French speakers in South Africa




Francophones en Afrique du Sud
French speakers




The best time to visit the winelands of France, if your are visiting farms or producers, is from november through to march. This is the time that the fields look at their worst but the staff have plenty of time on their hands for their visitors!

France's love affair with wine dates back to 600 BC when the Greeks founded the city of Massalia, later to become Marseilles.

The current system of Appelation contrôlée was set-up in 1936 - initially this was envied by wine producers in other countries but it is now having unwelcome side effects such as the fact that wine producers cannot state the type of grapes used in their wines on the labels.


The order of the quality of wines
  • Vin de table - this is the lowest on the pecking order.
  • Vin de Pays - higher in quality and covers around 180 wines
  • VDQS - Vin delimité de qualité superieure - this is a basic Appellation but is being used less
  • Appelation contrôlée - the highest level but very often price dictates the quality within this level.


Paris wine

Few people are aware but Paris (and Ile-de-France) have some wine growers and even has it's own association - Les Vignerons franciliens. herewith a listing of good wine addresses
  • Lavinia - A 1500m² Wine shop and restaurant - 3-5 Boulevard de la Madeleine, Paris 1
  • Juveniles - A serious wine bar - 47 Rue de Richelieu, Paris 1 - Metro: Pyramides
  • Le Comptoir - A local French restaurant usually without tourists - 9 Carrefour de l'Odéon, Paris 6
  • Le Verre Volé - A funky little wine bar - 67 Rue de Lancry, Paris 10
  • Other bistros and wine bars - Parisbistrot.com list some great places


Champagne region

Few champagne producers accept visitors but you could enquire locally when you get to Reims, the capital of the Champagne area, for producers not listed. Enquire at your hotel for visiting times.
  • Mumm - 34 Rue du Champ de Mars, Reims - Visits March to October
  • Pommery - 5 Place du Général Gourant, Reims
  • Charles Heidsieck - 4, Boulevard Henry Vasnier, Reims
  • Krug - 5 Rue Coquebert, Reims
  • Veuve Clicquot - 1 Place des Droits de l'Homme, Reims


Bourgogne

The centre of the burgundy wine region is in Beaune. A strong tradition has made the excellent reputation of Beaune's gastronomy, which will tempt any gourmet . Two of the most popular wine types of this region are the Beaujolais and Chablis. Other wine types in this region are Bourgogne aoc, Bourgogne Aligoté, Côte de Nuits, Côte de Beaune, Clos Vougeot, Chassagne Montrachet, Corton, Givry, Gevrey Chambertin, Macon, Meursault, Mercurey, Nuits Saint Georges, Pommard, Pouilly Fuissé, Rully, Volnay and Vosne Roman.

Some top selling burgundy types include
  • Aloxe-Corton Grand Cru
  • Chablis 1er Cru
  • Meursault 1er Cru
  • Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru
  • Macon Villages
  • Meursault Villages


Loire region

The picturesque town of Saumur is pretty much in the centre of the Loire wine region with Chinon and Bourgueil in close proximity. These three towns make some of the best Loire red wines - quality for money which is hard to beat anywhere else in France.

Whilst in the area visit the Couly Dutheil winery with its various tasting rooms.

Loire wines are the most reaonably priced quality wines to be found. Some popular wines of the region include
  • Anjou rouge
  • Rosé de Loire
  • Saint Nicolas de Bourgueil
  • Saumur Champigny
  • Chinon
  • Muscadet
  • Muscadet de Sèvre-et-Maine
  • Cabernet de Saumur
  • Vouvray
  • Pouilly-Fumé


Bordeaux

The centre of this wine region is around Bordeaux and the wines aound here can be some of the most famous, and most expensive in the world. Bordeaux has always been associated with the exceptional quality of its wines by wine lovers from around the world. This worldwide renown is undoubtedly thanks to the role the city has played in the commercialization of its wines.
  • Le Wine Bar - A real find with an extraordinary selection for all purses - 19 Rue des Bahutiers - 33000 Bordeaux
  • Bar a vins de CIVB - Part of the wine school (just below) - 1 cours du XXX juillet - 33000 Bordeaux
  • L’Ecole du Vin at the Bordeaux Wine Council (CIVB) offer one- to four-day a la carte wine courses, including tastings, as well as wine weekends. Courses available in French and English.
  • Musée privé du vin dans l'art - Château Mouton Rothschild


More will added later



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