2.0 Bordeaux Flashcards
1
Q
Describe Growing Env in Bordeaux?
A
- Maritime influence - cool Atlantic
- Relatively dry, warm autumn for ripening
- Left Bank protected from Atlantic by Landes forest
- Northern Medoc open to maritime influence (less protection from the forest- so its cooler than southern Medoc and Graves
- Sufficient rainfall 950mm, variable in qty and timing.
- Excessive rain issues typical (flowering/fruit set, fungal disease, dilution)
- Maritime influence less pronounced on Right Bank (St Emilion, Pomerol and surrounds)
- Major rivers that flow through the region contribute to humidy enc BBR and Noble Botrytis
- Gironde estuary moderates the influence of frost, vineyards not close to it can be susceptible.
- Climate change: hot dry summers, insuff rain - the varieties in Bordeaux are hardy and cope well, but alcohol level inc
2
Q
Describe how soil influences the quality of wine from Bordeaux
A
- Left Bank Medoc to Graves - famous gravel
- Top Estates on mounds of gravel
- Deposits of gravel and stony soil sometimes mixed with clay (St Estephe) / sand.
- Drains well, vine roots dry out, continue ripening, less rot;
- heat retention - released at night - facilitates slow ripening Suits Cab Sauv
- possible issue if very hot, drainage can result in hydric stress
- Right Bank - more clay sometimes with significant patches of gravel (Libournais) suits Merlot
- Best grapes from limestone plateau/gravel section bordering Pomerol.
- Rich, alluvial soil, only the lowest appellation wines are produced from here
3
Q
Why is Bordeaux denominated by blends rather than single varietal wines?
A
- Because of the big variations in weather conditions from year to year.
- Different grape varieties respond differently to the weather.
- Allows producers to hedge their bets and enable production even if the conditions of a vintage were unfavourable.
4
Q
Discuss main grape varieties permitted under AC regulations in Bordeaux?
A
- 14 grape varieties are permitted - main ones are
- Reds: Cab Sav, Cab Franc, Merlot Malbec, Petit Verdot
- Whites: Sémillon, Sauvignon Blanc and Muscadelle
New varieties to combat climte change
Touriga Nacional
Marselan (x CS and GN)
Castets (originally FR)
Another one is x CS and Tannat (silly name)
5
Q
What is the classic grape of the Médoc?
A
- Left Bank
- Cabernet Sauvignon - it accounts for ~ 3/4 of the blend in the Médoc because…. of the warm gravel soil that helps it to ripen
Characteristics
- Late bud, late ripen - (frost+; autumn rain -) - needs warm soil to ripen
- Small berry, thick skin, high tannin > wines with high tannin
- Prone to fungal diease, trunk disease >Eutypa and Esca
- Highest Q when grown on well drained soil e.g. gravel of Medoc
- Contributes pron violet, blackcurrant, black cherry, menthol/herbaceous, m alc, h acid, h tann.
- In cooler season, could struggle to ripen > wine has h acid, unripe tannin, little fruit - thus it is often blended with Merlot and CF
6
Q
Why is Cabernet Franc added to a Bordeaux blend? And what are the watch outs?
A
- Contributes red fruit, hi acid, med tannin to the Bord Blend
- Can be herbaceous of not ripe
- It gives bigger yields than Cabernet Sauvignon
- Early bud (frost), mid ripen (before autumn rain)
- Suitable for cool areas
7
Q
Why is Merlot added to a Bordeaux blend?
Describe the var.
A
- Contributes med/pron red fruit, med tann, med/hi alc
- cb herbaceous in cool years/ jammy black fruits in hot
- Early bud (frost) mid ripe (before aut rain)
- Susc to coulure/bbr > red yield
- By comparison to Cab Sauv it can ripen in the cooler years
- On clay soil in N Medoc prod a big berry, and reaches high sugar levels (hence the hi alc)
- It adds softness, richness and body to the austere Cabernet Sauvignon
- Particularly important in Saint Emilion and Pomerol on the right bank of Bordeaux
*
8
Q
What is Petit Verdot’s role in Bordeaux?
A
- Bud early, ripens later than CS
- Susc frost, and rain at harvest - does best on the warmest parts of Bordeaux
- Ripens fully only in very hot years (therefore min use)
- Gives very deep colour, high tannin, spice
- If used - only up to 5% of blend
- !! with climate change this could become a more valued variety - as it will be able to ripen more reliably
9
Q
What is Sémillon‘s role in Bordeaux?
A
- It is the most widely planted white grape variety in Bordeaux
- Mid ripening, susc to BBR and Noble Rot in the right circumstances
- High yields, can be grassy if not ripe
- Character: low int apple&lemon; m body; m alc; m/m+ acid
-
Bordeaux Blend: contributes l/m aromas, body, m acid
- (It is blended with SB to soften SB’s acid)
- strong affinity with vanilla and sweet spice flavours from new oak
-
Noble Rot Bordeaux:
- pron honey, dried peach/lemon; waxy texture;
- develops toast & honey with age.
(Note comparison to SB which holds its aromas, but they do not develop in bottle)
10
Q
What is Sauvignon Blanc’s role in Bordeaux?
A
- It is the one exception to the generalisation that all Bordeaux wines are blends as increasingly it is used for single varietal, dry white wines (due to popularity)
- When blended, it’s high acidity acts as a counterbalance to the potential flabbiness of Sémillon
- It produces wines with distinctly vegetal, grass and elderflower/gooseberry aromas
11
Q
What is Muscadelle’s role in Bordeaux?
