France

While it was not the first country to master winemaking, no other country has determined the course of wine and wine culture as much as France. From the sparkling wines of Champagne to the Pinot Noir and Chardonnay of Burgundy; from Bordeaux's sumptuous blends to Alsace's Riesling; and from the Loire Valley's Sauvignon Blancs to exciting new regions like Pays d'Oc in the south, France has given the world nearly all the major styles and grape varieties that dominate what we drink today. There are numerous reasons why France and wine are so inextricably linked, but perhaps the foremost is geography. Few places can rival France's unique array of hot and cool-climate regions and the abundant maritime influences and mountainous terrain found throughout the country.