Major wine regions of France

Alsace is in north-east of France, sharing borders with Germany along the Rhine river with the vineyards are on eastern side of the Vosges mountains. It is a fascinating region that has influences from both the German and French cultures that surround it while creating its own identity. The region has been the scene of many battles for territory and has changed hands between the French and Germans on many occasions.  The vineyard area is a narrow strip stretching 100km from Strasbourg to Mulhouse with a width of 1 – 5km. The AOC vineyards are 15,000ha and producing an average of 1,082,000hl of wines, most of which are whites. As the region is protected from the influences of the prevailing wet weather from the west by the Vosges, it has a dry, semi-continental climate with abundant sunshine and an annual rainfall of 500 to 600mm, the lowest in France. The vineyards are located at 200 to 400m above sea level on the foot of the Vosges. All of which allows grapes to fully ripen late into the year, often achieving very high sugar levels adding sweetness and richness to wines.