Best red wine, Gérard Bertrand helps you make the right choice

In France, the best red wines are all different

By reputation, the best French red wines are often associated with Bordeaux or Burgundy, two wine regions that produce an incredible number of fine wines, such as Pommard and Nuits-Saint-Georges in Burgundy, and Saint-Emilion Grand Cru and Pessac-Léognan in Bordeaux. Yet limiting yourself to just these two regions when choosing the best French red wine would be a real mistake. Many other terroirs produce outstanding wines, particularly in Alsace, Provence, the Rhône Valley and Languedoc-Roussillon.

France has a great diversity of climates and landscapes, which explains why it produces such varied wines, each with its own characteristics.

Languedoc-Roussillon wines or Côtes du Rhône wines, for example, offer a particularly appealing balance of power and delicacy. Wines such as Beaumes de Venise, Gigondas and Vacqueyras come from some of the most prestigious appellations.

Further south, in Occitanie, grapes enjoy abundant sunshine thanks to the Mediterranean climate, producing generous, powerful and smooth wines. This is particularly true of the Gérard Bertrand Grands Vins selection, which brings together bottles counted among the best French red wines. Examples include wines from Château l'Hospitalet, Château de Villemajou and Château de la Soujeole: three exceptional wines, each with a unique character. Vintage and grape variety are also factors to consider when choosing a bottle of red wine.

While the vintage brings subtle variations in taste and flavour, the grape varieties used unmistakably reveal their full character:

These include:

• The Pinot Noir (Haute Vallée de l'Aude), supple and delicate
• The Merlot (Aude Hauterive, Malepère), rounded, soft and silky
• The Syrah (Minervois La Livinière, La Clape), powerful yet supple
• The Grenache (Terrasses du Larzac), full and robust
• The Carignan (Corbières-Boutenac), tannic, powerful and structured

Explore all our red wines and Gérard Bertrand wine collections.