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I have been drinking wines for about thirty years on the a glass-a-day sort of things. I have organized a wine tasting club, which meets once a month. Over the years, we have tasted all kind of wines. But strangely enough. Everytime when we have the French wines, almost everybody disappointed. French Wines (Red) are usually too dry, too harsh, too sour, and too thin, as compared to the Napa's, the Australian, or even the Chilian. All French wines we've had were less than $30/bottle. Now I have a question: Does French wines in general of poor quality? Which I don't think so. Does all good French wine must cost more than $50/bottle or $100++? I have tasted some French wine of over $100/bottle with same disappointment. Do you believe the French wines are less cost effective, or less value when compared with the Australian. Or I have a BIG problem that my taste bud was killed by the cheap wines that I had over the years.
Follow Ups:
When I've been in France and had moderately priced ($20) wines, they have been really wonderful. When I've brought some bottles back to the states and opened them for special occasions, they turn out much less impressive. Of course the professionals probably have better methods of transport, but even store-bought or restaurant French wines don't seem as good here as they do at the source. If true, it also means that American wines may not taste as good in foreign countries as they do here. Anybody else have this experience?Craig
I've been drinking fine wine since the 1970s (when I was 7 or 8!!!) every week with our Sunday Family Roast Lunch. I was fortunate to grow up in a restaurant family in the UK which has been the traditional home of french wine trading. As a result I grew up drinking fine burgundies and claret.
In the 1980s I started drinking new world wines from Australia, then USA, Chile, Argentina, the Lebanon etc. The New World wines were a revelation, with plenty of fruit and saturated flavours which overwhelmed the palate. I thought these were fantastic.
After a few years, I realised that I missed the subtlety and finesse from Old World wines eg French German and Italian. Now I buy almost exclusively French wines for my cellar, although I've tasted some outstanding US, NZ and Aus wines. However, as they say, you pays your money and takes your choice. Remember in Europe, many wines are made to be drunk with food. Certainly in the UK, many people drink a glass or more most days with their evening meals.
Hi,I was browsing that forum and saw this old post of yours.
I just had to respond. As it is dated 2003, i am e-mailing this to uyou hoping you still use this mail.First of all, i think that you are right. Most french wines that will reach you have a very high chance of being inferior. Why is this so ?
First, french wines are in general quite expensive, especially Bordeaux and Bourgogne. Add in tax, duty etc it becomes horrible. Therefore, within the same price range, you will get an inferior french wine, usually a "Vin de Pays" or just a generic "Bordeaux". In France, we do not really drink such wine in a dinner setting.
Second, French wine are labelled by region and not by grape type. New world wine is "tailormade" and segmented to suit the general public taste. French wines (good ones at least) must follow tradition and protocol to keep their "Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée", and their "Etiquette". You can therefore get some surprises as the taste is definetely not "easy".
Third, good french wine is made to be kept five years or so. Modern world are usually drinkable after one-two years. So when you buy a french wine, you are planning for the dinner in three years ...
So what to do ?? :p
Climb the price range ! Look for labels mentionning "Cru Classé" or "Cru Bourgeois", marks of quality.
Forget Bordeaux and try the "Nouvelles Régions". Look for "Minervois" and "Corbières", "Madiran" showing 3 years age. They have reached great quality and prices have kept quite low compared to the Bordeaux folly.
Buy a guide...or look at this site (http://www.wineandco.fr)
I have no commercial interest in it and it is Europe anyway, but their wine list gives you a very good idea of what to buy, and what to expect.A fellow wine lover
Kerry, from Paris FrancePS : if you find those : (prices in Paris), in * * the main label
* Chateau Larrivet-Haut Brion, *Pessac Léognan *
a Graves/Bordeaux , in red or white 45€ approx* Villerambert Julien, *Minervois*
South of France, in red 14 € approx* Le Clos de l'Anhel or La Combe des Oliviers, Corbières
South West France, in red 10 € approx* Les Terrasses Grillées, Saint Chinian
South West France, in red 20 € approxTaste, Drink and then tell me about inferior french wines
PS2 : email me anytime kerry.morgane@laposte.net
In reply of :I have been drinking wines for about thirty years on the a glass-a-day sort of things. I have organized a wine tasting club, which meets once a month. Over the years, we have tasted all kind of wines. But strangely enough. Everytime when we have the French wines, almost everybody disappointed. French Wines (Red) are usually too dry, too harsh, too sour, and too thin, as compared to the Napa's, the Australian, or even the Chilian. All French wines we've had were less than $30/bottle. Now I have a question: Does French wines in general of poor quality? Which I don't think so. Does all good French wine must cost more than $50/bottle or $100++? I have tasted some French wine of over $100/bottle with same disappointment. Do you believe the French wines are less cost effective, or less value when compared with the Australian. Or I have a BIG problem that my taste bud was killed by the cheap wines that I had over the years.
Hello gogoha
I must say i agree.
I have never had a decent French wine.
I just dont know what all the fuss is about its rubbish.Most of my favourite wines come from Australia (Western Australia
produce some fantastic full body reds -Ironstone 15.5 % etc)South African and Some californian are also very nice
but french - yuk!
ps this is my first post -didnt even know there was such a thing as a wine asylumregards
J.bradley
Because French wines from Bordeux, Bourgongne and the Rhone are the most famous in the world the price quality ratio is usually worse than elsewhere.Having said that the best wines in the world when price is not an issue are still made in France today.
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