French Red Wine

French red wine spans some of the world's most studied appellations, from the Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot blends of Bordeaux to the Grenache-driven wines of the southern Rhône and the Pinot Noir of the Loire. Domaine du Vieux Telegraphe's Châteauneuf-du-Pape La Crau draws from ancient galets roulés soils, while Paul Jaboulet Aîné works the granite-terraced slopes of Crozes-Hermitage with Syrah. Henri Bourgeois produces a rare Pinot Noir Sancerre Rouge from the Loire's chalky limestone, and Château la Canorgue works certified organic vineyards in the Luberon. Georges Duboeuf's Beaujolais Nouveau, released each November by French law, anchors the approachable end of the range, while Mas de Daumas Gassac, often called the grand cru of the Languedoc, represents the age-worthy reaches of southern France.