Bordeaux Flashcards
How many estates were classified in the ‘Bordeaux classification of 1855’ for dry red wines?
61 estates
- 4 first growths
- 15 second growths
- 14 third growths
- 10 fourth growths
- 18 fifth growths
How many estates were classified in the ‘classification of 1855’ for Sweet white wines?
25 estates
- 1 great first growth
- 11 first growths
- 13 second growths
The 1855 classification was based on what factor?
How high of a price the wine can fetch, rather than the quality.
Define claret.
The British name of Bordeaux. Back in the days these wines were light bodied, approximately 10% abv, and light colored, so the British would often call these claret.
Bordeaux river and it’s estuaries.
The Dordogne in the North, and the Garonne in the South. They flow into the Gironde estuary, which empties into the Atlantic ocean.
Name the two great appellations of left bank.
Medoc & Graves
Name the four premium appellations of the Medoc from north to south.
St Estephe
Pauillac
St Juliene
Margaux
When did the medoc come into existence and how?
The Medoc came into existence in the 1600’s, when Dutch engineers emptied the marshlands to reveal the gravel soils within.
Why is gravel and clay so important in Bordeaux?
Gravel drains water very quickly. Too much water retention in the soil can result in too much yield, and lower quality wines.
Clay retains a lot of water, like a sponge, which balances out the effect of the gravel.
Define ‘hydric stress.’
When the vine roots have to reach deep into the clay for access the water. This is an important factor in bordeaux vineyards.
What factor is crucial for the development of tannins?
The access to water.
When water supply is constrained, tannins ripen quickly.
When water is accessible, tannins ripen slowly.
Wines in the North medoc tend to be more tannic, and become more elegant as you move south…why?
Clay deposits are thicker in the North, thinning gradually as you go south. Higher clay deposits in the soil equals higher tannins.
The three main appellations in Graves.
Pessac-Leognan, Sauternes and Barsac (within sauternes.)
When was Pessac Leognan granted AOC?
in 1987
What are the dominant soils of Graves?
Gravel & Sand.
This makes wines from Graves lighter than those of the Medoc.
Name the natural occurrence that allows the white grapes of Sauternes and Barsac to be suitable for production of sweet wines.
Botrytis Cenerea, aka Noble Rot.
This fungi drains the water from the grapes, concentrating their sugars to almost a raisin like state.
The right bank is east of which river?
The Dordogne river
What are the soils of Pomerol?
Gravel and Sand, and MONTMORILLONITE clay.
Montmorillonite clay is found in which of the following estate’s land?
a) Ch. Margaux
b) Ch. Cheval Blanc
c) Ch. Petrus
d) Ch. D’Yquem
c) Ch. Petrus
Name some of the top Chateaus of Pomerol.
Ch. Petrus
Ch. L’Evangile
Vieux Ch. Certan
La Conseillante
Ch. Gazin
Ch. Lafleur
What is ‘molasse du Fronsadais’? Where would it be found?
The soil of St Emilion, a blend of clay, sand and limestone,
Three distinct types of terroir in St Emilion
The plateau: limestone and thin, clay loam topsoils.
The slopes: clay, sand, limestone (aka molasse du fronsadais)
The river basin: sandy soils.
Define Bordeaux’s climate?
Maritime climate; warm summers and cool winters. It is influenced mainly by its proximity to the Atlantic ocean.
The Gironne estuary funnels in air from the ocean inland.
Name the six allowable red grapes of Bordeaux.
Merlot
Cabernet Sauvignon
Cabernet Franc
Petit Verdot
Malbec
Carmenere
Name the eight allowable white grapes for Bordeaux dry white wines.
Semillon Colombard
Sauvignon Blanc Ugni Blanc
Sauvignon Gris Merlot Blanc
Muscadelle Mauzac.
As of 2021, name the four new approved red grapes and two approved white grapes that may be used in Bordeaux blends.
Touriga Nacional
Marselan (CS & Grenaches)
Castets
Arinarnoa (CS & Tannat)
Alvarinho
Liliorila (Baroque & Chardonnay)
By decree of to CIVB, what percentage of the final blend can the new approved Bordeaux grapes of 2021 make up?
up to 10% of the final blend
What was the reason behind the six new approved grapes for Bordeaux blends in 2021?
to help Bordeaux wine producers adapt to climate change.
