Fine Wine

Everything you need to know to buy your wine online 

When you want to buy wine , several options are available! You can go to a wine merchant, the supermarket, directly from the producer, or buy wine online from a website. The advantages of buying wine or champagne online include a wider selection of vintages, bottles of wine in various formats such as magnums and jeroboams, and more. The selection is vast, allowing you to find wines for aging, grand crus from Bordeaux or Burgundy, as well as other fine wines from across France.

What types of wine should I choose?

The choice depends on your tastes, the occasion (a dinner with friends, a wine gift), or even by grape variety and color, such as red, white, or rosé. There are also orange wines, which are white wines made using a different winemaking technique.
Some of us will favour organic or biodynamic wines from talented winemakers.
Others will seek out fine vintage wines from prestigious appellations.
And finally, the perfect food and wine pairing to enhance well-prepared homemade dishes, combining the aromas of the grape varieties with the flavors of the ingredients.

Which wine for which purpose?

- Gift ideas: gift sets, older vintages, magnums...
- To keep: classified growths, rated wines, bottles for aging...
- To enjoy: selections for pleasure, wines at their peak, food and wine pairings...

A wide selection of French wines

The French vineyard is one of the most famous in the world. This can be explained by several factors. First, viticulture has deep historical roots in France, having arrived in Antiquity with the Phocaeans. These Greeks developed vine cultivation in Gaul around the 6th century BC, initially around Marseille and then in Languedoc-Roussillon and the Rhône Valley. Within a few centuries, vines were being cultivated almost everywhere! French vineyards continued to develop under the successive influence of the Romans, Charlemagne, King Philip Augustus, Pope Clement V… and throughout history, Christian monks.
The renown of French wine is also due to its diversity. Indeed, as vines are cultivated almost everywhere, very different wines are found in France, as they come from different types of soil, which in turn call for the use of diverse grape varieties . Red, rosé, and white wines (dry, off-dry, sweet, or dessert) are produced, as well as several types of sparkling wines, including the famous Champagne .

Bordeaux wines

Bordeaux is the leading French wine region and one of the most renowned in the world. It was first made famous around the 10th century by the English.
The year 1855 saw the creation of the famous official classification of Bordeaux wines, ranked from 1st to 5th growth. Today, what is known as the 1855 classification is still valid and influences the reputation and prices of the châteaux included in it.
Bordeaux wines are known for their ability to improve over time, which implies a good aging potential.

Burgundy wines

The Burgundy wine region developed primarily under the influence of Cistercian monks . Today, it stretches from Auxerre to Mâcon, encompassing five sub-regions: Chablis , the Côte de Nuits , the Côte de Beaune , the Côte Chalonnaise , and the Mâconnais . Burgundy is renowned for its white wines, considered among the best in the world, made predominantly from Chardonnay . Its red wines, produced exclusively from Pinot Noir, are also highly regarded, ranking among the finest in the world for this grape variety.
Burgundy wines have been classified since the Middle Ages into Grands Crus, Premiers Crus, and village appellations. The names of Clos or Climats are generally added. The " Climats of Burgundy " were even designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2016. They express not only a meteorological concept, but also the terroir and the work of the winemakers who shape the wine.

Wines from the Rhône Valley

The Rhône Valley vineyards were a favorite of the Romans, who built the city of Vienne to develop them. Later, the Knights Templar planted the first vines in Châteauneuf-du-Pape . Today, it is the second largest vineyard in France in terms of both size and production.
In the southern Rhône Valley, the king of grape varieties is Grenache , which produces round and warm wines. It is often blended with others such as Mourvèdre or Carignan to create more balanced wines.
In the northern Rhône Valley, Syrah reigns supreme. This grape variety produces full-bodied yet elegant red wines, spicy and with excellent aging potential.

Alsace Wines

The Alsatian vineyards stretch for 170 km at the foot of the Vosges Mountains. They benefit from a wide variety of subsoils, leading to the production of diverse wines: Crémant d'Alsace, dry or sweet white wines, and a few rarer red wines. Among the grape varieties that have made Alsace famous are Riesling , which produces dry white wines, and Gewurztraminer , which yields sweet white wines. Red wines are produced from Pinot Noir .
Alsatian wines are divided into village appellations and Grand Crus such as Schoenbourg or Altenberg de Bergheim . The latter are superb wines for aging that can remain in the cellar for up to 50 years.
Alsace offers a climate conducive to the practice of biodynamics , which is in fact very widespread.

