Appellations of Bordeaux Flashcards
How many appellations are there in Bordeaux?
65
What are the important generic Bordeaux appelations?
Bordeaux AOC
Bordeaux Supérieur AOC
What are the maximum yields of Bordeaux AOC wines?
WSET D3 Resource, pg. 19
- White, 65 hL/ha
- Rosé, 62 hL/ha
- Red, 67 hL/ha
INAO Guidelines (1987)
- White: 65 hl/ha
- Rose: 55 hl/ha
- Red: 55 hl/ha
What are the maximum yields of Bordeaux Supérieur AOC wines?
59 hl/ha
Bordeaux AOC and Bordeaux Supérieur AOC account for what proportion of wine output in Bordeaux?
50%
What is the difference between Bordeaux Supérieur AOC and Bordeaux AOC wines?
Bordeaux Supérieur grapes must have a minimum of 10% potential abv at harvest
Wines must be aged for one year in oak before release.
What is the style of Bordeaux AOC and Bordeaux Supérieur AOC red wines?
They are primarily made from Merlot and show
medium intensity red fruit,
high acidity,
medium to medium (+) tannins,
medium alcohol
medium body
What is the style of Bordeaux AOC and Bordeaux Supérieur AOC dry white wines?
They are made with increasing levels of Sauvignon Blanc and have mediume intensity gooseberry and lemon fruit, medium body, high acid, and medium alcohol.
What is the quality of Bordeaux AOC and Bordeaux Supérieur AOC wines? What is the price?
Most are acceptable to good quality and inexpensive to mid-priced.
What are the important Left Bank appellations in Bordeaux?
Médoc AOC and Haut-Médoc AOC
Saint-Estèphe AOC
Pauillac AOC
Saint-Julien AOC
Margaux AOC
Listrac-Médoc AOC and Moulis AOC
Where are Médoc AOC and Haut-Médoc AOC situated?
On the left bank of the Gironde estuary, north of the city of Bordeaux.
What types of wine can be produced under Médoc AOC and Haut-Médoc AOC? At what maximum yields?
Red wines only with
Maximum yield of 55 hl/ha
When can Médoc AOC and Haut-Médoc AOC wines be released for consumption?
Mid-June in the year after harvest
What part of the left bank is covered by Médoc AOC?
What is the proportion of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot planted there?
The northern part of the left bank
nearly equal plantings of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot
What part of the left bank is covered by Haut-Médoc AOC?
What is the proportion of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot planted there?
Southern part of the left bank and includes the four famous Left Bank communes.
50% Cabernet Sauvignon and 44% Merlot
What is the price and quality level of Médoc AOC and Haut-Médoc AOC wines?
There is a wide range of quality and pricing of Médoc AOC and Haut-Médoc AOC wines
What are the four most significant communes in the Left Bank?
Saint-Estèphe AOC
Pauillac AOC
Saint-Julien AOC
Margaux AOC
What is the general style of wine from Saint-Estephe, Pauillac, Saint-Julien, and Margaux?
Dry red wine with
intense blackcurrant, green bell pepper (especially in cool vintages), red plum, vanilla and cedar,
med to high acidity,
medium to high alcohol,
high tannins, and
medium (+) body
What is the general quality and price of wine from Saint-Estèphe, Pauillac, Saint-Julien, and Margaux?
Very good to outstanding quality with premium to super-premium prices
What is the most northerly and coolest of the four major Left Bank communes?
Saint-Estèphe
What percentage of plantings in Saint-Estèphe is Merlot? How does this compare to the other three important Left Bank communes?
At 40% Merlot, it has the highest percentage of Merlot planted in the big four communes.
What types of soil are found in Saint-Estèphe? How does this affect which grapes are planted and where they are positioned?
Gravel soils are found in the banks close to the estuary while clays are located farther inland. Merlot is typically grown on the clay soils away from the estuary while Cabernet Sauvignon can be found on the gravelly soils
What is the proportion of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot plantings in Saint-Estèphe?
50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot
What is the general style of Saint-Estèphe AOC wines?
It has a reputation for rustic wines that need time in the bottle to soften the tannins, though wines that include high proportions of Merlot are softer and more accessible
How many First Growths and Second Growths can be found in Saint-Estèphe?
None, though there are a large number of Cru Bourgeois
What percentage does plantings of Cabernet Sauvignon comprise in Pauillac?
Around 62%
What is the typical proportion of Cabernet Sauvignon in the wine by top producers in Pauillac? How does this affect the wines
70-80%. The wines generally have high concentration and great longevity
What is the style of Pauillac AOC wines? How are they regarded?
Dry red wines with high tannins and high acidity. They are regarded as the most structured of the Left Bank
How many First Growths and Second Growths can be found in Pauillac?
Three First Growths, two Second Growths
What proportion of Pauillac’s wine output is cru classé? How does this compare to the other four major Left Bank communes?
