Bordeaux

Question 1

Bordeaux

Answer 1

Moderate Maritime Climate
Prolonged Growing Season
Landes Forest

Question 2

Left Bank

Answer 2

Medoc to the North, Graves to the South, gravel soils (croupes) give superior drainage and heat retention, Cabernet Sauvignon

Question 3

Right Bank

Answer 3

Pomerol, Saint Emilion, more clay in soil but significant patches of gravel in certain sectors, Merlot dominant

Question 4

Merlot

Answer 4

Early ripening, prefers cold soils (clay), medium tannin, moderate color, low acid, high alcohol

Question 5

Cabernet Sauvignon

Answer 5

Late ripening, prefers warm soils (gravels and sand), high acid, high tannin, high color, moderate alcohol

Question 6

Cabernet Franc

Answer 6

Cold soil (limestone), medium tannin, medium acid, moderate color

Question 7

Malbec

Answer 7

Devastated by freeze of 1956 so replanted with Merlot, likes limestone, low acidity, blackberry notes,

Question 8

Petit Verdot

Answer 8

Buds early ripens late so fell out of favor. Climate change bringing it back into favor. Deep color, high tannin, spicy notes, gravel and sandy soils

Question 9

Semillon

Answer 9

Waxy texture, subdued aroma, medium acid, fuller bodies
Dry: pear, citrus, mineral.
Sweet: tropical fruit, honey, apricot, peach, citrus, nectarine
More succeptible to botrytis and ages well

Question 10

Sauvignon Blanc

Answer 10

High acid, aromatic white, grassy, gooseberry, pineapple

Question 11

Muscadelle

Answer 11

Intensely aromatic

Grapey with slight musk overtones, flowers

Question 12

Double Goyet

Answer 12

Head trained, replacement cane VSP (2 canes trained)

Left Bank

Question 13

Simgle Guyot

Answer 13

head trained, replacement cane VSP (1 cane trained)

Right bank

Question 14

Soft Pruning

Answer 14

Making small cuts, leaving some extra wood at cut site

Allow wood to dry out and maximizing sap flow around plant

Question 15

1855 Classification

Answer 15

Established by request of Napoleon for the Exposotion Universelle de Paris
Based on price of Medoc and Haut Brion in Graves
Remains ulaltered today
Still affects price

Question 16

Graves Classification

Answer 16

Drawn up in 1953 (completed in 1959)
13 wines entitled to use Cru Classe
500 hectares in Pessac-Leognan appellation

Question 17

Saint-Emilion Classification

Answer 17

1954 (revised every 10 years)
Overseen by INAO
Premier Cru Classe
Grabd Cru Classe

Question 18

Cru Bourgeois du Medoc Classification

Answer 18

2003 made official in 2016
Renewed every September
All Medoc wines, 2 years after harvest
Annual blind tasting

Question 19

Châteaux

Answer 19

Over 7,000 estates
Now shrinking from acquisitions
Average size 19 hectares
Annual production 800 bottles

Question 20

Le Place de Bordeaux

Answer 20

The roles of growers, courtier, negociants
Growers utilize brokers (courtiers) who sell to merchants (negociants) who sell to wholesalers then to retail then to consumer
Courtiers mark up 2% and negociants 15%

Question 21

En Primeur

Answer 21

Futures sold while wine is still in barrel
Year to 18 months before being bottled
Gives producer money up front
Gives consumer/negociants ability to buy at lower price (usually) then when it hits stores
Also has become only way to get some wines and you have to buy every year to keep your allocation