Bordeaux Flashcards
How many ha of vine are planted in Bordeaux?
111,000 hectares.
What is the percentage of different colours of Bordeaux production of AOC wines?
The production of AOC wine is 85 per cent red, 10 per cent dry white, 1 per cent sweet white and 4 per cent rosé.
How many percentage of Bordeaux wines are premium or super-premium priced?
Just three per cent are premium or super-premium priced. Around 70 per cent of all bottled wines are inexpensive or mid-priced.
How many bottles of wine is produced annualy in Bordeaux?
The annual production fluctuates but is generally over 800 million bottles.
Name two French wine regions that have a “superior” tier for their appellations?
Bordeaux and Beaujolais
Name reasons why production costs are high for classed growth in Bordeaux?
Increased vine density, harvest costs, hugely higher viticultural costs, lower yield, rigorous grape selection and barrel ageing (cost of new barrels and extended time in barrel), together with interest on bank loans and land costs.
What is a name of unique commercial system found in Bordeaux?
It is known as la place de Bordeaux. The wine is sold to a merchant (négociant) who in turn sells it on to wholesalers and retailers.
Who is courtier in Bordeaux wine trade?
Courtiers act as brokers between the châteaux and the négociants (they buy wines from chateaux and then sell and ship the wines to distributors earning 15 percent of the sale price). Courtiers earn around 2 percent of sale price.
Name second wine of Château Cheval Blanc?
Le Petit Cheval
Where is from Château Palmer?
Margaux
What is en primeur system in Bordeaux?
Wines are sold as futures, i.e. a paper transaction where the wine is sold a year to 18 months before it is bottled.
What are the benefits of en primeur system for consumers?
They can secure hard-to-buy wines and at a lower price than they will appear in fine wine shops once they are bottled and shipped.
What are the benefits of en primeur system for producers?
The estates benefit from early payment for wine.
Name second wine of Château Lafite-Rothschild?
Carruades de Lafite
What Bordeaux Premier Cru no longer sells its wines en primeur?
Ch. Latour, since 2012
Name second wine of Château Latour?
Les Forts de Latour
Name second wine of Château Mouton-Rothschild?
Petit Mouton
What Growth is Château Léoville-Las Cases?
Second Growth (Deuxième Cru)
Name three Generic Bordeaux Appellations?
Bordeaux AOP, Bordeaux Supérieur AOP, Crémant de Bordeaux AOP.
All the top estates of the Left Bank are planted on what type of soil?
Gravel mounds known as croupes.
Name second wine of Château Margaux?
Pavillon Rouge, Margaux du Château Margaux (third wine)
Name grapes used for Bordeaux AOP Blanc?
Sémillon, Sauvignon Blanc, Sauvignon Gris, and Muscadelle.
What Growth is Château Palmer?
Third Growth (Troisièmes Crus)
Name second red wine of Château Haut-Brion?
Le Clarence de Haut-Brion, (as of 2007, previously Château Bahans Haut-Brion)
Name grapes used for Bordeaux AOP Rosé and Rouge wines?
Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Cot (Malbec), Merlot, Petit Verdot, Carmenère
What Merlot contributes to the Bordeaux blend?
It contributes medium to pronounced intensity fruit (strawberry and red plum with herbaceous flavours in cooler years; cooked blackberry, black plum in hot years), medium tannins and medium to high alcohol.
Name three First Growths (Premiers Crus) from Pauillac?
Château Lafite Rothschild, Château Latour, Château Mouton Rothschild,
Name second white wine of Château Haut-Brion?
La Clarté de Haut-Brion (as of 2009 vintage)
What kind of wine is produced in Premières Côtes de Bordeaux AOP?
Appellation reserved only for sweet white wine. Formerly, reds were allowed but these are now produced as Côtes de Bordeaux instead.
Name two Second Growths (Deuxièmes Crus) from Pauillac?
Château Pichon Longueville Baron, and Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande.
What Cabernet Sauvignon contributes to the Bordeaux blend?
It contributes pronounced violet, blackcurrant, black cherry and menthol or herbaceous flavours, medium alcohol, and high acidity and tannins to the Bordeaux blend.
Name two Second Growths (Deuxièmes Crus) from Saint-Estèphe?
Château Cos d’Estournel, and Château Montrose.
What Cabernet Franc contributes to the Bordeaux blend?
It contributes red fruit, high acidity and medium tannins.
What appellation has most Second Growths (Deuxièmes Crus)?
Margaux and Saint-Julien. They both have five classified chateaux as Second growth.
Describe wines produced from Sémillon?
Light intensity apple, lemon and, if under ripe, grassy, flavours, a medium body, medium alcohol and medium to medium (+) acidity.
What Sémillon contributes to the high quality dry white Bordeaux blend?
It contributes low to medium intensity aromas, weight and body, and medium acidity. As such, it softens Sauvignon Blanc’s more intense flavours and high acidity. It has a strong affinity with vanilla and sweet spice flavours from new French oak.
What Sémillon contributes to the botrytis-affected sweet Bordeaux wines?
It contributes pronounced honey and dried fruit (lemon, peach) character and a waxy texture.
Why is Sémillon more favoured than Sauvignon Blanc in botrytis-affected sweet Bordeaux wines?
Sémillon is more susceptible to botrytis than Sauvignon Blanc. Sémillon is also prized for its ageability, developing toast and honeyed notes with age in contrast to Sauvignon Blanc that can hold but whose flavours do not evolve.
What Sauvignon Blanc contributes to the white Bordeaux wines?
It contributes its grassy and gooseberry fruit and high acidity
Describe typical red Bordeaux AOC?
Medium intensity red fruit, high acidity, medium (+) tannins, medium body and medium alcohol. Mainly made from Merlot. Most of the wines are acceptable to good quality and inexpensive to mid-priced.
Name four most famous Sauternes First Growths (Premiers Crus)?
Château Suduiraut, Château Climens, Château Rieussec, Château Coutet
Name four St-Émilion Premiers Grands Crus Classés A? (2012)
Château Ausone, Château Cheval-Blanc and newly promoted Château Angélus, Château Pavie.