France

French wine is produced throughout France, in quantities ranging from 50 to 60 million hectoliters per year, or 7–8 billion bottles. France is one of the world’s leading wine producers, alongside the wine regions of Italy, Spain, and the United States. The history of French wine dates back to the 6th century B.C., with many French regions tracing their winemaking history to Roman times. The wines produced range from expensive wines sold internationally to modest wines usually found only in France, such as Margnat wines during the postwar period.

Two central concepts for the finest French wines are the notion of terroir—which links the style of the wines to the places where the grapes are grown and the wine is produced—and the Appellation d'origine contrôlée (AOC) system, which was replaced by the Appellation d'Origine Protégée (AOP) in 2012. The appellation rules strictly define which grape varieties and winemaking practices are approved for classification within each of France’s hundreds of geographically defined appellations, which may cover regions, villages, or vineyards.

France is the origin of many grape varieties (such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc, and Syrah) that are now grown around the world, as well as winemaking practices and wine styles that have been adopted by other wine-producing countries. Although some producers have benefited in recent years from rising prices and increased demand for certain prestigious wines from Burgundy and Bordeaux, the French wine industry has seen a decline in domestic consumption and, internationally, has had to compete with many new wines from around the world.