Bordeaux

Question 1

which overall climate found in Bordeaux?

Answer 1

Maritime with increasingly hot humid summers. Occational rain at harvest.
Hail and spring frost not unknown

Question 2

How many different appellations and how many different styles are found in Bordeaux?

Answer 2

55 appellations
65 styles

Question 3

name the three most important river that are a great influence to the whole region? and which two connect into one?

Answer 3

Dordogne
Garonne
becomes a tributary:
Gironde

Question 4

List the main regions within the Left bank. west to east.

Answer 4

Medoc
Haut-Medoc
Saint-Estephe
Pauillac
SAint-Julien
Listrac-Medoc
Moulis
Margaux
Haut-Medoc

Question 5

Main soil in the left bank? Which grape thrives best here and why?

Answer 5

Mostly gravely soil is found here; it gives well-drainage and extra warmth due to retaining the heat and prolonging the suns warmth.
Cabernet Sauvignon thrives best here, best place to fully ripen.
It’s a late ripening variety so the extra heat helps.

Question 6

A typical wine from Margaux?

Answer 6

Elegant and perfumed Cab.
finesse and aromatic, notes such as; cassis, floral, tobacco and with silky smooth tannins.
Approchable

Question 7

Is there only red wines produced in Margaux?

Answer 7

Under the appellation Margaux, yes.
But some producers also produce a white wine based on Sauvignon and Semillon, but then labeled as Bordeaux or Bordeaux Supérieure.

Question 8

Name 3 well known produceras from Margaux.

Answer 8

Chateau Margaux - First growth, iconic building. From 1787

Chateau Rauzan-Sélga - 2th growth, quality as a 1 growth, so called a “Super Second”

Chateau Palmer - 3th growth, “Super Second”.

Question 9

Terroir in Margaux?

Answer 9

Variation in terroir.
Some sites are covered in
Garonne Gravels
and some are covered in
Slit, clay and limestone

Question 10

What does Gravel soils give to Cab?

Answer 10

More structure and power.

Question 11

What does Clay, limestone and slit give to a Cab?

Answer 11

more perfumed, silkier and more elegant

Question 12

What’s the percentage of grapes grown in Margaux?

Answer 12

53% Cab
40% Merlot
4% Petit Verdot
3% Franc

Question 13

Which appellation within the left bank is the smallest?

Answer 13

Saint Julien - also the one with the highest concentration of Classified growth.

Question 14

A typical wine from Saint-Julien?

Answer 14

CAb- Highly concentrated, structured and powerful, yet elegant, perfeumed and silky

Question 15

Name 4 well known producers from Saint Julien.

Answer 15

Chateau Léoville-Las-Cases - a “Super Second”, 2th growth

Chateau Ducru-Beaucaillou - half a mile from the river, “super Second” - own style; richness and finesse

Chateau Langoa-Barton &
Chateau Barton -
both owned by the Barton family since before 1855’

ch gloria-

Question 16

Which soil type is found in Saint Julien?

Answer 16

Gravel nearer Pauillac
limestone and clay

Question 17

What’s the percentage of grapes grown in Saint Julien?

Answer 17

63% Cab
28% Merlot
4% Franc
3% Petit Verdot

Question 18

What style of wine is found in Pauillac?

Answer 18

Very, powerful, age worthy Cab.
fresh fruit, oak, a touch of cigar box, some sweetness, chalky tannins, mind, cassis, pensil schavings, inkey colour.

Question 19

Which soil type are found in Pauillac?

Answer 19

deep mounds of gravel soils - well-drained.

Question 20

Which are the three first growth found in Pauillac called? And which different styles are they famous for?

Answer 20

Chateau Lafite: smoothness and finesse of a St Julien. The biggest vineyard, 112ha, in the entire Medoc.

Chateau Latour: Emphatic finess of a St Estephe, firmer and more solid. Great eveness.

Chateau Mouton Rothschild: strong, dark, full of savour of riper, spiced black currant.

Question 21

% of grape varieties grown in Paulliac?

Answer 21

62% Cab
32% Merlot
4% Franc
2% Petit Verdot

Question 22

Style produced in St-Estèphe?

