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Bordeaux Flashcards

1
Q

What is the climate of Bordeaux?

A

Moderate maritime

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2
Q

What is the name of the warming ocean current that extends the Bordeaux growing season?

A

Gulf Stream

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3
Q

How does the Gulf Stream affect spring frosts in Bordeaux?

A

The warming current means they are rarely a problem.

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4
Q

The Landes forest and coastal sands protect Bordeaux from what?

A

Atlantic storms

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5
Q

Bordeaux has a moderate maritime climate. What does this mean for rainfall?

A

It rains throughout the year

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6
Q

What are the two biggest risks in Bordeaux associated with its moderate maritime climate?

A
  1. During flowering, a disrupted fruit set.
  2. During harvest, rot and dilute flavours.
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7
Q

Give three ways top Bordeaux producers have managed the moderate maritime climate.

A
  1. Rejecting unhealthy and unripe grapes(sorting).
  2. Changes in canopy management.VSP
  3. Using a blend of grape varieties with different flowering and harvest times.
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8
Q

In Bordeaux, which types of soils aid ripening of Cabernet Sauvignon?

A

Soils with high stone / gravel content.

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9
Q

In Bordeaux, which sub-regions have high stone / gravel content that help Cabernet Sauvignon ripen reliably?

A

Haut-Médoc
Bas-Médoc (mainly clay with outcrops of gravel)
Graves

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10
Q

In which Bordeaux region is Cabernet Franc widely planted and in which other two regions is it also grown?

A

Primary
Saint-Émilion
Secondary
Médoc
Graves

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11
Q

Why does Cabernet Franc grow well in the Médoc & Graves?

A

Like Cabernet Sauvignon it prefers warm, well-drained stoney / gravel soils.

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12
Q

What flavours does Cabernet Franc have if underripe?

A

Herbaceous
Stalky

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13
Q

What does Cabernet Franc give to a blend?

A

Vibrant fruit & floral notes in the blend.

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14
Q

What is the most planted red grape variety in Bordeaux?

A

Merlot

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15
Q

Which two premium wine regions are particularly important for Merlot?

A

Saint-Émilion
Pomerol

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16
Q

In which types of soils can Merlot ripen, where Cabernet Sauvignon can not?

A

Cooler, clay soils.

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17
Q

What grape variety is common in high volume, inexpensive Bordeaux wines?

A

Merlot

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18
Q

Which of the four key red grapes in Bordeaux only ripens in very hot years?

A

Petit Verdot

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19
Q

What does Petit Verdot give to a Bordeaux blend?

A

Deep colour
Tannins
Spicy notes

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20
Q

In Bordeaux, what does a producer typically call their best wine?

A

Grand Vin

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21
Q

When a Bordeaux producer makes a Grand Vin, what other two options do they have for left over wine?

A

Sell to Négociants
Use in a different wine (Second or Third label)

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22
Q

Which type of barrel is used by top Bordeaux producers for their red wines?

A

Barriques (225l)

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23
Q

Why is Sémillon suitable for noble rot wines?

A

It has a thin skin

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24
Q

Premium dry wines of Pessac-Léognan & Graves are made from which grapes?

A

Sémillon
Sauvignon Blanc
Muscadelle

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25
Q

What flavours does Bordeaux Sauvignon Blanc typically have?

A

Citrus & green fruits

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26
Q

Which grape variety is used to make dry white wines and is the one exception to the rule that all Bordeaux wines are blends?

A

Sauvignon Blanc

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27
Q

Which grape varieties are used in the production of sweet wines in Bordeaux?

A

Sémillon
Sauvignon Blanc
Muscadelle

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28
Q

What does Sauvignon Blanc give to blends of sweet wines?

A

High acidity

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29
Q

What does Muscadelle give to blends of sweet and dry wines in Bordeaux?

A

Pronounced grapey, floral flavour.

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30
Q

What can be said about the style and winemaking of Bordeaux’s lower end dry white wines?

A

Fresh & fruity.
Fermented in inert temperature controlled tanks.
Minimal further maturation although some show toasty hints of oak.

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31
Q

What can be said about the style and winemaking of premium dry white wines from Pessac-Léognan?

