FoodBanter.com - View Single Post - Need help learning to know French wine..... Really!!!

in article , jcoulter at
wrote on 9/20/04 10:01 AM:

>
> You will find that in general a French wine that identifies the grape is
> not a "serious" French wine. That is not to confuse you but due to the fact
> that French wines are AOC controlled as to grape variety. One who buys for
> instance a St Emilion will expect a high Merlot, Cabernet Franc proportion
> in the blend. One who buys a red Burgundy can expect 100% Pinot Noir, a
> white, Chardonnay etc.
>
> a good handy reference for all of these basics is Hugh Johnson's Pocket
> Wine Book.

Thanks, but maybe I should clarify a bit. I do understand how the French
system works, I just can't seem to commit the AOC-to-grape-variety formulas
to memory. I was hoping someone could offer a trick or two.

It's likely to be as simple as the Visa card US Olympic TV commercials last
month: "How do you get to the 2004 Summer Olympics? ...... Practice!....
Practice!..... Practice!".