Paul Jaboulet Aine Le Chant des Griolles Muscat de Beaumes-de-Venise 2010 / 375 ml.

France's picturesque Rhone Valley produces wines just as beautiful as its landscapes. Located in Southern France, the Rhone is divided into two distinct sub-regions, the Northern Rhone and Southern Rhone. In the Northern Rhone, you'll find red wines produced predominantly with the Syrah grape, which oftentimes take a few years to mature before reaching their peak. Meanwhile, there are a wide array of red grapes used to produce wines in the Southern Rhone, including Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvedre (which together produce a blend known as GSM). The most famous red wine coming out of the Southern Rhone is the red blend, Chateauneuf-du-Pape.

The French did not invent winemaking. They simply perfected it. For centuries, France has been producing wines that inspire poetry, awe, and wonder; wines that blur the lines between nature, craftsmanship, cuisine and art. These are the wines that inspired cultures around the globe to follow in France’s footsteps, planting Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Syrah, Grenache, Merlot, Semillon and more.

Yet as often as they are emulated, the magic of their terroirs can never be duplicated. You may taste Cabernet from around the world, but perhaps none as elegant and regal as Bordeaux. You may try Pinot Noir or Chardonnay from various climates, but none with the earth-bound soul and ethereal reach of Burgundy.