Bordeaux Flashcards
What can be said about the amount of acreage in Bordeaux?
Bordeaux has more acreage under vine than any other region in France, with 117,500 ha under vine in 2011.
What percent does Bordeaux hold to France’s total vineyard area and how much wine does the region produce?
Bordeaux constitutes 14% of France’s total vineyard area and typically produces 5-6 million hectoliters of wine each year.
From the northernmost vineyard in Bordeaux to its southernmost, how many km does it span across?
From its northernmost vineyards around the town of Saint-Vivien-de-Médoc to the southern edge of Graves, the region of Bordeaux spans over 130 km.
1 Mile = 1.609344 Kilometers
At Bordeaux’s widest point, how far does it stretch in km?
75km
1 Mile = 1.609344 Kilometers
What are the two major rivers that flow within Bordeaux?
It includes two major rivers, the Garonne and Dordogne, which converge into the Gironde Estuary before flowing into the Atlantic Ocean.
What are the subregions of Bordeaux?
- Médoc
- Graves
- Entre-Deux-Mers
- The right bank
- Blaye and Bourg
On the western banks of the Gironde Estuary and Garonne River, you have what regions?
The Médoc and Graves make up the “left bank” of Bordeaux
Blaye and Bourg, sometimes considered part of the right bank, are actually on the eastern bank of the Gironde, opposite the Médoc vineyards. True or False?
True
Where is the Entre-Deux-Mers located in Bordeaux
Entre-Deux-Mers is the vast stretch of land between the Garonne and the Dordogne.
What is the climate like in Bordeaux?
Bordeaux’s maritime climate is characterized by warm summers and cool winters, without the spikes of temperature and extreme seasonality that befall regions further inland, like Burgundy.
What is the difference between Southern France’s mediterranean climate regions and Bordeaux’s?
Unlike the Mediterranean climate regions of Southern France, maritime Bordeaux lacks a true dry season, with rainfall somewhat evenly dispersed throughout the year.
*Note: The Médoc actually experiences more annual rainfall—950 mm—than any other major wine region in France.
What are some of the biggest challenges rainfall brings to Bordeaux?
Rainfall decreases slightly further inland in Bordeaux, but it remains a challenge at harvest and in the springtime, when rain can interrupt flowering, reducing yield and inviting rot.
What parallel is Bordeaux on and what influences its mild climate?
The 45th parallel runs just north of Bordeaux, but the balmy Atlantic Gulf Stream current, bringing warm waters up from the Caribbean, keeps its climate mild.
Where would Bordeaux lie on the Winkler Scale?
The region falls into Region II on the Winkler Scale, and average temperatures in August (the hottest month) reach 26° C. (78.8 F)
°C to °F Multiply by 9, then divide by 5, then add 32
For basic Bordeaux AOP wines what are the six authorized red varieties allowed?
Bordeaux AOP wines six red varieties are authorized:
Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Malbec, Carmenère.
*Note: The first three listed make up 99% of the entire red grape vineyard in Bordeaux
For basic Bordeaux AOP wines white varietals include: ?
Authorized white grapes include:
Sémillon, Sauvignon Blanc (and Gris), Muscadelle, Ugni Blanc, Merlot Blanc, Colombard
In terms of white varieties vs red varieties planted, what does recent research show in Bordeaux?
Significant reduction in white grape production in favor of reds: by 2011 red grapes accounted for 89% of the total Bordeaux vineyard.
What is the most planted red variety planted in Bordeaux?
Merlot
What is the most planted white variety planted in Bordeaux?
Sémillon
Are wines from Bordeaux typically made from a single grape varietal?
No. Bordeaux, whether white, rosé, or red, is typically a blend of two or more varieties.
Genetic parents for the rare Magdeleine Noire des Charentes
Merlot and Malbec
Which 2 Bordeaux varieties have no genetic link (outliers) to the other varietals found in this region?
Petit Verdot and Muscadelle
Where and when did Malbec first appear in Bordeaux?
Malbec originally appeared in the right bank in the 1730, it navigated to the left bank and became a significant contributor to the wines of the Médoc by the end of that century.
What is Malbec known as in Bordeaux and how did its name come about?
A grower named Malbec brought the grape, then known as Pressac Noir, from the right bank to the left, and gave it its modern name. Today it is a bit player in Bordeaux.
Notes about Sauvignon Gris in Bordeaux.
Sauvignon Gris, a grey-skinned and early-ripening mutation of Sauvignon Blanc, is still listed as a separate grape in Bordeaux’s cahiers des charges, but it is genetically identical. Sauvignon Gris is especially popular in Graves.
How many individual AOPs are there in Bordeaux?
39 individual AOPs in the Bordeaux region
What are the 3 generic Bordeaux appellations?
Bordeaux AOP,
Bordeaux Supérieur AOP,
Crémant de Bordeaux AOP
What types of wine are the Bordeaux Superieur allowed to produce?
Bordeaux Supérieur label is limited to red and medium sweet white wines from the same wide area, produced under slightly stricter conditions.
How long are the red wines from Bordeaux Superieur designation required to be in the elevage phase?
Bordeaux Supérieur requires red wines to undergo élevage until mid-June of the year following harvest, while basic Bordeaux reds can be sold by the middle of January.
What styles of wines can be released under the regular Bordeaux AOP designation?
Bordeaux AOP, producers have the freedom to produce red, white (sec, off-dry, and medium sweet), rosé, and clairet wines from the standard complement of Bordeaux red and white grapes.
What varietal typically dominates in red Bordeaux and Bordeaux Superieur wines?
Red Bordeaux and Bordeaux Supérieur wines are likely dominated by Merlot and aged in older barriques.
Discuss the Cremant de Bordeaux AOP
Crémant de Bordeaux AOP is a generic outlet for white and rosé sparkling wines in Bordeaux, made in the traditional method and aged for at least nine months on the lees. Like rosé, it represents only a sliver of overall production—perhaps 200 ha in the entire Gironde département support sparkling wine production.
IGP
Indication Géographique Protégée
Indication Géographique Protégée (IGP)
Formerly referred to as Vins de Pays, IGP wines are produced on land that gives them a certain quality, reputation or other specific characteristic. There are specifications that dictate how they are produced. One or more grape varieties may be mentioned on the labels of these wines.
Wine making regions within the Atlantique IGP
Bordeaux, Cognac and Dordogne
Departments within the Atlantique IGP
Gironde, Charente-Maritime, Charente, Dordogne, Lot-et-Garonne (partial)
What benefits does the IGP bring for producers within Atlantique?
The IGP gives producers from Bergerac to Bordeaux the freedom to produce red, white, and rosé wines from a dizzying array of varieties, from Cabernet Sauvignon to Meunier to Chardonnay.
Will you find majority of vignerons in the Atlantique IGP within Bordeaux?
No. Very few producers are actually within the confines of Bordeaux; more often, Atlantique IGP vignerons are located in the neighboring AOP regions of Bergerac, Duras, or Cognac.
What was the greatest contribution that the Dutch brought to Bordeaux?
The greatest Dutch contribution to Bordeaux, however, was in the technique of land reclamation honed in native Netherlands. In the mid-17th century, Dutch engineers built a system of canals (jalles) to drain the marshy lowlands of the Médoc, reclaiming the gravelly, alluvial lands north of the city of Bordeaux.
What is the climate like in Bordeaux and influence does Atlantic and the Gironde river have on the vines?
The climate of Bordeaux is maritime, with both the Atlantic and the Gironde estuary acting as moderating influences, protecting the vines from winter freezes and spring frost.
clairet
a darker, more aromatic style of rosé that evokes the original claret wines shipped to England in the Middle Ages.
What kind of role does Cabernet Sauvignon have on the Left Bank?
On the Left Bank (Médoc and Graves) Cabernet Sauvignon comprises approximately two-thirds of the blend and Merlot, Cabernet Franc and the other varieties make up the remainder.
size of a barrique
barrique (225-liter capacity barrel)
Where is Medoc AOP located in Bordeaux?
The Médoc AOP covers the entire wine-producing left bank of the Gironde Estuary, a 50-mile stretch northward from the city of Bordeaux.
What encompasses the Haut-Medoc?
The Médoc AOP encompasses the Haut-Médoc AOP and the more prestigious communal appellations.
jalles
drainage channels in Bordeaux
All Medoc AOP wines must be red. True or False?
True
What varietal does well in the Medoc AOP?
Merlot is grown in a higher proportion here than in the Haut-Médoc, as it performs more reliably in the waterlogged, clay-heavy soils of the Bas-Médoc.
Where are the best vineyards located in the Haut-Medoc?
Better châteaux’s are usually located upon deeper banks of gravel, primarily located within the communes of Saint-Estèphe, Pauillac, St. Julien, Listrac-Médoc, Moulis-en-Médoc, and Margaux.
