Bordeaux Flashcards
What defines Cru Bourgeois?
A list created in 1932 of 444 châteaux from Médoc not included in the 1855 classification. It remains a member-based syndicate.
What estate is the only Premier Cru Supérieur of the 1855 classification?
Château d’Yquem
Bordeaux’s first vineyards were planted in what sub-region?
Graves
What contribution did the Dutch make to Bordeaux winemaking in the 1600s?
They drained the Médoc peninsula in order to grow grapes for sweet white table wine and for wine to distill into eau de vie
What is “Clairet”?
A semi-red wine made by the Saignée method.
What are the four sub-regional designations of the Côtes de Bordeaux AOC”?
Blaye, Cadillac, Castillon, and Francs
What are the main soil types of Bordeaux’s Right Bank?
Clay and limestone
What are the main grapes of Bordeaux’s Right Bank?
Merlot and Cabernet Franc
What Bordeaux soils are considered “warm”?
Gravel and sand because they radiate heat back to the vine
What Médoc AOC is considered the most “feminine” and perfumed?
Margaux AOC
What three Bordeaux winegrowing areas were included in the 1855 Classification?
Médoc (60 châteaux), Péssac-Leognan (1 château) and Sauternes (26 châteaux)
What style of wine is produced in the Libournais?
All 10 Libournais AOCs are for dry reds only
What are the three secondary red grape varieties in Bordeaux?
Malbec, Petit Verdot and Carmenère
What are “Crus Artisans”?
Boutique wineries of quality in Bordeaux
What did the 1953 Graves Classification rank?
The wines of 16 estates, rather than the estates themselves
What Bordeaux AOC produces dry whites mainly from Colombard?
Côtes de Blaye AOC
How are reds from Entre-Deux-Mers labeled?
“Bordeaux AOC” or “Bordeaux Supérieur AOC”
What style of wine is made under the Entre-Deux-Mers AOC?
The Entre-Deux-Mers AOC is for dry white wines only
What is “Les Landes”?
A man-made forest separating Bordeaux from the ocean.
Cabernet Sauvignon is a cross between:
Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet Franc
What Right Bank sub-region has a classification system?
St. Emilion
How does Bordeaux Supérieur differ from Bordeaux AOC?
Stricter production standards, lower yields and higher alcohol. Reds must be aged 9 months. Whites are always semi-sweet.
What defines the term “Petit Château”?
“Petit Château” is an unofficial term for an unclassified property in the Bordeaux region
What Médoc AOC is considered the most “Californian”?
St. Julien
What is the main grape of Bordeaux’s Left Bank?
Cabernet Sauvignon
What Bordeaux soils are considered “cold”?
Clay and limestone because they retain moisture
What style of wine is produced in the Cérons, Barsac and Sauternes AOCs?
Sweet whites affected by noble rot
What are the three principal rivers of Bordeaux?
Gironde, Garonne, Dordogne
What is the difference between St Emilion Grand Cru and St Emilion Grand Cru Classé?
The former is an AOC. The latter is a ranking within a classification system.
What French wine region produces more AOC wine than any other?
Bordeaux
What is the primary grape of Entre-Deux-Mers?
Sauvignon Blanc
Why is Graves suited for sweet wine production?
Damp, foggy mornings followed by warm dry afternoons promote noble rot
Why is Malbec seldom planted in Bordeaux today?
The winter freeze of 1956 destroyed most Malbec plantings.
How many categories of “growths” were given to red wines in Bordeaux’s 1855 classification?
Five
What are the three primary white grapes in Bordeaux?
Sémillon, Sauvignon Blanc and Muscadelle
A semi-sweet wine from Graves must labeled as:
Graves Superiures
Where is the wine-producing area of Libournais?
On Bordeaux’s Right Bank, around the city of Liborne
What style of wine is produced in the Cadillac, Loupiac and Ste-Croix-du-Mont AOCs?
Sweet whites affected by noble rot
Bordeaux’s first vineyards were planted in what sub-region?
Graves
What are the four St. Emilion satellites?
St-Georges, Lussac, Montagne and Puisseguin
What moderates Bordeaux’s climate?
The Gulf Stream, Les Landes, and the network of rivers
What is the climate of Bordeaux?
Maritime
What style of wine is made in the Médoc?
Dry reds only
Merlot is a cross between…
Cab Franc x Magdeleine Noir
