French Wine Terms: How to Pronounce Common Terms for Each Wine Region

Do you ever find yourself struggling to pronounce certain French words, while at dinner or traveling? In this video we show you how to pronounce French wine terms like a pro, so you’ll never be shy about ordering that bottle of Châteauneuf du Pape again.

Video Transcript:

This is Pierre Bernasse with French Wine Explorers and this is your Tuesday Tip. Have you ever looked at the French wine list or a map of France and found yourself struggling to pronounce certain words? Well, in this video we will go through some of the hardest words to pronounce for each of the five main wine regions of France.

First is Bordeaux. On the left bank you have the villages of Pauillac and Margaux. It includes Premiere Crus such as Chateau Latour and Chateau Mouton Rothschild. On the right bank are the famous appellations of St. Émilion and Pomeral. South of Bordeaux is Chateau d’Yquem in Sauternes. That’s where some of the best sweet wines in the world are made.

Second region is Champagne. The capitol of sparkling wine is concentrated around the towns of Épernay and Reims. You’ll find Chateau Les Crayéres as well as producers such as Ruinart, Taittinger, and Billecart-Salmon. Grape varietals are Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier.

The third region is Burgundy, also called Bourgogne in French. This region is famous for its red wine made from Côte de Nuits, in villages such as Vosne-Romanée, Vougeot, and Gevrey-Chambertin. But also for its white wines typical of the Côtes de Beaune, made in villages such as Aloxe Corton, Puligny Montrachet, and Chassagne Montrachet.

The fourth region is the Loire Valley, also called La Vallée de la Loire in French. It is well known for its white wines like Sancerre, Pouilly-Fumé, and Vouvray; but also for its red wines like Bourgeuil and Chinon.

The last region is the Rhone Valley, La Vallée de Rhone in French. The primary grapes are Syrah, Viognier, and Grenache. In the north you have Premier Crus such as Hermitage and in the south you have Châteauneuf du Pape just next to the town of Avignon as well as Gigondas. These regions are known for their particular grape varietals, also known as Cépages.

These cépages are dictated by the characteristics of the area, also known as Terrior.

And that’s it! Thanks for watching. Visit us at wine-tours-france.com and stay tuned for your next Tuesday Tip in About a Minute.

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