These six grapes have naturally high acidity, structure or strong aromatics, as well as good resistance against specific vine diseases, such as mildew to grey rot.
What is “Magdeleine Noire des Charentes”?
The parent grape to Malbec. Now extinct
Bordeaux’s most planted red grape?
Bordeaux’s most planted white grape?
red: Merlot
white: Semillon
Common characteristic found in most Bordeaux grapes.
Pyrazines (2-methoxy-3-isobutylpyrazine)
This is what gives these grapes their GREEN notes—bell pepper, grass, sage
Why is blending very important is Bordeaux wines rather than single varietals?
Bordeaux’s climate is the main factor.
Each grape buds, flowers, and ripens according to a different schedule, so weather events like fall rains or spring frosts may heavily impact one variety but leave another relatively unscathed. In Bordeaux’s maritime climate some varieties are more susceptible than others to rot and coulure, disastrously affecting final yields.
What makes merlot and semillon prone to rot?
Their thin skins.
Thin skins do not provide enough protection from rot. That’s why grapes like cabernet sauvignon can be resistant to winter rots.
What are the three regional appellations of bordeaux?
Bordeaux AOP
Bordeaux Supérieur AOP
Crémant de Bordeaux AOP.
Rose wines from Bordeaux falls under which appellation?
only Bordeaux AOC
Crémant de Bordeaux AOP…
-Only white and rose sparkling wines.
-Must be made in the traditional -method.
-Must age for at least 9 months on the lees.
In the second half of the 19th century, three vineyard diseases of American origin arrived in succession in Bordeaux.
Define them…
Oidium: Hit Bordeaux in 1852. aka powdery mildew
Phylloxera: Hit Bordeaux in 1869.
Peronospora: Hit in the early 1880’s. aka downy mildew. The Bordeaux formula was created.
What is the Bordeaux formula?
A mixture of copper sulfate and calcium hydroxide (hydrated lime).
Sprayed on vine to prevent downy mildew.
What is the minimum vineyard density for Medoc regions and Right bank regions?
Minimum 7,000 vines per hectares in Medoc. Shorter canopy height, for grapes to take advantage of the stony soil’s radiant heat.
Minimum 5,500 vines per hectares in the right bank. Higher canopy height, less prone to frost.
Describe the vine training in Bordeaux.
Most vines are trained on vertical trellises in the Guyot system.
Double is common on the left bank
Single is common on the right bank
Cordon is common for vines intended to produce sweet wines.
What kind of vine training is commonly used in Sauternes?
Cordon training: produces smaller berries that attract botrytis.
What is green-harvesting and why is it a common practice in Bordeaux?
The removal of bunches during the summer months.
In theory the practice reduces vigor, producing smaller berries that will yield more concentrated wine.
What are two common sorting practices in bordeaux?
Optical sorting and Density sorting
Allowed barrel size for Bordeaux wines
225-liter french oak barriques
A common practice that requires taking wine from the bottom of the tank and tossing it back into the top.
Remontage, also known as pumping over.
This process is used to extract color, tannins and flavor into the wine.
How long does elevage normally last in for bordeaux red wine? white wines?
18-24 months for red wines
12-15 months for white wines
What is micro-oxygenation and why is it used in bordeaux?
a process used in winemaking to introduce oxygen into wine in a controlled manner.
May be employed during fermentation or aging to soften green, rustic and tannic edges.
Define racking.
the process of transporting wine from one vessel to another.
The main goal is to siphon the wine into another container, so you separate all the sediment from it.
When does assemblage typically take place in Bordeaux?
April.
The landes forest
a manmade forest located in western Medoc, helps shields the vineyards from Atlantic weather and winds.
Eight AOC’s of the medoc region
Medoc AOC
Haut Medoc AOC
St Estephe AOC
Pauillac AOC
St Julien AOC
Listrac AOC
Moulis AOC
Margaux AOC
Chateau Poujeaux is situated in which AOC?
