Mon dieu! According to a recent report, the French are drinking less wine than ever.
A survey conducted by the CNIV (the trade association for appellation wine marketing boards) found that fewer than one in 10 are pouring a glass of their native vin rouge every day, compared to 50 per cent in the 80s.
But rather than a shift towards drinking less, it might be argued there has been a side-step to drinking differently. co*cktail culture in France has boomed in the last 20 years, with bars likeLittle Red Door in Paris setting global standards for their modern mixed drinks.
The French love of co*cktails should come as no surprise. They’ve been creating sensational spirits for centuries. When phylloxera decimated vineyards in the mid-19th century the nation leaned into their wider drinks offering, with absinthe and triple sec orange liqueur amongst the favourites. Indeed the famousHarry’s New York Bar in Paris is credited with creating classics including the Bloody Mary, French 75, Sidecar and lesser known but equally tasty Monkey Gland.
Along with the beautiful historic drinks though, the French are now matching the rest of the world in distilling innovation, not least in whisky. France has long been the world’s largest consumer of whisky, with only India briefly usurping it, but now distillers are having a successful crack at making their own.
So, if travelling there this summer, you owe it to yourselves to go beyond the wine, and for those enjoying the Olympics from the sofa, then many of the best are now becoming available in the UK.
Rinquinquinà la Pêche
15%,The Whisky Exchange, £25.25 for 75cl
Provence’s bountiful array of distinctive botanicals has made it a centre for distilling experimentation since the Middle Ages. TheDistilleries et Domaines de Provence have harnessed these natural resources in their beautiful herbal concoctions such as the Grande Absente Absinthe (69%,The Whisky Exchange, £53.50 for 70cl) and Henri Bardouin Pastis (45%,Waitrose, £33, down to £19). The distillery’s Rinquinquin peach liqueur is a truly unique offering, made by infusing white wine with fresh peaches and leaves from the region, it’s bursting with fruit flavour.
How to drink it
The name means ‘invigorating’ so a simple serve over ice is a taste of Provençal perfection, but it’ll also make a simple twist on a Bellini if you top a 40ml measure with sparkling French wine in a coupe or flute.
Dolin Chambéryzette Strawberry Aperitif
16%,Master of Malt, £18.50 for 75cl
Dolin has been making its white aperitif wines in the alpine town of Chambéry since 1820. Its Chambéryzette is a real hidden gem. A blend of vermouth de Chambéry and strawberry liqueur, it has a gentle botanical bitterness to offset a gorgeous, thick rich strawberry sweetness.
How to drink it
The locals drink it neat over ice, and you should simply leave it at that, but if you want to make it longer, then lengthen with soda water.
Citadelle Gin
44%,Amathus Drinks, £33.60 for 70cl
Maison Ferrand is a progressive distillery that loves to delve into the past to make drinks for modern tastes, so you’ll discover glorious cognacs made to a formula from 1840 and fascinating rums that are the result of experiments with barrel finishes. This gin is another mix of tradition and innovation, distilled in cognac stills made from Charentais copper, it’s flavoured using a patented infusion method. And while the 19 botanicals are not all native, it does include juniper berries, violet root and star anise from France. All in all, this gin is ‘très Francais’. Also worth trying is the equally French Cornichon Gin. (44%,The Whisky Exchange, £42.75)
How to drink it
Try it neat over ice first to enjoy the botanicals or in a simple G&T. Then try a White Lady co*cktail and stir in some of the stunning Ferrand Dry Curacao Triple Sec
(40%,Hedonism Wines, £33.25 for 70cl).
Suze
15%,Spirits Kiosk, £18.95 for 70cl,
Suze is more of an acquired taste, dominated by its lightly bitter gentian flavour. The gentian root is taken from a mountain flowering plant, which takes 10 years to fully grow, before it’s macerated in neutral alcohol for a year and distilled with other botanicals. Incredibly complex and loved by discerning drinkers, it was also –quelle surprise –the inspiration for Pablo Picasso’s Cubist Verre et bouteille de Suze.
How to drink it
Fans of the Negroni will love the flavour profile of Suze, so use it in a White Negroni, which retains the gin, but substitutes the Campari for Suze, and vermouth with another legendary French apéritif wine, Lillet Blanc (17%,Waitrose, £20)
Calvados Coquerel VSOP
40%,Master of Malt, £34.86, for 70cl,
To say the apple distillate Calvados tastes of apple might sound like a given, but many don’t. Coquerel really does. This VSOP is alive with the flavours from 40 different cider varieties. It’s the perfect balance of fruit, coupled with careful resting in French oak foudres, which adds a subtle rich spice.
How to drink it
Another solid French staple of your home bar will be Cointreau (40%,Waitrose, £19, down to £15 until 27 August). Use it here to make a Calvados Sidecar – mix 45ml calvados, 20ml Cointreau, 20ml fresh lemon juice and two dashes of orange bitters and shake over ice.
Kornog Peated French Single Malt Whisky
46%,The Whisky Exchange, £94,95 for 70cl
French whisky makers are enjoying the freedom to embrace traditional Scottish production methods while also exploring experimental techniques.Celtic Whisky Distilleriehas been operating in Northern Brittany since 1997 and has quietly built a strong reputation for its characterful whiskies. It makes two styles of single malt – the unpeated Glann Ar Mor (46%,The Whisky Exchange, £91.25) and the exceptional softly and sweetly peated Kornog.
How to drink it
Best enjoyed neat, maybe with a little water to open the spirit up.
Hautes Glaces Episteme R18P23B Yellow Circle Malted Rye Whisky
47%,The Whisky World, £79.90 for 50cl, Whisky Exchange
Haute Glaces up in the Alps is breaking ground with terroir trials and making organic whiskies. The Yellow Circle Malted Rye can be paired with its relative the R18P23B, both were made using rye from the same plot. By harvesting the same grain from different parts of the plot, they present a discernible flavour difference in this rich but gently spicy whisky.
How to drink it
As above, keep it neat.
Tom Sandham is one half ofThinking Drinkers who are taking their new drinks tasting musical to the Edinburgh Fringe from 31 July to 25 August. Tickets from £10.
