Bordeaux Flashcards
Bordeaux production
Bordeaux is one of France’s most important fine wine regions, and is second in volume of production only to the Languedoc.
Negociants
Négociants acted as one type of intermediary, buying fruit or wine in barrel to age in their own cellars before selling the bottled wine.
Courtiers
Courtiers—brokers of wine—became a powerful force in the Médoc, supplying the châteaux with financial backing while gaining total control over the actual trade of wine.
En primeur
The yearly offering of Bordeaux wine as futures.
The Bordeaux climate
The climate of Bordeaux is maritime.
Both the Atlantic and the Gironde estuary acting as moderating influences, protecting the vines from winter freezes and spring frost. Winters are short, springtime is usually damp and summers can reach high temperatures. Coastal pine forests protect the Médoc vineyards from harsh west and northwesterly winds, but rain is a worry, especially at harvest.
Coulure
Coulure (pronounced coo-LYUR) is a potential viticultural hazard that is the result of metabolic reactions to weather conditions that causes a failure of grapes to develop after flowering. Coulure is triggered by periods of cold, cloudy, rainy weather or very high out-of-season temperatures. Flowers stay closed and are not fertilized. Thus the vines are not pollinated as the grape fails to develop and falls off. The yield of a vine with coulure will decrease substantially. Grape varieties with high proclivity to coulure are Grenache, Malbec, Merlot, and Muscat Ottonel.
Millerandage
Millerandage or shot berries is a viticultural problem in which grape bunches contain berries that differ greatly in size and, most importantly, maturity.
Most common cause is too cold or otherwise bad weather during the flowering stage of the vines. The condition causes lower quality in affected wines.
Six grapes are allowed for Bordeaux AOP red wines:
Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot Cabernet Franc Petit Verdot Malbec Carmènere
Generic Bordeaux Appellations
Bordeaux AOP
Bordeaux Supérieur AOP
Crémant de Bordeaux AOP
The Médoc AOP
The Médoc AOP
Covers the entire wine-producing left bank of the Gironde Estuary, a 50-mile stretch northward from the city of Bordeaux. The Médoc AOP encompasses the Haut-Médoc AOP and the more prestigious communal appellations.
While the term “Médoc” is often used to indicate left bank wines in general, the actual appellation is typically used by those châteaux who do not qualify for a more precise appellation; namely, those located in the marshy region north of St-Estèphe.
St-Estèphe AOP
St-Estèphe AOP
Northernmost commune appellation in Haut-Médoc.
The wines are sturdy and full-bodied reds with a slightly higher percentage of Merlot, due to a higher proportion of clay amongst the gravel.
St-Estèphe does not contain any first growths, and it hosts only five classified growths overall.
Château Cos d’Estournel, a “super-second” growth, is the most notable, making powerful wines in a polished modern style.
Pauillac AOP
Pauillac AOP
Considered classic claret
Three first growths: Château Lafite Rothschild, Château Mouton-Rothschild, and Château Latour.
The gravel topsoil of the Haut-Médoc is at its deepest point.
Cabernet Sauvignon-based wines are structured and long-lived.
St-Julien AOP
St-Julien AOP
Produces less wine than the other communes, but
Approximately 80% of the AOP is cru classé wine.
St-Julien has five second growths, including the “super-seconds” of Château Léoville Las Cases and Château Ducru-Beaucaillou. Both can produce wine on par with premier cru estates.
St-Julien reds typically demonstrate an elegant style.
Listrac-Médoc AOP and Moulis-en-Médoc AOP
Listrac-Médoc AOP and Moulis-en-Médoc AOP are lesser appellations without classified growths.
Good value—especially in better vintages.
Château Chasse-Spleen in Moulis is the most famous estate of either commune.
Margaux AOP
Margaux AOP
The largest communal appellation of the Haut-Médoc, and is spread throughout five villages: Soussans, Margaux, Cantenac, Labarde and Arsac.
The village of Margaux itself rests on thin, sandy gravel deposited over limestone, the appellation contains a greater diversity of soil types than its northern counterparts, with more clay in the outlying areas.
Margaux has a larger number of classified growths than any other commune (21) and includes one first growth, Château Margaux.
Margaux’s second growths are often underperformers.
The third growth Château Palmer is an excellent estate, commanding high prices.
The wines of Margaux are often described as “feminine”, with an emphasis on floral bouquet, exotic character and finesse.
