3 of the Best French Wine Regions for Budget Buys

French wine has a reputation for being among the best in the world. Unfortunately, it also has a reputation for being among the priciest as well. Just take a look at the 50 most expensive bottles from 2024. Nearly all of the bottles on that list hail from France — Burgundy, to be specific — with the least expensive going for $5,200.

And while regions like Burgundy and Bordeaux certainly have winemakers producing affordable bottles, they’re overwhelmingly known for their prestige quality and eye-watering prices. But that doesn’t mean all French wine is out of reach. In fact, the country has a multitude of regions and AOCs filled with producers crafting top-notch bottles at wallet-friendly prices.

If you’re looking to explore the world of French wine without shelling out an arm and a leg to do so, here are three of the best French wine regions that offer great value for the price.

Alsace

Tucked up in the Vosges Mountains on the border of both Germany and Switzerland is Alsace, a region predominantly focused on white wine production. Alpine varieties like Riesling, Gewürztraminer, Pinot Bianco, Pinot Gris, Muscat, Chasselas, and Silvaner thrive in the region’s higher altitude and cooler temperatures. Riesling and Gewürztraminer are of particular importance as Alsace is one of the only regions in France producing the varieties.

For a taste of French Riesling, Albert Mann Riesling Cuvée Albert delivers delightful acidity and bursts of chalky citrus for just $26. If you’re looking to sample a bit of Alsatian history, seek out bottles from Pierre Sparr, a historic estate dating back to 1680. The winery’s Pinot Gris is a knockout at just $22, popping with white flower and apricot notes.

The region’s sparkling wine, known as Crémant d’Alsace, offers quite the value as well. Made from grapes like Pinot Blanc, Auxerrois, Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, and Riesling, Crémant d’Alsace is produced in the traditional method, just like Champagne. And just like Champagne, Crémant d’Alsace comes in both brut and rosé, with the latter produced from 100 percent Pinot Noir. While France’s more famous sparkling wine averages around $60 per bottle, Crémant d’Alsace can retail for as low as $20.

Beaujolais

Beaujolais might not always get the attention it deserves, but the region is full of wineries making delicious and affordable bottles. While there are some white wines produced in the region, the vast majority of Beaujolais wines are made from the Gamay grape, resulting in light-bodied, low-alcohol reds with juicy red fruit notes. Due to their fruit-forward qualities, most Beaujolais wines are designed to be consumed in their youth, which typically means they will be more reasonably priced.

For the best budget bottles, look for Beaujolais Nouveau, a style of Beaujolais that’s produced and released just after harvest. Each year, bottles hit the market on the third Thursday of November — a.k.a. Beaujolais Nouveau Day — and typically retail for between $10 and $15. Standard Beaujolais releases aren’t much more expensive. Both Beaujolais AOC and Beaujolais Villages AOC wines, the latter of which can only be made from 38 designated villages in the region, offer tremendous value, with some of the best options retailing for around $25.

Even Cru Beaujolais, the highest level of production in the region, can be found for much less than one might think. The historic Château du Moulin-à-Vent — located in Moulin-à-Vent, one of Beaujolais’ 10 crus — produces a bottle with vibrant acidity and bright orange zest, cranberry, and cherry notes that retails for just $30.

Languedoc

While often combined with the neighboring Roussillon region, Languedoc is actually an independent AOC known for producing some of the best-value wines in France. It’s the largest wine-producing region in the world, with approximately 700,000 acres of vineyards growing fruit for red, white, rosé, sparkling, and sweet wines. Due to the size of the region, there’s ample room to grow various grape varieties and it’s relatively easy for winemakers to produce on a large scale, thus the proliferation of budget-friendly bottlings.

When it comes to red wine in Languedoc, no grapes are more popular than what are referred to as the “Holy Trinity.” A combination of Syrah, Grenache, and Mourvèdre, the blend makes up a large portion of the reds produced in the region, though accompanying grapes like Carignan may also make an appearance. White wines tend to be made from grapes like Vermentino, Marsanne, Roussanne, and Picpoul, though there are knock-out bottles of Sauvignon Blanc produced in the region as well. Comtesse Marion’s bottling is a stellar example, delivering intense passion fruit, jalapeño, and orange zest notes for just $15.

*Image retrieved from Filip Olejowski via stock.adobe.com

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