Bordeaux Flashcards by Christen Raanes

How many appellations does Bordeaux have?

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Name the important AOC’s of the Left Bank.

Medoc AOC
Haut-Medoc AOC
Saint-Estephe AOC
Pauillac AOC
Margaux AOC
Saint-Julien AOC
Listrac-Medoc AOC
Moulis AOC

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Name the important AOC’s of the right Bank.

Saint- Emilion AOC
Saint-Emilion Grand Cru AOC
Montagne Saint-Emilion AOC
Lussac-Saint-Emilion AOC
Pomerol AOC
Lelande-de-Pomerol AOC

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Name the important AOC’s of Graves.

Graves Superieures AOC
Pessac-Leognan AOC
Sauternes AOC
Barsac AOC

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Name the important AOC’s of Cots de Bordeaux.

Blaye
Cadillac
Castillon
Francs

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What are the 2 soil types of Bordeaux?

Left Bank= gravel & stony soils
Right Bank= clay with patches of gravel

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All of the top Left Bank estates are planted on gravel mounds. What are these mounds called?

Croupes

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Broadly, what type of climate does Bordeaux have?

Moderate maritime

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What are the principal black and white grape varieties grown in Bordeaux?

Merlot
Cabernet Sauvignon
Cabernet Franc
Malbec
Petit Verdot
Semillon
Sauvignon Blanc
Muscadelle

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What is the name of the pine forest that partially protects the Left Bank from Atlantic storms?

The Landes

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What hazards to grape growing are there in Bordeaux?

Frost
Hail
Excessive rain
Powdery mildew
Downy mildew
Botrytis bunch rot

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Rain and storms can often blow in from the Atlantic Ocean. How can excessive rain affect vintage variation?

Rain at flowering can result in poor fruit set
Rain throughout the growing season can result in increased disease pressure
Rain at and following véraison can lead to unripe fruit and fungal diseases
Rain at harvest can dilute flavours.

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In what years was severe frost devastating in Bordeaux?

1956
1991

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In what years was extreme heat devastating in Bordeaux?

2003
2005
2017

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The tradition in Bordeaux for top quality vineyards is to plant closely spaced vines. How many vines are typically planted per hecatre?

10,000

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Planting density of vines is high in Bordeaux. What are the advantages of high planting density in this region?

Limits vine vigour
Makes the best use of expensive vineyard land by increasing potential yields
Water is often abundant so drought isn’t often a problem

Planting density of vines is high in Bordeaux. What are the disadvantages of high planting density in this region?

High cost as more vines must be bought and managed
Added cost of trellising many vines
Specialist tractors may have to be bought that fit between the tight rows
More time is needed for vine training, ploughing and spraying

Are vines in Bordeaux usually cane pruned or spur pruned?

cane

What type of trellising system is used in Bordeaux?

Left Bank- Double Guyot
Right Bank- Single Guyot

Briefly describe the problems Bordeaux often experiences with harvesting grapes in relation to weather.

Due to the nature of a maritime climate, rainfall can happen at any time of year and rainfall at harvest time is not an exception in Bordeaux. This can cause various problems if the rain is very heavy just prior to harvest, the berries can swell by taking up too much water and then split. The splitting can lead to disease and the quality of the fruit is automatically jeopardised. Picking during wet weather is not ideal as water can accumulate in the picking crates or in the machine harvester, leading to dilution of the juice.

If temperatures are too low, sugars will accumulate very slowly, acids will remain high and flavour components will not fully develop leading to underripe fruit.

What type of yeast is used in Bordeaux?

Cultured. Ambient yeast and their interesting and unusual aromas they can produce.

In what kinds of vessels might basic Bordeaux be matured in?

Stainless Steel
Concrete Vats
Large Oak Vats

Identify and describe the two approaches to blending wines in Bordeaux.

In the winter: For high quality wines this will be in time for the en primeur tastings in April. The process involves selecting the most appropriate wines from the different vats (tanks, oak vessels), different grape varieties to make up the final wine. This blend will be close to what the final wine will be at bottling.

Prior to bottling: carried out closer to bottling leaving time for the different vats (oak vessels of different ages, sizes, etc) and different grape varieties to have gone through a period of maturation.

What is the name of the deeper coloured, traditional rosé wine made in Bordeaux?

Clairet

What four factors determine the level of botrytis in the final sweet wines of Bordeaux?

1. Whether the environmental/weather conditions are correct for the spread of noble rot, which varies from year to year. 2. The position of estates (proximity to areas where mist forms most regularly versus other locations. 3. The willingness of estates to wait for the best times to harvest and risk losing all or part of the crop due to adverse weather. 4. The willingness of estates to pay for multiple passes through the vineyard to select botrytis-affected fruit.

Which top-quality Bordeaux appellation does not have classification at all?

Pomerol

Briefly describe why the Saint-Émilion classification has proven controversial.

Saint-Emillion was one of the later Bordeaux appellations to institute a classification system in 1955. The original premise originally seemed one of good intentions based on inclusion & future promotion of estates and their wines. Entry & promotion came about through a blind tasting (of at least 10 different vintages) every decade where wineries were also judged based upon several criteria: terroir, methods of production, reputation and commercial considerations. The later two criteria is where the classification system seems to have gone awry, as politics & influence entered and have biased the selection to become more exclusionary. As such, lawsuits based upon fairness (or lack thereof) have plagued the system from the start. Top estates, such as Chateaux Ausone & Chateau Cheval-Blanc, have distanced themselves from the system by declassifying themselves in 2021 (despite both having been Premier Grand Cru Classé A since the first classification). The terminology of the three tiers of the system, Premier Grand Cru A, Premier Grand Cru B and Grand Cru Classé, have also has it's own disputes for the use of the term Grand Cru.

What should ensure that quality within the Saint-Emilion is high?

For the properties in the lower tiers, ambition to move up a tier is viewed as a motivation to continually improve how properties are managed.

When and why were there lawsuits regarding the Saint Emilion classification?

2006. The demotion of properties damaged their reputation and the integrity of the process.

Why is production cost for a classed growth Bordeaux more costly than for a basic Bordeaux?

1) increased vine density 2)harvest costs 3) higher viticulture costs: lower yield, rigorous grape selection 4) higher maturation costs: barrel ageing (cost of new barrels, slower ROI due to extended time in barrel, facilities to store barrels for maturation).

What is the name of the unique commercial system in Bordeaux?

La place de Bordeaux

The route to market for Bordeaux wines is based on relationships, and very few producers sell their wines directly. Route to market can differ. Order the various stages of the supply chain, starting with grape grower and ending with the final consumer.

Grower sells grapes Bought by a cooperative or large winery Broker/Courtier Merchant/Négociant Importer Final consumer

When are wines being marketed as en primeur usually sold?

The spring following the year the grapes were harvested.

Why might a négociant be forced to buy wines from a vintage they normally wouldn't purchase when buying en primeur?

The rarest and most coveted wines are often sold on allocation. This means that négociants are given a set number of wines they can purchase. In order to maintain this allocation for the top vintages, the négociant will have to buy these wines in lesser vintages or years they normally might not want to buy any wine.