The winemakers we work with reside all over France as well as in regions in Spain and Portugal. Take a moment to explore the different regions of wine production and learn what makes each one unique and able to consistently offer some of the best wines in the world.
France
Bordeaux
Located in southwestern France, Bordeaux is known for producing some of the most highly coveted and famous wines in the world. The region boasts the perfect climate and soil for wine production and proximity to a shipping port.
The Gironde River splits the city into two: the left bank and the right bank. Experts can tell which wine came from which bank by their taste. Wines from the left bank tend to be higher in tannins and acidity, while wines from the right bank tend to be
softer and less acidic.
France
Burgundy
Truly one of the last remaining parts of Old World France, Burgundy is located just east of central France and is as famous for its Burgundy as it is for Chardonnay, Chablis, and Beaujolais. Burgundy wines are heavily influenced by the concept of terroir: the idea that the unique characteristics of each vineyard can be tasted in the wine. Grand Cru is the highest classification of wine from this region; only 2% of winemakers have received this classification.
France
Loire
The Loire Valley is France's most diverse wine region, producing exemplary wines in every style. Popularity of Loire Valley wines with sommeliers and wine writers has been growing steadily for the last ten years because for all their variety, Loire Valley wines share important characteristics that make them perfect for contemporary taste.
France
Languedoc
This region in the south of France, stretching from the Rhône valley in the east to the Spanish border in the south west, is home to 740,000 acres of vineyards. Languedoc is France’s largest wine producing region and it has been estimated that one in 10 bottles of the world’s wine was produced in Languedoc-Roussillon during the 20th century.
France
Provence
This region is known predominantly for its rosé wine, though wine critics believe that region's best wines are the spicy, full-flavoured red wines. Rosé wine currently accounts for more than half of the production of Provençal wine, with red wine accounting for about a third of the region's production. White wine is also produced in small quantities throughout the region with the Appellation d'origine contrôlée (AOC) region of Cassis specializing in white wine production.
France
Rhône Valley
The Rhône wine region is situated in the south west and produces numerous wines under various AOC designations. The region's major appellation in production volume is Côtes du Rhône. The region is divided into two sub-regions with distinct traditions; the Northern Rhône and the Southern Rhône. The northern sub-region produces red wines from the Syrah grape, sometimes blended with white wine grapes, and white wines from Marsanne, Roussane and Viognier grapes.
The southern sub-region produces an array of red, white and rosé wines, often blends of several grapes such as in
Châteauneuf-du-Pape
France
Roussillon
This region is located in the South of France between Spain, the Mediterranean Sea, the Pyrenees & the Corbières Mountains and is is known for its diversity of wine production and rich terroirs, and for being the sunniest region of France. Roussillon's small community of winemakers consists of 25 cooperative cellars and 380 private ones. Its unique combination of micro-terroirs,
Roussillon offers a diverse range
of wines in all colours.
France
South-West
The South West (known by the French as ‘Sud-Ouest’) is filled with breath-taking scenery including Vineyards that are situated next to lush forests. It is located between the Pyrénées Mountains and Spain to the south, Bordeaux to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean on the west. It is large in size, however is the least populated part of France with only 10 residents per square mile. Here, both wine and wine making are a way of life.
Spain
Jumilla
Jumilla is part of Spain’s Murcia region, located in the Levante province. The climate is warm but gentle, and offers the same beauty as the Mediterranean nearby. Though it can get quite hot, its elevated plateaus help to cool the region and offer relief from the heat.
In Jumilla, the predominant grape
grown is Monastrell.
Spain
Basque Country
The Basque Country is located in northern Spain, and is divided into three provinces Álava, Guipuzcoa, and Vizcaya. It resides on the west side of Spain's border with France, next to the Pyrenees Mountains on the coastline on the Bay of Biscay. Wine-making is a tradition in Basques, with vineyards in existence since the era of the Roman Empire. The wines of this region are light and fresh.
Spain
Rioja
Known as the Tuscany of Spain, Rioja is divided into three regions: Rioja Alta, Rioja Alavesa (which also belongs geographically to the Basque Country) and the southeast area of Rioja Baja. Rioja is best known for the Tempranillo grape, used to create delicious reds and blended with other regional grapes including Mazuelo, Garnacha Tinta, and Graciano.
Portugal
Ribatejo
Known as Portugal's agricultural heartland, Ribatejo is located in southern Portugals and is named after the Tejo (Tagus) River, which divides this wine region from northeast to southwest. Ribatejo winemakers began exporting their products during Roman times; by the end of the 13th century the region was shipping about 60,000 barrels of wine to England alone each year.