Wine flight to France

Jason Clarke, Contributor

Vive les francais - Long live the French! Last week, I spoke about Greek wines and the birth of ancient wine. One could never think of talking about wine and not consider the French, so this week join me for a wine flight to France. Now boarding flight #006 to France. Please, recline your seat in the most comfortable position, extend your feet and enjoy!

There is something about the French that epitomises refinement, sophistication and elegance. Their wine, like their language, is almost whimsical, touching every inch of your soul, gently caressing your senses, so delicate that it almost becomes poetic. Apart from being one of the largest producers of wine, what I love most is that they consume a lot of it as well. Wine is an integral part of their life with a rich history of winemaking - producing more than six billion bottles annually, I'd say they take wine making very seriously.

France's wine country is wide and vast and you could most certainly take weeks roaming from vineyard to the next from region to region. Each region produce different varietals. Some of the most popular regions are:

• Alsace
• Bordeaux
• Burgundy
• Beaujolais
• Champagne
• Cotes du Rhone
• JuraLanguedoc
• Loire Valley
• Medoc
• Provence

Unlike the 'new-world wine' you typically will see on supermarket shelves that tells you the winemaker and the varietal, French wines operate on a completely different standard which can be quite confusing if you are not sure how to read the label. French wines are labelled based on where they come from, which house, or village or region. What you may typically see at the very top is the winemaker follow by the vintage, the specific village it came from and then the general area. So a Bordeaux or Champagne aren't really a type of grape, but rather the region where these beautiful wines are made.

I recently had a Louis Jadot Beaujolais Villages, which is a classic French wine and actually made from a Gamay grape. I have a definite soft spot for this wine, and it's an easy-drinking wine by itself or with burgers and pizza. It is a refreshing wine with a distinct candy-like strawberry flavour. This is one of those wines you would imagine sipping at a sidewalk café somewhere in Paris. Although there are a few that come close to giving you that feel.

There is a growing trend for some winemakers to adopt how new-world wines are labelled in order to make them more appealing to younger more inexperienced wine drinkers. One such brand is Hob Nob. Modern, new-world labelling and a screw cap, which makes for easy consumption anywhere. I tried its Wicked Red which is a blend of Grenache, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Pinot Noir with a few friends and we all shared the same sentiment-yummy. Very fruity nose and taste of ripe blackberry. This blend reminds me more of a Californian blend that I have tried and would never think of it being very French. They carry a full range of varietals that are available in most supermarkets.

I am not an expert, merely a wine enthusiast sharing my thoughts and experiences. Feel free to share your own experiences at wineenthusiastja@gmail.com.

Cocktail Corner

In my pursuit of wine-based cocktails, I journeyed to Cru and came across a few delightfully refreshing wine cocktails if you are feeling for something a little different from regular wine. These cocktails are perfect as we move into summer, and can be made at home, or head to Cru and ask for Neil and tell him Jason sent you.

Cru-Mosa

4oz Kraemer Dry Sprakling Wine

4oz sorrel

Serve cold!

Moscato Margeritta

4-6oz Beringer Moscato

1-2oz Patron

Lime

Shake with a little ice and served cold.