French wines worth knowing

Eight bottles that map the great regions without emptying your wallet.

Bookmarks

1. Domaine Zind-Humbrecht Riesling Clos Windsbuhl

   5/5

   Dry, precise Alsace — nothing like the sweet cliché.

2. Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande

   5/5

   Elegant Pauillac; open it after ten years in the cellar.

3. Champagne Egly-Ouriet Brut Tradition

   5/5

   Vinous, picked ripe: a Champagne for the table, not the toast.

4. Chablis Premier Cru Montée de Tonnerre

   5/5

   Taut, mineral Chardonnay — the definition of Chablis.

5. Domaine Gauby Vieilles Vignes Blanc

   4/5

   High-altitude Roussillon, saline — the opposite of the southern cliché.

6. Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape

   4/5

   Thirteen grape varieties, black pepper and wild herbs.

7. Domaine Huet Vouvray Le Mont Sec

   4/5

   Loire Chenin, quince and chalk, built to age forever.

8. Domaine Tempier Bandol Rouge

   4/5

   Sun-soaked Mourvèdre; wait five years before judging it.