France

French wine is manufactured all over France, in quantities between 50 and 60 million hectolitres per year, or 7–8 billion bottles. France is one of the principal wine producers in the world. French wine has its glorious history from the 6th century BC, with many of France's regions dating their wine-making history to Roman times. The wines manufactured range from exclusive high-end wines sold internationally to more modest wines typically only seen within France.

Two models fundamental to higher end French wines are the concept of "terroir", which links the style of the wines to the precise locations where the grapes are grown and the wine is made, and the Appellation d'OrigineContrôlée (AOC) system. Appellation rules closely identify which grape varieties and winemaking practices are accepted for categorization in each of France's numerous hundred geographically defined appellations, which can cover entire regions, individual villages or even specific vineyards.

France is the starting place of many grape multiplicity (Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Pinot noir, Sauvignon blanc, Syrah) that are now planted right through the globe, as well as wine-making practices and styles of wine that have been implemented in other manufacturing countries.

French Quality levels and Appellation system
In 1935 several laws were passed to manage the quality of French wine. They established the Appellation d'OrigineContrôlée system, which is governed by a commanding oversight board (Institute National des Appellations d'Origine, INAO). Accordingly, France has one of the oldest systems for protected designation of origin for wine in the world, and strict laws regarding winemaking and manufacture. Many other European systems are modelled after it. The word "appellation" has been put to use by other countries, sometimes in a much looser meaning. As European Union wine laws have been structured after those of the French, this trend is likely to persist with further EU expansion.

French law divides wine into four categories, two falling under the European Union's Table Wine category and two falling under the EU's Quality Wine Produced in a precise Region (QWPSR) alias. The class and their shares of the total French production for the 2005 vintage, apart from wine destined for Cognac, Armagnac and other brandies

Grape varieties
Abundant grape types are harvested in France, including both globally well-known and ambiguous local varieties. Actually, most of the so-called "international varieties" are of French derivation, or became famous and reach because of their cultivation in France. Given that French appellation rules in general limit wines from each area, district or appellation to a small number of allowed grape varieties, there are in standard no varieties that are usually planted all through all the France.

The majority of assortment of grape is chiefly associated with a definite region, such as Cabernet Sauvignon in Bordeaux and Syrah in Rhône, although there are some varieties that are found in two or more regions, such as Chardonnay in Bourgogne (including Chablis) and Champagne, and Sauvignon blanc in Loire and Bordeaux. As an illustration of the rules, though climatic conditions would come out to be encouraging, no Cabernet Sauvignon wines are produced in Rhône, Riesling wines in Loire, or Chardonnay wines in Bordeaux. (If such wines were manufactured, they would have to be declassified to Vin de Pays or French table wine. They would not be permitted to exhibit any appellation name or even region of origin.)

Common Grape varieties are:

Variety	Color	Variety	Color	Variety	Color	Variety	Color
Pinot gris	grey	Alicante Bouschet	red	Ugni blanc	white	Clairette	white
Grenache gris	grey	Muscat de Hambourg	red	Chardonnay	white	Auxerrois blanc	white
Gewurztraminer	pink	Aramon	red	Sauvignon blanc	white	Mauzac	white
Merlot	red	Tannat	red	Melon de Bourgogne	white	Aligoté	white
Grenache	red	Caladoc	red	Sémillon	white	Folle blanche	white
Syrah	red	Grolleau	red	Chenin blanc	white	Chasselas	white
Carignan	red	Marselan	red	Colombard	white	Muscadelle	white
Cabernet Sauvignon	red	Nielluccio	red	Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains	white	Terret blanc	white
Cabernet Franc	red	Fer	red	Grenache blanc	white	Sylvaner	white
Gamay	red	Villard noir	red	Viognier	white	Piquepoul blanc	white
Pinot noir	red	Négrette	red	Riesling	white	Marsanne	white
Cinsaut	red	Malbec	red	Plantet	white	Roussanne	white
Pinot Meunier	red	Vermentino	white	Jacquère	white	Pinot blanc	white
Mourvèdre	red	GrosManseng	white	Macabeu	white	Muscat d'Alexandrie	white