century. During this time period, traditional winemaking was replaced by the beginnings of modern technology: Electricity, stainless steel tanks to store the wine in as it aged or were pressed. Pesticides and herbicides were introduced into the soil to help control the pests that often decimated the grapes. Sulfites, active enzymes and other man-introduced items were brought into the process of winemaking.

Gone were the days of hand-gathering the grapes to be sure of not damaging their fruit. Barefoot pressing of the grapes to get out all their juices was slowly becoming a tradition of the past.

These modern technological advances are to this day blamed on the cheap manufacture of wines- the short-cutting of the aging process and the loss of the fine wines being replaced with cheaper versions. Now fine wines are something that only true wine connoisseurs and collectors search for.

France remains one of the finest makers of fine wines: Bordeaux, Champagne, Burgundy, and Beaujolais just to name a few. Revered among collectors and cherished for its culture and terroir, French wine is always the wine that others are judged by.

France is where the AOC began. The AOC or the Appellation d’Origine Controlee defines how the French wine should be made. Their requirements and control are strict and the wines produced are the best in the world.

Late in the 1860’s a tiny aphid appeared in The Rhone Valley in France. This aphid had made it all the way from America, and the results on the grapevines were devastating. The aphid ate the roots of the vines and it slowly ate its way across France, and eventually found itself spread throughout much of the world, destroying grapevines in its path. Vine growers watched helpless as their vines withered up and died. Many attempts were made to stop the destruction, but none were successful, until it was discovered that the North American vines were impervious to this little mite.

The vines from North America were grafted onto the European strain. The result was a grapevine that withstood the mite’s destructive force.

Today French wine is known world-wide as France was the first country in Europe to develop international trading rights with their wine, allowing people in even the most remote regions of the world, the opportunity to sample the finest wines that France has to offer.





Wine Home Wine Essentials Wine Types Wine Fermentation Food and Wine Wine Making Wine Tasting Wine Racks Glossary of Wines Regional Wine Australia Wine French Wine California Wine German Wine Shopping Buying Wine Online	WineWine.com.au / Region / French Wine French Wine As previously mentioned, along with Germany, France held the spot as producing only exceptional wines until the twentieth century. During this time period, traditional winemaking was replaced by the beginnings of modern technology: Electricity, stainless steel tanks to store the wine in as it aged or were pressed. Pesticides and herbicides were introduced into the soil to help control the pests that often decimated the grapes. Sulfites, active enzymes and other man-introduced items were brought into the process of winemaking. Gone were the days of hand-gathering the grapes to be sure of not damaging their fruit. Barefoot pressing of the grapes to get out all their juices was slowly becoming a tradition of the past. These modern technological advances are to this day blamed on the cheap manufacture of wines- the short-cutting of the aging process and the loss of the fine wines being replaced with cheaper versions. Now fine wines are something that only true wine connoisseurs and collectors search for. France remains one of the finest makers of fine wines: Bordeaux, Champagne, Burgundy, and Beaujolais just to name a few. Revered among collectors and cherished for its culture and terroir, French wine is always the wine that others are judged by. France is where the AOC began. The AOC or the Appellation d’Origine Controlee defines how the French wine should be made. Their requirements and control are strict and the wines produced are the best in the world. Late in the 1860’s a tiny aphid appeared in The Rhone Valley in France. This aphid had made it all the way from America, and the results on the grapevines were devastating. The aphid ate the roots of the vines and it slowly ate its way across France, and eventually found itself spread throughout much of the world, destroying grapevines in its path. Vine growers watched helpless as their vines withered up and died. Many attempts were made to stop the destruction, but none were successful, until it was discovered that the North American vines were impervious to this little mite. The vines from North America were grafted onto the European strain. The result was a grapevine that withstood the mite’s destructive force. Today French wine is known world-wide as France was the first country in Europe to develop international trading rights with their wine, allowing people in even the most remote regions of the world, the opportunity to sample the finest wines that France has to offer.

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