France

The earliest history of French wine goes back to the 6th century BC, and many of France's regions count their wine-making history to Roman times.  France is the original source of many grape varieties (such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc and Syrah), winemaking practices, and critically acclaimed wine regions (such as Bordeaux, Burgundy, and Champagne).  French wine plays an important role in French identity and pride. The combination of French wine and the equally influential French gastronomy has been an important one.

Two central concepts to high-quality French wines are the notion of terroir and the Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée (AOC) system.  Terroir refers to the unique combination of natural factors associated with any particular vineyard.  These factors include such things as soil, underlying rock, altitude, slope of hill or terrain, orientation toward the sun, and microclimate (typical rain, winds, humidity, temperature variations, etc.).  Even in the same area, no two vineyards have exactly the same terroir, thus being the base of the Appellation d'origine contrôlée (AOC) system that has been model for appellation and wine laws across the globe.