I spent Friday afternoon at the Vancouver International Wine Festival 2026 tasting French red wines. Here are my favourite French wines from the International Festival Tasting Room. There is a fairly even distribution of red wines from different regions of France (and therefore different varietals) in my picks below. Enjoy.
My French Red Wine Selections
Castel Frères Exclusive Aspirant de Beycheville 2021 – Medium garnet colour. Nice aromas of berries and candied cherries, plus a touch of capsicum. Lighter body, dry with a lean mouthfeel. Red fruit and red cherries on the palate. Medium acidity and medium-plus tannins. 
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Gabriel Meffre Plan de Dieu Red 2024 – Light garnet colour. Light berry fruits and sweet spice aromas. Medium-minus body with a soft, lean mouthfeel. Red berries and sweet spices plus a touch of pepperiness. Light flavours. Lightly drying tannins. –
Domaine Laroche Mas La Chevalier Pinot Noir 2023 – Clear, pale garnet colour. Light intensity aromas of candied cherries and a touch of sweet spices that continue to the palate. You also get bright red fruit flavours on the palate. Lighter bodied. Medium acidity with drying tannins. –
Gérard Bertrand Chateau L’Hospitalet Grand Vin Rouge 2022 – Medium garnet colour. Light cherry aromas. Off-dry or fruity, light body with soft mouthfeel. Red fruits and nutmeg o the palate. Medium acidity and light tannins. –
Gérard Bertrand Chateau Le Soujeole Grand Vin Rouge 2019 – Garnet colour with some bricking. Aged red fruit, leather and some sweet spices on the nose. Medium-minus body, dry with a lean mouthfeel. Aged red fruit, light oak and a touch of pepperiness. Medium acidity and tannins. –
Château Monlot No. 5 Bordeaux 2024 – A deeper garnet colour with bricking. Light leather nose. Black and red fruits plus capsicum on the palate. Medium-plus tannins and medium acidity. –
Château Monlot 2016 – This is their Grand Cru wine. It has a medium garnet colour. Medium-minus intensity aromas of aged berry fruits and oak. Aged fruit on the palate along with touches of oak and sweet spices. Light mouthfeel and medium acidity.