Cru Artisan in Bordeaux
Cru Artisan, a designation that has been in use for nearly a century and a half, was formally recognized in 2002. From the 2005 vintage forward, 44 small producers throughout the Médoc’s appellations have the right to use the designation, denoting their place as exceptional stewards of the land and craft of winemaking, without the financing or apparatus of large-scale operations.
What are the 3 categories for Cru Bourgeois?
Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnel
Cru Bourgeois Supérieur
Cru Bourgeois
Speak about the origin of Cru Bourgeois in Bordeaux.
Cru Bourgeois, an embattled classification originally introduced in 1932, divided 444 properties into three categories: Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnel, Cru Bourgeois Supérieur, and Cru Bourgeois. The classification was not official until 2003, when only 247 châteaux retained their status. The resulting legal action nullified the entire classification.
Has the Cru Bourgeois classification of Bordeaux changed since its official release in 2003?
Cru Bourgeois has been reinstated for the 2008 vintage, but it is no longer a specific classification; rather, the term acts as a guarantor of quality and châteaux must apply for it regularly, submitting their wines to a blind tasting panel. The higher designations of Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnel and Cru Bourgeois Supérieur have been eliminated.
Do the higher classifications of Cru Bourgeois, Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnel and Cru Bourgeois Superieur, still exist?
The higher designations of Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnel and Cru Bourgeois Supérieur have been eliminated.
Brief description of the St-Estephe AOP
St-Estèphe AOP is the 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.
What department is St-Estephe AOP located within?
Département: Gironde
Styles and Encepagement found in St-Estephe AOP?
Styles and Encépagement:
Rouge: Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Malbec, Carmenère
Minimum Alcohol for St-Estephe
Minimum Potential Alcohol: 11%
Minimum Must Weight for St-Estephe
Minimum Must Weight: 180 g/l (189 g/l for Merlot)
Minimum Planting Density for St-Estephe
Minimum Planting Density: 7,000 vines per hectare
Maximum yields (Rendement de Base) for St-Estephe AOP
57hl/ha
Second label from Château Cos d’Estournel
Les Pagodes de Cos (St-Estephe)
Who produces the second label “Les Pagodes de Cos”
Chateau Cos d’Estournel (St-Estephe)
Who produces the second label “La Dame du Montrose”
Château Montrose (St-Estephe)
Chateau Montrose’s second label
“La Dame du Montrose” (St-Estephe)
Château Calon-Ségur’s second label
“Le Marquis de Calon-Ségur” (St-Estephe)
Prior to the 2013 vintage, this was labeled simply as Marquis de Calon.
Who produces the second label “Le Marquis de Calon-Ségur”
Chateau Calon-Segur (St-Estephe)
What second label does Château Lafon-Rochet produce?
“Les Pélerins de Lafon-Rochet” (St-Estephe)
Who produces “Les Pélerins de Lafon-Rochet”?
Château Lafon-Rochet (St-Estephe)
What second label does Château Cos Labory produce?
“Le Charme Labory” (St-Estephe)
Who produces “Le Charme Labory”?
Chateau Cos Labory (St-Estephe)
Briefly describe the Pauillac AOP.
Pauillac AOP is considered classic claret and boasts three first growths: Château Lafite Rothschild, Château Mouton-Rothschild, and Château Latour. In Pauillac the gravel topsoil of the Haut-Médoc is at its deepest point, and the Cabernet Sauvignon-based wines are structured and long-lived. Lafite and Latour represent the pinnacle of Pauillac: Latour produces wines of brooding depth and concentration and Lafite emphasizes aromatics and elegance.
List the communes of Pauillac AOP
Communes of Production: Cissac-Médoc, Pauillac, Saint-Estèphe, Saint-Julien-Beychevelle, Saint-Sauveur
Cissac-Médoc, Pauillac, Saint-Estèphe, Saint-Julien-Beychevelle, Saint-Sauveur
The 5 communes of Pauillac
Styles and encepagement of Pauillac AOP
Styles and Encépagement:
Rouge: Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Malbec, Carmenère
Minimum potential alcohol for Pauillac AOP
Minimum Potential Alcohol: 11%
Minimum must weight in Pauillac
Minimum Must Weight: 180 g/l (189 g/l for Merlot)
Minimum Must Weight in Pauillac AOP: ___ g/l (___ g/l for Merlot)
Minimum Must Weight: 180 g/l (189 g/l for Merlot)
Maximum residual sugar for Pauillac AOP
Maximum Residual Sugar: 2 g/l
Required elevage for Pauillac AOP
Élevage: Wines may not be released before June 15 of the year following the harvest
Minimum planting density for Pauillac AOP?
Minimum Planting Density: 7,000 vines per hectare
Maximum yields (rendement de base) for Pauillac?
Maximum Yields (Rendement de Base): 57 hl/ha
Primary soil type found in Pauillac?
Primary Soil Type: gravelly soils
Château Lafite-Rothschild’s second label?
“Carruades de Lafite”
Who makes “Carruades de Lafite”?
Lafite-Rothschild (Pauillac)
Château Latour makes what second label?
“Les Forts de Latour” (Pauillac)
Who makes “Les Forts de Latour”?
Chateau Latour (Pauillac)
Château Mouton-Rothschild makes what second label?
“Petit Mouton” (Pauillac)
Château Longueville au Baron de Pichon-Longueville makes what 2nd label?
“Les Griffons de Pichon Baron” (Pauillac)
Who makes “Les Giffons de Pichon Baron”
Château Longueville au Baron de Pichon-Longueville (Pauillac)
What is the name of the 2nd label from Château Pichon-Longueville Comtesse de Lalande?
“Réserve de la Comtesse” (Pauillac)
What is the name of the 2nd label from Château Duhart-Milon-Rothschild?
“Moulin de Duhart” (Pauillac)
“Lacoste Borie” is produced from who?
Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste (Pauillac)
Chateau Grand-Puy-Lacoste produces what 2nd label?
“Lacoste Borie” (Pauillac)
“La Chapelle de Bages” is produced from who?
Château Haut-Bages-Libéral (Pauillac)
Château Lynch-Bages produces what 2nd label?
“Echo de Lynch Bages”
as of 2008 vintage, previously Chateau Haut-Bages Averous
“Echo de Lynch Bages” is produced by who?
Chateau Lynch Badges (Pauillac)
Before 2008, what did Chateau Lynch Badges name, rather than “Echo de Lynch Bages”, their second label?
“Chateau Haut-Bages Averous”
“Les Hauts de Pontet-Canet” is made from who?
Château Pontet-Canet (Pauillac)
What is the name of second label from Chateau Pontet-Canet?
“Les Hauts de Pontet-Canet” (Pauillac)
Name of the title for First Growths in Bordeaux
Premiers Crus
What does “Premiers Crus” mean in Bordeaux?
First Growths
Name of the title for Second Growths in Bordeaux
Deuxièmes Crus
What does “Deuxiemes Crus” mean in Bordeaux?
Second Growths
Name of the title for Third Growths in Bordeaux?
Troisièmes Crus
What does “Troisiemes Crus” mean in Bordeaux?
Third Growths
Name of the title for Fourth Growths in Bordeaux?
Quatrièmes Crus
What does “Quatriemes Crus” mean in Bordeaux?
Fourth Growths
Name of the title for Fifth Growths in Bordeaux?
Cinquièmes Crus
What does “Cinquiemes Crus” mean in Bordeaux?
