Bordeaux Flashcards
What is the climate of Bordeaux
Maritime
What was ranked in the 1953 Graves Classification?
The wines of 16 estates (not the estates themselves), both white and red.
Entre-deux-Mers AOC may produce dry and sweet white wine. T or F?
False. Entre-deux-Mers AOC produces only dry white wines.
What does “petit chateau” mean?
It is an unofficial term for an unclassified property in the Bordeaux region.
Which estate is the only Premier Cru Superieur of the 1855 Classification?
Chateau d’Yquem
What does “Cru Artisan” refer to?
Boutique wineries of quality in Bordeaux.
What is the difference between Saint-Emillion Grand Cru and Saint-Emilion Grand Cru Classe?
The former is an AOC; the latter is a ranking within the Sain-Emillion classification system.
The Garonne and Dordogne flow into which estuary?
The Gironde
Only dry red wines may be labeled as coming from the Medoc AOC. True or False?
True. Some white wine is produced, but it cannot be labeled as coming from the Medoc AOC.
What nationality were the engineers who drained the Medoc Peninsula in the 17th century?
Dutch
The 1855 Classification in Bordeaux was based on the size and prestige of the estates. True or False?
False. It reflected the price points (by tiers) at which the top wines were selling in 1855.
Which Bordeaux soils are considered “warm”?
Gravel and sand
Which Bordeaux soils are considered “cold”?
Clay and limestone
Bordeaux is France’s largest AOC vineyard area. True or False?
True
The 1855 Classification is divided into how many tiers, or rankings?
Five
What is the main soil type of Bordeaux’s Left Bank?
Gravel
Who championed the “second label” concept as a way to improve the quality of the “grand vin”?
Emile Paynaud
Wine from Barsac may be labeled as Sauternes. True or False?
True. Barsac is included in Sauternes AOC.
Which river separates Sauternes from Barsac?
The Ciron
Which river separates Fronsac and Canon Fronsac from the rest of the Libournais?
The Isle
What is a wine sold “en primeur”
A wine sold before it is physically released.
What are the three primary white grapes in Bordeaux?
Semillon, Sauvignon Blanc, Muscadelle
Which Bordeaux sub-region sits between the Dordogne and Garonne rivers?
Entre-deux-Mers
What are the main soil types of Bordeaux’s Right Bank?
Clay and Limesonte
What is the most widely planted grape variety in Bordeaux?
Merlot
What grape variety suffered the most damage after the Winter Freeze of 1956?
Malbec
What is “Les Landes”?
A man-made pine forest to the west of Bordeaux.
Which Bordeaux estate was promoted to first Growth status in 1973?
Chateau Mouton-Rothschild
What are the three tiers of the Cru Bourgeois Classification?
Crus Bourgeois Exceptionelle
Crus Bourgeois Superieurs
Crus Bourgeois
Which Right Bank sub-region has a classification system?
Saint-Emillion
Bordeaux’s first vineyards were planted in which sub-region?
Graves
Cremant de Bordeaux may be white or rose.
True or False
True
Before becoming its own AOC, Pessac-Leognan was once a part of which Bordeaux sub-region?
Graves
Cotes de Bordeaux AOC makes only dry red wine. True or False?
True
What is a “clairet”?
A semi-red wine made by the saignee method.
What are the four satellite AOCs of Saint-Emilion?
Lussac
Montagne
Puisseguin
Saint-Georges
Graves Superieures AOC produces dry, semi-sweet and sweet white wines.
True or False
False.
Graves Superieures AOC produces only semi-sweet white wine.
