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WSET Level 3 Award in Wines > 13. Bordeaux > Flashcards

13. Bordeaux Flashcards

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1
Q

Describe the climate of Boreaux.

A
  • moderate, maritime
  • benefits from the warming effects of the Gulf Stream
  • long growing season (low risk of spring frost, ripening into October)
  • high levels of rainfall and humidity (some protection from the Landes forest and the coastal sand dunes)
  • large vintage variation
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2
Q

Name the top three white varieties of Bordeaux.

A
  1. Sémillion
  2. Sauvignon Blanc
  3. Muscadelle
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3
Q

What is the most important variety for sweet wines in Bordeaux? Why?

A

Sémillion

-thin skin, affinity for noble rot

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4
Q

Describe Sauvignon Blanc from Bordeaux.

A
  • citrus, green fruit aromas (dry varietal wines)

- provides high acidity (in blends)

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5
Q

Describe Muscadelle from Bordeaux.

A
  • pronounced grapey, floral flavor

- small percentage in both sweet and dry blends

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6
Q

Describe lower end white Bordeaux.

A
  • freshy and fruity
  • fermented in temperature controlled, inert vessels with minimal further aging
  • some show toasty hints of oak
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7
Q

Describe premium dry white wine from Pessac-Leognan.

A
  • fermented and matured in new oak
  • richness
  • concentrated nutty flavors overlay fruit
  • toasty oak
  • may be eligible for grand cru classé status
  • tend to be blends of Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon
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8
Q

Describe wines from Entre-Deux-Mers. Where is this region located?

A
  • between the rivers Garonne and Dordogne
  • can only produce white wines
  • red wines are labelled with generic appellation name
  • typically unoaked Sauvignon Blanc
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9
Q

Describe white wine from Graves.

A

-typically unoaked Sauvignon Blanc

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10
Q

What is the largest wine region in France in terms of volume and value?

A

Bordeaux

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11
Q

Why do the majority of winemakers in Bordeaux produce only blends?

A
  • high variability in weather, rainfall
  • very risky to rely too heavily on one variety
  • varieties permitted in Bordeaux flower and ripen at different times
  • 13 grape varieties permitted
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12
Q

Name the four predominant black grape varieties or Bordeaux.

A
  1. Cabernet Sauvignon
  2. Cabernet Franc
  3. Merlot
  4. Petit Verdot
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13
Q

Where is Cabernet Sauvignon grown? Why?

A
  • Haut Medoc
  • Bas Medoc
  • Graves
  • high stone/gravel content raises the temp
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14
Q

Where is Cabernet Franc grown? Describe the wines.

A
  • Saint-Emillion
  • Medoc, Graves (lesser)
  • less body/tannin than CS
  • herbaceous, stalky flavors when unripe
  • vibrant fruit and floral when rip
  • prefers well-drained soils
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15
Q

What is the most widely planted variety in Bordeaux? Why? Where is it grown?

A

Merlot

  • Saint Emillon
  • Pomerol
  • can successfully grow in cooler clay soils
  • predominant grape in high volume, inexpensive wines
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16
Q

What is Petit Verdot?

A
  • ripens only in very hot years
  • deeply colored
  • tannic
  • ages slowly
  • minor role in blend (adds tannin, color, spicy notes)
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17
Q

What are the two types of typical fermentation vessels used in Bordeaux?

A
  1. traditional oak vats

2. steel or concrete vats

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18
Q

When are wines typically blended in Bordeaux?

A

The Spring after the vintage

-Note: some wait til end of maturation

19
Q

What is top quality Bordeaux aged in?

A

225 liter small, oak barriques

20
Q

For what two reasons is Bordeaux classification system unique?

A
  • With the exception of St Emillion, the classification system is completely outside of the appellation system
  • Classification do not rank vineyards; they rank estates (“chateaux”), which are more like brands than specific vineyards
21
Q

What is the 1855 Classification? What are the chateaux listed in this classification referred to?

A
  • Bordeaux Chamber of Commerce named the best red wines from the Medoc and white wines from Sauternes
  • “Cru Classés”
22
Q

Name the top rank of cru classé in the Medoc and Graves.