Fifth Growth
Describe the 2015 vintage in Bordeaux
“Extremely dry season saved by rain at veraison led to an even crop of ripe and lush reds. Later rains hampered some parts of the upper Médoc, but Margaux and Pessac superb” — WS (92-95 pts)
“Will this vintage adhere to Jancis’ rule of five, whereby any vintage divisible by five is of good quality? It seems so, with particularly healthy, uniform fruit at harvest. A generous flowering and hot, dry early summer was followed by a slighty cooler, damper August. Harvest was generally earlier than in 2014. Optimists are already calling it the best vintage since 2010 with early reports favouring the right bank.” — Jancis
Describe the 2014 vintage in Bordeaux
“2014 was an exceptionally cool, damp July and August but the vintage was saved by an unusually dry, warm September and October that (just about) ripened the grapes though autumn concentration has resulted in relatively high-acid wines. Reds have fragrance, medium body and supple tannins but are not for long term cellaring.” — Jancis
“A good spring was followed by a gray, humid summer, but dry weather and a long harvest period through September and October saved the vintage. Best in the upper Médoc with Cabernet Sauvignon and Franc, along with Petit Verdot, relishing the late harvest; less dynamic in Margaux and Passaic” — WS (91-94 pts)
Describe the 2013 vintage in Bordeaux
2013 “A universally poor vintage, beset by uneven ripening and dilution. Rot forced relatively early picking. Even at their best, the wines are pretty light – though perhaps a benefit of this is lower alcohol levels, as compared with some of the 15% bruisers of recent years. The best of a bad lot can be found in Pomerol, St-Julien and St-Estèphe.” — Jancis
2013 “Cool start and very wet finish saved by warm, dry July and August. Disease pressure was very high and harvest on the early side. Reds are light and easy; Margaux least successful of Left Bank AOCs” — WS (84 pts)
Describe the 2012 vintage in Bordeaux
2012 “Tricky across many European wine regions, and none more so than Bordeaux. Generally speaking, it was a wet, late year with a hot mid-summer. Bad weather in October compromised quality at the crucial moment, meaning that the earlier-ripening Merlot-based reds were less adversely affected. Making good Cabernet-based wine was achievable, but only by those who had the resources for micro-management in the vineyard. Top properties made small quantities of outstanding wines but most have a lack of depth and persistence.” — Jancis
2012 “Cool and wet early led to uneven crop set and disease pressure, while dry, hot August resulted in some blocked ripening; September rains helped, but harvest window was short before October rains arrived, leaving some Cabernets marked by taut tannins; Pessac and Margaux favored over upper Médoc; more inconsistent overall than Right Bank” — WS (88 pts)
Describe the 2011 vintage in Bordeaux
2011 “Dry and hot early, then cool and wet late. Yields down due to small berries. Fresh fruit and bright acidity are prominent; tannins are strident but ripe, with lower alcohols” — WS (91 pts)
2011 “Generalisations are difficult in this variable year, but there is agreement that quality is back down to earth after the excitement of 2009 and 2010, with lower alcohol and generally higher tannins too. A forgettable year.” — Jancis
Describe the 2010 vintage in Bordeaux
2010 “Ripe and powerful, with racy tannins and acidity for balance. More structure-driven than the opulent 2009, with better definition of fruit; should be very long-lived” — WP (99 pts)
2010 “Another stellar vintage, with higher tannin and more freshness than 2009 but comparable intensity. More appealing to classical palates.” — Jancis
Describe the 2009 vintage in Bordeaux.
2009 “Lush, rich and beautifully polished reds. Top Médoc estates made glorious wines; Pessac also excelled” — WS (97 pts)
2009 “Vintage of the decade/century’? This growing season seemed to have it all. A long, fine, warm summer but, crucially, with refreshing nights to help retain acidity. Dramatically ripe, voluptuous wines, especially on the left bank.” — Jancis
Describe the 2008 vintage in Bordeaux.
2008 “Damp, gray growing season led to disease pressure; Indian summer in September saved the vintage. Wines are fresh rather than dense, with sometimes crisp acidity.” — WS (87pts)
2008 “Another ungenerous summer saved by some better weather at the end of the season. Yet again, those properties at the top of the tree managed to field enough good fruit to salvage some pretty impressive grand vin but life was increasingly tough lower down the food chain.” — Jancis
Describe the 2007 vintage in Bordeaux.
2007 “Inconsistent; look to top names for delicacy and balance.” — WS (85pts)
2007 “An extremely difficult year for growers, with rampant mildew, not enough sun, too much rain until September. Thanks to an arsenal of modern techniques, not least rigorous selection, those who could afford it managed to make attractive wines for relatively early drinking but high prices left the primeur market as flat as a pancake.” — Jancis
Describe the 2006 vintage in Bordeaux.
2006 “Best are solid, tannic and racy; others slightly hollow.” — WS (90pts)
2006 “This stop-start vintage suffered inevitably by comparison with 2005, although it produced some well-made wines which looked even better in comparison with the 2007s. Drought and high temperatures were the dominant characteristics until the end of July but August was unusually cool and wet and harvest was interrupted by rain. Pauillac and Pomerol seemed to perform best in a year that can taste pretty crisp.”
Describe the 2005 vintage in Bordeaux
2005 “Fabulous aromas and great length; wines with depth, structure and finesse” — WS (99pts)
2005 “The weather during the 2005 growing season was exceptionally dry, leading almost to drought conditions in certain areas. Temperatures were also frequently above average but not to the heatwave extremes of 2003.” — BBR
Describe the 2004 vintage in Bordeaux
"”2004 is a cool, classic and precise vintage for those properties that monitored the vineyards, green harvested and removed foliage to allow sunshine to ripen the grapes. Some properties that picked the Cabernets during September did not get full maturity from the grapes, however those like Gruaud-Larose who waited to maximize contact with the sun and picked in October produced ripe Cabernets.” — BBR
Describe the 2003 vintage in Bordeaux
“2003 was the hottest vintage ever witnessed in Bordeaux. The best-performing châteaux have surpassed their outstanding 2000s and some claim to have made their greatest wines in living memory.
The extreme heat of the summer presented winemakers with a stiff challenge. Sugar levels rose spectacularly in late summer with some producers jumping the gun and harvesting early in order to preserve acidity. However growers who waited until their grapes were fully ripe have been rewarded with darkly coloured, rich concentrated wines displaying astonishing depth of fruit and much complexity.” — BBR
Describe the 2002 vintage in Bordeaux
“2002 was a small harvest that has yielded some first-rate, well-structured, stylish wines, especially from the Médoc and the Graves, with the best wines requiring considerable cellaring before they reach their peak. After a mild, relatively dry spring there followed a cooler than normal summer culminating in a wet August. A major factor early in the year was the cool spring that upset the flowering, causing coulure and millerandage that distressed the early-developing and more fragile Merlot grape. However, Bordeaux was blessed with a glorious Indian summer through September and October and this, combined with the vastly improved technology available, saved the harvest. 2002 is the smallest crop since 1991, but the quality is far, far better.” — BBR
Speak of the St-Julien AOP
St-Julien AOP produces less wine than the other communes, but the quality is very good: approximately 80% of the AOP is cru classé wine. There are no first growths, but 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.
Speak of Listrac-Medoc AOP
Listrac-Médoc AOP and Moulis-en-Médoc AOP are lesser appellations without classified growths, but can be the source of good value—especially in better vintages. Château Chasse-Spleen in Moulis is the most famous estate of either commune
Talk about the Margaux AOP
Margaux AOP is 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, although the croupes in this appellation are typically shallow in comparison with those of St-Julien or Pauillac. Overall, 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. Although 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.
What are the five villages of Margaux AOP?
Soussans Margaux Cantenac Labarde Arsac
How many classified growths are there in Margaux?
21, which Margaux holds largest amount of classified growths than any other commune.
First Growths (Premiers Crus) in Pauillac
Château Lafite Rothschild, Pauillac
Château Latour, Pauillac
Château Mouton Rothschild, Pauillac
First Growths (Premiers Crus) in Margaux
Château Margaux, Margaux
First Growths (Premiers Crus) in Graves
Château Haut-Brion, Graves
Second Growths (Deuxièmes Crus) in Pauillac
- Château Pichon Longueville Baron, Pauillac
- Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande, Pauillac
Chateau Pichon Longueville Baron & Chateau Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande are located where and what Growth are they classified as?
Pauillac and Deuxiemes Cru (Second Growth)
Second Growths (Deuxiemes Cru) in Saint-Estephe
- Château Cos d’Estournel, Saint-Estèphe
- Château Montrose, Saint-Estèphe
Chateau Cos d’Estournel & Chateau Montrose are located where and what Growth are they listed as?
Saint-Estephe and Deuxiemes Cru (Second Growth)
Second Growths (Deuxiemes Cru) in Saint-Julien
- Château Léoville-Las Cases, Saint-Julien
- Château Léoville-Poyferré, Saint-Julien
- Château Léoville Barton, Saint-Julien
- Château Gruaud-Larose, Saint-Julien
- Château Ducru-Beaucaillou, Saint-Julien
Chateau Leoville-Las Cases, Chateau Leoville-Poyferre, Chateau Leoville Barton, Chateau Gruaud-Larose, and Chateau Ducru-Beaucaillou are located where and Growth are they all classified as?
Saint-Julien and Deuxiemes Cru (Second Growth)
List the Second Growths (Deuxiemes Cru) in Margaux
- Château Rauzan-Ségla, Margaux
- Château Rauzan-Gassies, Margaux
- Château Durfort-Vivens, Margaux
- Château Lascombes, Margaux
- Château Brane-Cantenac, Cantenac-Margaux (Margaux)
Chateau Rauzan-Segla, Chateau Rauzan-Gassies, Chateau Durfort-Vivens, Chateau Lascombes, Chateau Brane-Cantenac are classified as what Growth and where are they all?
Deuxiemes Cru (Second Growth) and Margaux
List all the Third Growths (Troisièmes Crus) from Pauillac
There are none
List the Third Growths (Troisiemes Crus) from Saint-Estephe
Château Calon-Ségur, Saint-Estèphe
Chateau Calon-Segur is located where and what Growth is it classified under?
Saint-Estephe and Troisiemes Crus (Third Growth)
List the Third Growths (Troisièmes Crus) from Saint-Julien
Château Lagrange, Saint-Julien
Château Langoa Barton, Saint-Julien
Chateau Lagrange and Chateau Langoa Barton are located where and what Growth are they classified under?