Wines from the Loire Valley

The Loire Valley is a long, narrow wine region stretching across 70,000 hectares from the Nantes region to Touraine. It is characterized by a wide variety of soils and numerous microclimates. To complement this remarkable diversity, 12 grape varieties are cultivated in the Loire Valley . The four most common are Cabernet Franc for red wines, and Chenin Blanc, Melon de Bourgogne, and Sauvignon Blanc for white wines.
This wine region is divided into four main sub-regions: the Pays Nantais , Anjou-Saumur , Touraine , and the Loir Valley , encompassing a total of 50 appellations. Among these, the most famous is undoubtedly Sancerre , on the left bank of the Loire, primarily known for its white wines but also producing red and rosé.

Champagne wines

The Champagne region recognizes a main eponymous appellation for its sparkling wine, in three sub-regions of production: the Côte des Blancs , the Montagne de Reims and the Côte des Bars . Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier and Chardonnay are the main grape varieties cultivated.
Champagne? Champagnes! There are indeed several types of champagne: blanc de blancs, blanc de noirs, blended, rosé, vintage, non-vintage...
Furthermore, champagnes are classified into Village appellation , Premier Cru Champagne and Grand Cru Champagne .
Dom Pérignon , a monk by profession, is considered the "father of Champagne". Inspired by Blanquette de Limoux, it is to him that we owe the production of this sparkling wine as we know it today.

Other French wine regions

- Languedoc-Roussillon: The largest and most productive wine region in France. It comprises Languedoc and Roussillon, which are sometimes considered separate areas. The climate is Mediterranean, and the vines are often planted at high altitudes. The terroirs vary depending on proximity to the sea, soil type, and location on hillsides or terraces.


Provence and Corsica: As its name suggests, this wine region is divided into two parts: Provence and Corsica . Provence is especially famous for its rosé wines , with vineyards covering 80% of the cultivated area. However, it also produces excellent red and white wines, for example in Bandol . Since 1955, exactly a century after Bordeaux, a classification system has been in place for the classified growths of Provence.
Corsica is renowned for its local grape varieties and its great geological diversity, and benefits from a unique climate. The vines are often cultivated biodynamically and produce remarkable wines of great aromatic complexity, elegant and fresh.

- Southwest: It is crossed by the Garonne River and its tributaries, which influence the vines and the aromas of the wine. Nearly 130 indigenous grape varieties are found here! The climates and soils are also very diverse. In Southwest France, red, white, and rosé wines are produced, in order of volume. Among the best-known appellations are Madiran and Cahors .
The Southwest is crossed by several major pilgrimage routes to Santiago de Compostela, which has greatly contributed to the development of local viticulture.

In Beaujolais, Gamay , a descendant of Pinot Noir, reigns supreme. This vineyard therefore primarily produces red wine, although white wines made from Chardonnay and some rosés are also found. Local winemakers use a particular winemaking method: semi-carbonic maceration . This involves leaving the whole bunches of grapes to macerate for a few days, producing the Beaujolais reds we know: very aromatic, rather fresh, and supple.
This vineyard produces excellent wines for aging, particularly among the wines from Moulin à Vent , Saint-Amour or Fleurie .

Which vintages should I choose?

Generally speaking, the 2005, 2009, 2010, and 2015 vintages were very good throughout France. 2015 stands out in particular, being an excellent year in Burgundy, Bordeaux, the Rhône Valley, Alsace, Provence and Corsica, the Southwest, and Beaujolais. The 2024 vintage in Bordeaux is also very good and more affordable than previous years.

FAQ about buying wine online

Online wine sales have been steadily growing since their inception and are attracting an increasing number of wine enthusiasts. According to the Sowine/Dynata barometer, 34% of French people buy wines and champagnes online.

- A much wider selection "Diversity and rarity"
A much wider range of wines than most wine shops or supermarkets.

- Access to exclusive sales
Access to exceptional wines often unavailable elsewhere.

- Time saving and comfort "24/7 accessibility"
It is possible to browse the catalogues and place orders at any time of day or night, without any time constraints.

- Delivery to your home, office or to a collection point.
The bottles are delivered directly to your home in secure packaging.

- Detailed information and expert advice "Complete product sheets"
Highly detailed descriptions of each wine (grape variety, region, vintage, acidity, tannins, suggested food pairings). This information, often written by experts or oenologists, helps wine lovers make informed choices.

However, it is important to note some disadvantages, such as the impossibility of tasting the wine before buying, the risk of breakage during delivery, or the need to choose your site carefully to avoid unpleasant surprises.

Since 2012, Cavissima has been an experienced and passionate team dedicated to serving wine lovers and collectors. We select the finest wines from talented winemakers and handle storage and delivery!