Moulis en medoc AOC.
Total classifications of the Medoc region
Classification of 1855
Cru Bourgeois
Cru Artisan
What is the Cru Bourgeois?
A classification established in 1932, to give some wineries collective marketing power in a time of worldwide depression.
cru bourgeois exceptionnel
cru bourgeois supérieur
cru bourgeois.
as of 2020, 14 chateaus have cru bourgeois exceptionnel.
This classification is reviewed every 5 yrs.
Difference between Graves AOC & Graves Supérieur AOC.
Graves AOC allows dry reds and dry whites
Graves Supérieur AOC allows only sweet whites
Classification of Graves.
First drafted in 1953, and finalized in 1959.
Began with 15 estates, went up to 16, and now its down to 14.
How many AOC’s are in Graves?
name a few
Six AOC’s
Graves AOC Cerons AOC
Graves Superior AOC Barsac AOC
Pessac Leognan AOC Sauternes AOC
From the Graves classification of 1959, name the two chateaus that no longer exist.
Château La Tour Haut-Brion (classified for red wine) produced its final vintage in 2005.
Château Laville Haut-Brion (classified for white wine) produced its final vintage in 2008.
In what year was Pessac Leognan established? and how does this AOC differentiate from Medoc AOC’s?
in 1987.
It allows for the production of both red and white wines.
Main grapes of Sauternes and Barsac.
Semillon, Sauvignon Blanc & Muscadelle
Define Botrytis Cinerea.
AKA noble, this is a bacteria that grows on thin skinned grapes, that sucks the water content, leaving behind the sugar content.
This bacteria is used to produce the sweet dessert wines of Graves (sauternes).
Sauternes is situated near what two rivers?
Why are they important?
the Ciron and the Garonne rivers.
encourages the development of morning mists and humidity in the early autumn—conditions ripe for botrytis.
When the mold attacks the grape, it permeates the skin and dehydrates it, so that _____, ______, and _______ are heightened.
The afflicted grapes can imbue a bouquet of honey, saffron, dried fruit, ginger spice, even iodine.
sugar, acidity, and glycerol content
What is ‘tries successives’ ?
Harvesting grapes individually by passing through the vineyard multiple times, in order to select the grapes that have been affected by Botrytis Cinerea.
aka Successive Sorting
Who produces Ygrec?
Chateau D’Yquem.
Their second label, debuted in 1959.
Dry white wine.
What kind of wine is produced in Cerons AOC?
Sweet white wines.
Three main regions of the right bank
St Emilion (ST Emilion AOC + 4 satellites)
Pomerol (Pomerol AOC + Lalande de P.)
Fronsac (Fronsac AOC + Canon Fronsac)
Describe the two main historic growing areas for St Emilion wines.
The cotes: slopes of limestone near the town of St Emilion, where the cool clay soils of the plateau are suitable for Merlot’s early ripening.
The graves comes in as you move closer to Pomerol, where more CS and CF is planted.
St Emilion topography
The best vineyards are situated on the slopes of the plateau or atop the plateau. The lowlands closer to the Dordogne River contains sandier soils, that make for lighter wines that may only apply for Bordeaux AOC.
What are the red wine appellations of St Emilion?
What makes them different?
Saint-Émilion AOC, established in 1936
-may be blended through negociants
-less elevage
most are situated on the closer to the river
Saint-Émilion Grand Cru AOC, in 1954
-must be estate bottled (no negociants)
-lower maximum yields
-longer elevage
-most are situated on the sloped or plateau.
A wine labeled “Saint-Émilion Grand Cru” is an indication of….
a) a classification c) an appellation
b) a sub-region d) a first wine
“Saint-Émilion Grand Cru” indicates an appellation, where as “Saint-Émilion Grand Cru Classé” indicates a classified producer within that appellation.
St Emilion classifications.
1) Completed on 1955, enacted in 1958.
2) Began with three new AOCs:
-Saint-Émilion G. Cru
-Saint-Émilion G. Cru Classé
-Saint-Émilion 1er G. Cru Classé (A & B)
3) Revised every 10yrs
The 2006 classification scandal of St Emilion.