Saint-Julien and Troisiemes Crus (Third Growth)
List the Third Growths (Troisiemes Crus) of Margaux
- Château Desmirail, Margaux
- Château Ferrière, Margaux
- Château Marquis d’Alesme Becker, Margaux
- Château Kirwan, Cantenac-Margaux (Margaux)
- Château d’Issan, Cantenac-Margaux (Margaux)
- Château Boyd-Cantenac, Cantenac-Margaux (Margaux)
- Château Cantenac-Brown, Cantenac-Margaux (Margaux)
- Château Palmer, Cantenac-Margaux (Margaux)
- Château Giscours, Labarde-Margaux (Margaux)
Chateau Desmirail, Chateau Ferriere, Chateau Marquis d’Alesme Becker, Chateau Kirwan, Chateau Chateau d’Issan, Chateau Boyd-Cantenac, Chateau Cantenac-Brown, Chateau Palmer, Chateau Giscours are classified under what Growth and where are they located?
Troisiemes Crus (Third Growth) and Margaux
What Troisiemes Cru (Third Growth) in the Haut-Medoc
Château La Lagune, Ludon (Haut-Medoc)
What Fourth Growths (Quatrièmes Crus) are located in the Saint-Estephe?
Château Lafon-Rochet, Saint-Estèphe
Where is Chateau Lafon-Rochet located and what Growth is it classified as?
Located in Saint-Estephe and it is a Quatriemes Cru (Fourth Growth)
Name the chateau that is a Quatriemes Cru (Fourth Growth) in Pauillac
Château Duhart-Milon-Rothschild, Pauillac
List the Quatriemes Cru (Fourth Growth) in Pauillac.
Château Duhart-Milon-Rothschild, Pauillac
Where is Château Duhart-Milon-Rothschild and what Cru level is it classified as?
Pauillac and Quatriemes Cru (Fourth Growth)
What are the Quatriemes Cru (Fourth Growth) in Saint-Julien
- Château Saint-Pierre, Saint-Julien
- Château Talbot, Saint-Julien
- Château Branaire-Ducru, Saint-Julien
- Château Beychevelle, Saint-Julien
Château Saint-Pierre, Château Talbot, Château Branaire-Ducru, and Château Beychevelle are located where and Growth are they classified as?
Saint-Julien and Quatriemes Cru (Fourth Growth)
What are the Quatriemes Cru (Fourth Growth) in Margaux?
- Château Marquis de Terme, Margaux
- Château Pouget, Cantenac-Margaux (Margaux)
- Château Prieuré-Lichine, Cantenac-Margaux (Margaux)
Château Marquis de Terme, Château Pouget, and Château Prieuré-Lichine are located where and what Growth are they classified as?
Margaux and Quatriemes Cru (Fourth Growth)
What are the Quatriemes Cru (Fourth Growth) of Haut Medoc
Château La Tour Carnet, Saint-Laurent (Haut-Médoc)
What is Château La Tour Carnet classified as and where is it located?
Quatriemes Cru (Fourth Growth) and Haut-Medoc
What Fifth Growths (Cinquièmes Crus) are located in Saint-Estephe
Château Cos Labory, Saint-Estèphe
Where is Chateau Cos Labory located and what Growth is it classified as?
Saint-Estephe and Cinquiemes Cru (Fifth Growth)
What are the Cinquiemes Cru (Fifth Growth) of Pauillac?
- Château Pontet-Canet, Pauillac
- Château Batailley, Pauillac
- Château Haut-Batailley, Pauillac
- Château Haut-Bages-Libéral, Pauillac
- Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste, Pauillac
- Château Grand-Puy-Ducasse, Pauillac
- Château Lynch-Bages, Pauillac
- Château Lynch-Moussas, Pauillac
-Château d’Armailhac, Pauillac: This estate was known as
Mouton-Baronne-Philippe from 1933-1988.
- Château Pédesclaux, Pauillac
- Château Clerc-Milon, Pauillac
- Château Croizet Bages, Pauillac
Château Pontet-Canet, Château Batailley, Château Haut-Batailley, Château Haut-Bages-Libéral, Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste, and Château Grand-Puy-Ducasse are located where and what Growth are they classified as?
Pauillac and Cinquiemes
What is to be said about Chateau d’Armailhac?
Château d’Armailhac, Pauillac: This estate was known as
Mouton-Baronne-Philippe from 1933-1988.
Fifth Growth
How many Fifth Growths are in Pauillac?
12
What Cinquiemes Cru (Fifth Growth) are located in Margaux?
- Château Dauzac, Labarde (Margaux)
- Château du Tertre, Arsac (Margaux)
Château Dauzac; Château du Tertre are located where and what Growth are they classified as?
Cinquiemes Cru (Fifth Growth)
What Fifth Growths (Cinquiemes Cru) are in located in the Haut-Medoc?
Château Belgrave, Saint-Laurent (Haut-Médoc)
Château de Camensac, Saint-Laurent (Haut-Médoc)
Château Cantemerle, Macau (Haut-Médoc)
Château Belgrave, Château de Camensac, and Château Cantemerle are classified as what Growth and where they located?
Cinquiemes Cru (Fifth Grow) and Haut Medoc
Year Chateau Margaux was established?
16th century
Summary of Chateau Margaux
Summary: One of five Premier Grand Cru Classé of the Médoc, Château Margaux is the top property in the Margaux appellation. (It is unclear if the original château, a 12th-century castle, preceded the Margaux village.) Its destiny as producer of one of the world’s most coveted red wines began with 16th-century owner Pierre de Lestonnac, who managed a transformation of the property’s farms by planting vineyards in place of cereal grains. By the end of the 17th century Château Margaux occupied a 265-hectare estate, with one-third of the domain planted to vines. Nearly a century later, the 1771 Château Margaux was advertised in the pages of Christie’s catalog—it was the first vintage Bordeaux claret to appear in its pages.
Chateau Margaux’s vineyard holdings
Bordeaux AOP: 12 ha (Sauvignon Blanc)
Margaux AOP: 80 ha
75% Cabernet Sauvignon
20% Merlot
5% Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot
The grand vin of Chateau Margaux accounts for how much of their total red wine production
The grand vin represents 1/3 of the total red wine production.
List all the wines from Chateau Margaux.
Château Margaux: 130,000 bottles Pavillon Rouge: 120,000 bottles Pavillon Blanc: 12,000 bottles Margaux du Château Margaux: 30,000 bottles Bulk Wine
Inaugural vintage for Pavillon Rouge
Pavillon Rouge: 1978
Inaugural vintage for Pavillon Blanc
Pavillon Blanc: 1920
Inaugural vintage for “Margaux du Chateau Margaux”
Margaux du Château Margaux: 2009
Style/Vinification Techniques used for Chateau Margaux
Style/Vinification Techniques: Highly regarded for its opulence and perfume rather than power, the grand vin of Château Margaux is nonetheless often a “varietal” composition of Cabernet Sauvignon: the blend is typically 85-90% Cabernet Sauvignon, supported by Merlot, small amounts of Cabernet Franc and, occasionally, Petit Verdot. The fruit is hand-harvested by a team of over 250 pickers, sorted in the vineyard and in the winery by hand and eye alone, and fermented in stainless steel and large, old wood casks. Macerations typically last up to three weeks. Cap management is by remontage alone, and after pressing the free-run juice undergoes malolactic fermentation in tank. A 20-24 month élevage occurs in 100% new oak for the top wine. Tronçais is the preferred forest; while the château relies on several coopers 20% of the barrels are made by Margaux’s in-house tonnelier. The final blend is assembled in February of the year after harvest, before the en primeur tastings. Collage (with 5-6 beaten egg whites) occurs before bottling, but the wines are never filtered.
What is the style/vinification technique is used for “Pavillon Rouge”?
The “Pavillon Rouge” is typically only 60-70% Cabernet Sauvignon, with Merlot stepping in to fill out the wine. The élevage is reduced to a maximum of 20 months in 50% new oak. It is essentially a vineyard selection.
Winery location for Chateau Palmer
Winery Location: The château is in Margaux, but the vineyards are mostly in Cantenac.
Chateau Palmer was established in what year?
Year Established: 1814
Summary of Chateau Palmer
Summary: With uneven performances by Margaux’s second growths, Château Palmer is universally considered to be the appellation’s second-best property, behind Château Margaux. It is a third growth, yet in popular imagination and in the modern Liv-Ex classifications, it is chief among the “Super Seconds” of the Left Bank.
How did Chateau Palmer develop its name?
Château Palmer began its winemaking life as Château de Gasq. Purchased and renamed in 1814 by the English general Charles Palmer, Château Palmer amassed 80 ha of vineyards, but the London-based general swam in financial ruin and sold his namesake estate in 1843. In 1853 the Pereire family of Paris purchased the property, but they could not raise the status of a château better known for clairet than claret in time for the release of the 1855 classification. The family did however raise the quality of its vineyards and its wines throughout its 85-year tenure as owners. In 1938, amid worldwide depression and the threat of war, a consortium of Bordeaux négociants purchased Château Palmer; today, two négociant families represent the majority of shares: Sichel and Mähler-Besse. Thomas Duroux, a former Ornellaia winemaker, has been running the estate since 2004.