85%, the highest proportion among the four communes
What is the proportion of Cabernet Sauvignon to other plantings in Saint-Julien?
Very high
What types of soil can be found in Saint-Julien?
The town has very homogeneous gravel soils
What is the style of Saint-Julien AOC wines?
Generally considered to be between the power of Pauillac and the finesse of Margaux
How many First Growths and Second Growths can be found in Saint-Julien? How much of its production is Cru Classé?
No First Growths, five Second Growths, and Saint-Julien is second in production percentage of Cru Classé wines.
What type of soils can be found in Margaux?
Stony, gravelly soils with some clay seams
When do grapes in Margaux ripen compared to other Médoc appellations? Why? Is this advantageous or not?
Grapes ripen 7-10 days earlier here because it is located in the southern part of Médoc. More northerly appellations are cooler and the grapes require more hang time. This can be a good thing in cool years or when rain threatens the typical Boddeaux harvest window.
What is the proportion of Cabernet Sauvignon to Merlot planted in Margaux?
Slightly less Cabernet Sauvignon, slightly more Merlot
How do clay seams in Margaux affect vineyard investment and planting?
Supplementary drainage may need to be installed, adding to costs. Merlot plantings are also higher here
What is the style of Margaux AOC wines?
Highly perfumed with silky tannins
How many First Growths and Second Growths can be found in Margaux? What is its proportion of Cru Classé production?
One First Growth, four Second Growths, and a high proportion of Cru Classé production
Where are Listrac-Médoc AOC and Moulis AOC located? What does this mean for the terroir?
Northwest of Margaux AOC and south of Saint-Julien, far from the Gironde. As such it is generally warmer and has more clay soils.
What are the AOC requirements of Listrac-Médoc AOC and Moulis AOC?
The same as the other four major Left Bank communes, but with an earlier release date
What is the quality and pricing of Listrac-Médoc AOC and Moulis AOC wines?
Good to very good quality with mid- to premium price
Where is Graves AOC situated?
South of the city of Bordeaux on the southern bank of the Garonne river.
What are the maximum yields allowed in Graves AOC?
White: 58 hl/ha
Red: 55 hl/ha
What percentage of Graves AOC wines are red?
85%
What is the difference between Graves AOC and Graves Supérieur AOC?
Graves Supérieur AOC is restricted to the production of late-harvest and/or botrytized sweet wines
What is the quality and pricing of Graves AOC wines?
Acceptable to good quality with inexpensive to mid-pricing
What are the important sub-appellations of Graves?
Pessac-Léognan AOC
Barsac AOC
Sauternes AOC
Where is Pessac-Léognan AOC situated?
In the northern part of Graves AOC where the zone includes some of the southern suburbs of the city of Bordeaux
How is the terroir of Pessac-Léognan AOC similar to the important communes of the Médoc?
It has gravelly soils and experiences the moderating influence of the Garonne river
What types of wines is Pessac-Léognan known for?
High quality barrel fermented and aged white wines
High quality red wines
What is the split in production between white wine and red wine in Pessac-Léognan AOC?
80% red, 20% white
What is the maximum yield in Pessac-Léognan AOC?
54 hl/ha for red and white wines
How many First Growths and Second Growths are in Pessac-Léognan?
One First Growth, no Second Growths
How much of the Cru Classé production in Graves is made in Pessac-Léognan?
All of it
Describe the typical white wine of Pessac-Léognan AOC.
A blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon with pronounced gooseberry, lemon, grapefruit, vanilla, and clove aromas, medium (+) body, medium (+) to high acidity, and medium to high alcohol.
What is the quality and pricing of Pessac-Léognan blanc?
Good to outstanding with premium to super-premium pricing
How does the quality and style of Pessac-Léognan rouge compare to the wines of Médoc’s major communes?
They are similar in both quality and style
Where is Entre-deux-Mers AOC situated?
Between the Dordogne and Garonne rivers
What is the size of Entre-Deux-Mers AOC relative to the other Bordeaux appellations?
It is the second largest by hectares
What types of wines are produced in Entre-Deux-Mers AOC?
White wine only. Red wines produced within the appellation boundaries are labelled as Bordeaux or Bordeaux Supérieur.
What is the maximum yield in Entre-Deux-Mers AOC and how does it affect quality there?
65 hl/ha, leading to some wines with low flavor intensity
What is the quality and pricing of Entre-Deux-Mers AOC wines?
Acceptable to good quality with inexpensive to mid-pricing
Is the Right Bank characterized by large or small estates?
Small estates, some as small as 1 hectare
In order of most planted to least planted, what are the popular grapes of the Right Bank of Bordeaux?
Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and small plantings of Cabernet Sauvignon
Compare and contrast Saint-Émilion AOC and Saint-Émilion Grand Cru AOC.