A scandal was created by four chateaus over the demotion from the GC Classe status (Châteaux Guadet, La Tour du Pin Figeac, Cadet Bon and la Marzelle.)
This scandal ended up annexing the entire 2006 classification, and the previous 1996 classification was reinstated.
As a result, To maintain the classification’s unique means of quality control and shield it from future legal problems, the Saint-Émilion Wine Council shifted authority over the classification to the INAO.
Name the four formally ranked chateaux that withdrew from the St Emilion classifications?
Ch. Cheval Blanc (Classe A)
Ch. Angelus (Classe A)
Ch. Ausone (Classe A)
Ch. La Gaffelière (Classe B)
Which of the following is classified as a St Emilion 1er Grand Cru classes wine?
a) Chateau Figeac
b) Chateau Cheval Blanc
c) Chateau Canon
d) Chateau Guadet
a) Chateau Figeac
Figeac got elevated to 1er GC Classe in 2022, while Cheval Blanc/Ausone/Angelus all withdrew from their 1er GCc status.
Ch Pavie was the only previous 1er GCc to retain its status.
Describe the terroir of Pomerol.
Pomerol lies on a gently rising plateau composed of three separate terraces.
In the very bottom, its sandier soils, creating lesser vineyard terrain. As you move up the plateau, gravel begins to take over, interlaced with clay and crasse de fer.
Land here is more suitable for vineyards.
At the eastern part of Pomerol, you will find more water-retaining clay soils (buttoniere) where many famed estates have land, including Petrus.
What is crasse de fer? Where is it found?
It is the iron rich sand deposits that are found in Pomerol’s terroir.
Main soils of Pomerol
Clay, Gravel and Sand
Name some top chateaus from Pomerol
Petrus Le Pin
Vieux Château Certan Lafleur
l’Evangile Trotanoy,
la Conseillante Ch. Clinet
Petit Village
The current Encépagement required for Fronsac rouge.
minimum 80% blend of CS, CF & Merlot
The rest can be made from cot, carmenere or PV.
AOC’s in bordeaux where the communes of Saillans & La Rivière are?
Fronsac AOC and Canon Fronsac AOC.
The are the two (of seven) top communes with the best hillsides for winemaking.
Two rivers that surround Fronsac
The Isle river in the east (seprates Fronsac from Lalande de P.)
and
Dordogne river in the south (separates Fronsac from Entre de Mer)
Soil profiles of Fronsac and Canon Fronsac AOCs.
Fronsadais molasse, a mixture of soft limestone and clay.
Chateaus from Fronsac and Canon Fronsac worth knowing.
Château Grand-Renouil
Château Gaby
Château Dalem
Château de La Dauphine
Château Fontenil
Château de La Rivière.
Michell Rolland and Jean-Pierre Mouiex
Two right bank winemakers the influenced the wine industry of Libourne
Jean Pierre Mouiex’s influences in the wine world.
Since Jean-Pierre Moueix began investing in properties of the region in the early 1950s, his company grew to become highly influential in the French wine market, and was instrumental in the rise of the reputation of the Pomerol region.
Fun fact about Fronsac wines and how they compared to St Emilion and Pomerol.
From the mid 18th century to the start of the 19th century, the top Right Bank estates in Fronsac and Canon Fronsac were better known and often sold for more money than many wines from Pomerol and St. Emilion. Wines from Fronsac and Canon Fronsac remained in high demand until the late 1800s. The devastating effect of phylloxera was the final straw, as both appellations were decimated.
Main difference between Canon Fronsac AOC and Fronsac AOC
Canon-Fronsac is more on the slope, on elevation, while Fronsac is on low lying hills overlooking the Dordogne river.
The limestone is probably the most important thing for in Canon-Fronsac.
Wine region known as Bordeaux’s little tuscany?
Fronsac.
The Tuscany reference comes from the way its land unfurls in great waves along the river’s edge, its valleys, copses and knots of truffle oaks providing shelter to the lush rows of Merlot and Cabernet Franc vines.
The four satellite appellations north of St Emilion.
