Bordeaux Flashcards
INAO
Institut National des Appellations d’Origine
Created in 1935
Regulates AOC’s
Became L’institut National de Origin et de la Qualitie in 2007
AOP
Appellation d’Origine de Protecta
Brought AOC System in line w/EU standard
Producers may use both AOC or AOP on labels
Vin De Pays
Regional wines- 1/3 of French production are released as Vin De Pays
Less restrictive than AOP’s
Subject to tasting panel
Vin De France
Formerly known as Vin De Table
Became Vin de France in 2009
Both vintage and variety my appear on the label
French Wine Classifications
From Highest to lowest
AOC/AOP
Vin De Pays/Indication Geographique Protegee IGP)
Vin De France (table wine)
Wine Styles of Bordeaux
Red, white, Rose, Sweet, Sparkling
Dutch in Bordeaux
Created drainage channels called Jalles in mid 1600’s
Drained wetlands exposing gravel Croupes, made Bordeaux suitable for viticulture
Trade with the English grew rapidly, the English loved Clairet
Negociant
Intermedianary who bought fruit or wine to age in cellars before bottling and selling
Many own properties today while also acting as a Negociant
Influence faded after WWII and Domain bottling
Courtiers
Brokers of wine and financial backers of Chateaus
Gained control over wine trade
En Priemeur
“In youth”
Futures sold by Chateaus for new vintages delivered after bottling, a form of buying cash flow
Bordeaux Climate
Moderate Maritime
Atlantic Ocean and Gironde Estuary are moderating influences
Rain year round
Becomes more continental toward Right Bank
Fungal Problems in Bordeaux
Wet Spring and humidity cause mold and rot
Grey rot can destroy fruit in cooler years
Coulore
Fruit falling off vines, caused by Spring frost
Millerandage
Irregular flowering and fruit set in vineyard
Caused by Spring frost
Reduces yield
Bordeaux Mixture
Lime, water, and Copper Sulfate, kills Grey Rot
Vintage Variation
Caused by variable Bordeaux climate year to year
Stand Bordeaux AOP
Red, white, rose or clairet
Dry whites labelled “Sec”
Base level of quality, produced throughout Bordeaux
Bordeaux AOP Red Grape
Cabernet Sauvignon
Merlot
Cabernet Franc
Petit Verdot
Malbec
Carmenere
Assemblage
The blend of the wine
Comes from different soils and different ripening of the grapes
Merlot Soil
Best in clay which delays natural vigor
Earliest to ripen
Most planted grape in Bordeaux
Cabernet Sauvignon Soil
Well drained gravel leads to moderate water stress aiding concentration of flavors in the fruit
Vines root system digs deep
Cabernet Franc Soil
Limestone based soils
Promotes acidity and adds freshness to wines
Encepagement
Proportion of different grapes planted in the vineyard
Different grape varieties harvested at different times
Acts as a form of insurance against bad weather
Cabernet Sauvignon influence on wine
Highly pigmented, tannic
Adds structure, power, longevity
Merlot influence on wines
Adds fleshy, juicy texture
Softens austerity of Cab Sauv
Cab Franc influence on wines
Imparts herbal spice and red fruit aromatics to blend
Cremant de Bordeaux
Sparkling red wine, mainly Merlot with Cab Franc
Haut Benauge
Subzone of Bordeaux AOP for white wines
Bordeaux Superieur AOP
Red, Off Dry to Sweet White wines
Premiere Cotes de Bordeaux AOP
Sweet wines only
Left Bank Blend Proportions
Cab Sauv- 70%
Merlot/Cab Franc 25%
Petit Verdot 5%
Sometimes Malbec, no Carmenere
Right Bank Blend Proportions
Merlot- 75%
Cab Franc 25%
Some Cab Sauv, Malbec
Pressac
Name for Malbec in Right Bank
Bordeaux AOP White Blend
Semillon/Sauv Blanc
Muscadelle
Sauv Gris too, but not widely planted
Ugni Blanc, Merlot Blanc, Colombard
Restricted to max 30% of blend in Bordeaux AOP
White Wine Character in Bordeaux AOP
Sauv Blanc- pungency, high acid, citrus flavor
Semillon- offsets sharpness of Sauv Blanc, adds body
