That’s a very complicated question that defies a simple answer, but if you had to answer it in one word, it would be: Burgundy.

One of the reasons I say that is the famous Burgundy red wine, known around the world as “Burgundy.” It is made from 100% Pinot Noir grapes and I think most people will not be able to argue that a good Burgundy is the best expression of this temperamental varietal in the world and possibly the best red wine in the world. Without a doubt, it is the most expensive wine in the world. Namely, Burgundy’s most prestigious wine, Romanee-Conti, of which only about 450 cases are produced per year from grapes grown in the 4.5-acre Romanee-Conti 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 a set of eight bottles of 1990 Romanee-Conti for $ 224,900; That’s more than $ 28,000 a bottle for a wine that was made just six years earlier! So is it really worth that amount of money? Well, in my opinion, no. It seems to me that if someone has that much money to spend, they could spend a lot more valuable things on it than wine, but in any case, here’s what wine critic Clive Coates has to say about Romanee-Conti:

“This is the purest, aristocratic and intense example of Pinot Noir you can imagine. Not just nectar: ​​a yardstick by which to judge all other Burgundians.”

The second reason I would say that Burgundy produces the best wine of any wine region in the world is its white wines, the two most famous being Chablis and Montrachet. White Burgundy are more generally known as “White Burgundy” and are made primarily from 100% Chardonnay grapes. Chardonnay is undoubtedly the most popular white wine grape in the world and, in the opinion of most experts, finds its greatest 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 that 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’s not the end of the story. While some people consider Burgundy to be the finest red in the world, that distinction is generally awarded to 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 the wine-producing countries of the old and new world. France also has another excellent white wine producing region in Alsace, which produces some of the best Rieslings, Gewurztraminers, Pinot Gris, Pinot Blancs in the world, and I have not mentioned Champagne yet, which is unparalleled among sparkling wines in the world.

Another indication of France’s dominant position in the world of wine is the undeniable influence that the country has had on New World producers: wine grapes grown in Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, South America and California are predominantly from 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 a few 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. Excellent wines made in these regions can be purchased for as little as $ 10.00 to $ 15.00. In fact, you can even get a pretty decent Bordeaux for very reasonable prices. In fact, France is packed with good wine offerings, 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:

1. Italy is another contender for the crown of being the best wine-producing country in the world. Their wine production is on the same scale as that of France, they have an impressive diversity of native grape varieties from which they make many excellent wines in the myriad of microclimates that Italy has been blessed with, and Italian wines are very food-friendly. It is often a challenge to pair French wines with food, but generally a much easier task when serving Italian wines.
2. While Bordeaux is considered by many to be the best red wine in the world, it lost twice in head-to-head competition to the Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignons. The first time was in 1976 at a blind tasting called The Judgment of Paris. The eleven judges, nine French, one American and one British, gave superior ratings to Napa’s offerings, which competed with some of Bordeaux’s most famous wines. Some critics considered the results inconclusive and claimed that French wines would age better than their American counterparts. 30 years later, a new tasting was held, in which the original ten wines were blind-tasted again, with a vintage from 1969 to 1973. This time, American wines won hands down, with Napa Valley Cabs taking the top spot. first 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’s 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 consume wines produced in France, Italy, Spain, Australia, New Zealand, the United States, Chile and Argentina. All of these countries produce excellent wines, many at very reasonable prices. And there are a lot of countries that I haven’t mentioned that also produce interesting, high-quality wines. It seems to me that the best way to answer the question “Where does the best wine come from?” is to get stuck and start tasting various wines from different regions of the world yourself. This may not be the shortest route to finding the answer, but it is certainly the most satisfactory.