Vineyards holdings of Chateau Palmer
Vineyard Holdings: 55 ha
47% Merlot
47% Cabernet Sauvignon
6% Petit Verdot
What labels do Chateau Palmer produce?
- Château Palmer
- Alter Ego
- Historical XIX Century Wine: A Vin de France bottling that includes a small percentage of Hermitage Syrah.
Inaugural vintage of “Historical XIX Century Wine” from Chateau Palmer?
Inaugural Vintage:
Historical XIX Century Wine: 2004 (This wine was not labeled with a vintage.)
When did Chateau Palmer produce “Alter Ego”?
Alter Ego: 1998 (Previously, the second wine was called Réserve du Général.)
Total production of Chateau Palmer
Average Total Production: 250,000 bottles (40-50% is the grand vin.)
Style/Vinification technique used for Chateau Palmer
Style / Vinification Techniques: The Château Palmer grand vin blend typically mirrors the estate’s encépagement, with nearly equal proportions of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot and a small addition of Petit Verdot. In comparison with Château Margaux, the wine here is more supple and slightly more approachable in youth, yet it still has the capacity for long aging. With the higher proportion of Merlot in the blend, Château Palmer rarely exceeds 60% new oak. The élevage lasts up to 20 months. Alter Ego includes an even greater percentage of Merlot and is typically aged in one-third new oak.
Chateau Leoville-Las-Cases was established when?
Year Established: 1638
Vineyard holdings for Chateau Leoville-Las-Cases?
Vineyard Holdings: 97 ha
65% Cabernet Sauvignon
24% Merlot
10% Cabernet Franc
1% Petit Verdot
What labels does Chateau Leoville-Las-Cases?
- Château Léoville-Las-Cases
- Clos du Marquis
- Le Petit Lion du Marquis de Las-Cases
“Clos du Marquis”
“Clos du Marquis” produced by Chateau Leoville-Las-Cases: This wine originated as a single-vineyard bottling from the Petit Clos, but over time it has grown to include other plots not appropriate for the grand vin. The estate does not consider it a “second wine,” but essentially it is.
“Le Petit Lion du Marquis de Las-Cases”
“Le Petit Lion du Marquis de Las-Cases” produced by Chateau Leoville-Las-Cases: A true second wine, this bottling consists of a greater percentage of Merlot sourced from younger vine plots.
What was the inaugural vintage for “Clos du Marquis”?
Clos du Marquis: 1902
What was the inaugural vintage for “Le Petit Lion”?
Le Petit Lion: 2007
Average total production for Chateau Leoville-Las-Cases
Average Total Production: 550,000 bottles (1/3 of production is typically the grand vin.)
Style/vinification techniques for Chateau Leoville-Las-Cases
Style / Vinification Techniques: Château Léoville-Las-Cases is a Pauillac-like style of Saint-Julien, and it veers toward concentration and richness rather than elegance. Cabernet Sauvignon usually accounts for at least 75% of the grand vin, and the top wine is aged in 75% new oak. The estate pioneered green harvesting in the late 1980s and is not afraid to employ modern technologies like reverse osmosis in its hunt for power, ripeness, and depth—and a desire to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the five first growths.
Château Cos d’Estournel was established when?
Year Established: 1811
What do the vineyard holdings look like at Chateau Cos d’Estournel?
Vineyard Holdings: 91 ha
75% Cabernet Sauvignon
22% Merlot
1.5% Cabernet Franc
1.5% Petit Verdot
Wines produced from Cos d’Estournel
Cos d’Estournel
Cos d’Estournel Blanc: Bordeaux AOC
Les Pagodes de Cos
Inaugural vintage for Cos d’Estournel Blanc
Cos d’Estournel Blanc: 2005
Inaugural vintage for “Les Pagodes de Cos”
Les Pagodes de Cos: 1994
Average total production for Cos d’Estournel
Average Total Production: 450,000 bottles
Style/Vinification techniques used for Cos d’Estournel
Style / Vinification Techniques: If Saint-Estèphe has a reputation for producing rugged and rustic wines, Cos d’Estournel is a complete departure from the local style. The modern wines are so polished, ample, and super-concentrated as to sustain both critical acclaim and attacks for being atypical. Recent vintages have focused more on Cabernet Sauvignon, with the grape amounting to 75-85% of the blend, but from the ‘90s through 2002 the grand vin more likely contained 35-45% Merlot. 80% new oak is the rule.
What can be said about the soils found in the Graves?
In Graves, the soil is similar to the Médoc but becomes sandier toward the south.
Boulbenes
A mixture of sand, gravel and light clay is known as “boulbenes” in Graves.
Minimum potential ABV% for Graves AOP blanc?
Blanc: 10.5%
Minimum potential ABV% for Graves AOP rouge?
Rouge: 11%
White varieties allowed in Graves AOP
Blanc: Sémillon, Sauvignon Blanc, Sauvignon Gris, Muscadelle
Red varieties allowed in Graves AOP
Rouge: Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Cot (Malbec), Carmenère
Must weight for white wines in Graves AOP
Blanc: 170 g/l (178 g/l for Sauvignon Blanc and Gris)
Must weight for red wines in Graves AOP
Rouge: 180 g/l (189 g/l for Merlot)
Maximum residual sugar allowed for white wines in Graves AOP
Blanc: 4 g/l
Maximum residual sugar allowed for red wines in Graves AOP
Rouge: 3 g/l
Minimum planting density for Graves AOP
Minimum Planting Density:5,000 vines per hectare
Maximum Yields (Rendement de Base) allowed for blanc wines from Graves AOP
Blanc: 58 hl/ha
Maximum Yields (Rendement de Base) allowed for red wines from Graves AOP
Rouge: 55 hl/ha
Year Graves was established as an AOC?
1937
The white wines from Graves AOP account for what % of production?
White wine accounts for approximately 25% of production.
Chateau La Tour Haut-Brion’s final vintage was when and what AOP were they classified under?
Château La Tour Haut-Brion (classified for red wine) produced its final vintage in 2005.
Graves AOC/AOP
Chateau Laville Haut-Brion’s final vintage was when and what AOP were they classified under?
Château Laville Haut-Brion (classified for white wine) produced its final vintage in 2008.
Graves AOC/AOP
With the closer of both Chateau La Tour Haut-Brion and Chateau Laville Haut-Brion, who inherited their fruit?
Both properties now supply fruit for a second red wine and a new white wine under the Château La Mission Haut-Brion label.
What year did Pessac-Leognan earn their own AOP?
In 1987, the communal sub-appellation Pessac-Léognan AOP was created in northern Graves, effectively becoming the prestige appellation for both red and dry white wines while sidelining the producers of the southern Graves.
Elevage for Pessac-Léognan AOP blanc
Blanc: Wines may not be released until March 30 of the year following the harvest
Elevage for Pessac-Leognan AOP rouge
Rouge: Wines may not be released until October 1 of the year following the harvest
Minimum Planting Density for Pessac-Leognan AOP
Minimum Planting Density: 6,500 vines per hectare
Maximum yields (Rendement de Base) for Pessac-Leognan AOP
Maximum Yields (Rendement de Base): 54 hl/ha
Communes of production for Pessac-Leognon AOP
Communes of Production: Pessac, Léognan, Cadaujac, Canéjan, Gradignan, Martillac, Mérignac, Saint-Médard-d'Eyrans, Talence, Villenave-d'Ornon
All cru classé properties are located within the communes of Pessac-Léognan AOP. True or False?
True
Besides listing a sweet wine from Cerons, Barsac, and Sauternes, what other AOP from Graves AOP may it be classified under?
While sweet whites may be produced throughout Graves as Graves Supérieur AOP, three smaller sweet wine appellations—Cérons, Barsac, and Sauternes—are located within the region.
Botrytis cinerea is known as what in Graves?
“pourriture noble”—the noble rot.
pourriture noble
The Noble Rot (Botrytis cinerea)
Explain the affect botrytis cinerea has on grapes
Botrytis mold may attack the grapes, dehydrating them so that sugar, acidity, and glycerol content are heightened.
Explain what flavors occur when botrytis cinerea affect the grapes.
The wines achieve an intense spiced complexity that would be impossible to duplicate through normal dehydration; with time the mold-afflicted grapes can imbue a bouquet of honey, saffron, dried fruit and ginger spice.
What two rivers does Sauternes position itself near?
Sauternes lies at the conflux of the Ciron and Garonne rivers
Weather wise, describe how Sauternes is capable of producing botrytis cinerea in its vineyards.
Promising years cool morning mists blow off the Ciron and encounter the warmer waters of the Garonne, producing autumn afternoon humidity perfect for incubating the Botrytis spores.
