French Wine

France produces wine across more distinct appellations than any other country, represented here through Champagne, Provence rosé, and Loire Valley whites. In Champagne, chalk-rich soils and a cool continental climate define the house styles of Veuve Clicquot, Moët and Chandon, and Billecart-Salmon, whose Brut Rosé blends still Pinot Noir with the traditional assemblage. Ruinart, the oldest established Champagne house, anchors its Blanc de Blancs entirely in Chardonnay from the Côte des Blancs. Provence contributes Grenache-driven rosés from the Côtes de Provence appellation, where Château d'Esclans and Domaine de l'Abbaye both farm the inland limestone and clay terroir. Sylvain Bailly's Sancerre Terroirs draws on the flint and limestone soils of the central Loire to produce mineral-edged Sauvignon Blanc, rounding out a range that moves from accessible non-vintage Champagne to site-specific still wines worth cellaring.