Answer 22

More robust, rustic and powerful than the rest of bordeaux.
Fuller, soild, less perfeumed.
Bigger, boulder style with high acidity.

Question 23

Why are the wines of St. Estephe bigger and boulder? and more rutsic?

Answer 23

due to the soil type here.
It’s gravel as a top soil, but under there’s a deep layer of limestone and clay!
This clay created a cooler over all soil, which slows down the ripening of Cab and it doesn’t ripen as easily.
Often needs more time in the celler before being drunk.

Question 24

Name 3 well known producer within St. Estephe.

Answer 24

Chateau COs d’Estournel - 2th growth, located near Ch. Lafite. Some of the highest quality.

Chateau Montrose - the only other 2th growth in St. Estephe

Chateau Ormes de Pez - a winery with a Cru Bourgeois status, high quality, low prices.

Question 25

% of grape varieties grown in St. Estephe?

Answer 25

50% Cab
42% Merlot
4% Franc
3% Petit Verdot

Question 26

Style of Haut-Medoc?

Answer 26

two different distinct styles:
- age worthy Cab based.
- ready to drink Merlot based: smoother tannins, red plum.

Question 27

name 6 producers in Haut-Medoc

Answer 27

Ch. La Lagune - southenmost Cru Classe in Medoc, 3th Growth

Ch. La Tour-Carnet - 4th growth, largest cru classe

Ch. Belgrave - 3th growth, near St. Julien. 50/50 Cab/Merlot

Ch. Camensac - 5th growth, moving towards biodynamic viticulture.

Ch. Cantemerle - 5th growth - higher % of Cab

Ch. Bellavue - 100% Petit Verdot. - one of the few single variety wineries.

Question 28

terroir of Haur-Medoc?

Answer 28

gravel outcrops, clay, distance from the Gironde.
closer to the rivers- more moderate shift day/night.
Further inland - the faster and bigger can temp. drop at night.

Question 29

% of grape varieties grown in Haut Medoc.?

Answer 29

49% Merlot
44% Cab
4% Petit Verdot
3% Franc

Question 30

Another name for the “right bank”?

Answer 30

the Libournais

Question 31

Style of wine from the Libournais?

Answer 31

silky tannins, plum, spice & meaty character.

Question 32

Style found from Pomerol?

Answer 32

Merlot focus-
lush, plush, silky tannins, floral, meatiness, chocolate character eith age.

Question 33

How’s Pomerol structured in terms of houses?

Answer 33

THere’s no power houses like in the rest of Bordeaux, instead there’s small, family-run estates.

Question 34

Name 5 important producers in Pomerol.

Answer 34

Lafleur - 4,58ha, run by Guindaudeau - lies very close to Petrus

L’Eglise Clinet - 4,5ha, run by Durantou family. Winery is more like in a garage - very exeptional.
100% Merlot

Le Pin - 2,8ha. established 1979, Very high quality, 100% merlot

Petrus - one of the most iconic. Famous since 1800’s, won gold in Paris. 100% Merlot

Vieux Chateau Certan - VCC. Sits between Le Pin and Petrus. owned by the same family as Le Pin. Oldest winery in Pomerol.

Question 35

soil types found in Pomerol and how they effect the wines:

Answer 35

mostly clay: tends to create wine more concentrated, very powerful, high in tannins.

gravel: gives finesse and perfeumed elements

Crasse de fer: iron-oxide rich soils, gives minerality.

Question 36

There’s a special kind of clay found in Pomerol, which and what does it do?

Answer 36

Blue clay.
It holds water well and prevents Merlot from ripening too quickly.
It’s not suitable for Cab since it’s already a late ripening variety.

Found in the vineyards of Petrus.

Question 37

% of grape varieties found in Pomerol?

Answer 37

85% Merlot
15% Franc

Question 38

what style of wine is found in Saint-Emillon?

Answer 38

both east-drinking, silky Merlot
But also powerful, age worthy reds.

lighter reds: silky tannins, red berries, plum, spicy - labeled simply as Saint-Emillon

richer red: more deeper coloured, full body, high tannins, floral, perfeumed, meaty, savoury, herbal - labeled Saint-Emillon Grand Cru

Question 39

What does “Grand Vin de Bordeaux” mean?

Answer 39

winery’s top wine