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