FRANCE / 14 WINE REGIONS
From sea, mountains, and rivers to wine regions.
Read by wine region grouping, not by administrative division.
From the numbers and list on the map, access diagrams, grape varieties, and appellations for each region.
The number shows a representative location in the region. It does not indicate administrative boundaries, appellation limits, or vineyard area.Topography: Natural Earth
LANDSCAPES & WINES
Read the differences between regions.
Bordeaux
Bordeaux
Once you’ve learned Left and Right Bank, link rivers and blends. Bordeaux includes not just reds, but also dry and sweet whites.
Bourgogne
Burgundy
Even with the same Pinot Noir or Chardonnay, the place name on the label can range from regional to village to vineyard. First line up the places the name refers to by scope.
Champagne
Champagne
Champagne is both a region name and an appellation. The term cannot be used based solely on the method of secondary fermentation in bottle.
Vallée de la Loire
Loire
From Muscadet at the river mouth, to Anjou, Saumur, Touraine, and the Central Vineyards. As you follow the river, both the white grape varieties and the wine styles change.
Vallée du Rhône
Rhône
Northern Rhône Syrah-based blends, and Southern Grenache-based blends. Even along the same river, the landscape and grape composition change.
Alsace
Alsace
Vineyards extending east of the Vosges Mountains. In addition to noting that this is a northeastern region, read about the conditions where the mountains block rainfall.
Beaujolais
Beaujolais
Do not memorize Gamay’s regions only by Nouveau. Let names such as Morgon and Moulin-à-Vent guide you towards vineyard and maturation differences.
Provence
Provence
When you see a pale rosé, do not determine its lightness or sweetness by color alone; check the variety and how the skins are handled. Conditions also differ between coastal and inland vineyards.
Languedoc
Languedoc
From coastal plains to inland hills. Compare broad Languedoc and more restricted appellations, distinguishing the range of place names.
Roussillon
Roussillon
Banyuls and Rivesaltes sweet wines, alongside dry reds, whites, and rosés. In Roussillon, how fermentation is handled, as well as the grape varieties, is key for comparison.
Jura
Jura
Savagnin is a grape variety; Vin Jaune is a wine defined by its production and requirements. Differentiating the two names is the starting point for comparing Jura whites.
Savoie
Savoie
Alpine wines are not always from vineyards at high peaks. Vineyards of Jacquère, Altesse, Mondeuse and others are scattered on slopes near valleys and lakes.
Sud-Ouest
Southwestern region
Malbec in Cahors, Tannat in Madiran, and Manseng varieties in Jurançon. Do not consider the South-West simply as an extension of Bordeaux.
Corse
Corsica
Niellucciu, Sciacarellu, Vermentinu. Understand the Mediterranean island through its indigenous names and vineyard locations.
From river, village, and grape, move deeper into the region.
REGIONAL ATLAS / Understanding by location
Bordeaux: From the river to major appellations
This is a schematic diagram showing the relationship between the major red appellations and the river. North is up. Distances, river widths, and appellation boundaries are not reproduced.
You can move the map horizontally on small screens. You can also select locations from the names below the diagram.
1. Saint-Estèphe
One of the key appellations on the northern Medoc. Soils on the Left Bank include not only gravel but also clay. Distinguish between banks and vineyard soil types.
2. Pauillac
South of Saint-Estèphe, north of Saint-Julien. First, get familiar with the sequence of neighboring appellations, then move on to information about the châteaux and plots.
3. Saint-Julien
Located between Pauillac and Margaux. Even when researching Cabernet Sauvignon-based wines, analyze finished blend proportions for each producer and vintage.
4 Margaux
The southern Medoc. Margaux is an appellation; Château Margaux is a producer within it. Read the location of the appellation from the map and the blend from individual records.
5. Pessac-Léognan / Graves
A left bank region extending south of Bordeaux city. This is a study guide term encompassing two appellations, but it does not mean they are the same area. Attention should be paid not only to red but also to white wines.
6. Pomerol
Right bank of the Dordogne River, near Libourne. Using Merlot as a key, investigate the soils of individual plots and the actual blends.
7. Saint-Émilion
The eastern side of Pomerol. While the location on the right bank is shared, individual vineyard conditions and production rules do not necessarily coincide.
Reference materials with diagrams and explanations:Society of Wine Educators | Bordeaux vineyard map ↗ ／ Medoc Producers Association | Soils and climate ↗ ／ Medoc Producers Association | Grape varieties and ripening ↗
Read the main text about the region →REGIONAL ATLAS / Understanding by location
Burgundy: The villages and slopes of the Côte d'Or
This is a schematic diagram highlighting representative sites in Côte de Nuits and Côte de Beaune. North is up. Chablis, Côte Chalonnaise, and Mâconnais are outside the scope of this enlarged diagram. Boundaries and distances are not indicated.
You can move the map horizontally on small screens. You can also select locations from the names below the diagram.
1. Gevrey-Chambertin
From northern villages, trace south to Vougeot, Vosne-Romanée, and Nuits-Saint-Georges. Village names are clues to the location of individual climats.
2. Vougeot
Villages of Côte de Nuits. Read the position of the village names and the areas containing Grand Cru and other classified zones as distinct entities.
3. Vosne-Romanée
South of Vougeot, north of Nuits-Saint-Georges. Even in neighboring villages, research the slope positions and strata of each climat separately.
4 Nuits-Saint-Georges
Landmarks in the southern part of Côte de Nuits. Do not confuse the sequence of village names with classification rankings, and identify the specific climat you are looking for.
5. Beaune
The central town of Côte de Beaune. At the southern edge, Clos des Mouches borders Pommard. This is the start point for comparing the plots of Drouhin and Chanson.
6. Pommard
The southwest side of Beaune. When comparing between villages or between producers within the same climat, the number of shared conditions varies.
7. Meursault
Further south from Pommard. The approach of considering slope position, aspect, and geological layers is also common when comparing Chardonnay whites.
8. Puligny/Chassagne
A landmark referring to two villages south of Meursault. Do not treat both villages as a single appellation; always confirm the village and vineyard name on the label.
Reference materials with diagrams and explanations:BIVB | From Terroir to Climat ↗ ／ BIVB | Overview of Burgundy (PDF) ↗ ／ Joseph Drouhin | Clos des Mouches Red 2021 ↗
Read the main text about the region →REGIONAL ATLAS / Understanding by location
Champagne: Overlaying regions and main grape varieties
This is a diagram showing the positional relationship between the four districts and Reims–Épernay. North is up. The distance south to Côte des Bar is shortened. Not all varieties or subregions within each district are shown.
You can move the map horizontally on small screens. You can also select locations from the names below the diagram.
1. Montagne de Reims
The region spreading between Reims and Épernay. A key indicator for the varieties is Pinot Noir. However, the district name alone does not mean that every single plot is planted with the same variety.
2. Vallée de la Marne
Tracing west from Épernay along the Marne River. Meunier plays a major role here, with Pinot Noir noteworthy to the east.
3. Côte des Blancs
South of Épernay. Chardonnay is the main variety. Consider moisture retention and supply in chalk as an environment for grape growth.
4 Côte des Bar
A region separated from the other three areas in the south, in the Aube department. Pinot Noir is the main grape variety. Do not describe the geology of the entire region with only the area around Reims.
Reference materials with diagrams and explanations:Champagne Committee | Geography of the 4 subregions ↗ ／ Champagne Committee | Grape varieties and subregions ↗ ／ Champagne Committee | Subterranean geology and water uptake ↗
Read the main text about the region →