📍 Lorraine
The small Côtes de Toul and Moselle areas in the north-east.
Lorraine is a small wine area in north-eastern France, on the border with Luxembourg and Germany. There were once far more vineyards here, but their area shrank greatly over time.
Today the main zones are Moselle (named after the Moselle river, which flows on into Germany), Côtes de Toul and Côtes de Meuse. The climate is cool and continental, so wines are light with bright acidity. The rosé Gris de Toul, a very pale wine from Gamay and Pinot Noir, is well known.
Growers plant the local whites Aubin blanc and Aubin vert, as well as Gamay, Pinot Noir and a little Malbec. White, red, rosé and sparkling wines are made.
Lorraine is part of French winemaking and borders Alsace and Champagne. If a label says Moselle without mentioning Germany or Luxembourg, the wine was made in this French area. Lorraine wines are drunk mostly on the spot with local cooking, such as quiche Lorraine, and are seldom found outside the region. The name Lorraine on a label shows that the grapes grew in this very area, which makes it easy to look for similar wines.
How it connects to Wine
📍 Lorraine ← grows in ← 🍇 Gamay → kind of → 🍇 Grape varieties → kind of → 🍷 Wine
Links
Frequently asked questions
Where is Lorraine?
In north-eastern France, near Luxembourg and Germany.
Which zones does it have?
Moselle, Côtes de Toul and Côtes de Meuse.
What is Gris de Toul?
A very pale rosé from Gamay and Pinot Noir.
What to read next
- 🥃 Mirabelle (mirabelle plum spirit) — Mirabelle is a spirit of fermented mirabelle plums, a small yellow plum: in the EU from 37.5% ABV, methanol up to 1200 g/hl; three protected names (Lorraine, Alsace, Black Forest).
- 🥃 Mirabelle de Lorraine — Mirabelle de Lorraine is a clear fruit spirit made from mirabelle plums grown in Lorraine: EU protected name and French AOC since 2015, at least 45% ABV, aged at least 6 months.
- 🍷 Red wine — Wine from dark grapes that ferments with the skins and takes its colour from them.
- 🍷 Still wine — Wine without noticeable bubbles: EU category 1, at least 8.5–9 % actual alcohol and no more than 15 % total; red, white, rosé or orange.
- 🍷 White wine — Wine made from grape juice without the skins; it can come from pale and even dark berries.
Similar
📜 Charentais · 📜 Coteaux de Coiffy · 📜 Coteaux de l'Ain · 📜 Haute-Marne · 📜 Méditerranée · 📜 Puy-de-Dôme
⚠️ Wine contains alcohol: adults only, drink in moderation. Wine usually contains sulphites; egg white or milk proteins are sometimes used for fining — important for allergies and for vegans.
What it includes
Sources
- INAO
- eAmbrosia – EU geographical indications register
- eAmbrosia – EU geographical indications register