The best way to make sense of French red wines is to simply start tasting them. France offers the perfect red wine for every occasion—from steak frites on Monday, to boeuf bourguignon with the in-laws on Sunday. Many of France’s best red wines are labeled with the name of the wine appellation, rarely by grape variety. If you’ve ever felt completely overwhelmed while browsing a French wine section, knowing just a few key wine names will help keep your shopping trip focused and ensure that you have the perfect wine to drink at a moment’s notice.

France’s white wines can be counted among the best in the world. Whether you are looking for the best sparkling wines, chiseled white wines, decadent dessert wines, rich Rieslings or ageable Chardonnays—France has it all.

Summary:  The history of Bourgogne wines is the story of a very specific collaboration, which defines the concept of Terroir.  Join wine historian and Official Bourgogne Ambassador, Tanya Morning Star Darling to explore the Bourgogne region from the ancient, and dramatic geological events which created the soils, and Côtes, to the Romans, the Church, the Dukes, Napoleon, to the thousands of growers and producers that make up the diverse mosaic of wines that is Bourgogne.

Summary:  Wine sits at the heart of French cultural identity.  Against the backdrop of religion, politics, trade, wars, pests, and plagues, wine can always be found playing a roll in the history of France throughout the ages. Using wine as the protagonist, this WSG Live will journey through the arc of French history, from Roman times to the 20th century. Fashion, trends and spiritual and

Summary:  From vineyards on the best-exposed limestone slopes of the Prealps, Savoie wines are made from a plethora of grape varieties, which are proving to be ideal in the face of climate change. Wink Lorch published her second book, Wines of the French Alps: Savoie, Bugey and beyond in 2019, and it has already received rave reviews from Eric Asimov, David Schildknecht and the team at

Thinking about signing up for the French Wine Scholar program?  Be inspired by what our students are saying about the program and the top ten reasons they give for enrolling.

Following on from The Wine Scholar Guild’s excellent October Bordeaux wine tour, our locally based Tour Manager, Sarah, is continuing her series of articles about travel tips to Bordeaux. This fourth blog looks at some of the others things you should see & do here during your next Bordeaux wine tour.

… including excellent restaurants out in the wine regions. Preparing your next Bordeaux wine tour? Sarah Graham-Beck, Tour Manager on the Wine Scholar Guild’s Bordeaux wine tours will be writing a series of articles about travel tips to Bordeaux. In this first article, Sarah shares a selection of top Bordeaux restaurants with a great wine list! Food and wine are at the heart of life in Bordeaux. The city and its surroundings now offer some of the best restaurants in France, on a par with Lyon & Paris.

Summary:  Viré-Clessé is one of the Mâconnais’ village-level appellations alongside Pouilly-Fuissé, Saint-Véran, Pouilly-Vinzelles and Pouilly-Loché. However, it is arguably its least well-known despite being one of the most unique in all of Bourgogne: it is the only appellation that allows off-dry wines within its regulations, including its historical style, Levrouté. This webinar will

Looking into heading to Bordeaux on your own and create your own Bordeaux wine tour? Wine Scholar Guild’s Bordeaux wine tour manager, Sarah Graham Beck, continues her series of articles about wine travel tips to Bordeaux. This fifth blog looks at how to plan your Bordeaux wine tour.

It is almost here. That wonderful day in March that wine lovers all over the world anxiously wait for every year. Thousands gather for jubilant festivities of the wines of Beaujolais. No, my calendar does not need adjusting. November’s annual harvest fete known as Beaujolais Nouveau Day is a distant memory by the time the real stars of this French wine region are allowed to be released to adoring fans. Though you would be correct if you said I was overstating the excitement of the annual release of the crus of Beaujolais (and in actuality most are aged longer than laws dictate), these are wines worth celebrating. The Crus of Beaujolais are stand-alone AOCs representing the region’s very best vineyard land. These are high-quality wines reflecting individual terroirs and showcasing the great potential of the Gamay grape. Gamay is one the most underrated red grapes and the Crus of Beaujolais provide an incredible value to quality ratio. There are ten Beaujolais Crus, each named for a village within the growing area. Following in succession, the Crus span approximately 20km/12.5mi of northern Beaujolais. The soils in this part of the region are largely what makes these places so special. Primarily a mixture of ancient granite and schist, the soils of the Cru areas bring out the best in Gamay. Across the board, these are structured, complex wines with spicy aromas and the potential to age well, but each Cru has its distinctive signature. The following excerpts from our French Wine Scholar® manual describe what makes each Cru special.

Summary: Whole cluster (or whole bunch) fermentation is the winemaking method of using whole grape clusters without destemming during vinification. It is one of the oldest winemaking methods though the introduction of modern destemming machines after World War II shifted winemaking, eliminating much of its use. However over the last 20 years, it has been making a comeback in Burgundy and beyond,

Bordeaux is France’s largest appellation and largest producer of AOC wine! It has been exported since the Middle Ages. In fact, its inland port with its historic and stately, stone warehouses, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site!   The region has been tracked with regard to vintage year for its entire history. Collectors speak in terms of Moueix and Derenoncourt, of Thunevin and Maltus as avid fans speak of their favorite athletes. Even non-wine drinkers have heard of Châteaux Mouton, Lafite, Latour, Margaux and Haut Brion!

Much has been written about the beautiful Loire Valley, well known as “the garden of France.” The wine region follows the meandering Loire River more than 600 miles through the gently rolling hills of a picturesque countryside. There is an abundance of vines and food crops in this fertile stretch of France. The Loire produces the largest amount of white wines of any French region, and it is the world’s largest mushroom producer. As the old adage says, “If it grows together, it goes together,” and this is perhaps nowhere as evident as it is in the Loire Valley.

In the second part of our three-part series, acclaimed wine writer and Academic Advisor for the Wine Scholar Guild Andrew Jefford surveys the latest wine trends in Alsace. From larger vineyards to the prospect of Premier Crus — not to mention the impacts of climate change on the region’s bevy of varieties — let’s take a look at Alsace’s recent history and where the region as a whole is headed.

Author of Inside Bordeaux, a book that has been described as the 'bible' by Le Figaro newspaper and a 'category buster' by Jamie Goode, Jane Anson has lived in Bordeaux since 2003. Here she takes a look at the wine trends that are shaping the region, its economy, its climate, the industry and its winemakers.

As a wine region, Burgundy embodies both the past and the future. On the one hand, Grands Crus that have been celebrated for centuries remain in the hands of multi-generational family domaines. On the other hand, outside investment, adjustments to the appellation system, and the realities of climate change (which have necessitated adaptations in viticulture and winemaking) have all combined to bring about change in recent years. This duality lies at the heart of modern Burgundy, and here to sort much of it out for us is acclaimed wine writer and Wine Scholar Guild’s Academic Advisor Andrew Jefford. Below, he takes a look at the numbers that have shaped Burgundy’s recent history, and what that means for its future.

As an accomplished wine writer — and now as the Wine Scholar Guild’s Academic Advisor — Andrew Jefford has decades of experience watching the French wine industry evolve. Here, he takes a look at the wine trends that are shaping the Champagne region, its landscape, its climate, the industry and ultimately, how winemakers are adapting in the cellar.