A beginner’s guide to ordering French wine like a Francophile

A wine from Burgundy, Bordeaux, or the Loire Valley is a great place to start. Once you understand French wine labels, it becomes easier to find the type of wine you enjoy. Bottles of French wine are labeled by regions that range from Alsace to Burgundy to Champagne. When you order French wine, you don’t order a grape; you order an appellation or area of production, the area of production usually [indicates] the grape varietal. If you order a red Burgundy, you know it’s pinot noir. If you order a white Burgundy, you know it’s chardonnay.