A SPECIAL ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT TO THE NEW YORK TIMES MAGAZINE, DECEMBER 10, 2017 Exploring the Famous Wine Regions of France When people discuss the world’s great INSIDE: wine-growing areas, all are compared Beaujolais, Bordeaux, Burgundy, Champagne, with those of France. It’s not just because La Cité du Vin, Château de Pommard, Château of the remarkable wines and spirits they Smith Haut Lafitte, Côtes du Rhône, The House of Hennessy, The Languedoc, Loire Valley, produce. Their appeal stems from the Maison Noilly Prat, Martell, New Aquitaine, poetic beauty of their landscapes, their Occitanie, Provence, Relais & Châteaux deep connection with nature, their This special advertising feature is sponsored by participating advertisers. The material was written embrace of fine food, and their traditions by Andrew Bill (pages 1, 3, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 20), J. L. Iglis (pages 5, 11, 15, 19, 22, 23) and David Lincoln Ross (pages 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 16), and did not involve the reporting or editing staf of The New York Times. worn smooth by the passing of centuries. ©2017 The New York Times ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT Joie de vivre. t’s no coincidence that we use a French phrase to describe the thrill I of feeling fully alive. Anyone who has spent some time exploring the country’s famous wine regions can tell you why. In these quiet rural corners, life spent on the land has nurtured long traditions and slowed the passage of time. The Alsace past lingers in Roman ruins, old-stone PARIS Champagne towns, once-proud castles, soaring cathedrals and the echoing halls of Val de Loire noble chateaux. Languid rivers meander Bourgogne through fields and forests; gorges cut deep into wild mountain terrain; hedge- Jura rows patchwork the hills. Cognac & Pineau Everything goes back to the land. des Charentes Beaujolais The revered terroirs — their climate, soil composition, even the pitch and Vallée Savoie the compass direction of the vineyards Bergerac du — are qualities you can taste. It’s as if Rhône every appellation, village, winery, crus and cuvée has found out what makes it Bordeaux Sud Ouest special and distilled it all into that glass Languedoc Provence you are slowly swirling in your hand. Armagnac To tour one of the French wine areas & Floc de is to stir all five senses. Drive a wine- Gascogne Roussillon Corse route for a day, or stay longer in one www.champagne-patrimoinemondial.org area to determine its differences. Talk with the growers on vineyard picnics, educate your palate, take a cooking class, or attend a festival honoring some Standard Bearers of Outstanding long-ago event or point of local pride. Vignobles & Découvertes Offering perspectives on how to get Universal Value the best out of the most famous French When planning wine regions, this guide has listings of your getaway in upcoming events and touring sugges- the wine regions tions such as designated wine routes, of France, look for e region’s landscape has seen man and nature combine over time to create notable wine estates, historical must- the Vignobles & sees and recommended restaurants Découvertes an exceptional wine, one recognized universally as the symbol of celebration, and hotels. And a broad range of wine (Vineyards & styles — plus Cognac, Armagnac and Discoveries) label. reconciliation and parties. Vermouth — are explored through their Services that display it are committed origins, appellations and famous brands. COVER: A picnic among the vineyards to providing a warm welcome, and pos- of Chinon, in the Touraine region. sess special sensitivity to, and special- À la vôtre! Photo: Stevens Frémont ized knowledge of, the world of wine. ABOVE: Merlot grapes at Châteaux For more information and expert For more information on planning a trip to the Feely, Saussignac. advice, go to visitfrenchwine.com. United Nations Champagne Hillsides, Educational, Scientifc and Houses and Cellars French wine regions, go to visitfrenchwine.com. Cultural Organization inscribed on the World Heritage List in 2015 Crédits photos : Michel Jolyot 3 ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT NEW AQUITAINE New Aquitaine Bordeaux Saint-Emililion vineyard Photo: Vincent Bengold | Vincent Photo: Bouthe Christophe A Brilliant Corner of France Fine Wine and So Much More ew Aquitaine (visit-new-aquitaine or centuries, “Bordeaux” has been most notably, the modern curves of La Cité .com) in southwest France has long Where Great Writers and Great Wines Meet synonymous with fine wine. Central- du Vin — a new attraction completely ded- La Cité du Vin N been known for its amazing diver- Several world-renowned philosophers and writers are native sons of New F ly located within the New Aquitaine icated to wine as a cultural, universal and Opened in June 2016, La Cité du Vin sity. Home to famous wine regions and Aquitaine — and each of these literary lions is intimately tied to its