The Auswine Forum

Whether for technical, taste related, or financial reasons (or a combo of all those) what do you currently much prefer to drink and/or consider is superior, French wines or Californian wines and please say why.

Interesting timing ... I've just been wondering whether there is much interest in American wines in Australia. And if so what varietals and at what price.

I love a lot of French wine for its finesse, elegance and for the regions they are made. I like to go there and I like to have something to remind me of those places.

I go to the US occasionally but never to the wine regions. I imagine the wines to all be alcoholic, overoaked and overpriced. I've had a couple of nice older ones through friends, but that's about the limit of my experience.

After all, I am Eurocentric

French for variety and price as much as history & taste. Would like to try more US to expand my tastes but it's so hard to find & so bloody expensive.

If Eurocentric had said US over France then you would have to consider them/him/her a fraud!

Ive had a few top American wines in my time but seldom buy them. Too expensive and as already commented on many are over done

Buy a few french wines mainly bdx and champagne

As someone who does get to try quite a few US wines as well as French I'd lean to French, but it depends on the wine. For Chardonnay versus Burgundy I prefer the French styles at pretty much all price levels, and that also goes for Pinot Noir. In fact Pinot Noir in the US can often be unrecognizable in terms of grape character. For Cabernet or Cabernet blends its a toss up. The best from both are expensive but equally good. However if you are talking around $50 then its definitely the French who have the edge; some (not all) of the California Cabs that I have tried recently have been bloody horrible. But the caveat here is that the top French wines, red or white, remain more expensive than their US counterparts. So if you are looking for value at the top end.........

Riesling I can't comment because I have not had any wines from the Finger Lakes in NY which is supposed to be making excellent wines.

Zinfandel? Well as far as I know the French don't make wine from this grape and so you have to give that to the USA; some aged Zins I have had have been beautiful. (Correction: From a Google search I see that Zin is grown in the Languedoc - Domaine de l'Arjolle. I'd still give this to the US.)

Syrah or Syrah blends is a difficult one. The best from France are clearly good but very expensive while the USA wines are really still finding their identity. I've had some excellent Syrah from California and Oregon/Washington. At around $50-70USD you start to get into some special Syrah wines in the US. Big to be sure in some cases but different from what you might expect in an Aussie wine of the same price.

Mike

The way I look at this is to ask myself the following question. If by some mishap a wine growing country got wiped off the map, for which would I weep the most bitter tears?

For me, it is undoubtedly France for the reasons already given by Eurocentric and Jeremy. Over here, if one stays away from top Bordeaux and Burgundy, there is also great QPR to be found in France.

California has the potential to produce great wine and some, e.g. Ridge, are realising that potential. However, an increasing number of producers are going for an over-alcoholic, over-ripe and over-oaked style. Reputable Californian wines rarely make it further than London into Europe and prices are mostly prohibitive.

French wine - on basis of cost, availability, historical interest, source of old world comparison, and (some) knowledge of what to buy. Of course, if you gave me a case of Ridge Monte Bello, I wouldn't be unhappy.

No question French. Tons of ordinary cabernet priced at the level of a 2nd growth from an outstanding year. US whites are average and their sparklers are terrible.

There's some great cabs from Napa, but you need to be a billionaire to afford them. Some reasonable pinots and syrahs, but they are too often hit or miss .

As a fourth generation Californian with access to California wines at US prices, I'd still take French wines over their California equivalents with few exceptions. Even if we made it a national comparison to be fair, I'd still take French wines over American wines in almost all cases.

France has a decided edge in Burgundies, Champagnes, and Sauternes...there is just no comparison. I give France an edge in Bordeaux and Rhone wines mostly because they have a great record of aging well versus their California equivalents. There are easily a dozen older Bordeaux and Rhone wines I'd rather have in my cellar for every California wine that fits in.

For interesting new wine regions and interesting varietals, France does a better job, if for no other reason than the wines are mostly reasonably priced. I'm put off by high priced unknown California wineries or varietals, which is the norm and not the exception. But you can find many low priced French "experimental" wines.

I am a big fan of California Zinfandel's and Petite Sirah's, neither of which are grown much in France.

France for sure.

Interestingly this same question has appeared recently on several different forums, including usenet groups.
Remember usenet? I still enjoy lurking there.


jafa