Bordeaux 2 Flashcards
Château Cantemerle- Region of Production:
Haut-Médoc AOC
Château Cantemerle- Winery Location:
Macau
Château Cantemerle- Year Established:
14th Century
Château Cantemerle- Classification:
fifth growth, Médoc 1855
Château Cantemerle- Summary:
An old estate, Cantemerle claims records of winegrowing dating back to the early 1300s, but by the 19th century the wines of Cantemerle were relatively unknown in Bordeaux—the estate bypassed the Place de Bordeaux completely by selling its entire crop to Dutch merchants. In 1854 owner Caroline de Villeneuve-Durfort, likely spurred by an 1845 lawsuit over the misappropriation of the Cantemerle name and a desire to get the wine classified, bucked tradition and offered her wines to the local négociants instead. Despite a price that merited inclusion, the original 1855 roster did not include Cantemerle and Villeneuve-Durfort petitioned the brokers for a change. She prevailed, and in September 1855 Cantemerle was added to the list—the first of only two changes to the classification since its release.
The Villeneuve-Durfort family sold the property to Théophile-Jean Dubos, whose family continued to manage the estate for nearly a century. In 1980 a French insurance company swooped in and “diversified its holdings” by buying the estate. The SMABTP Group made history and set a trend—it was the first insurance company to acquire a Bordeaux vineyard. The new owners replanted the vineyards in the 1980s and restored Cantemerle’s dwindling acreage under vine to its original size of 90 hectares (now 94).
Château Cantemerle- Vineyard Holdings:
94 ha
60% Cabernet Sauvignon
30% Merlot
6% Cabernet Franc
4% Petit Verdot
Château Cantemerle- Wines Produced:
Château Cantemerle
Les Allées de Cantemerle
Château Cantemerle- Inaugural Vintages:
Les Allées de Cantemerle: 1995
Château Cantemerle- Average Total Production:
560,000 bottles
Château Cantemerle- Style / Vinification Techniques:
Cantemerle produces a consistent and classic style of Bordeaux. The assemblage for the grand vin typically mirrors the vineyard mix, and the wine is treated to 12-16 months in 50% new oak. Fining with gelatin occurs prior to bottling, but the wine is not filtered.
Château Mouton-Rothschild- Region of Production:
Pauillac AOC
Château Mouton-Rothschild- Year Established:
18th Century
Château Mouton-Rothschild- Summary:
As a marquee wine-producing property, the story of Château Mouton-Rothschild begins in the early 18th century, when Joseph de Brane acquired the property. (Previously, like Latour and Lafite, it had been part of the Ségur family’s holdings.) The new owner attached his name to the estate, and Château Brane-Mouton ascended in price and reputation by the end of the century. In 1830 a banker named Isaac Thuret bought the estate but failed to maintain its quality, resulting in a disappointing second-place finish behind Lafite, Latour, Margaux, and Haut-Brion in 1855.
In 1853, on the eve of the classification, Baron Nathaniel de Rothschild purchased Château Mouton. (15 years later, Nathaniel’s uncle bought Lafite.) The new reigning family built the estate’s château in 1870 and improved the vineyards and the wine. In 1922, the 20-year-old Baron Philippe de Rothschild assumed management of the estate, beginning a lifelong quest to raise its status. From 1924 on, Baron Philippe bottled the entire production at the château—an unheard-of practice at the time. For the 1924 vintage he also commissioned cubist artist Jean Carlu to design the label, an advance indication of the unique artist labels adorning every new vintage of the grand vin from 1945 forward. In the 1930s Baron Philippe created Mouton-Cadet as an early second wine to raise the quality of the first. In 1973 his efforts finally bore fruit as Mouton was elevated to Premier Grand Cru Classé by decree of the minister of agriculture. He died in 1988, leaving his daughter Philippine to helm the château. With her death in 2014, her three children—Philippe, Camille, and Julien—jointly preside over the first growth and the family’s other Pauillac properties, Château d’Armailhac and Château Clerc-Milon. Philippe Dhalluim is the technical director for all three estates.
Mouton means “sheep,” an animal that appears on many of its labels, but the word here derives from the old motte, or mound. Like Lafite, it is named for its elevated position atop a 27-meter-high croupe.
Château Mouton-Rothschild- Vineyard Holdings:
90 ha, principally split into two blocks: the Grand Plateau and the Carruades Plateau (adjacent to Lafite).
81% Cabernet Sauvignon
15% Merlot
3% Cabernet Franc
1% Petit Verdot
Château Mouton-Rothschild- Wines Produced:
Château Mouton-Rothschild
Le Petit Mouton de Mouton-Rothschild
Aile d’Argent: Bordeaux AOC white wine
Château Mouton-Rothschild- Inaugural Vintages:
Le Petit Mouton de Mouton-Rothschild: 1993 (as Le Second Vin de Mouton-Rothschild, 1994 under the current name)
Aile d’Argent: 1991
Château Mouton-Rothschild- Average Total Production:
320,000 bottles (The grand vin usually represents 40-60% of production.)
Château Mouton-Rothschild- Style / Vinification Techniques:
Mouton-Rothschild characterizations usually flutter into the realm of the sensual; the wine is often described as fleshy, rich, opulent, and showy. Modern vintages tend to show more oak sweetness and up-front spice than the other first growths. For the grand vin, Cabernet Sauvignon usually exceeds 80% of the blend, with Merlot making up most of the remainder. For example, Cabernet Sauvignon composed 90% of the wine in both 2011 and 2012. Fermentation occurs in wooden vats and élevage in new oak lasts for around 18 months prior to fining and light filtration. Lots of expensive gadgetry in the winery (optical sorting, must concentration), and in the vineyards Mouton is making some progress toward organic and biodynamic cultivation.
