Definition: France

France is the third largest wine-producing country in terms of surface area, after Spain and Italy, and ranks second in terms of production, after Italy. However, it is undoubtedly the world's leading wine producer thanks to the diversity and reputation of its appellations. Its wines, grape varieties, cultivation and winemaking methods, as well as its regulations and training institutes, are global benchmarks. With the exception of the north (Nord-Pas-de-Calais, Picardy and the west, Brittany and Normandy), vineyards are spread across the entire country. Climatic differences allow for the production of a wide variety of wines, from ice wines to natural sweet wines.