Does noble rot (botrytis cinerea) attack the berries on each cluster all at once?
No, the noble rot is fickle, however, and does not attack grapes evenly, requiring the producer to pick the grapes individually, in separate trips through the vineyard (tries), a fabulously expensive proposition available only to the better estates.
Chateau d’Yquem is classified as what in Sauternes?
Premier Cru Supérieur: Château d’Yquem
Communes of Sauternes
Communes of Production:
Barsac, Sauternes, Fargues, Preignac, Bommes
Barsac, Sauternes, Fargues, Preignac, Bommes
Communes of Sauternes
Styles and Encépagement of Sauternes
Blanc: Muscadelle, Sauvignon Blanc, Sauvignon Gris, Sémillon
Only white varietals are permitted
Minimum potential alcohol for Sauternes?
Minimum Potential Alcohol: 15% (12% acquired)
Minimum must weight for Sauternes?
Minimum Must Weight: 221 g/l
Minimum residual sugar for Sauternes
Minimum Residual Sugar: 45 g/l
Harvesting method in Sauternes
Harvest Method: botrytis-affected grapes must be hand-harvested in successive tries
Elevage required in Sauternes
Élevage: The wines may not be released until June 30 of the year following the harvest
Minimum planting density required in Sauternes?
Minimum Planting Density: 6,500 vines per hectare
Maximum yield (rendement de base) for Sauternes?
Maximum Yield (Rendement de Base): 25 hl/ha
Sauternes AOC was established in what year?
1936
Chateau d’Yquem will not produce a Sauternes AOP wine in poor years, such as what two vintages?
1992 or 1974.
Chateau d’Yquem will occasionally release a still white wine. What is it called and what is it classified under?
“Y” (“Ygrec”), labeled as Bordeaux or Bordeaux Supérieur
Barsac has the option of listing their wines under what two AOPs?
The wines of Barsac may be sold as either Barsac AOP or Sauternes AOP.
Are the regulations (must weight, elevage, maximum yeild, etc…) the same in the Barsac AOP and Sauternes AOP?
Yes
Between the Right Bank and Medoc, which one has a longer history in winemaking?
Winemaking existed on the right bank of the Dordogne River long before the Médoc was drained.
Who is Chateau Ausone named after?
Château Ausone’s name is an homage to Ausonius, a 4th century Roman poet who may (or may not) have planted his vines at the site of the current estate
St-Émilion contains a diversity of soils broadly categorized into two types. What are they?
the côtes and graves.
The soil “cotes” in St-Emilion refers to what?
The hillside côtes are steep limestone slopes
The soil “graves” in St-Emilion refers to what?
Graves is a gravelly limestone plateau resembling soils of the Médoc.
What is one reason why the wines of the Right Bank were excluded in 1855 classification?
As the courtiers of Bordeaux seldom shipped the wines of the Right Bank overseas in the 19th century, they did not include the region’s wines in the 1855 Classification.
What year did St-Emilion create its own their own three tier ranking?
St-Émilion created its own three-tier ranking of châteaux in 1954 (published in 1955)
What year did St-Emilion make revisions?
revisions made in 1969, 1985, 1996, 2006, and 2012
How does the “1855” and St-Emilion classification system differ?
The St-Émilion Classification intended revisions every decade and based such changes in stature on a peer-reviewed tasting of the wines; whereas the 1855 classification is already set in place.
What happened over the past ten years in St-Emilion that affected the integrity of their classification system?
Integrity of the system appeared fragile when legal challenges from a group of demoted châteaux scuttled the 2006 revisions. The matter percolated in the French courts for several years, resulting in a 2009 compromise that allowed promoted châteaux to retain their new status while ignoring any demotions. With the announcement of a new and rather generous classification in September 2012—conducted by an outside source, the INAO, rather than the local producers’ syndicate—the producers of St-Émilion hope to leave the tarnishing episode behind.
What are some differences between St-Emilion Grand Cru Classe AOP vs St-Emilion AOP?
Wines labeled St-Émilion Grand Cru are required to show an additional + 0.5% alcohol and must undergo a longer élevage than wines simply labeled St-Émilion AOP. All Grand Cru Classé wines must meet the requirements of the St-Émilion Grand Cru AOP.
List the St-Émilion Premiers Grands Crus Classés A
Château Angélus
Château Ausone
Château Cheval-Blanc
Château Pavie
Château Angélus
Château Ausone
Château Cheval-Blanc
Château Pavie
St-Émilion Premiers Grands Crus Classés A
Château Beau-Séjour Bécot Château Beauséjour (Duffau-Lagarrosse) Château Bélair-Monange (known simply as Belair until the 2008 vintage) Château Canon Château Canon-la-Gaffelière*** Château Figeac Clos Fourtet Château La Gaffelière Château Larcis-Ducasse*** La Mondotte*** Château Pavie-Macquin* Château Troplong-Mondot* Château Trottevieille Château Valandraud***
St-Émilion Premiers Grands Crus Classés B
List the St-Émilion Premiers Grands Crus Classés B
Château Beau-Séjour Bécot Château Beauséjour (Duffau-Lagarrosse) Château Bélair-Monange (known simply as Belair until the 2008 vintage) Château Canon Château Canon-la-Gaffelière*** Château Figeac Clos Fourtet Château La Gaffelière Château Larcis-Ducasse*** La Mondotte*** Château Pavie-Macquin* Château Troplong-Mondot* Château Trottevieille Château Valandraud***
How many Premiers Grand Crus Classes B are there in St-Emilion?
14
How many Premiers Grand Crus Classes A are there in St-Emilion?
4
What is the size of the Pomerol AOP?
Pomerol is a tiny AOP, measuring just five square miles and 1,930 acres of vineyards.
What is the soil like in the Pomerol AOP?
The soil of Pomerol is dominated by sand, clay and gravel, with a subsoil of iron pan and rich clay (crasse de fer).
“Crasse de fer” is what in Pomerol?
a subsoil of iron pan and rich clay
Cabernet Franc in Pomerol is called what?
Bouchet
Describe the classification in Pomerol.
There isn’t a classification in Pomerol
Château Pétrus, Vieux-Château-Certan, Château Lafleur, Château Le Pin, Château Trotanoy
Top producers in Pomerol
The micro-château movement that recently occurred in Bordeaux is also known as what?
garagistes movement.
Producers that are examples of the garagistes movement on the Right Bank.
Le Pin in Pomerol, and Valandraud and La Mondotte in St-Émilion were among the vanguard of small châteaux making powerfully ripe and polished modern wines from just a handful of acres.
List the four satellite appellations for St-Emilion
Lussac,
St-Georges,
Montagne,
Puisseguin
Lussac,
St-Georges,
Montagne,
Puisseguin
The four satellite appellations of St-Emilion
Communes of Production for Lalande-de-Pomerol AOP
Communes of Production: Lalande-de-Pomerol, Néac
Lalande-de-Pomerol, Néac
Communes of Production for Lalande-de-Pomerol AOP
Principle varieties allowed for Lalande-de-Pomerol
Principal Varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Cot (Malbec)
What accessory varieties are allowed in Lalande-de-Pomerol AOP and at what maximum percent?
Accessory Varieties: Max. 10% combined Carmenère and Petit Verdot
The assemblage for Lalande-de-Pomerol AOP requires a minimum _____% for principle varieties.
70%
Principal Varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Cot (Malbec)
Minimum potential alcohol for Lalande-de-Pomerol?
11%
Minimum must weight for Lalande-de-Pomerol AOP?
Minimum Must Weight: 180 g/l (194 g/l for Merlot)
Maximum Residual Sugar for Lalande-de-Pomerol AOP
Maximum Residual Sugar: 2 g/l
Elevage for Lalande-de-Pomerol AOP
Élevage: Wines may not be released until March 31 of the year following the harvest
Minimum planting density for Lalande-de-Pomerol AOP?
Minimum Planting Density: 5,500 vines per hectare
Maximum yield for Lalande-de-Pomerol AOP?
Maximum Yields (Rendement de Base): 53 hl/ha
Where are the oldest cultivated vineyards in Bordeaux found?
lesser AOPs of Bourg and Côtes de Bourg
Subzones for Côtes de Bordeaux AOP
Subzones: Francs, Cadillac, Castillon, Blaye
Cotes de Bordeaux AOP was established in what year?
2009
What does “Entre-Deux-Mers” mean?
the “land between two seas”
the Dordogne and Garonne rivers
Bordeaux’s largest regions and exclusively produces dry white wines.
Entre-Deux-Mers AOP
On the eastern shore of the Garonne lie the sweet white wine appellations of Loupiac, Ste-Croix-du-Mont, and Cadillac. Do these wines need to be affected botrytis?
No
What are exclusively sweet wines from the Cotes de Bordeaux are classified under what AOP?
Premières Côtes de Bordeaux AOP
What can be said about rose wines from Bordeaux?
