How to Find the Best Buys of France

It is no secret that we here at Winegeeks.com love French wine. With so much history, quality and diversity, what’s not to love? Ok, so there is that whole pesky Euro thing, with the U.S. dollar losing almost 50% of its value against it since 2000. And there is the fact that the great wines of France were pricy even when the dollar was strong, a by-product of a low supply and high demand. Add to this problems with shipping, customs, state taxes, and the three-tier system of wine sales in the U.S., and it may require a second job or a second mortgage if French wines are your fancy. So what’s an oenophile to do?

Before you run off and buy that bottle of Yellow Tail heed these words: There are hundreds of delicious and affordable French wines out there just waiting for a good liver to go home to. The trick is in knowing just what to look for. Just because the 2000 Château Le Pin debuted at $1,200 a bottle, or that the Golden Slope of Burgundy has been producing world class wines for hundreds of years doesn’t mean that there aren’t bargains to be had if you search in the right spot. Follow these helpful hints to find your way into a lovable wine at a price that won’t make you scream: Sacré bleu!

Venture Off the Beaten Path

While some of the smaller regions in France may not have the mystique or the history of Bordeaux and Burgundy, often times they don’t have the hefty price tags either. One of my favorite regions to bargain hunt in is the south of France. Long used to produce wines that were used for either industrial alcohol or for inferior table wines, the south has come quite a ways. Areas such as Languedoc-Rousillon, the Midi, and Provence have been on the fast track to wine greatness. All it took was a little gentle nudging by the French government for many wineries to drastically reduce yields and plant more internationally renowned vines such as Syrah and Grenache instead of the less commercially viable local varieties. The results have been profound. While the amount of wine has been reduced, the quality has gone way up. Modern winemaking techniques have also helped quite a bit as well.

The hot southern reaches of the Languedoc and Rousillon areas are riddled with wonderful blends of Syrah and Grenache that can be had for a song. Areas such as Costieres de Nimes, Bandol, Tavel and Coteaux de Languedoc are all hotbeds of fine white, rosé and red wines. Madiran, just to the south of Bordeaux, is another area that is rapidly improving. The rustic and rich reds produced from the local Tannat varietal can have an excellent mix of power, tannins and value.

Vins de Pays, or country wine, is a classification used for many small regions spread throughout the south of France. These wines may be just as good as their AOC designated counterparts but are rarely over $10 in price. Look for wines labeled as Vin de Pays d’Oc in the extreme south or Vin de Pays du Jardin de la France in the more northerly Loire valley.

Venture Back Onto the Beaten Path

Just because a region is famous doesn’t mean that there aren’t deals to be found. Bordeaux may be the best place to start. The name may be associated with really old wines at really inflated prices but the Bordelaise know a little secret that most of the rest of the world does not: A high percentage of Bordeaux wines are best consumed young and fresh and can often be had at a fraction of the price of the classified growths. Look for the early release wines that are not sold on futures. Another way to keep your wallet intact is to sample the wines of the satellite communes. These are the areas just outside of the more famous and expensive spots. Instead of St. Émilion try Lussac-St. Émilion or instead of Pomerol seek thee out the lovelies of Lalande de Pomerol. Head for the Côtes de Bourg or even wines labeled as Bordeaux Superior for good values.

Burgundy can also produce great wines at modest prices, though these may be a little harder to find. The Côtes Challoniase and Mâconnaise may be considered the country cousins of the Côte d’Or, but the prices can be easier to swallow. The same can be said about the small regions just to the side of the more famous spots, just like in Bordeaux. Head to Monthelie, St. Veran, Pernand-Vergelesses, or wines labeled simply Bourgogne AOC for better values.

This same strategy can be a big help all over France. In the Rhône valley try the Côtes du Rhône wines from the areas that border the more famous sites. The same can be said of Vouvray and Muscadet in the Loire and the Bas-Rihn in Alsace.

Keep it in the Family

Many of the wineries or companies in France produce several different wines, and following that lineage may lead to some great values. All the best Châteaux in Bordeaux have a second label under which they produce wine that may be almost as good but always less expensive than their premier wines. While some of these can be pricy, many are not, and several wineries have four or five different wines to choose from, one of which should fall into the best buys category. Sometimes a little leg work may be needed to find which wine belongs to which winery, but the results can be well worth it. Keep an eye out for the 2nd labels of respected Châteaux such as Ducru-Beaucaillou (La Croix de Beaucaillou), Cheval Blanc (La Petite Cheval), and Rauzan-Ségla (simply Ségla). These wines usually sell for only a quarter of the price of the top wines, yet can match the same levels of quality.

But there is no need to limit the buying to Bordeaux. Some of the bigger companies produce wine from all four corners of the country, and if you are unsure about the quality of a wine, knowing that it comes from a reputable family can increase your odds of finding a gem. This is often the case in regions that are en vogue, as evidenced by the Languedoc-Rousillon where some of the best winemakers in France are scrambling to get a foothold in what is an up and coming region.

One other trick in this vein is to look for importers that you have had good luck with in the past. Some of the better ones are Michael Skurnik, Kermitt Lynch and a company called Wines of France Inc. This is by no means a guarantee of goodness, but wine buying can often be a leap of faith. Using an importer that you are familiar with can increase your chances of landing on a bed of pillows instead of a pile of rocks.

Be Willing to Experiment

Unless you are a French wine super genius, chances are good that an unfamiliar region, producer or grape will cross your path at the local wine shop. Be brave, wine friend, and every once in a while try that bottle that is a complete mystery. You may find something that not only pleases your palate but peaks your interest as well. What better way to learn about a new region than to have tried a wine from there, loved it, and then studied up to find out what you just had?

Because of her unique blend of terrain, microclimates, expertise and history France continues to be the big kid on the block for all things wine related. Other countries may produce more wines, or even greater wines, but never the combination of quality and quantity that France enjoys. It is in this fact that there will always be a multitude of great wines at great prices, no matter where the Euro goes. Finding these bargains may require a little more scrutiny and thought than grabbing whatever mass produced plonk you like from the grocery store shelf, but in the long run the prize is worth the hunt. Besides, whoever said that the good things in life are easy?

Comments

0 user comments. Add your comment for this article.

Winegeeks  |  Articles  |  Wines  |  Resources  |  Discussion  |  Members  |  About  |  RSS