The Mouton Cadet branded wines are not made at the château.
Where does the word Semillon come from?
Thought to be an old pronouncation of St Emilion
What grape typically dominates the wines of Pomerol?
Merlot
Which of the following appellations is located within Graves?
Pessac-Léognan
Where is Château Lafite-Rothschild located?
Pauillac
Which of the following appellations is not located within the Médoc? Pauillac, St-Julien, Pomerol, Listrac, Margaux
Pomerol
Which of the following first growths is not located in the Haut-Médoc- Château Margaux, Château Haut-Brion, Château Latour, Château Lafite-Rothschild, Château Mouton-Rothschild?
Château Haut-Brion
Which of the following is a sweet wine appellation of Bordeaux- Fronsac, Bordeaux Sec, Barsac, St-Émilion, Moulis?
Barsac
Which of the following styles of wine is produced as Haut-Médoc AOP- dry whites, sweet whites, dry reds, sparkling whites, rosés?
Dry Reds
Which of the following appellations produces dry white wines- Sauternes, Loupiac, Pomerol, Médoc, Entre-Deux-Mers?
Entre-Deux-Mers
What is Botrytis cinerea?
A fungus responsible for development of noble rot
What soil type is most well suited for cabernet sauvignon grapes?
Gravel
Which of the following is not a satellite appellation of St-Émilion: St-Georges, Montagne, Francs, Puisseguin, Lussac?
Francs
What Château was ranked as “Premier Cru Supérieur” in 1855?
Château d’Yquem
Where can boulbenes soil be found?
Graves
How was Château Cos d’Estournel ranked in the 1855 Médoc Classification?
2ème Cru
What is the appellation of Château Lafleur?
Pomerol
What is Cérons?
a sweet white wine appellation in southern Graves
How many châteaux are currently ranked as “premier cru classé A” in St-Émilion?
4
What is Bouchet?
a synonym for Cabernet Franc in the Right Bank
Which of the following grapes is not included in the Bordeaux AOP encépagement- Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, Malbec, Merlot, Syrah?
Syrah
The Cru Classé properties of Graves are located in which of the following subappellations?
Pessac-Léognan
Which of the following is not a subzone of the Côtes de Bordeaux appellation: Castillon, Blaye, Bourg, Cadillac, Francs?
Bourg
True or False: Château Chasse-Spleen is a fifth growth in Moulis-en-Médoc.
False
In which of the following years did Château d’Yquem not release Sauternes: 2001, 1992, 1975, 1988, 1994?
1992
Neac is a commune within the Lalande-de-Pomerol AOP.
True
Where is Preignac?
Sauternes
What is the appellation of Château Grand Puy Ducasse?
Pauillac
Ste-Croix du Mont is a sweet white wine appellation in Graves.
False
What does “St-Émilion Grand Cru” indicate on a label?
The wine is required to show a higher minimum alcohol than St-Émilion
What Grand Cru Classé château in Graves produced its final vintage in 2005?
Latour Haut-Brion
Which of the following is not a village in Margaux AOP: Arsac, Labarde, Cantenac, Soussans, Loupiac?
Loupiac
Chateau Montrose- Region of Production:
Saint-Estèphe
Chateau Montrose- Year Established:
1815
Chateau Montrose- Classification:
second growth, Médoc 1855
Chateau Montrose- Summary:
Etienne Dumoulin, owner of Château Calon-Ségur, bought the land that would house Château Montrose in 1778, but it was his son Théodore who would first recognize its potential for great wines. He broke ground on the château building in 1815 and planted a few hectares of vines in the years to follow. By 1855 its reputation was sufficiently established to gain the status of second growth. Yet Dumoulin died in 1861, and his children elected not to carry his passion forward and sold the estate five years later. The Charmolüe family controlled the estate throughout the entire 20th century; in 2006 French billionaires Martin and Olivier Bouygues added the château to their already Forbes list-worthy portfolio.
The château itself lies in view of the Gironde, with its vineyards sloping down toward the water’s edge. Unusually for the Médoc, its vines lie within one single parcel.
Chateau Montrose- Vineyard Holdings:
95 ha
65% Cabernet Sauvignon
30% Merlot
4% Cabernet Franc
1% Petit Verdot
Chateau Montrose- Wines Produced:
Château Montrose
Dame de Montrose
Chateau Montrose- Average Total Production:
320,000 Bottles
Chateau Montrose- Style / Vinification Techniques:
Unlike Cos d’Estournel, Château Montrose has historically maintained a style congruent with that of Saint-Estèphe as a whole: tough in youth, with austere tannin and submerged fruit; a true vin de garde. It remains a powerful wine in modern vintages, but a more approachable bottle. The estate does not believe in using concentrators, but the ripeness levels are nonetheless high. Élevage lasts for 18 months in about 60% new oak. The amount of Merlot in the grand vin hovers between 25-40%.
What year did Pessac- Leognan become an appellation?
1987
Château Beychevelle- Region of Production:
Saint-Julien
Château Beychevelle- Year Established:
-
Château Beychevelle- Classification:
fourth growth, Médoc 1855
Château Beychevelle- Summary:
The histories of Château Beychevelle, Château Ducru-Beaucaillou, and Château Branaire-Ducru are intertwined—they were once joined as the estate of the Duc d’Epernon, Admiral of France. He acquired the estate and its château through marriage in 1587. Baisse voile, now Beychevelle, means “lower the sails”—a supposed gesture of respect from passing boats to the high-ranking naval officer, depicted on the grand vin label today. The Beaucaillou and Branaire properties were carved off with the duke’s demise in the late 1600s, and the remaining Beychevelle property was confiscated by the state during the revolution a century later. After multiple changes of ownership in the 19th and 20th centuries, a partnership between Japanese whisky company Suntory and French wine conglomerate Castel Group now controls the estate.
