Bordeaux Flashcards
How many AOP’s in Bordeaux?
39
Negociants
Intermediary / buys fruit or wine in barrels to age in their cellar before bottling and selling
Courtiers
Brokers of wine / provides the châteaux with financial backing
En Primeur
Yearly offering of Bordeaux wine as futures
Climate of Bordeaux
Maritime climate
Atlantic + Gironde estuary as moderating influence (protection from frost and winter freezes)
Short winters / damp springtime (fungal diseases) / summers can be hot
More continental towards the Right bank
Springtime cold/wet weather can lead to Millerandage and Coulure
Assemblage
Blend of different grape varieties to reach a particular balanced style
Red grape varieties allowed in Bordeaux
Merlot
Cabernet Sauvignon
Cabernet Franc
Petit Verdot
Malbec
Carmenere
Alias of Cabernet Franc in Bordeaux
Bouschet
Alias of Malbec in Bordeaux
Pressac
Most planted grape variety overall in Bordeaux
Merlot
Earliest grape variety to ripen
Merlot
Merlot
Prefer clay-based soils
Contributes a fleshy, juicy texture that can soften the austerity of Cab Sauvignon
Buds late / spring frost is an issue
Earliest to ripen
Cabernet Sauvignon
Performs well in well-drained gravelly soils (allows vine’s roots to dig deeply while a slight water stress adds concentration to the fruit)
Highly tannic / deep colour / adds power, structure and longevity to the blend
Ripens late ( rain at harvest is an issue)
Cabernet Franc
Excels I’m Limestone-based soils which promote acidity and freshness
More tannic than Merlot / less muscular than Cab Sauvignon
Adds herbal spice and fruit aromas
Petit Verdot
Last grape to ripen
Adds colour , depth, exotic perfume
Bordeaux white grape varieties
Semillon
Sauvignon Blanc
Muscadelle
Other minor white grape varieties in Bordeaux
Ugni Blanc , Merlot blanc, Colombard, Sauvignon Gris
Bordeaux barrel
Barrique / 225L oak barrel
Aging in Bordeaux
Red wines = usually up to 2 years
White wines = 1 year to 16 months
Bordeaux Superior AOP
Red and off-dry wines with higher minimum alcohol content
Cremant de Bordeaux
Traditional method sparkling
Jalles
Drainage channels dug by the Dutch in the 1600’s to drain the swamps
True or false: AOP wines must be red in Medoc
True
Medoc AOP
50 miles stretch north of the city of Bordeaux
Bas-Medoc = north of St. Estephe / châteaux that don’t qualify for a more precise appellation
Haut-Medoc = narrow corridor in the southern Medoc / best vineyards on gravelly soils / perfect for Cab Sauvignon
Croupes
Gravel mounds unearthed by the Dutch during the drainage work in the 1600’s (best chateaux are located on top of these deeper banks of gravel)
Communes of Haut-Medoc
St Estephe
Pauillac
St Julien
Margaux
Listrac-Medoc
Moulis-en-Medoc
1855 classification of Bordeaux
Commissioned by Napoleon III / ranked the top properties of Bordeaux by price into 1st to 5th growth / 57 chateaux / 21 Sauternes