A

Frequently fermented & matured in oak barrels.
Richness and concentrated nutty flavours over fruit.

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32
Q

What can be said about the grapes and winemaking of premium sweet white wines from Bordeaux?

A

Grapes infected with noble rot.
Fermented and matured in new oak barrels for up to three years.

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33
Q

Of the different Bordeaux classifications, which is the only one to be part of the official appellation system?

A

Saint-Émilion

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34
Q

Unlike much of France, Bordeaux classifications are less about ___________ and are more like _________ .

A

Vineyards
Brands

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35
Q

The great wines of Bordeaux Cru Classé have tightly controlled boundaries that define the Châteaux. True or False?

A

False, there are no boundaries and many have bought & sold vineyards since the classification.

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36
Q

In which year was the Cru Classé ranking introduced, dividing the Médoc into five rankings and Sauternes into three?

A

1855

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37
Q

Which cru classification system in Bordeaux is awarded every five years to wines outside the 1855 Cru Classé rankings?

A

Cru Bourgeois

38
Q

How many levels does the Graves Cru Classé system have?

A

One level, you are either a Cru Classé or not, for both red and white.

39
Q

Why are all of Graves Cru Classé wines produced in Pessac-Léognan?

A

Pessac-Léognan was created after the classification, specifically to include all Cru Classé wines.

40
Q

Put the following Saint-Émilion appellations into order from highest to lowest

A

Saint-Émilion Premier Grand Cru Classé A
Saint-Émilion Premier Grand Cru Classé B
Saint-Émilion Grand Cru Classé
Saint-Émilion

41
Q

Into which three general areas can Bordeaux be divided?

A

Left Bank (Médoc, Graves, Sauternes)
Entre-Deux-Mers (in the middle)
Right Bank (Saint-Émilion, Pomerol)

42
Q

What is the difference between Bordeaux AOC and Bordeaux Supérieur AOC?

A

Bordeaux Supérieur AOC has stricter appellation rules and requires higher alcohol in the final wine.

43
Q

Describe a typical Bordeaux AOC or Bordeaux Supérieur AOC red wine?

A

Early drinking
Medium bodied
Ripe red & black fruits, sometimes cedar oak
Merlot dominated
Cheapest have lighter body, astringent tannins

44
Q

Which grape variety typically dominates white Bordeaux AOC and gives the wines a grassy character?

A

Sauvignon Blanc

45
Q

The soils in Médoc AOC wines predominantly consist of?

46
Q

Which red grape variety thrives in the cooler clay soils of the Médoc AOC?

47
Q

The Médoc and Haut Médoc are both located on which Bank?

48
Q

The soils in Haut Médoc AOC and its communes are predominantly?

49
Q

The best wines from the Haut-Médoc have a high percentage of which grape variety?

A

Cabernet Sauvignon

50
Q

Wines from Haut-Médoc communes (Saint-Estèphe AOC, Pauillac AOC, Saint-Julien AOC, Margaux AOC) have which dominant fruit and oak flavours?

A

Fruit: Blackcurrant
Oak: Cedar

51
Q

Wines from Haut-Médoc communes (Saint-Estèphe AOC, Pauillac AOC, Saint-Julien AOC, Margaux AOC) have what type of tannins when young?

A

Grippy tannins (High)

52
Q

Do wines from Haut-Médoc communes (Saint-Estèphe AOC, Pauillac AOC, Saint-Julien AOC, Margaux AOC) age well?

A

Yes, long ageing potential.

53
Q

Which sub-region of Graves AOC has a reputation for making high quality red wines?

A

Pessac-Léognan AOC

54
Q

What helps Cabernet Sauvignon ripen in Pessac-Léognan?

A

The warming gravel soils.

55
Q

In order of importance, what are the two most important grape varieties in Right Bank Bordeaux blends?

A

Merlot
Cabernet Franc

56
Q

In Saint-Émilion, which of these three areas is most likely to create the lightest wines?
Plateau North West
Escarpment South & East
Foot of Escarpment

A

Foot of Escarpment

57
Q

In Saint-Émilion, which of these three areas is most likely to be Cabernet Sauvignon dominated?
Plateau North West
Escarpment South & East
Foot of Escarpment

A

Plateau North West

58
Q

Comparing top quality wines from Bordeaux Left and Right Bank, which is more likely to be described as: medium to high tannins, softer mouthfeel with complex red berry and plum aromas, developing into cedar and tobacco.