Château Beychevelle is located just south of Ducru-Beaucaillou, east of the hamlet of Beychevelle in the southern part of the appellation. The proprietors also own the Haut-Médoc property Château Beaumont. The label features a “dragon boat,” and has thus experienced a recent surge of popularity in China.
Château Beychevelle- Vineyard Holdings:
90 ha (75 ha in Saint-Julien, the remainder in Haut-Médoc)
62% Cabernet Sauvignon
31% Merlot
5% Cabernet Franc
2% Petit Verdot
Château Beychevelle- Wines Produced:
Château Beychevelle
Amiral de Beychevelle: Second wine
Les Brulières de Beychevelle: Haut-Médoc AOC wine from a separate property, Château Beaumont.
Château Beychevelle- Average Total Production:
600,000 bottles
Château Beychevelle- Style / Vinification Techniques:
Château Beychevelle has in recent years modernized its facilities and intensified its attention to the estate vineyards. Increasingly, the estate is adding Cabernet Sauvignon vines in place of Merlot and shifting toward organic farming practices. The wines are traditionally styled, but are gaining weight in recent vintages with a more severe fruit selection and higher levels of ripeness. The grand vin sees 50% new oak.
Château Sociando-Mallet- Region of Production:
Haut-Médoc AOC
Château Sociando-Mallet- Winery Location:
St-Seurin-de-Cadourne (north of Saint-Estèphe)
Château Sociando-Mallet- Year Established:
1969
Château Sociando-Mallet- Classification:
none
Château Sociando-Mallet- Summary:
Sociando-Mallet, named after two former owners—a 17th-century aristocrat (Sociando) and a 19th-century naval captain (Mallet)—was a winemaking property of minor importance in the 1855, when it failed to earn classification. Conventional thinking places it too far north for good soil or good wine in the Médoc, but an ex-négociant named Jean Gautreau gave convention pause with his purchase of the estate in 1969. He found a vein of gravel, expanded the vineyard from 5 ha to its present size, and began releasing a string of increasingly quality wines.
Château Sociando-Mallet- Vineyard Holdings:
85 ha
48% Cabernet Sauvignon
47% Merlot
5% Cabernet Franc
Château Sociando-Mallet- Wines Produced:
Château Sociando-Mallet
La Damoiselle de Sociando-Mallet: Second wine
Jean Gautreau: Barrel selection of top lots
Château Sociando-Mallet- Inaugural Vintages:
Château Sociando-Mallet: 1969
La Damoiselle de Sociando-Mallet: 1989
Jean Gautreau: 1995
Château Sociando-Mallet- Average Total Production:
500,000 bottles
Château Sociando-Mallet- Style / Vinification Techniques:
From its breakout vintages in the 1980s through the modern day, Sociando-Mallet has proven itself as a rich, luscious wine of classed-growth quality, yet it wears oak, ripe fruit, and modern tannic texture on its sleeve. The grand vin is the product of unabashedly high yields, but it easily maintains concentration through must concentration and/or saignée. The top wine is usually split between Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, while the second wine may contain 75% Merlot. The grand vin is treated to 12 months of mostly new oak, and the barrel selection “Jean Gautreau” spends an additional six months in barrique.
Château Malescot-Saint-Exupéry- Region of Production::
Margaux AOC
Château Malescot-Saint-Exupéry- Winery Location:
Margaux
Château Malescot-Saint-Exupéry- Year Established:
17th Century
Château Malescot-Saint-Exupéry- Classification:
third growth, Médoc 1855
Château Malescot-Saint-Exupéry- Summary:
Simon Malescot and his descendants owned this estate from 1697 to 1827, when Comte Jean-Baptiste de St-Exupéry purchased it and added his name to the sign above the door. His name remained but he did not; upon his death in 1853 and shortly before the official announcement of its ranking as a third growth, his widow sold the property. New owners built the château in 1870 and absorbed the adjacent Château Dubigny, an 1855 third growth. In 1955, Malescot’s estate manager Paul Zuger bought the property from its then-British owners, and his grandson Jean-Luc is now in charge, with Michel Rolland consulting.
Château Malescot-Saint-Exupéry- Vineyard Holdings:
23.5 ha (Margaux), 6.5 ha (Bordeaux AOC)
50% Cabernet Sauvignon
35% Merlot
10% Cabernet Franc
5% Petit Verdot
Château Malescot-Saint-Exupéry- Wines Produced:
Château Malescot-St-Exupéry
La Dame de Malescot
Château Malescot-Saint-Exupéry- Average Total Production:
6,500 ha
Château Malescot-Saint-Exupéry- Style / Vinification Techniques:
The wines of Malescot-St-Exupéry are ripe, dark in color, thickly textured, and concentrated—the estate is one of the last in Margaux to harvest, and the team is well-known for the use of concentration through reverse osmosis. 100% new oak is employed for the grand vin.
