Good post...however Oregon is more like Burgundy and Californias Napa is
more like Bordeaux.

FYI--you will see when you come later this year or next.


"Ian Hoare" > wrote in message
...
> Salut/Hi Midlife,
>
> le/on Mon, 20 Sep 2004 09:46:53 -0700, tu disais/you said:-
>
>>I'm sure it's just in my head, but after years of enjoying wine I still
>>find
>>myself intimidated by French wine...... particularly getting comfortable
>>with identifying what's in the bottle from the label (and then remembering
>>for next time).
>
> I kept quiet on this up to now, wanting to read what everyone else said
> before butting in.
>
> I do agree that for someone brought up on buying wine purely by varietal
> names, the idea of buying wine by region/area/village/estate can be
> confusing. But honestly, it's not really much more complicated than
> learning
> what grape varietal you like. When approaching wines sold under their
> variety name, you look for the name, "Merlot", "Cabernet Sauvignon" and
> try
> it out to see if you like it, right? So you don't have too much trouble
> remembering that you like Riesling, and don't like Chardonnay or whatever.
>
> Well in France, different grape varieties are grown in different areas. So
> if you know you like Pinot Noir from New Zealand and Oregon, you should
> perhaps look for a red wine from Burgundy. Then, (just as in assembler
> mnemonics, where instead of using the number "201" (which the processor
> understands) you remember "return", which YOU understand) you just need to
> make the one-to-one relationship between Red Burgundy - which France
> understands - and "Pinot Noir", which you understand and remember it.
>
> The list isn't THAT enormous, you know.
>
> The grape varieties most commonly found are (in no kind of order and
> leaving
> out the more complex area round the Mediterranean)
>
> red
> Cabernet Franc
> Cabernet Sauvignon
> Merlot
> Pinot Noir
> Malbec
> Syrah/Shiraz
> Gamay
>
> White
>
> Sauvignon Blanc
> Sémillon
> Riesling
> Chardonnay
> Viognier
> Pinot Gris
> Chenin blanc
>
> The first three reds are all grown in the Bordeaux region, (with other
> areas
> like it - Bergerac, Duras etc). Pomerol (part of Bordeaux) is more or less
> 100% Merlot, but doesn't taste _anything_ like Californian Merlot,
> apparently.
>
> Pinot Noir, as I said before is THE grape of Burgundy, also grown a bit on
> the Loire, along with Cabernet Franc (Anjou).
>
> Malbec is the grape used in Cahors (also in tiny quantities blended in
> Bordeaux)
>
> Syrah is the French name for the Oz Shiraz, Northern Rhone - (crozes)-
> Hermitage, Cote Rotie etc.
>
> Gamay Mainly Beaujolais
>
> Sauvignon Blanc White Bordeaux (sometimes mixed with Semillon, especially
> for sweet whites) (and other similar areas)
> Most typical in the Eastern Loire - Sancerre, Pouilly Fumé
>
> Riesling, Pinot Gris (also Gewurztraminer) Alsace above all.
> Chardonnay White Burgundy including Chablis (also grown increasingly
> outside)
> Viognier Rhone (esp. Condrieu)
> chenin Blanc. dry and sweet Loire wines.
>
> You simply need to learn these equivalents.
>
> If you then want to deepen your knowledge, as you would, for example learn
> that one part of California tends to make better wines than another and
> one
> estate specialises in wonderful Zinfandels, so you can learn the
> difference
> between
>
> "Bordeaux" - region (=Oregon)
> "Medoc/Saint-Emilion/Pomerol/Bourg & Blay etc" area = Willamette/Umpqua/
> Rogue/Columbia river
>
> "Pauillac/Margaux/St Julien" - village = Newburg/Dundee/Dayton
>
> "Chateau Latour/Chateau Margaux/Chateau le ***" - estates = "Domaine
> Drouhin/Bergström/Chehalem"
>
> There are plenty of good reference books that you can use, others have
> mentioned some names.
>
> Hope that helps a bit.
>
> The only thing I'd say, is that you DO need to make an effort of memory at
> first if only just to learn what the major areas are, and which grape
> varieties they tend to use.
>
> --
> All the Best
> Ian Hoare
> http://www.souvigne.com
> mailbox full to avoid spam. try me at website