Bordeaux ❤️ Flashcards
What river contributes to the needed climate for Sauternes?
Ciron dumping into the Garonne
Soil type of St Estephe?
Heavy clay
Highly heat resistant to hot summers
Slower drainage
Second Growths of St. Estephe
Cos d’Estournel
Chateau Montrose
Cos Labory
Lafon-Rochet
Calon Ségur
Second Growths of Pauillac
Château Pichon Baron
Château Pichon Longueville Comptesse de Lalande
Soil characteristics of Pauillac
Gravel mounds called «croupes»
Very deep soil, vines tends to dig up to 6 meters
Soil characteristics of St Julien
Gravel mounds (croupes) but not as deep as Pauillac
Most have extremely good southern exposure with great drainage from the Jalle du Nord
Second Growths of St Julien
Ducru Beaucaillou
Gruaud-Larose
Léoville-Barton
Léoville-Las-Cases
Léovile-Poyferré
Soil characteristics of Margeaux
Deepest, thinnest gravel of the Médoc
Vines can penetrate up to 23ft
Especially important to know vintages
Second Growths of Margeaux
Brane-Cantenac
Durfort-Vivens
Lascombes
Rauzan-Gassies
Rauzan-Ségla
Chateau Palmer is basically one of the
AOC Sauternes and Barsac
Mostly Sémillon with Sauvignon Blanc
100-150 g of RS
2 years of aging
Cru Bourgeois classifications Médoc
Classified in: 1932 and retested every 5 years
1) Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnel (14)
2) Cru Bourgeois Supérieur (56)
3) Cru Bourgeois (179)
Listrac and Moulis
Easterly from 4 communes
Primarily Cab Sauv
Typically less polished as soil retains water and is heavier
Entre-Deux-Mers
Whites made primarily from Sauv Blanc
Small amounts of Sémillon and Muscadelle
Reds from here are called Bordeaux or Bordeaux Superior
Fronsac and Canon-Fronsac
Fronsac and Canon-Fronsac
West of Pomerol on hillsides
Clay/Sand with some limestone
Merlot dominant w/Cab Franc + Cab Sauv
Black Raspberry, edgy power (fruity/rustic)
Côtes de Bordeaux
Castillon and Francs (E of Pomerol)
Blaye and Bourg (West of St Emillion)
Some of the oldest wine regions in Bordeaux - Roman plantings
Merlot dominant blends
Bordeaux First Growths
Château Haut Brion (Graves)
Château Margeaux
Chateau Latour (Pauillac)
Château Lafite-Rothschild (Pauillac)
Château Mouton-Rothschild (Pauillac)
Médoc Soils / Appellations
Gravel
2 sub apps: Haut Médoc and Bas Médoc
Graves
Typical blends of right bank Bordeaux
70% Merlot min.
Typical blends of left bank Bordeaux
70% Cab Sauv
30% Merlot, Cab Franc and Petit Verdot
Mourvèdre
Monastrell/Mataró in Spain
Used in GSM blends to add intensity/bitterness
Bandol’s major variety
Albariño
Known as Alvarinho in Portugal
Med High Acidity
Used in Bordeaux in white blends
Chief «Founder Varieties» of grapes
Pinot Noir
Gouais Blanc
Savagnin
Différences in Pauillac First Growths
Lafite-Rothschild: smoothness and finesse
Latour: austere, firm, robust (need 20+ years)
Mouton-Rothschild: strong, dark ripe black currents, exotic, opulent
St Estephe soil and characteristics
Stronger mix of clay
Heavier soil: more resistant to bad weather
More acidity, fuller body, less perfumed
Most need more aging
St Julien characteristics
Transition between Pauillac’s heavy hitters and Margaux’s elegance
Round and gentil when aged, rough and tannic when young
Margaux’s soil / characteristics
Thinnest and most gravel of left bank
Forces vines to go extra deep
Delicate and perfumed
Especially vulnerable to bad weather
Nobel Rot
Botrytis Cinerca / Pourriture Nobel
Dehydrates grapes, concentrates flavors
Ex: Sauternes, Beernauslese, Trockenbeerenauslese, Tokai
Pomerol characteristics
Merlot dominant wines (75%)
Iron pan and clay soils
Don’t need as much age as left bank
St Emilion characteristics
Very complex soil variation
- Acolian sand and gravel on Pomerol side
Plateau is clay, rich in limestone
Château Petrus
Smectite clay (blue, very dense)
100% Merlot with very short roots
5 Classified Growths of St Estephe
Chateau Cos d’Estournel (S slope facing Pauillac)
Cos Labory (S slope facing Pauillac)
Lafon-Rochet (S slope facing Pauillac)
Chat. Montrose (SW along river)
Chat. Calom-Segur
Pessac-Leognan Growth and characteristics
Chat. Haut-Brion
Honorable mention: Chat Pape Clement, Domaine de Chavalier, Chat Laville, La Misson Haut-Brion
Deep gravel soils
Mix of force and finesse
Graves classification system
1953, revised in 1959
All in pessac-leognan - no hierarchy
Classification of the médoc
Implemented in 1855
From Premier cru to cinquième cru
Revised in 1973 to add Mouton Rothschild
Chateau - Cuverie - Chai
Chateau: building attached to vineyard
Cuverie: building where the wine is made
Chai: cellar where the wine will be stored and aged
8 principal white varieties
1) muscadelle
2) sauv. Blanc
3) sémillon
4) ugni blanc
5) colombard
6) mauzac
7) merlot blanc
8) sauvignon gris
2 adaptive white varieties
Alvarinho: used for aroma and acidity
Liliorila: floral side
Principal red varieties
Cabernet Franc
Cabernet Sauvignon
Merlot
Carmenère (Grande Vidure)
Malbec (Côt)
Petit Verdot
Adaptive red varieties
Arinaroa: 1956 - color, acid, tannin
Castets: from SW France
Marselan (late ripening)
Touriga Nacional