Château Pichon-Longueville- Region of Production:
Paulliac AOC
Château Pichon-Longueville- Year Established:
1694
Château Pichon-Longueville- Classification:
Second growth, Médoc 1855
Château Pichon-Longueville- Summary:
Château Pichon-Longueville, commonly known as Pichon-Baron, was founded in 1694 with the matrimonial union of Thérèse de Rauzan and Jacques de Pichon-Longueville. The existing vineyard L’Enclos Rauzan was enlarged, and the estate’s reputation improved through four generations of Pichon-Longueville ownership. In 1850, Joseph de Pichon-Longueville died and the estate split in two: Pichon-Baron and Pichon-Lalande. Joseph’s son Raoul inherited Pichon-Baron, building its château in 1851. The château remained with Raoul’s descendants until 1933. The Bouteiller family took control and presided over an uneven era that came to a close with its sale in 1987 to Jean-Michel Cazes’ AXA Millésimes. With AXA’s financial power behind it, the château has modernized its facilities and maximized its potential as a “Super Second” of Pauillac.
Château Pichon-Baron is adjacent to Château Pichon-Lalande and Château Latour on the southern side of Pauillac.
Château Pichon-Longueville- Vineyard Holdings:
73 ha
62% Cabernet Sauvignon
32% Merlot
3% Cabernet Franc
2% Petit Verdot
Château Pichon-Longueville- Wines Produced:
Château Pichon-Longueville
Les Griffons de Pichon-Baron: A true second wine, produced from lots unsuitable for the grand vin.
Les Tourelles de Longueville: A Merlot-dominated wine produced principally from a 14-ha Merlot parcel called St-Anne, acquired after AXA’s purchase.
Château Pichon-Longueville- Inaugural Vintages:
Les Griffons de Pichon-Baron: 2012
Les Tourelles de Longueville: 1986
Château Pichon-Longueville- Average Total Production:
400,000 bottles
Château Pichon-Longueville- Style / Vinification Techniques
Unlike Pichon-Lalande, Pichon-Baron keeps the focus on Cabernet, with a typical assemblage for the grand vin incorporating at least 80% of the grape. It is a robust and muscular style; older vintages are typically more rustic, and the pre AXA-vintages are best eyed warily. (Critics lament the estate’s move to machine harvesting in the 1960s-1980s.) Proportions of new oak in the cellar have steadily increased since the late 1980s, and many fans of the estate contend it made its best wines ever in the 2000s.
Château Chasse-Spleen- Region of Production
Moulis-en-Médoc AOC
Château Chasse-Spleen- Year Established:
Unknown
Château Chasse-Spleen- Classification
None
Château Chasse-Spleen- Summary:
Named one of six Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnel properties in 1932, Château Chasse-Spleen is one of the prime estates of the Moulis appellation. The current estate came into being with the bifurcation of the large Grand-Poujeaux property in 1822, and its modern name emerged in the 1860s—Chasse-Spleen roughly translates to “dispels melancholy.” Jacques Merlaut, grandfather of current proprietor Céline Villars, purchased the estate in 1976. In 2003 the Merlaut family purchased the neighboring Château Gressier-Grand-Poujeaux, reuniting the two halves of the original Grand-Poujeaux property after two centuries of divided ownership.
Château Chasse-Spleen- Vineyard Holdings:
113 ha
73% Cabernet Sauvignon
20% Merlot
7% Petit Verdot
Château Chasse-Spleen- Wines Produced:
Château Chasse-Spleen
Château Gressier-Grand-Poujeaux: Moulis AOC wine
L’Oratoire de Chasse-Spleen: Second wine
L’Héritage de Chasse-Spleen: Haut-Médoc AOC wine
Blanc de Chasse-Spleen: Bordeaux AOC wine
Château Chasse-Spleen- Inaugural Vintages:
L’Oratoire de Chasse-Spleen: 1979
Château Chasse-Spleen- Average Total Production:
500,000 bottles
Château Chasse-Spleen- Style / Vinification Techniques:
Château Chasse-Spleen has been a consistently solid wine of classed-growth quality, even as the wines of Moulis were ignored in 1855. It is a traditionally styled, medium-bodied, classic Bordeaux that has maintained its sense of balance and savory qualities even in recent warm vintages. Typically, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot appear in nearly equal proportions in the grand vin blend, and the wine ages in 40% new oak for 12-16 months.
What is the name of Chateau Batailley’s second wine?
Lions de Batailley
Château Giscours- Region of Production:
Margaux AOC
Château Giscours- Winery Location:
Labarde
Château Giscours- Year Established:
16th century
Château Giscours- Classification:
third growth, Médoc 1855
Château Giscours- Summary:
In 1552 Pierre de Lhomme bought the “Guyscoutz” estate and planted its first vines; 300 years later the estate hit its stride under the capable management of Pierre Skawinski—a pioneer of gravity-flow in Bordeaux—and the Comte de Pescatore, who purchased the property in 1845. A highly acclaimed winery for the remainder of the 19th century, Château Giscours slumped in the beginning of the 20th. Picked up by an Algerian family by the early 1950s and then by the Dutch owner of Château du Tertre in 1995, in whose hands it remains. Scandal mounted in the aftermath of the 1995 vintage, when there were accusations of illegal wine additions. In 1999 French courts fined Château Giscours for adding oak chips to the wine and later brought a fraud case alleging that the winery mixed Haut-Médoc and Margaux fruit in its second wine. But in the years since, the winery has rebounded with a string of successful vintages and looks to resume its rightful potential as a third growth of Margaux.
