Le Tour du Vin

Every July, millions tune in to see the grandest cycling event in the world. But it’s not just the bike tournament itself that enchants us: the architecture, sunflowers, mountains and TV helicopters, all of it makes for the summer’s best sporting show. And alongside the Tour, which one thing is synonymous with France? Wine, of course.

From the vineyards of Alsace to the caves of Bordeaux, from Asterix’s barrel to Gérard Depardieu’s cellar, wine is the cultural blood of the country, with its history reaching back to the Roman Empire (santé, Caesar!). And wine isn’t simply about quenching your thirst and getting merry, it’s about the land – the terroir. Each region has its own distinctive soil, climate and, of course, grape varieties. Once those grapes become wine, it can be the ultimate expression of the land from which it’s grown.

The main wine regions are traditionally listed as Bordeaux, Burgundy, Rhône, Alsace, Champagne, Loire, Languedoc and Provence. And using the Grand Boucle as a virtual wine tour is the perfect way to discover each. This year’s route takes a clockwise ‘loop’, heading from Calais down to the Alps, and then southwest to cross the Pyrenees, and finally back up to Paris. So, rather than give you a rundown of each stage of the race, here instead is a general classification of grand crus and world champion vintages that come from the fertile soils of France.

Stages 1 – 4 : Start with water and bread

The Grand Départ of this year’s edition takes place in bike-centric Denmark. So, with the upmost respect to our Nordic friends, we’ll skip those and use these first three stages as a palate cleanser. After a rest/transfer day the peloton arrives in France proper for a sprinter’s stage between Calais and Dunkerque. Not known for wine, apart from the duty free.

Stages 5 and 6 : Champagne

A mini-spring-classics is on the cards in the French northeast, with cobbled sectors and a detour into the Ardennes. This is undoubtedly where the race will really begin to fizz. So, as we’re not a million miles away, let’s begin our wine odyssey with the finest (most expensive) bubbles known to humanity.

Champagne vintages are commonly made blending Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier and Chardonnay, but the more elegant ‘blanc de blancs’ are 100% Chardonnay. Vinification involves a secondary fermentation (adding more yeast and sugar to produce carbon dioxide) to create those celebratory bubbles. There’s a lot to discover here beyond the big dogs like Krug, Cristal and Dom Pérignon, and single estate wines such as Billecart Salmon are highly regarded.

Other more affordable makers, such as G. Tribaut, and family-run Piot Sévillano, are just a cork-pop away. Or, perhaps, you’ll seek out Castelnau’s cuvée Véloce, the Tour’s official VIP Champagne (apparently).

Food pairing : Oysters

Stage 7 : Alsace

The first stage with a summit finish, the route runs parallel with the region of Alsace. Most notable for its white wines (although they do Pinot Noir well), the area’s proximity to Germany and its curvaceous landscape have made it one of the best places for Rieslings and Gewürztraminer wines, alongside Pinot Gris and Muscat. There are 51 ‘Grand Crus’ (top-end vineyards) in the vicinity, with a variety of soil types promoting fresh and formidable profiles. We recommend one of the region’s dry and bright Rieslings. Famed Alsace vignerons include Humbrecht, Hugel, Cave de Turckheim and Rolly Gassmann. Expect zesty attacks and a distinctive finish.

Food pairing : Tarte Flambée

Stage 8 : Burgundy

Moving swiftly on, we’re veering slightly west of the stage and dipping our noses into world-renowned Burgundy. Arguably the place for the most romantic, and some of the most expensive, vintages; the Côte d’Or, a patch of vineyards just south of Dijon, is where you’ll find the world’s best examples of single variety Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. The Beaujolais made further south of here offers better value for money, with crus such as Cote de Brouilly and Fleurie. Created with Gamay grapes, Beaujolais is best served slightly chilled.

Food Pairing : 24-month-aged Comté (cheese)

Stages 9 – 11 : Rhône Valley

We’re into the Alps now, and there’s a lot to discover. It’s a very diverse region where you could try a dry full-bodied white from the Jura or a spicy red from the Savoie. Châteauneuf-du-Pape is typically known as the pinnacle of Rhône vintages, the Col du Galibier of red wine (although they do produce a few whites in this appellation too). Some Châteauneuf-du-Pape vintages are so good even beings from outer space are believed to have to been spotted hovering over the vineyards.

