Marechal Foch - Wine Regions

Wine Regions

Marechal Foch was formerly commonly grown in the Loire, but today it is limited to a small number of hectares in Europe. Because it is a hybrid variety, cultivation for commercial wines in Europe is restricted by European Union regulation. It is more extensively grown in both the eastern wine growing regions of the United States(commonly grown in Minnesota) as well as Willamette Valley and Canada's Okanagan Valley. Marechal Foch, along with a series of other French hybrids, was introduced to Canadian vineyards in 1946 by Adhemar de Chaunac of Brights' wines.

In southern Ontario and the northeastern United States, Marechal Foch ripens fully by the end of September. The area in Canada, however is much reduced from previous plantings due to an extensive vine-pull program in the early 1980s designed to replace Foch and other hybrids with Vitis vinifera varietals. Tragically, much of the remaining old vines Marechal Foch currently planted are used to make inexpensive, and often artificially sweetened "jug wines".

One of the few remaining "Old Vines" Foch plants are grown by Lang Vineyards in the Okanagan Valley. The grapes have been on the property for over 50 years. After a short "restructuring" the winery is once again producing high quality Marechal Foch wines from its old vineyards.

Vancouver Island is another Foch wine region with high quality wines being produced in select pockets. Muse Winery has been growing Marechal Foch for 10 years now. These wines exhibit the dark, inky styles preferred by Foch lovers. Pairs well with chocolate!