Château Giscours- Vineyard Holdings:
94 ha in Margaux, 50 ha in the Haut-Médoc
60% Cabernet Sauvignon
32% Merlot
5% Cabernet Franc
3% Petit Verdot
Château Giscours- Wines Produced:
Château Giscours
La Sirène de Giscours: Second wine selected from young vines
Le Haut-Médoc de Giscours: Haut-Médoc AOC wine
La Rosé de Giscours: Bordeaux AOC wine
Château Giscours- Average Total Production:
300,000 bottles
Château Giscours- Style / Vinification Techniques:
Château Giscours has had such ups and downs in recent years that it is difficult to determine the reigning style, but recent vintages have focused more on heft and concentration than typical Margaux elegance. The grand vin ages for 15-18 months in 55% new French oak. For La Sirène and Le Haut-Médoc the new oak is reduced to 20%.
Château Lascombes- Region of Production:
Margaux AOC
Château Lascombes- Winery Location:
Margaux
Château Lascombes- Year Established:
17th century
Château Lascombes- Classification:
second growth, Médoc 1855
Château Lascombes- Summary:
Namesake property of 17th-century owner Chevalier Antoine de Lascombes, Château Lascombes ended up as yet another underperforming second growth by the mid-20th century, when owner Alexis Lichine greatly expanded its acreage under vine—into less marquee territory. The estate’s downward slide continued under new owners, a beer brewing company that bought Lichine’s Lascombes in 1971, and it was in disarray by the turn of the century. Under new ownership in the new millennium, Lascombes turned the ship around and began producing sounder and higher quality wines, the result of a change in vineyard management and an infusion of cash into the winery. The result: the modern wines earn greater praise (and higher prices) than ever before.
In 2011, the property sold to MACSF… a French insurance company.
Château Lascombes- Vineyard Holdings:
84 ha
50% Merlot
45% Cabernet Sauvignon
5% Petit Verdot
Château Lascombes- Wines Produced:
Château Lascombes
Chevalier de Lascombes: Second wine
Haut-Médoc de Lascombes: Haut Médoc AOC wine
Château Lascombes- Average Total Production:
320,000 bottles
Château Lascombes- Style / Vinification Techniques:
Unusual for Margaux, the Château Lascombes grand vin blend is composed almost equally of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. It is aged in 80% new oak, and the style of 2000s-era Lascombes has been modern and rich, focusing on high extraction, ripeness, and overt oak.
Château Léoville-Poyferré- Region of Production:
Saint-Julien
Château Léoville-Poyferré- Year Established:
1840
Château Léoville-Poyferré- Classification:
second growth, Médoc 1855
Château Léoville-Poyferré- Summary:
Part of the original Léoville domain established in 1638, Château Léoville-Poyferré splintered from the Marquis de Las-Cases’ holdings in 1840. Divided by the marriage of the marquis’ sister to the Baron de Poyferré, the property was eventually acquired by its current owners, the Cuvelier family, in 1920. Today, Didier Cuvelier manages the property, employing Michel Rolland as consultant.
Château Léoville-Poyferré- Vineyard Holdings:
80 ha of château vineyards and the 20-ha Moulin Riche parcel.
65% Cabernet Sauvignon
25% Merlot
8% Petit Verdot
2% Cabernet Franc
Château Léoville-Poyferré- Wines Produced:
Château Léoville-Poyferré
Le Pavillon de Léoville-Poyferré
Le Château Moulin-Riche: A separate wine produced from a separate vineyard, this was classified as Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnel in 1932.
Château Léoville-Poyferré- Inaugural Vintages:
Le Château Moulin-Riche: 1920
Château Léoville-Poyferré- Average Total Production:
380,000 bottles
Château Léoville-Poyferré- Style / Vinification Techniques:
Château Léoville-Poyferré is the most hedonistic, opulent, and modern wine of the three Léovilles.
Château Poujeaux- Region of Production:
Moulis-en-Médoc AOC
Château Poujeaux- Year Established:
18th Century
Château Poujeaux- Classification:
None
Château Poujeaux- Summary:
Alongside its neighbor Château Chasse-Spleen, Château Poujeaux is the undisputed heavyweight of the Moulis AOC and ranked as a Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnel before that classification’s annulment and reconceptualization. The earliest records of the property once known as La Salle de Poujeaux date to the 1500s, but wine production on the estate likely began in the early 1700s. Its 18th-century proprietors, the Castaings, rechristened it Château Poujeaux, but in 1880 the property was divided through inheritance into three sections. François Theil purchased one-third from a Castaing heir in 1921 and by 1957 managed to reunite the entire original estate under his banner. Today, the property is the possession of Philippe Cuvelier, proprietor of Clos Fourtet in Saint-Émilion.
Château Poujeaux- Vineyard Holdings:
72 ha (68 in Moulis, 4 in Haut-Médoc)
50% Cabernet Sauvignon
40% Merlot
5% Cabernet Franc
5% Petit Verdot
Château Poujeaux- Wines Produced:
Château Poujeaux
La Salle de Poujeaux: Second wine from youn-vine plots
Haut de Poujeaux: Haut-Médoc AOC wine
Château Poujeaux- Average Total Production:
400,000 bottles (The grand vin represents ¾ of production.)
Château Poujeaux- Style / Vinification Techniques:
Like Chasse-Spleen, Poujeaux has always maintained a classic, reserved character that does not verge into over-extraction or excessive ripeness. The blend typically aligns with the encépagement and the wine ages in 30% new oak. It is fined but not filtered.
Does Chateau Leoville Barton have a chateau?
No it makes its wines at Chateau Langoa Barton, which is depicted on the label.
When did the idea of chateau start in Bordeaux?
The 1800s. New landholders built them to give their wines prestige. In 1855 only 5 estates called themselves “Chateau…..”. By 1874, Bordeaux boasted 700 Chateaux
Bordeaux: History
- First evidence 300 AD, but not of importance until 1152 when became under British rule
- Started by Merchants not by clergy, most merchants British, Dutch or German
- 13th and 14th Century trade decreases/ tax increases with Britain due to wars.
