Product details
Description:
Practically all the most famous grape varieties used in the world's wines are French varieties, and wine is produced all throughout France. France isn't just famous for red wines and champagnes, it also produces some of the world's best white wines! We've selected one Riesling, one Viognier, and one Sauvignon Blanc; all rated 90+/100 by the critics! 1 x 2020 Pierrick Harang "Cuvée Balthazar" Viognier; Languedoc-Roussillon
The Harang family have been growing and making wine in the South of France for 5 generations. Pierrick is the new generation, and is undoubtedly one of the top young winemakers in France. He was the top graduate from the Centre of Winemaking at Montpellier. This single-vineyard Viognier is complex and intense nose with apricot, flint, tropical fruits, white flowers, lime and mango. Full and fresh on the palate with balanced acidity.
International Wine Challenge 2021 - Commended Winner!
1 x 2020 Gustave Lorentz Reserve Riesling; Alsace
The Lorentz family has been making wine since 1836 in the heart of the Alsace, which lies in the northeast corner of France, along the Rhine River. The current management, led by Georges Lorentz, is the sixth generation of the family firm. As far back as anyone can recall, the grapes harvested from this extraordinary terroir have been vinified separately. Thus, Riesling and other varieties from the Altenberg de Bergheim vineyards unerringly express their unique qualities in these wines year-to-year. The family is very proud that the wines are “gastronomic,” meaning fresh, clean, well-balanced and mostly dry – great matches for many of the cuisines from the more than 55 countries where the wines are sold.
Gustave Lorentz Reserve Riesling is a classic Alsace riesling. Pale yellow color, with an expressive and refined nose filled with citrus and white flower aromas. It has a lively, refreshing acidity, great structure and a clean, dry finish. Perfectly suited to seafood, grilled chicken breast and fish.
1 x 2020 Delaille "Domaine du Salvard" Cheverny; Loire
A delightfully fresh & fruity style of Sauvignon Blanc, from 25+ year old vineyards in Cheverny in the Loire Valley It is intense and focused with flavours of white pepper, citrus fruit and fresh green herbs.
Variety Description
Riesling
Riesling is a white grape variety which originated in the Rhine region of Germany. Riesling is an aromatic grape variety displaying flowery, almost perfumed, aromas as well as high acidity. It is used to make dry, semi-sweet, sweet and sparkling white wines. Riesling wines are usually varietally pure and are seldom oaked.
Viognier
Viognier is a white wine grape variety. It is the only permitted grape for the French wine Condrieu in the Rhône Valley. Outside of the Rhône, Viognier can be found in regions of North and South America as well as Australia and New Zealand. In some wine regions, the variety is co-fermented with the red wine grape Syrah where it can contribute to the color and bouquet of the wine. Like Chardonnay, Viognier has the potential to produce full-bodied wines with a lush, soft character. In contrast to Chardonnay, the Viognier varietal has more natural aromatics that include notes of peach, pears, violets and minerality.
Sauvignon Blanc
Sauvignon Blanc is a green-skinned grape variety that originates from the Bordeaux region of France. Sauvignon Blanc is widely cultivated in France, Chile, New Zealand, South Africa, and California. Depending on the climate, the flavour can range from aggressively grassy to sweetly tropical. In cooler climates, the grape has a tendency to produce wines with noticeable acidity and "green flavours" of grass, green bell peppers and nettles with some tropical fruit (such as passion fruit) and floral (such as elderflower) notes
Country Description
France
Practically all the most famous grape varieties used in the world's wines are French varieties, and wine is produced all throughout France. France is the second largest wine producer in the world after Italy. The wines produced range from expensive high-end wines sold internationally to more modest wines usually only seen within France. In many respects, French wines have more of a regional than a national identity, as evidenced by different grape varieties, production methods and different classification systems in the various regions. Some of the more famous wine regions in France include Bordeaux, Burgundy, Champagne, Loire, Chablis and the Rhône valley.
Region Description
Languedoc-Roussillon
Languedoc-Roussillon wine, including the vin de pays labeled Vin de Pays d'Oc, is produced in southern France. While "Languedoc" can refer to a specific historic region of France and Northern Catalonia, usage since the 20th century (especially in the context of wine) has primarily referred to the northern part of the Languedoc-Roussillon région of France, an area which spans the Mediterranean coastline from the French border with Spain to the region of Provence. The area has around 700,000 acres (2,800 km2) under vines and is the single biggest wine-producing region in the world, being responsible for more than a third of France's total wine production.
Alsace
In the far north-eastern corner of France, stands out from other French wine regions thanks to its strong Franco-Germanic influences. These are the result of the region having switched back and forth between German and French sovereignty in recent centuries – and are evident not only in Alsatian architecture and culture, but also in the wines. Alsace is the only French wine region to grow significant quantities of Riesling and Gewurztraminer.
Loire Valley
The Loire Valley wine region includes the French wine regions situated along the Loire River from the Muscadet region near the city of Nantes on the Atlantic coast to the region of Sancerre and Pouilly-Fumé just southeast of the city of Orléans in north central France. In between are the regions of Anjou wine, Saumur, Bourgueil, Chinon, and Vouvray. The Loire Valley itself follows the river through the Loire province to the river's origins in the Cévennes but the majority of the wine production takes place in the regions noted above.