A
- Particularly susceptible to fungal disease - needs exposed site.
- Adds grapey floral character mostly to sweet white wines
- Not related to Muscat
12
Q
How are vines trained in Bordeaux; what are the typical vineyard hazards and diseases?
A
Vineyard planting
- Dense - 10000 v/ha
- Suits infertile soils, moderate vigour
- Means additional cost: more plants, trellising, vineyard work, special tractors (over-the-row) but necessary ito cost of land
- On less presigious land (basic Bordeaux AOC) 3 - 4000 v/ha
- Single Guyot - Right Bank (head trained, r-cane pruned - most common)
- Double Guyot - Left Bank
- Particular presigious estates - Cordon trained, spur pruned - for better aeration to bunches, reduced yields
- Leaf removal late summer (after risk of sunburn) increase aeration (disease) and increase UV light (ripening)
Typical hazards and diseases:
- moderate/damp climate - downy mildew, powdery mildew, BBR - addressbed by canopy thinning (leaf removal)
- Eutypa dieback and Esca - these rot the vines from inside - addressed with soft pruning, a technique to allow the wood to dry out and allowsap to flow around the plant
- Flavescens Doree - bacteria disease, vector is the leafhopper - managed with insecticide, but not approved for organic/biodynamic farming
13
Q
Is machine harvesting permitted in Bordeaux?
A
- Top estates pick by hand
- Many VY machine pick out of economic necessity - also gives more flexibility to timing, less quality control, speed if fungal disease threatens (weather)
- Hand picking is necessary for finest sweet wines as pickers need to select individual bunches as they pass through the vineyard on a number of occasions
14
Q
Regulations on % of variety in a blend
A
Does not exist in Bordeaux. Allowed varieties across the region. In practice the wine is dominated by the traditional plantings on the Left and Right banks
15
Q
Bordeaux red winemaking - describe
A
Sorting
- High Q sort at pick, on belt, optical. Only best fruit
- Also separate each plot, vinify separately and blend optimally later - adds cost: vessels, time, space
- Other machine harvest, not sorted
- Best vintages may forego sorting - all qualities
Fermentation
- Closed vats with pump over & cultured yeast
- also cement, SS, wood - all temp controlled,
- Early drinking: primary fruit, limited extraction: mid range temp, ~1 week on skin
- Long bottle ageing: mid-warm fermentation, ~ 2 - 4 weeks on skins, less if fruit not fully ripe
- Many producers innoculate for rapid completion of malo c in barrel (integrates wine+wood ) before “En Primeur” starts
Drain,
- press skins: pneumatic/vertical/hydraulic for gentle ext.
- Free run, press wine separately - into 225 barriques.
Maturation
- Simpler wines - stainless steel - 4-6 weeks + oak chips for flavour
- Hi Q - French barriques, mix of 1/2yr old wood, or all new (exp!): 18-24m (more tannin - more months)
- Wines may be racked every 3 months
- OR left on lees, injected with O2 to
- avoid reduction & help soften tannin.
Blending 2 approaches:
- If En Primeur - prob blend over winter for presenting for tasting in spring.
- (near-final blend and deselection of wines to the 2nd/3rd label to be sold to merchants)
- Others (minority) blend a few months before bottling after assessment of each of the components before making final selection.
16
Q
Bordeaux Rose Winemaking
A
Varieties: Merlot / Cab Sauv.
Two types
- Deep col Clairet: short maceration and saignee. This is a byproduct of red wine making.
- Light colour rose made by direct press.
17
Q
Bordeaux White Winemaking
A
Two methods
Max freshness / early drinking:
- Pressed on arrival ferment cool temps, SS
- block maloc for freshness, acid
- inexp remain in tank few months, clarify, bottle
- or mid price 6 - 12m on fine lees for weight/complexity
HiQ for ageing
- on arrival left on skins 24 hours (unless unripe) for aromas and phenolics
- fermented, and aged in barrique - varying prop of new oak,
- some block maloc for freshness, acid
- may leave on fine lees 6 - 12 months, for weight and complexity. (battonage not done any more avoid fuller body/too little acid = flabby)
Contemporary:
- more focus on SB skin contact for extraction of aromatics;
- less use of new oak for ferm and mat.
18
Q
Describe Grape growing and winemaking for Sweet Wines
A
- Low yields (often 1/3 of that for still wine) - ensures high sugar in grapes
- Prune to low no of buds, remove any fruit diseased/damaged
- Although allowed 25hl/ha, above means best estates obtain below 10hl/ha - reduced economy of scale
- need well trained harvesters - pick accurately for noble rot, and up to 10-12 passes through
-
Botrytis depends on
- correct conditions
- location and position of estate (close to mist)
- estate willingness to wait and risk losing all/part of crop
- means some mix noble rot and late harvest fruit
-
After picking
- grapes handled as if for white wine
- SS/concrete/barriques
- aged for varying periods
-
HiQ
- normally aged in hi prop new oak barrique for integ of oak and fruit
- 18 - 36 m encourages gentle oxid to add complexity
- new oak ranges 30 - 50 - 100% adds cost Chat d’Yquem
-
Less presigious sweet wines
- unoaked, released 1 year after harvest.