- Before 17th Century Medoc was a swamp, drained during and planted
- 1855 classification saw top Bordeaux properties classified. A number of viticultural threats to viticulture since 1855 with powdery mildew, and particularly phylloxera when viti was almost devistated in Bordeaux
- After WW2 Mouton- Rothschild started bottling at the chateau
- Late 20th and early 21st Centuries economic boom has provided a lot more cash into the area and record prices
What has competition from New World countries provided to Bordeaux?
More branding, marketing strategies, new stainless steel winery equipment and styles of wine that retain the high quality but approachable at a younger age.
What had Bordeaux University improved the understanding of?
Tannin Management, and maintaining the freshness of white wines.
What did merchants do historically in Bordeaux?
Bought bulk wine and blended in their cellars along the quay. The role of merchants are now in decline (now are more like brokers)
How are most wines bottled now in Bordeaux?
Most are chateau bottled, with use of mobile bottling lines now common
Generic wines from Bordeaux are now?
In decline due to competition from Southern Rhone and New World
What is the broker (courtier’s) role in Bordeaux?
Submits samples of chateaus to negotiants. They then obtain the best price and negotiate the deal
What are the three roles of a negotiant in Bordeaux?
- Buys, blends and sells generic wine in bulk or the bottle
- Buys individual chateau wine to sell either in bulk or in bottle
- Buys individual chateau wines to release and sell at different maturity levels
Buying Bordeaux wines…
Sur Souche (before harvest- a gamble) En Primeur First or Second offer, first year after vintage from late March By hectolitre (e.g. Road Tanker) By Tonneau (900 ltrs)= 100 cases By Barrel (barrique) 225 ltrs= 25 cases By Case
What is En primeur sales?
Small amount of stock are released the March after harvest by the top Chateaus. This works best in financial boom as investors have excess money. Price includes all costs up to and including bottling. It takes into account issues like prestige. Released in tranches. Prices increase with each tranche. This can be a lottery, professional advice is best sort. The wines are then kept at chateaux and released to the buyer after 2 years.
What are some of the influences on price in Bordeaux?
Quantity is very important over quality for entry level Bordeaux. Bordeaux AC keeps a marginlly more minimum standard of consistency so can charge a bigger price. Vintage conditions affect price for top chateaux. Wine Critics reviews have a big influence on price and style. Petit Chateaux and Crus Bourgeois fall between these extremes.
Generic Appellations of Bordeaux
Largest production of AC wine in France. Largest appellation is Bordeaux AC. Whole region.
Medium bodies reds, with blackberry and cedar flavours, sometimes have astringent tannins and unripe flavours. Light, plain white wines with some herbaceousness if Sauv Blanc in Blend. Varietal Merlot and Sauv Blanc becoming more common.
Bordeaux AC classification also covers wines not covered under offical regulations governing the area in which they are grown (i.e. Pavillion Blanc from Margaux and dry whites from Sauternes)
Left Bank of Bordeaux?
West and South of Gironde and Garonne
Medoc AC- Left Bank (Bordeaux)
Red grapes only for AC wines. Nth of St- Estephe, soil is predominately clay with some gravel. No properties in 1855 classification.
Haut- Medoc AC- Left Bank (Bordeaux)
Red grapes only for AC wine. Sth of St Estephe. Maximum permitted yield is lower than Medoc. Includes the high reputation commune appellations of:
- Saint Estephe AC
- Paulliac AC
- Saint- Julien AC
- Margaux AC
All 1855 first growths are within Haut-Medoc. Listrac AC and Moulis AC also here, but no classified growths. Offer good value.
Cabernet dominate blends.
Graves AC- Left Bank (Bordeaux)
Red and White grapes. Red is grown on gravel, white on sandy soils. Lighter in body and mature quicker than Haut- Medoc. Classed growths in the commune of Pessac- Legonan AC. White wines are permitted here, but must be dry.
Sauternes AC- Left Bank (Bordeaux)
Only sweet wines are permitted. Wines from Barsac Ac can use Barsac or Sauternes as its appellation. High alcohol and sweetness, balanced with acidity, flavour characteristics of apricot, botrytis, honey and vanilla.
Between the Garonne and the Dordogne…..
Entre-Deux- Mers AC- Dry white wine only for AC. Blend or varietal Semillon and Sauv Blanc
Right Bank of Bordeaux?
North and East of the Gironde and Dordogne
Saint Emillion- Right Bank (Bordeaux)
9 communes with distinct vineyards and soils. Plateau to Nth and Wst of Saint- Emillion has well drained gravel and limestone soils. Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Cab Sauv. Limestone escarpment found to the sth and east. Saint- Emillion Premier Grand Cru Classe and Saint Emillion Grand Cru AC wines are grown on the two soil types. Low yields, aged in new oak. Rich tannins, red berry fruit developing to tobacco and cedar with age. Commands premium prices. Sandy soils below the limestone escarpment produce lighter styles of wine.
Lussac, Montagne, Puisseguin and Saint- Georges…..
Are villages that can add their names to Saint Emillion on the label.
Pomerol- Right Bank (Bordeaux)
Premium prices. Small estates. Petrous and Le Pin are two high reputation Pomerol v/yards with prices among the highest in Bordeaux. Wines are richer than Saint- Emillion with a spicy, blackberry flavour. No formal classification.