wines. region, Bordeaux (bordeaux-tourism living heritage. Joining them in June 2018 (laciteduvin.com/en) is already an châteaux — Bordeaux, St. Emilion, Médoc, .co.uk) is the gateway to the famed will be the Musée de la Mer et de la Marine, unmissable stop on any trip to Bor- Bergerac, Duras — as well as Cognac and Michel Eyquem de Montaigne, Lord also visit the cellars of the Grand Cru wine-growing region. But this vibrant a waterfront museum that will highlight deaux. Its building is a bold metaphor Armagnac, the region is a world-famous of Montaigne (1533–1592), in and taste the cuisine of Chef at Table port on the Garonne River — just two Bordeaux’s maritime history. Food-wise, for wine itself, with sinuous aluminum magnet for wine and food lovers. Bergerac and Duras Vineyards Private Château Haut-Bailly (haut-bailly hours by high-speed train from Paris — the city has also experienced a renais- panels coiling like a grapevine around Formerly known as Aquitaine, this re- Son of a prosperous local wine mer- .com/en/hospitality.html). has much to offer beyond its venerable sance, becoming a leading dining destina- a shimmering crown that echoes the gion then encompassed the departments chant, Montaigne is author of the vineyards. In addition to its dynamic tion with abundant culinary offerings from swirl of wine in a glass. of Dordogne, Gironde, Landes, Lot-et-Ga- famous “Essais.” In the last years of his Edmond Eugène Alexis Rostand (1868 architecture, gourmet cuisine, and lively palaces of haute cuisine to experimental Inside is a spectacular multisensory ronne, and Pyrénées-Atlantiques. In 2016, life, he dwelled at the family estate in –1918) and Irouléguy Basque Wines music and street-art scenes, Bordeaux is modern bistros to cozy casual cafes. experience that takes visitors around these departments were joined with two the Dordogne; the chateau’s 14th-centu- Like his beloved protagonist Cyrano celebrating its 10th anniversary as a Of course, Bordeaux is intrinsically the world, throughout the ages, and more regions — Poitou-Charentes and ry tower, le Tour de Montaigne, is a na- de Bergerac, Rostand, a poet and Unesco World Heritage site; among its linked with wine; the region is home to across countless cultures and civili- Limousin — to form the new administrative tional Historic Monument in the village playwright, was Provençal of birth but 350 designated historical monuments more than 60 appellations, 7,000 winer- zations to learn about all aspects of entity of Nouvelle-Aquitaine. of Saint Michel de Montaigne. a fiery Gascon in spirit. In the early are the Pey-Berland Tower, Saint-André ies and vineyards, and six wine trails ripe wine — from terroir to the winemak- New Aquitaine boasts some of France’s The surrounding vineyards of 1900s, he and his family moved to Villa Cathedral and Place de la Bourse. for exploration. From June 14 to 18, 2018, ing process to how wine was served most ancient provinces — from the Basque Château de Michel de Montaigne Arnaga (arnaga.com/en-gb/), now a A recent citywide makeover has put the city will host the Bordeaux Wine with food through the ages. region in the Pyrenees mountains west to (chateau-montaigne.com/en), in the museum, in Cambo-les-Bains. a shine on its glorious historic buildings Festival (bordeaux-fete-le-vin.com), a In addition to lively cultural work- Biarritz and the Bay of Biscay along the Bergerac wine appellation, produce Just as Cyrano displayed passion and introduced a strollable riverfront four-day celebration of local vintages. As shops and wine tastings, the museum Spanish border; eastward to the rolling rich red wines, elegant whites and and panache, so too do the wines of promenade that connects Bordeaux to its this is its 20th year, the biennial event will produces temporary exhibitions. hills of Gascony, with its Armagnac; west, easy-drinking rosés. nearby appellations Madiran and Irou- maritime roots. The city has introduced have a special guest: the prestigious Tall “Wine and Music, Chords and Dis- across to Bordeaux, New Aquitaine’s wine léguy, whose rustic reds are sourced innovative urban renewal projects such Ships Regatta, a race for the largest and cords,” from March 23 to June 24, capital; northward to Poitou-Charentes, Charles-Louis de Secondat, from a vibrant blend of the indigenous as the Darwin centre, a former military most beautiful sailing boats in the world. 2018, will explore the relationship with the towns of Cognac and La Rochelle; Baron de La Brède et de Montesquieu Tannat grape and Cabernet Sauvignon. barracks turned green-economy hub. between wine and music from the to Limoges, the center of fine porcelain (1689-1755), in Bordeaux The region also produces elegant yet That’s spurred a building boom, bringing a 16th to 19th centuries. china and capital of Limousin; and, finally, An Enlightenment-era political theorist lively dry and dessert white wines host of architecturally significant additions Savor a glass of wine with pan- eastward to the great city of Poitiers.