France; the language, landscape, people but above all the wines it produces make is a superb country.

Soil type, location and experience are arguably the main unique selling points for France as a wine producing country. France is rightly the leading country when it comes to wine.

Soil; France’s soil has developed over centuries to become highly complex and diverse. 
Northern location; because of this grapes require long periods to ripening, which has a positive effect on both nose (smell) and taste (flavour compounds) as well as acidity.
Experience; all those centuries of development ensures winemakers have acquired a lot of experience on viticulture (grape growing) and vinification (winemaking).

What are the French wine regions?
- Champagne
- Alsace
- Loire
- Burgundy
- Jura-Savoie
- Beaujolais
- Rhone valley
- Provence
- Languedoc-Roussillon
- Bordeaux
- Southwest
- Corsica

How does French wine legislation work?
French wine laws are based on EU legislation. There are wines from protected regions of origin and table wines. France takes it one step further. The wines from a protected region are divided into AOC and VDQS. France has about 850,000 hectares of vineyards (nearly half the size of Wales) of which 52% have an AOC designation (Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée), the highest award for an appellation (a geographically delineated wine region). This designation is not just for French wine, but is also used for vegetables, fruit, cheese, meat and poultry. The Vin Délimités de Qualité Supérieure (VDQS) is an entry level for Vins de Pays and Vins de Table to AOC status.

What are the French quality leels of wine? (from high to low)
- AOC (Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée)
- VDQS (Vin Délimités de Qualité Supérieure)
- Vin de Pays
- Vin de Table

What do the French terms on the label mean?
Château – Literally castle. However, more often than not there is no castle in sight.
Domaine – Generic term for vineyard or wine estate that makes its own wine
Propriétaire - Proprietor
Négociant – Winery/trade house that buys up grapes from various sources to make, blend and age wine and selling it under their own label.
Eléveur - Person buying ‘finished’ wine and then take on the responsibility of ageing and bottling the wine themselves.
Mis en bouteille – Where the wine is bottled, for example at the castle (mis en bouteille au chateau)
Vin rouge – Red wine
Vin blanc – White wine
Vin gris – Rosé, but paler
Vin rosé - Rosé
Vin mousseux – Sparkling wine
Champagne – Sparkling wine from the Champagne region
Crémant -  Sparkling wine from outside the Champagne region
Vin Doux  - Sweet wine, but not made from the Botrytis grape variety.
Vin Doux Naturel – Sweet wine to which alcohol is added during fermentation. 
Vin liquoreux -  Sweet and relatively viscous wine usually made from the Botrytis grape variety.
Vendange tardive - Late harvest
Trie – Selected grapes
Cru – More generic term for wine from a certain origin.
(Grand) Cru Classé - Top class wine from a specified region of origin, for example Alsace, Burgundy or St.Emillion.
(Grande) Reserve/Cuvée Spéciale – High quality wine produced in a special way, for example oak-aged or made from selected quality grapes
Vieilles vignes – Old vines
Élevé/fûts de chêne – Wine aged on oak barrels
Grand Vin – Unofficial meaningless term to describe a wine. In practice even a table wine could be given the name ‘Grand Vin’.