Part 1: Northern France
Pairing wine with food
Visit a wine specialty store and select wines for a dinner party, then explore the cool-climate regions of Champagne, Alsace, and the Loire Valley.
Regions covered: Champagne, Alsace, Loire Valley
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Introduction
France has 12 major regions to master
France is the most studied wine country in the world and the deepest end of the pool. We move region by region, glass by glass, from Champagne in the north to the South-West. Twelve regions, no shortcuts.
What you'll learn
Four modules. Twelve regions. One French wine education.
Each module pairs a real-world wine challenge with a deep dive into a slice of French wine country.
Part 2: Central France
Ordering table service
Navigate a wine list and order from the sommelier while fine dining in San Francisco. Then build confidence as you explore Burgundy, Beaujolais, and the Northern Rhône.
Regions covered: Burgundy, Beaujolais, Northern Rhône
Part 3: South of France
Giving the gift of wine
Learn to read between the lines on wine reviews as you shop online for the perfect bottle. Then take a crash course on the regions of Southern France.
Regions covered: Southern Rhône, Provence, Languedoc-Roussillon
Part 4: Southwest France
Starting a wine collection
Find collectible wines meant to cellar by navigating tech sheets and producer notes. Follow this with a primer on the wines of Bordeaux and South-West France.
Regions covered: Bordeaux, South-West France
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Your wine guides
Taught by world-class wine educators
France is the most studied wine country in the world. You'll learn from a James Beard award-winning author of the bestselling Wine Folly book and one of the world's most credentialed wine educators. Over 20,000 students taught.
Christine Marsiglio
Director of Education
Christine leads the regional deep dives, drawing on her WSET Diploma teaching and Decanter judging experience across French wine country.
Director of Education and one of only 35 Bollinger award-winning Masters of Wine worldwide.
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Christine is our Director of Education and one of only 35 Bollinger award-winning Masters of Wine worldwide.
Before Wine Folly, she taught the WSET Diploma in London and contributed to the latest global Diploma materials. She also led tastings at Decanter, running panels and organizing the Decanter World Wine Awards.
She's the rare expert who can teach at the Master of Wine level and still meet a beginner where they are.
Before Wine Folly, she taught the WSET Diploma in London and contributed to the latest global Diploma materials. She also led tastings at Decanter, running panels and organizing the Decanter World Wine Awards.
She's the rare expert who can teach at the Master of Wine level and still meet a beginner where they are.
Madeline Puckette
Wine Folly Founder
Madeline frames the broader story, how France's twelve regions came to define modern wine and how to navigate them today.
Wine Folly co-founder, James Beard Award winner, and New York Times bestselling author.
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Madeline co-founded Wine Folly in 2011 and turned it into the world's go-to wine cheat sheet.
She's a James Beard Award winner, a New York Times bestselling author, and was named both Wine Blogger of the Year and Wine Communicator of the Year by the International Wine & Spirits Competition.
Her articles, infographics, and videos are what made wine knowledge feel approachable to a generation of drinkers.
She's a James Beard Award winner, a New York Times bestselling author, and was named both Wine Blogger of the Year and Wine Communicator of the Year by the International Wine & Spirits Competition.
Her articles, infographics, and videos are what made wine knowledge feel approachable to a generation of drinkers.
student reviews
What students are saying
“The Course was excellent. I learned a lot about French Wines in the 12 regions in France. Also, to get familiar with the wines, my friend Mike Mignone purchased five wines and I purchased five additional wines. Then we switched bottles. That allowed us to buildup our tasting journals. I really enjoyed the Menu Pairing Challenge and the feedback I received on my selections. Again, I enjoyed the French Course and that’s why I decided to sign-up for the Wine 101 Course. Please set me know if you decide to create an Italian Course.”
Donna J.
“Although I have not yet completed the entire course, the French Wine course is exceeding my expectations. Each segment is packed with information about grapes, terroir, and tastes. Even a knowledgeable wine person will have to go through this course multiple times to absorb all the information. I also like that the wines being tasted are clearly identified upfront so I can have the same experiences as the presenter. I do hope that Wine Folly will develop a similar course for Italian wines.”
Edward K.
“This course was fantastic. As a true wine-lover, especially a French wine-lover, this course was excellent. There was clearly a ton of work put into it and the content was great. I really appreciate how the information, which was rich and nuanced, was also super-digestible. This course would be perfect for both a novice or an expert. I will be back for more. Highly recommend!”
Matt S.
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French Wine 201
$349.99
one-time · usd · yours forever
- 4 modules across 12 French wine regions
- 5+ hours of expert video
- 4 real-world wine challenges
- Build your own French wine list
- Lifetime access, yours forever
- 12-part formal exam + certification ($100 value)
Buying for a team? See bulk pricing for trade & teams.
Next step
Mastered France? Italy is calling.
Italian Wine 201 takes you across 20 Italian regions with the same rigorous module-and-challenge format, taught by the same instructors.
explore the next course →explore more
Other 201 courses to dive into
Each course is taught by the same Wine Folly team. Pick a region, dive in.