Oak rounds the wine
Best whites are creamy/waxy with notes of honey and beeswax
Oak usage in Bordeaux
Bordeaux AOP age wine in oak, only in large barrels for a short time
Top red Chateaus- up to two years in 225L barriques, a large % is new oak
White wines from top Graves estates, aged in new oak for 12-16 months
Bordeaux Superior AOP
Red and off dry whites with a higher minimum % ABV
Cremant de Bordeaux AOP
-Traditional Method Sparkling wine
-Mainly from red grapes, some white
-Rose is from red varietals only
-Must go through second fermentation
-9 months on lees
Second Wine of Chateau Haut Brion
Le Clarence De Haut Brion
2nd Wine of Chateau Lafite Rothschild
Carruades de Lafite Rothschild
Second Wine of Chateau Latour
Le Forts de Latour
Second Wine of Chateau Margaux
Pavillion Rouge de Chateau Margaux
Second Wine of Chateau Mouton Rothschild
Le Petits Mouton de Mouton Rothschild
First vineyard in Bordeaux
Pape Clement in Graves, 1305
Graves Soil
Gravel in the north, becoming boulbenes toward the south (sand, light clay and gravel mixture)
Graves Classification
Chateau Haut Brion retains First Growth status
-First classified in 1953 with six additional wines added in 1954
-13 Cru Classe for red
-9 Cru Classe for white
Pessoc Leognan AOP
-created in 1987 in N Graves
-prestige appellation for red and dry white, sidelined S Graves
-Cru Classe properties are located in: Pessac, Leognan, Cadaujac, Carejan, Gradignan, Martillac, Merignac, Sait Medaid-d’Eyrons, Talence, Villenave-d’Ornon
Graves Superieur AOP
-Sweet whites
-Cerons, Barsac, Sauternes
-Sauternes produces best sweet wines in the world
-Sauv Blanc, Semillon, Muscadelle
-Botrytis infected, “pourriture noble”
Medoc AOP
Covers entire wine producing Left Bank of Gironde Estuary, 50 mile stretch north from city of Bordeaux
Mostly marshy regions of St Estephe, Bas Medoc
Jalles
Drainage channels in the Medoc created by the Dutch that prevent the Medoc from reverting to swampland
Medoc AOP styles
-AOP wines must be red
-Merlot is grown in high proportion due to clay soils
-Usually no new oak
Haut Medoc AOP
-Narrow corridor on Left Bank of Gironde river in S Medoc
-well drained gravel soils, Cab Sauv is best here
-Croupes- gravel mounds uncovered by the Dutch
Classification of 1855
-Left Bank only
-61 Classified Chateaus
-Commissioned by Emperor Napoleon III, carried out by Courtiers
-Top properties ranked by price and sales volum
Only change to 1855 Classification
Chateau Mouton Rothschild was elevated from Second Growth to First Growth in 1973
Cru Artisan
In use for 150 years, recognized in 2002
-rankings updated every 5 years
-small producers (36) recognized for exceptional stewardship of the land, avg 6 hectares each
Cru Borgeouis
-reinstated in 2008, review every 5 years
-240 chateaus have designation
-14 are Cru Borgeouis Exceptionelle
-56 are Cru Borgeouis Superier
-must go in front of a tasting panel, designation of quality outside 1855 Classification
St. Estephe
-Sturdy, full bodied reds with slightly higher % of Merlot, “rusti” in character
-No first growths, only 5 Classified Growths
-Chateau Cos d’Esournel, “Super Second”
-Chateau Montrose, 2nd Growth
Paulliac AOP
-Power and finesse, “iron fist in velvet glove”
-3 First Growths, Lafite Rothschild, Mouton Rothschild, Latour
-2nd Growths: Chateau Pichon Baron de Comtesse de Lalande, Chateau Baron de Longueville Baron
-gravel top soil at its deepest point
Chateau Latour Grand Vin Style
-wines of brooding depth and concentration
Chateau Lafite Rothschild Style
Emphasizes aromatics and elegance
St Julien AOP
-80% of AOP is Cru Classe wine
-No 1st Growths
- two Super Seconds, Leoville Las Casas and Ducru Beaucaillou
-Other 2nd growths- Leoville Barton, Leoville Poyferre, Gruard Larose
Listrac Medoc AOP and Moulis en Medoc AOP
