If you're a wine newbie or a discriminating wine connoisseur, France is a great place to extend your appreciation of the grape. The French have been catering to wine tourists for many years and are well-prepared to show you a great time. Consider a wine travel adventure for your next trip; you can journey along wine routes, tour vineyards and take wine tasting classes all over France.  Here's a little information about three of France's best-known wine regions.

Bordeaux

Bordeaux has been a wine trading center since at least the 12th century. Eleanor of Aquitaine, who married both King Louis VII of France and Henry II of England, received wines shipped from the port of Bordeaux at her English castles. Today, you can visit not only the historic city, with its Chartrons wine trading neighborhood, but also the great wine estates and chateaus that surround Bordeaux. You can choose from five different wine routes, including the Châteaux Road, which goes through the famous Médoc region, and the Graves Road, which takes you through the Sauternes appellation, or designated wine area. As you travel, you will notice that Bordeaux vineyards are planted with a wide variety of vines. That’s because the famous Bordeaux wines are made from many different types of grapes, including merlot, malbec, cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc, sémillon, and sauvignon.

Boasting a vibrant riverfront area, 18th-century palaces and avenues and, of course, a centuries-old winemaking tradition, Bordeaux is a great place to learn about French wines and winemaking. Begin your explorations in Bordeaux city itself, perhaps at the wine bar across from the Tourist Information Office or at the Bordeaux Wine School (“L’Ecole du Vin”) at the Maison du Vin de Bordeaux.  This medieval walled town makes a great daytrip from Bordeaux city. You can visit the Romanesque walls and churches and tour the hand-carved underground buildings and cellars. Once outside the walls, you are surrounded by some of Bordeaux’ greatest wine estates. To see them up close, take a wine train through the surrounding vineyards. If you prefer, rent bikes at the Tourist Office and set off on your own.

Burgundy

Burgundy’s winemaking tradition is nearly 1,000 years old. With such a distinguished history, it’s no wonder that Burgundy is famous for not only its pinot noir reds but also for its white wines, made from chardonnay grapes. Burgundy and Chablis wines offer complexity found nowhere else. Although the wine region itself is small, Burgundy’s terroirs are so diverse that each of the area’s 100 Appellations d’Origines Controllées, or designated wine areas, uniquely represents its “place in the sun.” As you might expect, Burgundy offers many ways to experience its best-known product. You can choose from among five wine routes.  For great information about the area, visit the Official Burgundy Wines Website.

If you have only a day to spend in the area, consider focusing on the Route des Grands Crus, which begins in Dijon and ends in Santenay. You’ll explore a large part of the famous Côte de Nuits and Côte de Beaune wine areas on this wine route. Once in the area, you can leave your car behind, if you wish, and travel on foot, by bicycle and even by hot-air balloon.

The city of Beaune is well worth a visit. Beaune has been a wine trading hub for centuries, and it shows. Stop by one of Beaune’s many wine cellars (“caves”) and wineshops to get an idea of wine’s influence on the city. Some cellars offer tours and tastings for a fee, typically 10 Euros. To learn more about Burgundy wines and how to properly taste them, take a wine class at the School of Wines (“Ecole des Vins”). If you’d like to combine tasting and shopping, visit the Marché aux Vins, across from the Hospital of Beaune (“Hospices de Beaune” or “Hôtel-Dieu”), and sign up for their cellar tour and wine tasting.

Cross the street and tour the Hospital, which is not only a working hospital, but also a nursing school and museum. The museum includes several elaborately-furnished buildings dating from the late 15th century, the Hospital’s historic kitchen and a display devoted to the medical mission of the Hospital. What does a hospital have to do with wine? The Hospital owns 61 acres of vineyards in Burgundy. Wines from the Hospital’s vines are auctioned each year, and the proceeds benefit the Hospital, its museum and a new medical outreach facility in Beaune.

Alsace

Alsace has a character all its own. Because the region has belonged to both Germany and France, the villages and homes have a distinctive appearance. The local dialect sounds like a cross between French and German, while Alsatian cuisine combines the best German and French traditions with the region’s outstanding local products. As you drive through Alsace, you can find modern cities, tiny villages, farms and, of course, vineyards – acre after acre of colorful vines, laden with the grapes that produce some of France’s most interesting white wines.

Alsace is bordered by the Vosges Mountains on the west and the Rhine River on the east. The mountains shelter the area and their foothills make excellent vineyards. Alsatian wines have a unique place in France’s wine lexicon. The area is famous for its award-winning Riesling, pinot blanc, pinot gris and gewurtztraminer wines. You won’t find many red Alsatian wines, aside from a few reds and rosés made from pinot noir grapes.

You can taste Alsatian wines in one of the many towns along the Alsation Wine Route (“Route du Vin”) - their website looks like it was made in 1992 and hasn't been updated since, you're better off refering to the Official Site of Alsatian Wines. Riquewihr, Hunawihr and Eguisheim are especially popular stops. Whether you drive or bicycle the Wine Route, you will find yourself surrounded by vineyards, glowing green or flaming in harvest colors, interspersed with pastel-hued villages. Stop by a winstub or winery tasting room to try the local wines. At lunchtime – lunch is an art form in France – take time to enjoy a hearty meal of baeckeoffe (marinated meats and vegetables, layered with potatoes and onions and then baked), accompanied by a crisp Riesling or spicy gewurtztraminer. You can even take a two-day wine class from the Alsace Wine School, operated by the Conseil Interprofessionel des Vins d’Alsace in Colmar.

Alsace has something for everyone. The area's tourist information center has a great website where you can find everything from recipes and videos of local cuisine, sport information, hotel recommendations, information about holidays, wine & gastronomy highlights, and more.

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