Top 3 Amazing French Wines You Have to Try

There are many French wine regions that produce some of the highest-quality wines in the world. From those different wine regions come many different types of French wines with all sorts of unique colors, flavors, and aromas. Because there are so many options for red wine, rose wine, and white wine, you might be wondering what the best French wine might be.

While there is no single option that can definitively take the title of the “best” French wines, there are certainly some options that are at the top of the list. Keep reading to learn more about the top 3 French wines that should certainly be on your shopping list.

1. Champagne

Champagne is a region in the north of France that is famous for producing Champagne wine. Champagne wine must come from this region, otherwise, it cannot legally be labeled as Champagne. This wine is well-known for being a luxurious, sparkling white wine.

Some variations are so expensive that they are only ever consumed for very special occasions. Champagne has very light yet warm flavors of almonds, cream, and nuts. This wine is quite acidic but it is balanced out by its bubbles and low tannins. The sweetness of this wine can vary according to the type.

For example, Brut Nature means that the wine doesn’t have any sugar added to it (or it only contains very little sugar) which makes it quite dry. On the other hand, Doux wine means it is very sweet. The flavor will also depend on the grapes used.

For example, Blanc De Blanc Champagne is only made from chardonnay grapes and nothing else. Due to its light flavors, Champagne is often best paired with similarly light foods such as white fish, salads, pasta with white sauce, and so on, along with most types of cheese.

2. Bordeaux

I have recently reviewed a particular brand of Bordeaux wine and it is certainly worthy of being on the list of the best French wines. It is a classic French red wine (unlike Champagne which is a classic French white wine). Similar to Champagne, all Bordeaux wine has to come from the French wine region of Bordeaux, otherwise, it cannot be called Bordeaux wine.

This wine is a unique mix of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. Bordeaux wine often has very rich and savory flavors and it sometimes even has mineral notes. In particular, you can expect to taste notes of black currant, dried plums, black pepper, and even woody notes like cedar.

While this wine is usually red, there are some white Bordeaux variants that tend to have flavors of grapefruit, lemon, and green notes. Bordeaux may be aged for several years which will fully enhance the wine’s flavors. Red Bordeaux wine, in general, will go well with rich foods such as steak.

3. Merlot

The majority of Merlot wine is grown in France, although there are some regions in Italy where this wine is grown. Merlot has a beautiful purplish-red color. This can be seen in some brands of Bordeaux which are Merlot-dominant.

The taste of Merlot wine tends to change based on what soil it’s grown in. Some forms of Merlot are quite dry while others are full-bodied and juicy. The tannins in this wine are not very high, but they certainly make themselves known. Merlot also can have a relatively high alcohol content compared to most other wines.

The flavors of Merlot tend to be quite rich and earthy. You may pick up flavors of graphite, dried black cherries, chocolate, and vanilla. Depending on whether or not the Merlot was aged in French oak barrels, the wine may also have woody hints and aromas.

Because this wine is so rich and dark, it is best paired with very rich cheeses, steaks, mushrooms, and pasta.

All About French Wines

Together, Merlot, Champagne, and Bordeaux wine are certainly some of the best French wines around. While these three wines are very different, they are all delicious in their own ways.

If you’d like to get started trying different French wines, click here.