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Classics Rock

Vintages Feature Story

Europe is the birthplace of winemaking, and today it’s still home to many, if not most, of the world’s great wine regions. For even the most inexperienced wine lover, names like Bordeaux and Tuscany will ring a bell, but people may not know exactly what these places do, or why they’re considered so great. Read on to get some clarity and some juicy talking points for your next dinner party.


France

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Champagne:
No other wine region is dedicated solely to the production of a single product, let alone a premium one, and it’s from this single-minded focus that the inimitability of Champagne sparkles. Made from some combination of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier, Champagne has many charms, but its glamour and sophistication do not come easy. A strict ageing regimen is only one part of the labour-intensive process behind what sets this benchmark sparkler apart.
Perfect Pairings: fried chicken; oysters


Loire:
The Loire River is France’s longest, so no surprise then that the wine region that follows it for nearly 600 kilometres produces such a wide range of styles, including Muscadet; dry, off-dry, sweet or sparkling Chenin Blanc; lithe, fruity Cabernet Franc; and global benchmarks for Sauvignon Blanc. Sancerre, in central Loire, is among the world’s most renowned wine regions and home to one of the most distinct expressions of Sauvignon Blanc.
Perfect Pairings:  pear and brie on crackers; smoked trout

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Burgundy: Burgundy is the ancestral home of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, and its wines are renowned for their precise provenance. The nuanced variations within individual vineyard areas were first identified and classified by monks in the Middle Ages and remain the defining genius of Burgundy. This tiny strip of land contains more than 100 of France’s 500 designated wine-growing areas and produces some of the most celebrated wines in the world, crafted by legendary names such as Domaine Drouhin, Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, Domaine Faiveley and Domaine Ponsot to name-drop but a few.
Perfect Pairings - Chardonnay: gougère; escargots
                                  Pinot Noir: smoked ham; duck confit



Bordeaux:
Bordeaux is naturally divided into its famous Left and Right banks by the Gironde Estuary. Cabernet Sauvignon-led wines rule the Left Bank, while Merlot is the prime grape of the Right. While top-tier producers such as Château Haut-Brion craft wines that famously command high prices, these wines represent less than 5% of the nearly 550,000,000 litres the region produces each year. The heartbeat of Bordeaux is the quality of all its wines across all price points.
Perfect Pairings: burgers; braised lamb

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Southern Rhône:
The Rhône Valley was formed during the last ice age following the dramatic (geologically speaking) collision between the Alps and France’s Massif Central. The Southern Rhône has nearly 32,000 hectares under vine, second in France only to Bordeaux. Vines planted in the hard stony vineyards endure hot, dry summers, a risk of drought and the powerful mistral winds. These extreme conditions produce approachable, dynamic, ageable wines made mostly from blends of Grenache, Shiraz and Mourvèdre.
Perfect Pairings: grilled sausages; roast venison


Italy


Piedmont:
Though the mountainous, hilly Piedmont region is perhaps best known for its esteemed Barolo and Barbaresco wines crafted from Nebbiolo, the most widely planted grape here is Barbera. Fruity and spicy, Barbera is the wine that the locals will be pouring. Nebbiolo wines are loved by collectors, as their robust character and cellarability allow them to evolve over decades. Piedmont is home to virtually all of the plantings of Nebbiolo in the world.
Perfect Pairings: lamb burgers; porcini mushroom risotto

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Veneto:
Wine has been made in Veneto for more than 3,000 years, and the region has been associated with high-quality winemaking since the second century BCE. Though smaller than Tuscany and Piedmont, Veneto produces considerably more wine than either and is Italy’s leading wine-producing region. The most famous wines made here are iconic Amarone, and the lithe, fruity Valpolicella. Ripasso Valpolicellas fall in between the lighter Valpolicella and the more robust Amarone and are sometimes called “baby Amarones.”
Perfect Pairings: pulled pork; roast duck


Tuscany:
Tuscany has a rich wine culture with centuries of tradition. Sangiovese is the most significant red grape here, beloved for its role in the Chianti blend and for the region’s outstanding Brunello di Montalcino wines, which must be 100% Sangiovese. The grape is also a natural blending partner for international grapes such as Cabernet, Merlot and Syrah and is an important component of many of the region’s IGT and Supertuscan wines. The wines produced here are among the most versatile and food-friendly in the world.
Perfect Pairings: pecorino cheese; Tuscan-style beef stew

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