Fronsac AC/ Canon- Fronsac- Right Bank (Bordeaux)
Hillside v/yards, Merlot dominated, full bodied and tannic.
Cote de Bourg AC- Right Bank (Bordeaux)
Soft, early drinking red and white wines. Situated on opposite bank of Gironde to Haut- Medoc.
Cote de Bordeaux AC- Right Bank (Bordeaux)
Hillside v/yards on right bank. Merlot dominated. Previously four communes (Blaye, Premeres Cotes de Bordeaux, Cotes de Franc and Cotes de Castillion) with similar geography and climate, now these apppellations have been banded together since 2007 vintage onwards.
Who listed the best chateaux in 1855?
The Bordeaux Chamber of Commerce for the Paris Exhibition
Has the classification of 1855 changed much since its introduction?
No not really, however there has been changes in size, ownership and quality.
How many cru classe are in the Medoc?
61
What is the only first growth not in the Medoc?
Chateau Haut- Brion
How many second growths are there in the 1855 classification?
14
How many third growths are there in the 1855 classification?
14
How many fourth growths are there in the 1855 classification?
10
How many fifth growths are there in the 1855 classification?
18
What are the details of the 1855 sweet wine classification?
Premier Cru Supérieure- Chateau d’ Yquem
Eleven 1st Growth
Fourteen 2nd Growth
The 1855 classification accounts for….
Only a small amount of estates
Cru Bourgeois: 1932, 1978, 2003 (annulled)
Cru Bourgeois created in 1932 for chateau not featured in the 1855 classification. Was reviewed in 1978. Was updated in 2003 with different quality levels and many Chateaux were removed. 2007 it was annulled because it was said to be corrupt.
Is Label Cru Bourgeois still used?
Yes, it is more a mark of quality than an social ranking. There is now no internal ranking- exceptionnel or superieur- as there was in 2003
The new designation of Cru Bourgeois (from 2007 vintage onward) says what?
- Cru Bourgeois is a désignation of quality
- The right to use the term is determined by a visit to the property, and results, determined by tasting the wine
- It is an annual qualification, awarded by an independent organisation
- The qualification may be obtained by any property in the Medoc
Graves Classification (Pessac- Leognan): 1959
Several lists for red and white wines. No ranking distinctions, all listed wines are Cru Classe. Includes Chateau Haut- Brian, though it is still classed in the 1855 classification
Saint- Emillion: 1955, 1996, 2006
Classification incorporated in the AC system up to Grand Cru. Classed growths (Grand Cru Classe, Premier Grand Cru Classe A and B) are reclassified every 10 years. Chateaux were retested and classified in 2006, but this was found to be invalid and the 2006 re-classification was annulled. The 1996 classification still stands. The future of the classification will be reviewed in 2010/ 2011.
Garage Wines (Unclassified)- Bordeaux
Found on the right bank. Tiny amounts made with no expense spared in vineyard or winery. Full bodied, concentrated wines with moderate acidity, soft tannins and rich berry fruit and spice.
Low yielding vines produce super ripe grapes.
Aged in new oak, giving toasty flavours and complexity.
Prices are high due to the tiny quantities produced. Popularity influenced by US wine Critic Robert Parker in mid 1990s, now declining in importance.
Bordeaux- Location
Situated on French Atlantic Coast. V/yard stretch east from Gironde estuary and alongside the Garonne and Dordogne Rivers. Best v/yards and most prestigious chateaux for red wines are found in the Haut- Medoc and Pessac- Leognan (on well- drained gravel banks), Saint- Emillion and Pomerol (on limestone or clay).
Climate- Bordeaux
Moderate maritime climate, long ripening season (maritime influence decreases inland and is strongest in the Medoc). High humidity, blessing in Sauternes, but can present a problem of Grey Rot for reds. Rainfall distributed fairly evenly throughout the year. Strong winds off the Atlantic can cause problems, but Landes dunes and forests offer protection.
Soil- Bordeaux
Three Main Soil Types:
- Alluvial soil found on riverbanks, used to make only the lowest appellation wines
- Limestone subsoil with broken stone and sand. Found on hillsides and is the predominant soil type in Saint- Emillion
- Free draining soils consisting of gravel over a base of marl and flint. This soil is found in Haut Medoc and Pessac- Leognan where the finest v/yards are planted.
Bordeaux grape varieties…..
Almost all red and white grape Bordeaux wines are blends. 14 grape varieties are permitted under the AC regulations but in general 5 black varieties and 3 white grapes are used.
Merlot- Bordeaux
Medium yields, body and tannins, matures earlier than Cab Sauv. Most widely planted grape variety and is the most important grape variety in Saint- Emillion and Pomerol, will contribute over 60% of blend. Adds softness and body to the blend with Cab Sauv.
Cabernet Sauvignon- Bordeaux
Moderate yields, produces tannic, full bodied wines with a characteristic black currant aroma. Considered to be the classic grape of Bordeaux. Will account for approximately three quarters of the blend of the finest wines on the left bank. Gives colour and structure.
Cabernet Franc- Bordeaux
Higher yields than Cab Sauv with less body and finesse. Displays vegetal aromas and matures rapidly.
Malbec- Bordeaux
Usage is decreasing. Used for early drinking reds, can suffer from colure.
Petit Verdot- Bordeaux
When fully ripe gives a deep, tannic wine with raging potential. Adds tannin, colour and spicy notes to the blend.
Semillon- Bordeaux
Widely planted white variety. Used in dry white blends or in sweet wines as its thin skins make it susceptible to noble rot.
Sauvignon Blanc- Bordeaux
In blend with Semillon or increasingly as single varietal producing wines with a distinctive grass and elderflower character.
