France

Winemakers in Alsace have been active since the Roman conquest.

Chablis is located south east of Paris and is classified as part of Burgundy, even though it is closer to Champagne than other parts of Burgundy, and some distance from the rest of Burgundy.

The Beaujolais region covers a 34 mile stretch from the south of Burgundy to as far as Lyon. It produces more than twice as much wine as Burgundy. Gamay is the only black grape grown in Beaujolais. There is a little white Beaujolais produced but almost all is red.

The Burgundy area, often called Bourgogne, stretches north-south from Chablis in the north, through Cote de Nuits, Cotes de Beaune, Cote de Chalonnais, Cotes de Macon. Furthest south is Beaujolais which is sometimes included as part of Burgundy.

There are several classification systems in Bordeaux. Those classifications may refer to particular parts of Bordeaux or its entirety.

Briefly put, Cognac is nothing but brandy. But, oh, how misleading is that little phrase 'nothing but'. Not for nothing is this fine spirit as well-known and widely appreciated the world over as champagne.

Spirits or liquor, such as scotch or bourbon, are made from grains and distilled. Wine, by contrast, is the product of fermented grapes.

A French cook tries to bring out the flavor locked inside each simple vegetable and piece of meat, adding a little of this spice or that herb when food tastes too bland, balancing all the ingredients so no flavor overpowers the other.

Tales of the origin of Camembert abound, all of them full of romantic drama.

In Burgundy, the wine labels say much about the terroir and little about the grapes. Burgundy is a complex area. Getting to know all its land takes a lifetime.