Rosé wines in Bordeaux are only produced from red grape varieties; blending white and red base wines is not authorized.
In the 1855 classification in Bordeaux, brokers selected 21 chateaus in Sauternes. What were the the 3 classifications?
seconds crus, premiers crus, and one premier cru supérieur,
Originally there were how many chateaus for red wine in the 1855 classification in Bordeaux and how many are there today?
57 and there are now 61
Oidium (powdery mildew) first appeared in Bordeaux in what year and where exactly?
Oidium (powdery mildew) first appeared in Bordeaux in 1852, in the sweet wine vineyards along the Garonne
What application did Bordeaux manage to use in the vineyard during their first experience with Oidium?
Sulfur
What year did phylloxera first appear in Bordeaux?
1869
Why are sulfur and copper sulfate applications still used today in Bordeaux?
Sulfur and copper sulfate applications are routine as downy and powdery mildew remain annual threats.
Why is it that Malbec and Carmenère are now very rarely seen in Bordeaux today?
Their inability to graft properly.
The first château to begin estate-bottling its entire production was _________, in ____, but the practice did not become widespread until the 1960s.
The first château to begin estate-bottling its entire production was “Mouton-Rothschild,” in “1924,” but the practice did not become widespread until the 1960s.
With a slew of bad vintages, what made the 1982 vintage so special in Bordeaux?
New corporate owners invested in massive Médoc properties too unwieldy and burdensome to bequeath to heirs, and properties that needed work in the winery and the vineyard could suddenly afford to do so. The American market asserted itself, as did an “American palate”—to the loud chagrin of traditional British critics.
What is “The Place de Bordeaux”?
The Place de Bordeaux is a three-tier, de facto system of wine production, brokerage, and sales that controls the trade of wine in Bordeaux
Who is considered the “production tier” in Bordeaux and who was it in the past?
The production tier (château) was historically operated by the aristocracy or the church
The sales tier in the Place de Bordeaux is whom?
sales tier (the négociant) was the merchant class
Who was responsible for the first modern negociant firms in Bordeaux and when?
In the 1600s Dutch and English traders set up some of the first modern négociant firms in Bordeaux,
When did the “broker tier” (the courtier) first evolve in Bordeaux and what was their involvement with the tier system?
The broker tier (the courtier) evolved in the 17th century, both as an intermediary between the two social classes and as a necessary conduit to the new estates of the Médoc, an unknown territory to the Bordeaux-based merchants who, at the time, were more comfortable buying from the nearby properties of the Graves.
For a commission, courtiers sourced wines and negotiated prices between buyer and seller.
Discuss what takes place at the en primeur tastings in Bordeaux.
Every spring, the en primeur tastings joined the traditional players (merchant, broker, producer) with an increasing number of international writers, importers, and even retailers, all to taste out of barrel, pronounce scores, uphold allocations, and await pricing. A short while later, scores are released, then prices, and wine futures are released to the trade and general public in successive tranches, each priced higher than the last, until all is sold. The wines may not reach the final buyer for two years or more.
What chateau in Bordeaux opted out of the en primeur campaign in 2012 and onward?
Château Latour made headlines when it chose to opt out of the en primeur campaign from the 2012 vintage onward, but as of yet no other key property has followed its lead.
In terms of vineyard holdings, how would you best describe the key difference between Bordeaux and Burgundy?
While rights to the grands and premiers crus of Burgundy are won or lost through ownership, cru classé producers in Bordeaux can add or subtract from their holdings (and therefore their blends) in a much freer fashion.
Describe Napoléon’s laws of inheritance.
One’s descendants (or other close relatives in the absence of children) are entitled to equal shares in any property held upon one’s death, but all heirs are required to pay an inheritance tax—and that tax can reach almost 50% of the value of the property! The taxable percentage increases as the property value rises, making direct inheritance an unaffordable goal for many, particularly the would-be heirs of massive estates and châteaux in the Médoc
How does “société civile” affect Napolean’s laws of inheritance tax?
Some keep ownership in the family by forming a société civile, which eliminates the actual transfer of property by creating shares in a real estate-owning company. But most sell. In the 19th and early 20th century château owners commonly sold to their agents of commerce, the négociants, or to bankers; by the early 21st century the buyers were more likely insurance companies, luxury conglomerates, French billionaires, Chinese investors.
How are vines trained in the Bordeaux’s vineyard?
Most vines are trained on vertical trellises in the Guyot system; double is common on the left bank and simple on the right.
What kind of vine-training is done in Bordeaux and why?
Traditional in Sauternes, cordon-training produces smaller berries that attract botrytis.
*Guyot cane-training produces slightly larger berries that tend to develop grey rot instead
Vineyard density varies according to region in Bordeaux. What appellation has the highest?
Médoc, where the premier appellations require a minimum 7,000 vines per hectare.
Many top producers in Bordeaux employ what kind of vine spacing and what other region is it similar to?
1x1 meter spacing, similar to the vineyards of the Côte d’Or.
What is the canopy height like in the Medoc and why is it like that?
Canopy height is also smallest in the Médoc, where bunches hang one meter off the ground to take advantage of the stony soil’s radiant heat.
Is the vine density on the Right Bank higher or lower than that of Medoc?
On the right bank density is lower: Saint-Émilion and Pomerol mandate 5,500 vines per hectare, and rows are separated by 1.3-1.5 meters.
How do the vines on the Right Bank adjust to the change of soil structure than in Medoc?
Right bank soils are generally shallower; roots cannot penetrate the limestone bedrock and therefore spread outward rather than dig down.
Is the canopy set higher or lower on the Right Bank than Medoc?
The canopy is higher in this more frost-prone inland region.
Where in Bordeaux is the vine lowest?
Density is lowest in the Entre-Deux-Mers region, where vineyards that produce only basic Bordeaux AOP wines may be separated by up to 2.5 meters.
In Bordeaux, why is it so important to leaf pull after veraison?
After véraison, many vineyards in Bordeaux are stripped of greenery in the fruit zone, giving the fruit needed ventilation into the humid late summer and early fall to ward off rot.
Who is the only producer in Sauternes to employ Biodynamic farming?
Château Climens
Who is the only classified producer in the entire Medoc to employ biodynamic farming?
Château Pontet-Canet stands alone as the only classified and certified biodynamic producer in the entire Médoc
What is Green harvesting and why is it important in Bordeaux?
Green-harvesting, in which bunches are removed during the summer months. In theory the practice reduces vigor, producing smaller berries that will yield more concentrated wine.
What type of sorting table process do they use in Bordeaux?
Two sorting machines are currently en vogue: the optical sorter, which allows a producer to automatically reject fruit that does not meet a certain color quality and size, and the density sorter, in which grapes are run through a sugar-water solution. Those denser than the solution (and therefore ripe enough to appear in a grand vin) sink and are selected; those that float are rejected.
Is de-stemming performed in red wines from Bordeaux?
De-stemming is routine for Bordeaux red wines and may even occur by hand at some of the tiniest properties of the right bank
Can winemakers chaptalize in Bordeaux?
Chaptalization may occur but is often not necessary.
What might a top chateau in Bordeaux do to their wine if the water content is too high in a wet vintage?
When water content is too high, some well-funded estates choose to concentrate must through other means, like vacuum distillation or reverse osmosis. (When employed in California, such technologies reduce alcohol content; in Bordeaux, the intent is usually the opposite.) Like saignage, they are especially useful techniques to employ during wet and cool vintages, but winemakers downplay their prevalence otherwise.
How does a winemaker in Bordeaux produce more extraction in their red wine during the fermentation process?
Remontage, the traditional means of cap management for red wine fermentations in Bordeaux, is widespread, but the Burgundian approach of pigeage has its defenders—it produces a more even extraction by breaking up the cap but risks over-extraction with a phenolic and color-rich grape like Cabernet Sauvignon.
Remontage
A means of cap management for red wine fermentations that produces an even extraction.
When does malolactic fermentation occur on the red wines from Bordeaux?
Malolactic fermentation for red wines occurs either in tank or in barrel and, unlike Burgundy, begins by the end of the harvest year (after all, the press will be around in April, ready to taste and score the young wines).
How long is the elevage for grand vin red Bordeaux?
For a top red grand vin, élevage—the “raising” of wine in barrel—typically lasts around 18-24 months.
How often is racking performed in Bordeaux winemaking?
Traditionally racking occurs every three months, although some top consultants prescribe less.
Do white wines from Bordeaux undergo malolactic fermentation?
White wines usually do not undergo malolactic fermentation, save for the most acidic vintages.
How long is the barrel maturation for white wines from Bordeaux?
Barrel maturation for even the best dry white wines rarely extends past 12-15 months
Do red wines from Bordeaux mostly see new or old oak during the maturation process?
The best red wines of Bordeaux, regardless of origin, are typically aged entirely in new oak, often from a selection of different coopers. The barrel is the 225-liter French oak barrique.
