Old world wines: France

So, you think you're hot stuff eh? Popping into your local wine shop and picking up a couple of bottles of Shiraz, a litre of Chardonnay and then feeling a pang of disappointment to find your favourite Californian cab is out of stock.

The relative ease of navigating through new world wines (basically from anywhere other than Europe) has made wine accessible to the masses. If you know what grape varietals you like you can browse through selections from Australia, Chile, South Africa, the U.S., and of course Canada, to find what you're looking for -- a big Cabernet Sauvignon to go with your steak dinner or a refreshing Riesling to sip on the patio on a hot summer afternoon.

But there, lurking in the middle of the liquor store are wines from France. Almost taunting you with their charming labels and delicious-sounding names -- Bordeaux, Cotes du Rhône, Beaujolais, Alsace, etc. So you walk over, stare at the glorious bottles in front of you with a mixture of curiosity and fear, then lower your head, divert your eyes and scamper off to familiar territory. Woooh, that was a close one.

If this scenario sounds familiar in any way, relax, you're not alone and your condition need not be chronic.

French winemakers are catching on to this North American fear of the old country and beginning to label some of their wines by grape as well as region but many higher quality wines still only label their products by region. So, in light of that, here's a quick and dirty guide to France's major wine regions and what you can expect from them.

A general rule for many wines produced in France, or the rest of the old world for that matter, is that they tend to be blends of two or three different varietals, whereas wine from Australia or the U.S., for example, are more likely to be made using one kind of grape. Nonetheless, each of France's wine regions grow distinct varietals and therefore produce distinct-tasting wines.

Bordeaux (a.k.a. Big Daddy)
The country's largest wine region produces medium to Mac-daddy red wines from Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Malbec grapes.

Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon comprise most of the white vines in Bordeaux and produce light to medium dry table wines but perhaps more importantly, they're used to make the famous sweet Sauterne wines.

The Rhône Valley (a.k.a. Big Mama)
Syrah (or Shiraz, as the new world likes to call it) is the rockstar red variety in the Rhône Valley but don't expect it to be as robust as your fave Australia Shiraz. Terroir (fancy speak for soil and sun) as well as production techniques mean French Syrah tend to taste lighter then their new world counterparts.

The other most popular red is Grenache (also the most widely planted grape on the planet) and like Syrah it's a heavyweight contender -- best drunk with game meats or spicy beef.

For whites in Rhône you're looking primarily at Viognier, a kissing cousin to Chardonnay that's rich and weighty in the mouth.

Burgundy (a.k.a. Chemically-imbalanced cousin)
Beaujolais and Chablis are two districts within Burgundy -- which is known mostly for its Pinot Noir and Chardonnay wines. Just remember light reds from Beaujolais and big whites from Chablis and you shouldn't have a problem.

Alsace (a.k.a. Cool blonde neighbour)
Located on the boarder with Germany, Alsace produces mostly light and refreshing white wines such as Riesling, Gewürztraminer and Pinto Gris.

Champagne (a.k.a. Party girl)
Just south of Alsace, Champagne is famous worldwide for blending the best fizzy wine from Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Pinto Meunier grapes. It's also the one wine-producing region in France that most people have already figured out -- now if we could only afford to drink it more often!