A

Right Bank

59
Q

Summarise the three sub-areas within Saint-Émilion, giving the soils, grapes and the quality of the wine.
The sub-areas are
Plateau North West
Escarpment South & East
Foot of Escarpment

A

Plateau North West: well drained gravel and limestone. Merlot, Cabernet franc, Cabernet Sauvignon. Top quality

Escarpment South and East: clay limestone. Merlot. Top quality

Foot of Escarpment: sandy soils. Merlot. Lightest body

60
Q

Which of the top two Right Bank regions, Pomerol and Saint-Émilion (both Merlot dominated), produce richer wines with more spicy, blackberry fruit?

61
Q

Vins de Garage refers to what?

A

Garage Wines made on the Bordeaux Right Bank. Producers create tiny quantities of full bodied wines with incredible ripeness, with no expense spared.

62
Q

The Bordeaux appellations of Blaye, Cadillac, Castillon and Francs have created what collective name for their red wines?

A

Côtes de Bordeaux AOC

63
Q

Côtes de Bordeaux red wine style and grape variety can be described as?

A

Merlot dominated
Early drinking
Value for money

64
Q

Which white wine AOC is located between the River Garonne and Dordogne?

A

Entre-Deux-Mers AOC

65
Q

What style of wine is Entre-Deux-Mers AOC?

A

A dry white wine from Bordeaux.

66
Q

Which of the following AOCs can only be used for the production of white wine?
Pessac-Léognan AOC
Graves AOC
Entre-Deux-Mers AOC
Bordeaux AOC

A

Entre-Deux-Mers AOC

67
Q

Which region are both Sauternes & Barsac a part of?

68
Q

In which two ways are Sauternes & Barsac able to concentrate their sugars in the production of sweet wines?

A

Noble Rot
Passerillage - grapes dehydrate on the vine.

69
Q

What conditions are required for noble rot to develop in Sauternes & Barsac?

A

Misty autumn conditions, once the grapes are fully ripe.
If unripe grapes it is called Grey Rot

70
Q

In Sauternes & Barsac which three grapes are used and what do they give to the blend? Order from most important to least.

A

Sémillon : Thin skin, susceptible to botrytis.
Sauvignon Blanc: Refreshing acidity and fruity aromas.
Muscadelle: Exotic perfume.

71
Q

What is the difference between the wines of Sauternes AOP & Barsac AOP?

A

Very little. Both are sweet white wines with Barsac being a sub-region within Sauternes that can use either Barsac AOP or Sauternes AOP if they choose to.

72
Q

What is the name of the region that is highlighted?

73
Q

What is the name of the region that is highlighted?

A

St Emillion

74
Q

What is the name of the region that is highlighted?

A

Entre-Deux-Mers

75
Q

What is the name of the region that is highlighted?

76
Q

What is the name of the region that is highlighted?

A

Cotes de Bordeaux

77
Q

What is the name of the region that is highlighted?

A

Haut médoc

78
Q

What is the name of the region that these sub-regions are within?

A

Haut médoc

79
Q

What is the name of the region that is highlighted?

A

St Estephe

80
Q

What is the name of the region that is highlighted?

81
Q

What is the name of the region that is highlighted?

82
Q

What is the name of the region that is highlighted?

83
Q

What is the name of the region do the sub regions lie?

84
Q

What is the name of the bigger region?

85
Q

What is the name of the region that is highlighted?

A

Pessac Leognan

86
Q

What is the name of the region that is highlighted?

87
Q

What is the name of the region that is highlighted?

88
Q

What is the name of the region that these subregions lie within?

A

Cotes de Bordeaux

89
Q

What is the name of the region that is highlighted?

90
Q

What is the name of the region that is highlighted?

91
Q

What is the name of the region that is highlighted?

92
Q

What is the name of the region that is highlighted?

Wset d3 (29 decks)

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