A
  1. Chateaux Lafite Rothschild
  2. Latour
  3. Margaux
  4. Mouton Rothschild
  5. Chateau-Haut Brion (Graves)
23
Q

Into how many ranks are the cru classé divided in the Medoc? In Sauternes?

A

Medoc - 5

Sauternes 3

24
Q

Which chateau occupies the top rank of Sauternes?

A

Chateau d’Yquem

25
Q

What is cru bourgeois? How is it different from cru classe?

A
  • Introduced later for other chateaux not in the 1855 classifications
  • only awarded to wines in a specific vintage, rather than to the chateau itself
  • wines from new vintages must be approved each year for this status
26
Q

How is the classification system different in Graves?

A
  • no ranking
  • all listed wines (red list and white list) can call themselves cru classe
  • all cru classe are within Pessac Leognan
27
Q

How is the classification system different in Saint Emilion?

A

-it’s integrated into the appellation system
-within Saint Emilion, there is a subregion Saint Emilion Grand Cru
-within SEGC, the best chateaux are classified:
1. Saint-Emillion Premier Grand Cru Classe
1A. Premier Grand Cru Classe A (best)
1B. Premier Grand Cru Classe B
2. Saint Emilion Grand Cru Classe

28
Q

Which rivers combine to form the estuary that splits Bordeaux in three? What’s the Estuary?

A
  • Dodogne & Garonne Rivers

- Gironde Estuary

29
Q

Describe Bordeaux and Bordeaux Supérieur wines.

A
  • generic appellation
  • BS: stricter rules, higher alcohol
  • early drinking
  • medium body
  • ripe red and black fruit
  • some cedar notes from oak
  • cheaper: lighter body, astringent tannins
30
Q

Describe Bordeaux Rose and Bordeaux Clairet.

A

BR:

  • fresh fruity
  • some high quality

BC:

  • popular on French market
  • longer maceration
  • deeper color
  • fuller body
31
Q

What are the two main subregions of the Left Bank?

A
  • Medoc

- Graves

32
Q

What are the wines from the Bas Medoc labelled?

A

Medoc

33
Q

What is the soil of the Bas Medoc? Thus, what grows here and dominates the blends?

A
  • predominantly clay
  • outcrops of gravel
  • Merlot
  • early drinking
34
Q

What are the 4 subregions of the Haut Medoc from north to south? What are these wines like?

A
  • Saint-Estephe
  • Pauillac
  • Saint-Julien
  • Margaux
  • soil = gravelly
  • high % of Cabernet Sauvignon in blend
  • blackcurrent
  • cedar
  • grippy tannins when young
  • long aging potential
  • more highly rated
35
Q

What is the most highly rated region of Graves? What is the soil like?

A

Pessac-Leognan

  • gravelly
  • Cabernet Sauvignon
  • lighter, more fragrant than Haut Medoc
36
Q

From what grape are red wines from Graves typically made?

A

Merlot

37
Q

What grape(s) dominant the blend on the Right Bank?

A
  • Merlot

- Sometimes Cabernet Franc

38
Q

What are the main subregions of the right bank?

A

Saint-Emilion

Pomerol

39
Q

Describe the best wine from Saint-Emilion.

A
  • medium to high tannins
  • soft, rich mouthfeel
  • complex red berry fruit, plum
  • tobacco and cedar notes with age
40
Q

What are the three sub-areas of Saint-Emilion?

A
  1. plateau to the north and west of town (warm, gravelly soils = Cabernet Sauvignon)
  2. escarpment to the south and east of town (clay, limestone soils)
  3. sandy soils at the foot of the escarpment (lighter bodied, less prestigious)
41
Q

Describe the wines of Pomerol.

A
  • richer
  • spicy blackberry
  • high reputation
42
Q

What are vins de garage?

A
  • right bank appellations
  • full body
  • incredibly ripe
  • tiny quantities
  • winemaker = ‘garagiste’
  • now many are too famous and just follow the classification system instead
43
Q

Which appellations are included in Cotes de Bordeaux? Describe the wine.

A
  1. Blaye
  2. Cadillac
  3. Castillon
  4. Francs
  • Merlot based
  • early drinking
  • can be great value

WSET Level 3 Award in Wines (41 decks)

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