Savoring Bacchus's beverage in France

France is worldwide known for its elegance, its museums, the Eiffel Tower and, of course, its food and wine tradition.

France has been ranked for several years as the number one wine producer. Why the European country deserves this place? It has been producing wine since the beginning of its history, that is why they had time enough to found the best spots for wine production and for developing improved techniques. More than 350 types of French wine are found.

There are seven main wine-producing regions: Alsace, Bordeaux, Burgundy, Champagne, Loire, Provence, Rhone Valley and Languedoc Rousillon. Each of these has its specific terroir: they share the same soil, climate, grapes and wine-making techniques.

A bunch of travel agencies offer tours for people who are willing to experience the French wine flavor. These tours include: a driver who take tourists to private vineyards, a wine expert who teaches the proper tasting technique, restaurant recommendations, accomodation arrangements, bilingual local experts and free time for sightseeing and shopping. The tours can take one day or even five days.

I offer a brief description of three regions that each produce a different type of wine:

Alsace:



Strasbourgh, France

It is a north-eastern lovely region full of green hills and medieval villages. The Rhine River, situated in the East gives the irrigation needed for the vineyards. Its weather, semi-continental, with low rainfall helps in growing grapes. Due to be located really close to Germany, the way of growing grapes and wine-making is influenced by its neighbor.

There are seven grape varieties, Alsatian wines are floral and aromatic in flavor and most of them are white.

Its main cities are Strasbourg, Mulhouse and Colmar.

Right bank vineyards in St Emilion, Bordeaux

Bordeaux:

Located in the South-West, is very humid and produces 900 million bottles a year, consequently is one the most famous French wines. Merlot, Cabernet-Sauvignon and Sauvignon are some of the types of grapes grown here.

Some place of interest in this region are: Bordeaux, a beautiful city where you can visit museums, wine shops and the Palais Rohan; Pyla dune, a 1650-feet-dune; Landes; Arcachon.

Provence:

French region along the Mediterranean sea where painters like Van Gogh and Cezanne spent their days and got inspired by its idyllic landscape. It is famous because of its rose fruity summer wine. The vineyards are set on the border of the Mediterranean sea.

Besides the delicious wine you can taste here, it is worthy visiting cities like Marseille, Arles, Avignon or Aix-en-Provence.

'The red vineyard' by Vincent Van Gogh

I hope these few descriptions make you imagine the flavor of a delicious wine in your mouth and consider the idea of overflying the Atlantic to experience it.