Muscadelle- Bordeaux
Grapey Muscat flavour, minor constituent in sweet wines.
Viticulture- Bordeaux
High density planting with vines trained along low wires. Careful replanting allows for high average vine age in best chateaux. Most vineyards are harvested by machine.
Hand picking is mainly for sweet wines as individual bunches need to be selected.
Red Wine Vini- Bordeaux
Many choices of vini methods that reflect the love of quality to be achieved in the resulting wine.
- Green harvest can be used to concentrate sugars
- Ferment and maceration can last for 3 weeks
- Fruit selection: harvest and also the winery before crush
- Stalks can be used during ferment to add tannin. Chaptalisation once routine, but better chateaux use reverse osmosis in light years, and avoid enrichment in best years
- Ferment vessels made of oak, epoxy lined concrete or stainless steel
- Different grapes vinified separately
Aging for Red Wines in Bordeaux?
- In 225 ltr oak casks or tank.
- 0 to 24 mths in ageing, depending on property
- Some wineries will use new oak only: others will use a combo of old and new, second or third use,
- MLF usually in spring
- Different batches will be assembled after ageing to create the desired wine style
White Wine Vinification in Bordeaux?
- Dry white wines: Fermentation in stainless steel or trad. oak
- Temp control during ferment 15- 20 degrees, long cool ferment to retain varietal characters
- Aging can take place in oak
- Sweet wines: Thing skinned, botrytis susceptible Semmillon makes up majority of the blend
- Savy adds acid and aromatic variety
- Muscadelle adds perfume
- Humid conditions adds noble rot on fully ripe grapes, passerillage is also a factor (esp when dry).
- For the best wines: several harvest dates, hand picked only, low yields, high prod costs
- Top quality Sauternes fermented and aged in oak
Generic Appellations of Bordeaux?
- Bordeaux AOP
Subzone: Haut- Benauge (As of 2011, “Cotes De Frances” is no longer listed as a subzone) - Bordeaux Superieur AOP
- Cremant De Bordeaux AOP
Communes of Haut- Benauge?
Arbis, Cantois, Escoussans, Gornac, Ledaux, Mourens, Saint- Pierre- De- Bat, Soulignac, Targon
Cotes De Bordeaux?
- Cotes De Bordeaux AOP
- Premieres Cote De Bordeaux AOP
- Bourg/ Cotes De Bourg/ Bourgeais AOP
- Blaye AOP
- Cotes De Blaye AOP
Cotes De Bordeaux AOP?
Francs
Cadillac
Castillon
Blaye
Entre- Deux- Mers?
Entre- Deux- Mers AOP Cadillac AOP Graves De Vayres AOP Loupiac AOP Cotes De Bordeaux Saint- Macaire AOP Sainte- Croix- Du Mont AOP Sainte- Foy- Bordeaux AOP
Entre- Deux- Mers Subzones (Geographic Designations):
Haut- Benauge
Medoc
Medoc AOP Haut- Medoc AOP Saint- Estephe AOP Paulliac AOP Saint- Julien AOP Listrac- Medoc AOP Moulis/ Moulis- en- Medoc AOP Margaux AOP
Graves
Graves AOP Graves Superieures AOP Pessac- Leognan AOP Cerons AOP Barsac AOP Sauternes AOP
Right Bank of Bordeaux?
Saint- Emillion AOP Saint- Emillon Grand Cru AOP Lussac- St- Emillion AOP Montagne- St- Emillon AOP St- Georges- St- Emillon AOP Puisseguin- St- Emillon AOP Pomerol AOP Lalande- De- Pomerol AOP Canon Fronsac AOP Fronsac AOP
Who became the full owner of Petrus in 1937?
Madame Loubat
When Madame Loubat took over Petrus in 1937 she….
Removed the Chateau from the label, and the acute (accent over the e) on the Petrus
Petrus means what in Latin?
St. Peter
When Baron Phillippe De Rothschild took over Chateau Mouton Rothschild in 1922 what was one thing that struck him?
That the wines should be bottled in house because there was no control of provenance
What year did it take until for the classed growths to bottle their wines at the Chateau in Bordeaux?
- This is when it became mandatory.
Baron Phillippe De Rothschild first vintage was 1924. What was unique about the label?
It was cubist and was a design by cubist artist Jean Carlu
What French organisation was set up in 1935 for the protection of appellations?
Comite National Des Appellation Contrôlée which is now the Instituto National Des Appellations d’Origine
Where did Emile Peynaud first work in 1949?
Chateau Duplessis- Hauchecorne
Emile Peynaud
- Really did emphasis that in 200 years prior to his involvement wines just happened
- Not much was known about acid, tannin, structure
- Although working at the Uni of Bordeaux and writing books, he believed the only way was to get out there and consult to the wineries/ vineyards
- Temprature control and cleanliness were preached, stainless steel and new oak were part of the plan
- He also found what happened during MLF the softening and fruit tones of the Bordeaux blends.
What was the name of Bordeaux during Celtic times?
Burdigala
The Burdigala introduced what grape?
A grape called biturica which is a distant relative of Cabernet. It was more resistant to cold weather than the grape varieties of Gaul.
Where was the first glass bottle factory?
In Bordeaux. Created by Pierre Mitchell in 1723.
When did Bordeaux become a UNESCO World Heritage site?
2007
Prior to 2017 when was the last bad frost in Bordeaux?
1991
2017 in Bordeaux?
Whites will be great. Saint Estephe has another brilliant vintage. It had a string of them. Right Bank: Pomerol and St Emillion look good.