Lussac-Saint-Émilion AOP (northernmost)
Puisseguin-Saint-Émilion AOP (highest elevation)
Montagne-Saint-Émilion AOP (
Saint-Georges-Saint-Émilion AOP (smallest satellite in size and production)
they are hillier and cooler, with harvests occurring after those in Saint-Émilion.
In which AOC is the village of Neac?
Lalande de Pomerol AOC
What are the Barbanne and Isle reffering to in right bank bordeaux?
Two important rivers.
Barbanne separates the satellite from St Emilioni.
The Isle river separates Fronsac from Lalande de Pomerol.
What style of wine can be produced under Entre Deux Mers AOC?
Dry white wines only.
It is the coolest growing area in bordeaux, hence better suited for white grape.
Vines are trained high above the ground to avoid frost.
What is Haut Benauge?
a region withing the Entre Deux Mers area of Bordeaux. Two appellations can carry this designation:
1) Bordeaux-Haut-Benauge AOC: for white wines (dry and sweet)
2)Entre-Deux-Mers Haut-Benauge AOC: for dry white wines
Also, 9 communes make up this region.
How many communes are allowed to produce wines under the Haut Benauge appellation(s)?
Nine communes.
Arbis Cantois Escoussans
Gornac Ladaux Mourens
Targon Soulignac St-Pierre-de-Bat
What is St Macaire?
What kind of wine(s) is produced there?
Allowable grapes?
-An appellation for Cotes de Bordeaux.
-Cotes de Bordeaux Saint-Macaire produces dry and sweet white wines.
-Sémillon, Sauvignon Blanc and Muscadelle.
Define Moelleux and Liquoreux
Moelleux: sweet wine made from late harvested grapes.
Liquoreux: sweet wine made from berries affected by botrytis.
What is the difference between
Côtes de Bordeaux AOC &
Premières Côtes de Bordeaux AOC
Côtes de Bordeaux AOC
-Red and White wines
Premières Côtes de Bordeaux AOC
-sweet white wines only
-Cadillac, Loupiac, and Sainte-Croix-du-Mont are the best appellations
Which of the following is situated in Entre Deux Mers?
a) Blaye AOC c) Listrac AOC
b) Barsac AOC d) Graves de Vayres AOC
Graves de Vayres AOC
produces whites and red
When was Cotes de Bordeaux AOC established? and for what purpose?
debuted in 2009 to rebrand and unify numerous outlying appellations in Bordeaux.
Five areas that can append their names to Cotes de Bordeaux AOC?
Francs (red and dry/sweet white)
Castillon (red only)
Cadillac (red only)
Blaye (red and dry white)
St Foy (red and dry/sweet white)
which of the following AOCs of Cotes de Bordeaux can only produce red wines?
a) Cotes de Bordeaux Cadillac
b) Cotes de Bordeaux Blaye
c) Cotes de Bordeaux Francs
d) Cotes de Bordeaux St Foy
a) Cotes de Bordeaux Cadillac
AOC’s belonging to Entre Deux Mer
Understanding Cotes de Bordeaux.
-It encompasses 4 disconnected regions throughout Bordeaux.
1) Premier cotes de Bordeaux aoc in the west, across the river from Sauternes.
2) Castillon CdB & Francs CdB, east of St Emilion.
3) St Foy CdB in the NW end of Entre D. Mers, almost getting the Bergerac aoc
4) Blaye Cdb in the north, across the river from the Haut Medoc
-Wine made under the basic Cotes de
Bordeaux AOC can only be RED wine.
-But there are five geographic designations withing the CdB AOC than can produces red and/or white.
1) CdB Francs
2) CdB Cadillac
3) CdB Castillon
4) CdB Blaye
5) CdB St Foy
Four AOC’s across the river from Sauternes that are designated for sweet white wines.
1) Premier Cotes de Bordeaux AOC
2) Cadillac AOC (not Cadillac Cotes de
Bordeaux)
3) Loupiac AOC
4) Sainte-Croix-du-Mont AOC
5) Côtes de Bordeaux-Saint-Macaire AOP (can do sweet or dry)
