When the words "French countryside" come to mind, many people envision rolling hills, sunny, seemingly endless days, and beautiful cuisine to match the lifestyle. While that reality exists, NexTerra's trips to the French countryside are specifically conducted during the winter months, the perfect time for assessing new vintage wines produced the prior autumn.
2026's French journey began in the south, near Montpellier. The Languedoc region boasts a superb Mediterranean lifestyle and is one of France's largest wine-producing regions. Almost all grape varietals grow well in the region, making it a playground for wine sourcing, blending, and creation. Many of the wines we source from this region reflect that versatility, including projects like Marisole, which highlight the character and balance Languedoc wines can offer.
Heading east toward the Pyrenees, the climate began to change noticeably, with crisp days and nights below freezing. The sub-alpine region of Limoux holds a special sense of tradition and mystique, with lingering snow-capped peaks pointing the way toward Andorra and Spain beyond. Home to a world-famous music festival from January through March, the town felt as vibrant as the wines Limoux produces.
Of course, no French wine trip is complete without a visit to Bordeaux. With its Atlantic proximity strongly influenced by an intertidal river system, microclimates are one key to Bordeaux's success as a historic wine region.
The other is soil—limestone, to be exact. Wandering the hills of St. Emilion, we marveled at the entire region essentially built from subterranean limestone slabs that were extracted over centuries. In challenging vintages Bordeaux wines can be austere; in great vintages, they define perfection in a bottle.
Paris was the grand finale, home to Wine Paris, the most prominent international wine exhibition of modern times. In just three days, NexTerra met with producers from more than 10 countries and tasted over 350 wines. Exploring new regions and visiting long-standing partners is our passion, and Wine Paris enables us to accomplish that in a focused microcosm, Parisian style. Download the 2026 Wine Paris Press Kit.
Trips like these are more than industry tradition, they are an essential part of how we source wines for our partners. By visiting producers in person, tasting new vintages at origin, and strengthening relationships with growers across France, we gain early access to wines that can become the foundation of future programs.
For our private label partners, this firsthand sourcing creates real opportunity. By visiting producers, tasting new vintages, and evaluating wines at origin, NexTerra identifies export-ready wines and works directly with partners to build programs tailored to specific markets, price points, and brand strategies.
The most successful private label wines begin with reliable sourcing and the right story behind the bottle. Through our global network of producers and ongoing exploration of emerging regions, NexTerra helps bring those opportunities to market.
From vineyard visits in the Languedoc to meetings with producers at Wine Paris, these journeys help us bring new ideas, new wines, and new opportunities back to our partners.
Contact us to learn more about all of our international wines.