France is the most famous and powerful wine-producing country in the world, yet few Americans are knowledgeable about French wine. Here’s a quick guide to France’s wine regions and the vinous treasures of each. Consider making this “taste tour” the focus of a dinner party, with each guest bringing a wine from a different region.

Alsace
Located across the Rhine River from Germany, Alsace is the only French region devoted almost exclusively to white wines. The most famous are Riesling, Pinot Gris (which you might know by its Italian name, Pinot Grigio), Gewürztraminer, Pinot Blanc, and Muscat. Alsatians drink these dry, fresh, and powerful-on-the-palate whites with everything from salads to pork roasts.

Beaujolais
All Beaujolais is made from Gamay, a soft, fruity red grape. There are three levels of Beaujolais: basic Beaujolais; Beaujolais-Villages, which comes from one of the region’s 39 top villages; and Beaujolais Crus, which comes from one of only 10 top villages. Beaujolais is usually served slightly chilled with simple fare—grilled sausages and potato salad, for example.

Bordeaux
Fresh and lively Bordeaux whites are almost always a blend of Sémillon and Sauvignon Blanc grapes, and often are enjoyed with seafood. Bordeaux reds—a blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and/or Cabernet Franc, Malbec, and Petit Verdot—are structured and sleek, and usually paired with red meat dishes.

Burgundy
A tiny region southeast of Paris, Burgundy has limited production, but the quality and rarity of its wines keep them in great demand. Red Burgundies, made from Pinot Noir grapes, are usually soft and supple with complex, earthy aromas and flavors. White Burgundies, made from Chardonnay grapes, may be lean and crisp or buttery and rich, ideal with almost any type of seafood.

Champagne
Champagne is made by a method known as the Méthode Champenoise, which creates a second fermentation in each bottle, resulting in bubbles. Thanks to its natural acidity, Champagne is crisp and lively, which makes it a refreshing aperitif, though the Champenois drink it throughout the meal.

Languedoc-Roussillon
A good value in both white and red, wines from this region are often labeled simply Vin de Pays d’Oc (country wines), along with the name of the grape from which they’re made. But the most interesting Languedoc wines are the traditional rustic, juicy reds known as Minervois, Corbières, St. Chinian, and Faugères. They’re great companions for pasta or roast chicken.

Loire Valley
Just about every kind of wine is made in the Loire Valley, but two stand out—Muscadet and Sancerre. Muscadet, which the French drink with oysters and other light seafood, is a crisp white made from a grape called Melon de Bourgogne. Sancerre and its sister village, Pouilly, use Sauvignon Blanc grapes to make herbal, tangy wines that are heavenly paired with most salads and cheeses.

Rhône Valley
The Rhône Valley should be considered two separate areas. The northern part is renowned for its powerful, peppery reds made from the Syrah grape, such as Côte-Rôtie. In the south, most of the wines—from rustic Côtes-du-Rhône to polished Châteauneuf-du-Pape—are reds made from a blend of up to 13 grape varieties. Try them with grilled or roasted lamb.

Cooking Light wine expert Karen MacNeil is chair of the wine programs at the Culinary Institute of America in California’s Napa Valley. Wine prices are national retail estimates and may vary.