Bordeaux

Question 1

In what year was the INAO created?

Answer 1

1935

Question 2

In what year did the INAO grant the first AOC?

Answer 2

1936

Question 3

What is the name of the group of people who backed financially the chateaux of the Medoc and controlled the wine trade?

Answer 3

Courtiers

Question 4

What are the six red allowed grapes of Bordeaux AOP?

Answer 4

Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Malbec and Carmenere

Question 5

What is Bordeaux’s most widely planted grape?

Answer 5

Merlot

Question 6

In what type of soils are respectively Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot usually planted in Bordeaux?

Answer 6

Cabernet Sauvignon in gravel based soils (left bank)
Merlot in clay based soils (right bank)

Question 7

In what kind of soil does Cabernet Franc thrive in Bordeaux?

Answer 7

Limestone-based soils

Question 8

What is the difference of encepagement and assemblage?

Answer 8

Encepagement refers to the proportions of different grapes planted in a vineyard. Assemblage refers to the proportions of grapes on a blend.

Question 9

What does Cabernet Sauvignon impart to a Bordeaux blend?

Answer 9

Structure, power, longevity

Question 10

What does Merlot impart to a Bordeaux blend?

Answer 10

Rounder texture, juicy character

Question 11

What does Cabernet Franc impart to a Bordeaux blend?

Answer 11

Herbal, vegetal, and red fruit aromatics

Question 12

What blend of grapes dominate the right bank of Bordeaux?

Answer 12

Merlot and Cabernet Franc (commonly 3/4 and 1/4 ratios)

Question 13

Even though used very little, Petit Verdot is more commonly used in the Right Bank than the Left Bank.
True or False

Answer 13

False (Petit Verdot is almost non-existent in the Right Bank)

Question 14

What is Malbec known as in Bordeaux’s Right Bank?

Answer 14

Pressac

Question 15

What grapes dominate the white blends of Bordeaux?

Answer 15

Semillon, Sauvignon Blanc and Muscadelle

Question 16

What does Sauvignon Blanc offer to a white Bordeaux blend?

Answer 16

Sharpness, acidity, citrus aromas

Question 17

What does Semillon offer to a white Bordeaux blend?

Answer 17

Creamy and waxy texture, honey aromas, rounder feeling

Question 18

In what vessel would a top Bordeaux chateau usually age its red wines?

Answer 18

In barriques (225 liter-capacity oak barrels) for up to two years

Question 19

What is the AOP for traditional method sparkling Bordeaux’s wines?

Answer 19

Cremant de Bordeaux AOP

Question 20

Cabernet Sauvignon is planted in a higher proportion than Merlot in the Bas-Medoc.

True or False

Answer 20

False

Question 21

Who commissioned the classification of 1855 in Bordeaux?

Answer 21

Napoleon III

Question 22

What is the only first growth chateau that is not in the Medoc?

Answer 22

Chateau Haut-Brion in Pessac-Leognan (Graves)

Question 23

How many chateaux were classified in 1855?

Answer 23

58 (there are 61 now because of ownership divisions of classified chateaux)

Question 24

In what year was Chateau Mouton-Rothschild elevated from second to first growth?

Answer 24

1973

Question 25

What are all of the first growths and in which communes are they located?

Answer 25

Pauillac: Chateau Latour, Chateau Lafite-Rothschild, Chateau Mouton-Rothschild Margaux: Chateau Margaux Pessac-Leognan: Chateau Haut-Brion

Question 26

How are Lafite and Latour different from each other?

Answer 26

Chateau Lafite emphasizes depth and concentration while Latour is more aromatic, lifted, and elegant.

Question 27

Which Haut-Medoc commune has the most classified growths?

Answer 27

Margaux (21)

Question 28

Which is the northernmost commune of the Haut-Medoc?

Answer 28

St-Estephe

Question 29

Which notable "super-second" is located in St-Estephe?

Answer 29

Cos d'Estournel

Question 30

Second growths from Margaux tend to be overperformers. True or False

Answer 30

False (they tend to underperform)

Question 31

Name one notable overperformer third growth from Margaux

Answer 31

Chateau Palmer

Question 32

How are the soils of the Medoc and Graves different?

Answer 32

Graves is sandier towards the south, resulting in a mixture of sand, gravel, and clay (boulbenes)

Question 33

Graves AOP allows red wine only. True or False

Answer 33

False (Graves AOP can be either red or dry white)

Question 34

In what year were the wines of Graves classified?

Answer 34

1953

Question 35

In what year were six chateaux added to the Graves classification?

Answer 35

1959

Question 36

How were the best wines of Graves classified?

Answer 36

Cru Classé

Question 37

What is the only Left Bank chateaux that was classified twice?

Answer 37

Chateaux Haut-Brion (both under the Medoc and the Graves classification)

Question 38

Sauternes lies between which two rivers?

Answer 38

Ciron and Garonne

Question 39

How is the process of picking individual grapes during different trips through a vineyard called?

Answer 39

Tries

Question 40

How and when were the wines of Sauternes classified?

Answer 40

Premier Cru Superieur (only chateau d'Yquem), first growth and second growth (1855)

Question 41

What is the name of the dry white wine produced by chateaux d'Yquem?

Answer 41

Ygrec (labeled as Bordeaux)

Question 42

What other AOP can Barsac AOP be labeled as?

Answer 42

Sauternes AOP

Question 43

How is Carbernet Franc known as in Pomerol?

Answer 43

Bouchet

Question 44

Entre-Deux-Mers AOP allows only dry white wine. True or False

Answer 44

True

Question 45

When was the classification of St-Emilion created?

Answer 45

1954 (published in 1955)

Question 46

How were St-Emilion best wines classified?

Answer 46

Premier Grand Cru Classes A & B and Grand Cru Classe

Question 47

What is the name of the movement in which Right Bank small chateaux started to make world class wine in the late 1900s?

Answer 47

“Microchâteau” or garagistes movement