That is a very complicated question that defies a simple answer, but if I had to answer it in one word, it would be: Burgundy.
One reason I say that is because of the famous Burgundy red wine, known throughout the world as “Burgundy”. It’s made from 100% Pinot Noir grapes and I think most people won’t tell you that a good Burgundy is the best expression of this temperamental variety in the world and quite possibly the best red wine in the world. It is undoubtedly the most expensive wine in the world. That is to say, Burgundy’s most prestigious wine, Romanee-Conti, of which only about 450 cases per year are produced from grapes grown in Romanee-Conti’s 4.5-acre vineyard, is the most expensive wine in the world. The law of supply and demand is obviously at play here but, for example, in 1996, Sotheby’s auctioned off an eight-bottle set of 1990 Romanee-Conti for $224,900; that’s over $28,000 a bottle for a wine that was made just six years earlier! So is it really worth that kind of money? Well, in my opinion, no. It seems to me that if someone had that much money to spend, they could spend it on much more valuable things than wine, but in any case, this is what wine critic Clive Coates has to say about Romanee-Conti:
“This is the purest, most aristocratic and intense example of Pinot Noir you can imagine. Not just nectar: a yardstick by which to judge all other Burgundy.”
The second reason I’d say Burgundy produces the best wine of any wine-producing region in the world is its white wines, the two most famous of which are Chablis and Montrachet. White burgundies are more generally known as “white burgundy” and are mostly made from 100% chardonnay grapes. Chardonnay is without a doubt the most popular white wine grape in the world and, in the opinion of most experts, finds its highest expression in Burgundy. Montrachet, in particular, is considered by many to be the best dry white wine in the world. So Burgundy produces arguably the best red wines and white wines in the world, therefore I would say it is the wine region where the best wines come from.
If I had to choose the best wine producing country in the world, I would have to say France. One of the reasons for that choice is the great Burgundy wines, but that is not the end of the story. While some people consider burgundy to be the world’s finest red, that distinction is usually bestowed on another French wine: Bordeaux, made from the famous “Bordeaux blend” of native French grapes, cabernet sauvignon, merlot and cabernet franc, the first two of which are very popular as varietals in both old and new world wine-producing countries. France also has another excellent white wine-producing region in Alsace, which produces some of the world’s best Rieslings, Gewurztraminers, Pinot Gris, Pinot Blancs and, I haven’t mentioned champagne yet, which is unparalleled among the world’s sparkling wines.
Another indication of France’s dominant position in the world of wine is the undeniable influence the country has had on New World producers: wine grapes grown in Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, South America and California are mostly of French origin. Add even more: due to the fact that France is, in most years, the world’s largest wine producer (Italy surpasses France in some years), there are many excellent French wines available at very reasonable prices. A couple of areas to look for bargains are the Loire Valley and the South of France. It is possible to buy excellent wines made in these regions for as little as $10.00 to $15.00. In fact, you can even get a pretty decent Bordeaux at very reasonable prices. In fact, France is full of good wine deals, for the same reason that it also produces some of the most expensive wines: supply and demand. While some of France’s most sought-after wines are in limited supply, the country also produces a staggering amount of really good wine.
Having already stated that the best wine comes from France, I would like to add a couple of caveats:
- Italy is another claimant to the crown of being the best wine producing country in the world. Their wine production is on the same scale as France’s, they have an impressive diversity of indigenous grape varieties from which they make many excellent wines in the myriad of microclimates with which Italy has been blessed, and Italian wines they are very food friendly. Pairing French wines with food is often a challenge, but it’s usually a much easier task when serving Italian wines.
- While Bordeaux is considered by many to be the best red wine in the world, it twice lost out in head-to-head competition with Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignons. The first time was in 1976 in a blind tasting called the Judgment of Paris. The eleven judges – nine French, one American and one British – gave superior marks to the Napa offerings, which competed with some of Bordeaux’s most famous wines. Some critics called the results inconclusive, claiming that French wines would age better than their American counterparts. Thirty years later a new tasting was held, in which the ten original wines, whose vintages ranged from 1969 to 1973, were once again tasted blind. This time, American wines won hands down, with Napa Valley Cabs taking the top spot. top five places. So it could be argued that the best reds in the world are made in Napa Valley.
In short, I would say that, ultimately, the best wine in the world comes from France. But that is by no means the last word on the subject; there are many more caveats that could be added to the two I mentioned. Quality has been improving year after year in almost every wine-producing country in the world for at least the last two decades. Personally, I regularly drink wines produced in France, Italy, Spain, Australia, New Zealand, the United States, Chile and Argentina. All of these countries produce great wines, many at very reasonable prices. And there are a lot of countries that I haven’t mentioned that also make high quality and interesting wines. It seems to me that the best way to answer the question “Where does the best wine come from?” is to get stuck in and start tasting various wines from different regions of the world yourself. This may not be the shortest route to the answer, but it is certainly the most satisfying.
