The wine came to France ( former Gaul ) along with the Greek and Roman soldiers long before the Christ, and quickly made itself home there.Thus, within a short period of time splendid vineyards covered the majority of Gaul’s area and hills. Since the 14 th century French wines have legitimately been wining their reputation of the noble and fine wines together with an ever growing number of fans.
What has certainly helped France to be placed among the world leaders in the wine trade was the culture of wine drinking so widely promoted by kings, princes and monasteries. The largest receivers of the french wines were the harbour towns like Bremen, Hamburg, Lubeka, Gdansk. Quality French wines owe thier international prestige to their wide range and very favourable climate and soil conditions. In no other country such conditions can be found.
However, life style plays the most important role in their popularity. Ever since the Middleages, quality wine consumption and the culture of drinking have been cultivated, whether in the nobility castles,among the middle class or even the peasantry. Festivals and celebrations could not take place without wine. For this reason “the French life style” quickly took on in the neighbouring European countries.With the growing wine popularity in other those countries, France witnessed a dispute over the nobility primacy of the varieties grown in the regions of Bordeaux and Burgundy.
At the same time the regions of Champagne and Cognac came to play a significant role on the world market. As the requirements of wine experts and connoiseurs for the traditional vinification methods were growing, the most modern technologies were being introduced. They helped to fill the line of products with new and various flavours.
In 1855 France became a leader in the noble wine production, which were then highly classified in the wine hierarchy. Top position was taken at the beginning by the reds from the Bordeaux region, with the supreme awards at the Wine Expos in Paris.
The system of wine classification was for the first time introduced in the early 1920’s, and was called “appellation controlee”. The system has been acknowledged and recognised by all significant wine producers since then.
The early 1960’s mark the beginning of quality that helps France keep its leadership on the world market.