Outstanding Châteauneuf-du-Pape wines include those from Domaine du Vieux Telegraphe, Chateau Rayas and Guigal. More affordable but often great reds come from the Rhône villages of Cairanne, Sablet and Lirac. Apparently, some grape varieties from the Rhône date back to the Greeks; cuvées made with Grenache and Syrah or whites using Viognier are fail-safe.

Food pairing : Tartiflette

Stage 13 : Provence

The Tour isn’t visiting Provence this year, but we had to include Café du Cycliste’s home region. For something that sings of summer in southern France, a bottle of Provençal rosé will really quench the thirst, especially after a sprint finish, or alongside the world-famous fish stew, Bouillabaisse. Rosé is made with red grape varieties but macerated with minimal skin contact, and so colour and character depends on the grapes and vinification method. One of the most revered rosé producers is the Domaine Tempier estate in Bandol, their rosé is made using Mourvèdre, Grenache and Cinsault grapes.

For wines local to Nice, Chateau de Bellet’s floral whites go perfectly with seafood.

Stage 14 – 18 : Languedoc–Rousillon and Sud Ouest

Moving west towards the Pyrenees, the Languedoc is home to some essential appellations including the ever-popular Picpoul de Pinet whites. The south-west wine region is vast and made up of disparate wine-making pockets. And as the race itself undoubtedly reaches its climax, you’ll find some very intense reds to enjoy. Côtes-de-Bergerac is full bodied and complex and made to extremely strict harvesting conditions. Cahors is a Dordogne wine which is even more robust, and perfect for a mountaintop finish. Wines made with native Tannat grapes are also rather punchy. Sweet wines can also be found in the mountains, such as Jurançon-sec and whites using Petit Manseng are outstanding.

Cheese pairing : Rocamadour

Stage 19 – 20 : Bordeaux

You can’t do a tour of French wine without at least a whiff of the world’s best known winemaking region. Wine classification began here in 1855 and cuvées of thick-skinned Cabernet Sauvignon (left-bank) and Merlot (right-bank) create both powerful and smooth vintages. There are also sweet Sauternes produced here, in the sub-region of Graves, which is also where ‘Claret’ (as Bordeaux wine was referred to in the UK) was originally exported to England from. The most expensive wines here are from the left bank, known by some as ‘millionaire’s vinegar’, and offer more length and robustness than an uphill time trial. The First Growth wines of Châteaus Lafite Rothschild and Margaux will not be for everyone, so look for smaller producers from appellations such as St. Emilion, Pauillac and Médoc.

Food pairing : Steak frites

Stage 21 : Loire Valley

The final stage is of course traditionally about a glass of Champagne (see above) for the rider in the yellow jersey, but you might wish to visit the Loire further west of Paris. Cremant from the Loire is made in the Champagne method using Chenin Blanc grapes and the south-facing slopes of the region also produce excellent whites with Sauvignon Blanc and Sancerre. The red wines of the Loire using Cabernet Franc are worth investigating, such as producers in Saumur Champigny and Bourgeil. These wines are best served lightly chilled.

As American Francophile and food writer Richard Olney said it’s ‘difficult to touch with words the soul of a wine.’ Therefore, we suggest the best way to discover the wines of France is to saddle up, and head for the vineyards (or wine shop). Don’t forget the corkscrew.

The best Gnocchi in the world

Found in the Cottian Alps, shared with old friends and served by new friends in a mountain retreat that momentarily mutes the volume on modern life.

The best socca in the world

Can only come from Nissa la Bella. A niche local speciality, best enjoyed after a starter of Cols Eze and Madone, it's more niçois than Nice itself.

The best crêpe in the world

Found in France. Obviously. A specific part of France, the place where it was invented. The rugged, coastal and rural Bretagne.

The best pizza in the world

Not from Italy - though it is made not far from the Italian border, in the French Alpes Maritimes.