They have the same growing area and can both produce only red wine. Saint-Émilion Grand Cru AOC requires lower maximum yields and longer maturation times
What is the maximum yield allowed in Saint-Émilion AOC? How long must the wine age prior to release?
53 hl/ha
6 months
What is the maximum yield allowed for Saint-Émilion Grand Cru AOC? How long must the wine age prior to release?
46 hl/ha
20 months
What are the two dominant grape varieties of Saint-Émilion?
Merlot (60%) and Cabernet Franc
What is the quality and style of wines from the Saint-Émilion area?
A range of quality from good to outstanding, from early drinking to those which require aging.
Describe the style of Saint-Émilion’s top wines.
Pronounced red and black plum fruit with noticeable vanilla and clove notes, full body, high alcohol, medium (+) to high acidity, and medium (+) to high tannins.
What are the Saint-Émilion satellites?
These are four Right Bank AOCs that are close to Saint-Émilion but farther away from the Dordogne river. They produce wines similar to Saint-Émilion AOC and under the same rules. They are:
Lussac-Saint-Émilion
Montagne-Saint-Émilion
Puisseguin-Saint-Émilion
Saint-Georges-Saint-Émilion
What are the two biggest Saint-Émilion satellites?
Lussac-Saint-Émilion
Montagne-Saint-Émilion
True/False
Pomerol AOC is a prestigious, moderately sized appellation dominated by Cabernet Franc
False.
Pomerol is a small, prestigious appellation dominated by Merlot (around 80% of plantings), with Cabernet Franc the next most planted variety
What is the maximum yield in Pomerol AOC?
49 hl/ha
What is the quality and pricing of wines from Pomerol AOC?
Very good to outstanding, with premium to super-premium pricing
What factor in Pomerol AOC compared to producers in the Left Bank affects pricing?
Top producers (such as Petrus with 12 hectares) have significantly smaller plantings than top estates on the Left Bank (80-100 hectares). Pomerol producers can therefore command some of the world’s highest per-bottle prices
What is the style of Pomerol AOC wines?
Pronounced red and black plum fruit with noticeable vanilla and clove notes, full body, high alcohol, medium (+) to high acidity, and medium (+) to high tannins.
What is Lalande-de-Pomerol AOC?
A larger satellite appellation that allows slightly higher yields than Pomerol AOC.
What is Côtes de Bordeaux AOC?
An umbrella for a group of appellations on Bordeaux’ Right Bank. It was created in 2009.
A number or communes may place their name before Côtes de Bordeaux AOC on labels. Which four are most important?
Blaye
Cadillac
Castillon
Francs
What is the maximum yield of red Côtes de Bordeaux AOC wines?
55 hl/ha
If town is named, 52hl/ha
What is Côtes de Bourg AOC?
A right bank appellation that is not covered under the Côtes de Bordeaux AOC. The appellation has a focus on Malbec with 10% planted, the highest of all Bordeaux appellations.
Describe the red wines of Côtes de Bourg AOC?
A red blend dominated by Merlot similar in style and price to Médoc AOC wines.
What are the important sweet wine appellations of Bordeaux?
Sauternes AOC
Barsac AOC
Sainte-Croix-du-Mont AOC
Loupiac AOC
Premières Côtes de Bordeaux AOC
What is the style of wine produced in Sauternes AOC and Barsac AOC?
Sweet, typically botryrized wines made from Semillon, Sauvignon Blanc, and Muscadelle.
What is the largest sweet wine appellation in Bordeaux? What percentage of sweet wine production in Bordeaux does it account for?
Sauternes AOC produces 50% of the sweet wine from Bordeaux.
What is the maximum yield permitted in Sauternes AOC? How does this compare to Barsac AOC?
Both appellations have a maximum yield of 25 hl/ha, but actual yields are often much lower to ensure grapes are ripe enough
Describe the style of sweet Bordeaux wines.
Pronounced citrus peel, honey, tropical fruit (mango), vanilla and oak notes with full body, high alcohol, medium to medium (+) acidity, and a sweet finish
What is the quality and pricing of Sauternes AOC and Barsac AOC wines?
Very good to outstanding quality with mid- to super-premium pricing
Where are Loupiac AOC and Sainte-Croix-du-Mont AOC situated?
On the north side of the Garonne river opposite of Barsac AOC and Sauternes AOC.
What is the maximum yield permitted in Loupiac AOC and Sainte-Croix-du-Mont AOC?
40 hl/ha
What is the maximum yield permitted in Premières Côtes de Bordeaux AOC?
45 hl/ha
What is the style of wine from Loupiac AOC, Sainte-Corix-du-Mont AOC, and Premières Côtes de Bordeaux AOC?
Sweet wine that may be either late harvest or botrytized
What is the quality and pricing of Loupiac AOC, Sainte-Corix-du-Mont AOC, and Premières Côtes de Bordeaux AOC wines?
Good to very good quality with inexpensive to mid-pricing