-no classified growths
-Chateau Chasse Splean in Moulis is most famous estate
Classified Growths in Haut Medoc AOP
Chateau La Lagune- 3rd Growth
Chateau La Tour-Carnet 4th Growth
Chateau Camensac, Chateau Cantemerle, Chateau Belgrave
Character of Barsac and Sauternes wines
-intense spiced complexity
-bouquet of honey, saffron, dried fruit, and ginger spice
-sweet, with botrytis character
Geography of Sauternes
-At confluence of Ciron and Garonne Rivers
-Cooler mist of Ciron encounters warmer Garonne water creating humidity for botrytis
-grapes must be harvested in multiple tries due to uneven ripeness
Sauternes Classification
-Classified in 1855
-2nd and 1st growths
-Chateau d’Yquem got single classification, Premier Cru Superier
Dry wine of Chateau d’Yquem
- “Y” or Ygrec
-first produced in 1959
-labelled as “Bordeaux”
Sauternes Villages
Sauternes, Barsac, Bommes, Preignac, Fargues
Chateau Gilette
-unclassifed Chateau, makes sweet wine, “Creme de Tete”
-decades long maturation in concrete vat
St Emilion Soils
-Cotes and Graves
-Cotes: steep limestone slopes
Graves- gravelly limestone plateau
Right Bank Grapes
Merlot and Cab Franc, mostly
Cab Sauv is rarely used, except for Chateau Figeac
St Emilion Classification
-first published in 1955
-revised every 10 years (but not really)
-Premier Grand Cru en Classe A
-Premier Grand Cru en Classe B
-Grand Cru en Classe
St Emilion Grand Cru AOP
-geographic appellation, not a quality classification
-wines labelled as such must show and additional .5% abv, and must undergo longer elevage than St Emilion AOP
-All en Classe wines must meet AOP requirements
Pomerol AOP
-tiny, just 5 square miles
-1,957 acres of vineyards
-no classifications
-Mostly Merlot and Cab Franc
Pomerol Soil
Sand, clay, and gravel over iron pan
-Merlot is very successful
Margaux AOP
-largest appellation of Haut Medoc
-spread through 5 villages: Catenac, Margaux, Arsac, Soussons, Labarde
-21 classified growths
-Chateau Margaux First Growth
Character of Margaux wines
-feminine wines, floral boquet, exotic character, fresh
Chateau Palmer
Well known Margaux 3rd growth, better than many second growths
2nd Growths of Margaux
Brane-Catenac
Dufort Vivens
Lascombes
Rauzan Segla
Rauzan Gassies
Wine Character of Pomerol
-70-80% Merlot
-20-25% Cab Franc
-Hedonistic, plump, opulent
Bouchet
Name for Cab Franc in Pomerol
Best Chateaus in Pomerol
Chateau Petrus
Chateau Trotanoy
Le Pin
Vieux-Chateau-Certan
Chateau LaFleur
Latour a Pomerol
Garagiste
-“garage wines,” micro Chateau
-Right Bank, produce about 6k bottles each
-Le Pin in Pomerol
Valandraud and La Mondotte in St Emilion
Satellite Appellations for St Emilion
St Georges-St Emilion
Lussac-St Emilion
Puisseguin-St Emilion
Montagne-St Emilion
Pomerol Satellite Appellations
Lalande de Pomerol
Canon- Fronsac
Fronsac
Oldest Vineyards in Bordeaux
Found in Bourg and Cotes de Bourg AOP
Cotes de Bourg Style
-Most are red
-Chateau Roc de Camdes is best
Blaye AOP and Cotes de Blaye AOP Styles
-Wines from Blaye are red
-Cotes de Blaye wines have a large % of Colombard and Ugni Blanc in dry whites
Cotes de Bordeaux AOP
-Started in 2008, mostly red
-cosolidated several existing Bordeaux appellations such as Blaye, Castillon, Francs, Saint Foye
-alternative to luxury priced classified growths
Entre Deux Mers AOP
-land between two seas
-between Dordogne and Garonne rivers
-produces dry whites
-May use geographic designation Haut Benage
Loupiac, St Croix Du Mont, and Cadillac
-sweet white wines
-may or may not be affected by Botrytis
Premier Cotes de Bordeaux AOP
sweet wines only
Cotes de Bordeaux- Saint Macaine AOP
-South of Loupiac
-may produce white wines in sec, moulleux, or liquoruex style
Graves de Vayres AOP
-lesser appellation, both white and red wines
