French Wines: The Gallic Blood

For many, France is synonymous with wine, and it is in the diverse terroirs of the Gallic land that some of the best labels in the world are produced. If there is a witness to human evolution, it is wine. There is evidence of this drink's existence since 6000 B.C., and this is a legacy that the French have never taken lightly. During the Roman Empire, vines previously planted by Greek colonizers were found on French soil, and since then, they have had some of the oldest and highest-quality vineyards in the world. Interestingly, until 2004, Gallic wine was treated as an open secret, as despite its fame, no attempts had been made to produce it in mass or export it in industrial quantities. In fact, until the late 20th century, French oenology encompassed only 450 names of family vineyards, and only a handful of regions produced it. Today, whites, reds, sparkling, and rosés from France are well-known around the globe, but not many can pinpoint the exact origin of their most famous varietals. Pinot Noir, for example, is a fresh, smooth, and fruity wine found in the Alsace region, where dry Riesling whites also grow. In the Bordeaux region, which produces the largest quantity of liters in the country, grapes like Cabernet Sauvignon from the Médoc sub-region are considered some of the finest wines in the world. I recommend trying these pairings   Pairing with Chardonnay   Chardonnay is one of the most consumed white wines worldwide. It highlights dry tones on the palate, but thanks to its complexity and flavor, it can be enjoyed young without many years of aging. To see recipes for a perfect pairing with Chardonnay, click here.   Pairing with Malbec You can pair your meals with Malbec wine and enhance its fruity flavors, especially with red meats, hard cheeses, pasta with tomato sauce, or even grilled meats. To see recipes for a perfect pairing with Malbec, click here.   On the other hand, there is Champagne, an area covering 35,000 hectares that produces the most respected sparkling wines in the wine industry. In fact, to call a bottle Champagne, it must have been produced in this region of France and received the designation of origin; otherwise, by law, it must be named something else. Now, if one seeks wines from the oldest region of France, then the Rhône Valley is the place. Here, the star is the Syrah grape, resulting in fruity wines full of spice flavors. As protective as they are of their wines, the French try to consume them all before they leave the country, or so it seems with 40 liters consumed per person annually. This includes minors, who, following the tradition to the letter, treat wine as an essential table drink to pair with their daily meals: cheese, bread, charcuterie. In many other places, we have come to consider wine as a substance of nobility, a drink for kings, and somewhat difficult to understand. It is precisely in France, the largest consumer globally, where they teach us that a bottle of wine belongs on any table and at any time; the key is to taste, diversify, and pair with everyday food to find your favorites. Beyond the rigorous rules of wine tasting, the same golden rule applies to this drink as with any other food: the best wine is the one you like the most, the one that suits your palate. After all, wine is a substance that has represented brotherhood and commitment over the years, and perhaps no one said it better than Benjamin Franklin: Wine is constant proof that God loves us and wants to see us happy more than anything else.   This July at La Europea, discover and enjoy more closely the great Wines of France.   To learn about drinks with wine and pairings, click here.   What pairing do you like the most?