France

HPS in France

It is generally assumed that the Romans planted the first cultivated vines in France, although some evidence points to the Greeks. We will never know. What we do know is that France quickly became the world’s leading producer for both quality and quantity. That was true for 2,000 years and is probably still true today. France and Italy‘s production are about equal. Quality is subjective but France’s range of fine, great and unique wines still give it first place in the minds of most professionals and consumers worldwide.

Burgundy, Bordeaux and Champagne are France’s “Holy Trinity” of great wine regions. Hand Picked Selections sells wines from all three but they are only a fraction of our sales. Their lofty and ancient reputations can work against the consumer. The greatest producers – the Leroys, Lafites, Krugs, make the world’s greatest wines. They sell at breathtaking prices. Lesser producers “piggy-back” on their reputations. These are undoubtedly great wine regions and HPS sells the best values we can find from each, but our focus in France is elsewhere.

For almost 2 decades, HPS has specialized in the wines of Southern France, which includes the regions of Languedoc, Roussillon, the Southern Rhône and Provence. Historically, these regions are less renowned than those of France’s “Holy Trinity”, so prices are generally more modest. However, as modern technology allows old vineyards to achieve new levels of quality, the hierarchy of centuries can be upset in a few decades, or even years! Today, these are among the world’s most exciting wine regions, offering unparalleled value across all price points, from $10-$12 wines for everyday drinking to iconic, limited-production releases that can be counted among the world’s greatest wines.