Is micro-oxygenation used in Bordeaux and why?
Micro-oxygenation, a technique borrowed from Madiran, has been part of the winemaker’s arsenal in Bordeaux since the late 1990s and may be employed during fermentation to soften green, rustic and tannic edges.
Speak of the other form of micro-oxygenation that can be employed during the elevage process?
Cliquage, small doses of oxygen are applied to the finished wine in barrel. Some top estates and top consultants advocate for the practice, noting that it can counter reduction invited through bâtonnage, yet critics contend that it is produces short-term gain at the expense of long-term stability.
Cliquage
A more controversial form of micro-oxygenation, however, occurs during élevage. In this operation, known as cliquage, small doses of oxygen are applied to the finished wine in barrel. Some top estates and top consultants advocate for the practice, noting that it can counter reduction invited through bâtonnage, yet critics contend that it is produces short-term gain at the expense of long-term stability.
There are two schools of thought regarding assemblage in Bordeaux?
- One side prefers to create the final blend early in the year after harvest, in time for the April en primeur tasting. (A chief criticism lobbed at the annual tasting is that scores are awarded to barrel selections, not complete wines.)
- The opposing perspective would prefer to blend just before bottling, in order to isolate and observe the maturation of separate components for as long as possible. Bottling typically occurs in April, preceded by fining and/or filtration. Some winemakers prefer one or the other; some bottle without either.
When did idea of producing a second label in Bordeaux develop?
After the breakout vintage of 1982
How many AOPs are in the Medoc?
8
Médoc AOP
Haut-Médoc AOP
Saint-Estèphe AOP
Pauillac AOP
Saint-Julien AOP
Listrac-Médoc AOP
Moulis/Moulis-en-Médoc AOP
Margaux AOP
How many classified growths does Saint-Julien hold?
11
Château Chasse-Spleen and Château Poujeaux are located where and what are they classified under?
Moulis and Cru Bourgeois
When was the Moulis appellation provided AOC/AOP status?
1938
What was the last commune to achieve AOC/AOP status in the Medoc?
Listrac was the last commune to achieve AOC status in the Médoc, in 1957.
Describe the Cru Artisan designation.
Cru Artisan, a designation that has been in use for nearly a century and a half, was formally recognized in 2002. From the 2005 vintage forward, 44 small producers throughout the Médoc have the right to use the designation, denoting them as stewards of the land and craft of winemaking, without the financing or apparatus of large-scale operations. The crus artisans work an average of six hectares each.
All cru bourgeois bottles from the 2010 vintage onward now include an anti-fraud device. True or False?
True
Where in Bordeaux is the only major region of Bordeaux to produce top examples of all three main styles of Bordeaux: dry red, dry white, and sweet white wine?
Graves
How did the soils in Graves develop?
Graves is dominated by gravel soil, deposited by the shifting course of the Garonne over many millennia.
This is clearest in the northern sector, where croupes of gravel nearest the city of Bordeaux resemble those of the Médoc. In the south, there is a larger proportion of sand and limestone.
What are the 2 regional AOPs in Graves?
Graves and Graves Supérieur
What is the key difference between Graves AOP and Graves Superieur AOP?
Graves AOP allows dry red and dry white production, while Graves Supérieur authorizes only sweet white production, with most appellation wines finishing around 40-50 g/l of residual sugar.
In 1959, the Graves classification was created. What did it include?
The initial list was revised, several châteaux were added, and a finalized classification was made official in 1959. 15 châteaux were included: seven received cru classé status for red wines only, two for whites, and six for both colors of wine.
What happened in 1968 that changed the Graves classification?
When Château Couhins (classified for white wine) split into two estates in 1968, the number of cru classé properties increased to 16.
How is the 1855 classification in the Medoc and the ranking system different from the Graves classification?
The Graves Classification is theoretically not set in stone, nor is it subjected to routine revisions like Saint-Émilion.
What year was the Pessac Leognan AOP established?
1987
Unlike the commune appellations of the Médoc, was Pessac-Léognan allowed the production of what styles of wine?
Both red and dry white wines, and its cahier des charges implemented stricter controls than those of the basic Graves appellation.
André Lurton
André Lurton arrived in Graves from the Entre-Deux-Mers in 1965 and took control of the majority of the classified Couhins property in 1968. By the mid-1970s he was president of the Syndicat de Hautes Graves and pressing for the creation of a new AOC to differentiate the Northern Graves from the south.
List the communes of Sauternes
Sauternes,
Bommes,
Fargues,
Preignac,
Barsac
Speak of the use of new oak in Sauternes and how is it fermented?
New oak, while rare in most sweet wine production, is as prevalent in Sauternes as it is in the best red wine estates of the Médoc. And in Sauternes barrel fermentation is common—top wines are generally fermented in barriques and aged in them as well.
Why would a winemaker in Sauternes use sulfur dioxide in the winemaking process?
During fermentation and élevage sulfur dioxide is a necessary tool, used to reduce volatile acidity, a constant threat in Sauternes, and to ward off the risk of re-fermentation.
Is chaptalization allowed in Sauternes?
Chaptalization and cryo-extraction are both permitted, despite essentially confirming failures in the vineyard. With concentration through botrytis, aided, if necessary, by chaptalization or cryo-extraction, Sauternes can hit a finished alcohol level of 14% while climbing into a residual sugar range of 120-160 g/l.
Largest commune in Sauternes?
Barsac
“Ygrec”
Château d’Yquem “Ygrec” white first debuted in 1959 and was made intermittently until 2004, when production commenced annually.
Cerons, Illats, Podensac
Communes of Cerons AOP
How are wines from Cerons AOP labeled?
Sweet white wines under the Cérons AOP or dry white and red wines labeled Graves.
What are the key differences between Cerons and Sauternes?
Botrytis develops less reliably than in Sauternes, permitted yields are higher, and the resulting wines are less concentrated.
Key differences of soil and weather on the Right Bank than Left Bank in Bordeaux?
The right bank is drier, with greater temperature swings from summer to winter. Spring and fall frosts are a graver concern. The alluvial gravel deposits that typify the great vineyards of the Médoc and Graves are much less common in the right bank.
While there is gravel in Saint-Émilion and Pomerol, cool clay and calcareous clay soils are widespread throughout the right bank. These environmental factors conspire to create an environment more suitable for Merlot than Cabernet Sauvignon.
When did popularity for Merlot take off on the Right Bank?
Merlot first surged in popularity after phylloxera struck in the 19th century, and its adoption intensified with the devastating winter freeze and spring frosts of 1956, which crippled or killed many existing vines.
Will you find Petit Verdot on the Right Bank in Bordeaux?
No, Petit Verdot is almost non-existent on the right bank
Is there a major difference in average size of properties on the Medoc than the Right Bank?
Yes! In the expansive Médoc and Graves château properties can easily amass 60 or 80 hectares of vines; in the right bank even the largest estates rarely exceed 20 or 25 ha.
Name of the two rivers that Saint-Émilion AOP sits between?
Dordogne and Barbanne Rivers
How many communes are in Saint-Emilion AOP
9
Libourne,
Saint-Christophe-des-Bardes,
Saint-Émilion,
Saint-Étienne-de-Lisse,
Saint-Hippolyte,
Saint-Laurent-des-Combes,
Saint-Pey-d’Armens,
Saint-Sulpice-de-Faleyrens,
Vignonet
Libourne,
Saint-Christophe-des-Bardes,
Saint-Émilion,
Saint-Étienne-de-Lisse,
Saint-Hippolyte,
Saint-Laurent-des-Combes,
Saint-Pey-d’Armens,
Saint-Sulpice-de-Faleyrens,
Vignonet
Communes of Saint-Emilion AOP
Near the gravelly terrace of Pomerol on the northwestern sector of the plateau, the topsoil shifts from clay to warmer gravel and the proportion of Cabernet Franc rises. True or False?
True
Why does Chateau Figeac showcase Cabernet Sauvignon in their wines?
The small graves zone, on Saint-Émilion’s perimeter, is home to Château Figeac, one of the few Saint-Émilion properties with a substantial amount of Cabernet Sauvignon planted.
Every single premier grand cru classé estate in Saint-Emilion is situated in one or the other of these two soil types. What are they?
Both the côtes (limestone slopes) and the graves zones
What are the two Saint-Emilion AOPS?
Saint-Émilion AOP, established with the initial wave of AOCs in 1936.
Saint-Émilion Grand Cru AOP, introduced in 1954.
Saint-Emilion AOP was established when?
1936
Saint-Emilion Grand Cru AOP was established when?
1954
What is the difference with bottling between Saint-Emilion AOP and Saint Emilion Grand Cru AOP?
Saint-Émilion Grand Cru AOP wines must be estate-bottled, unlike the basic Saint-Émilion AOP, which can be blended and bottled by a négociant.
Saint-Émilion Grand Cru Classé and Saint-Émilion Premier Grand Cru Classé were separate AOCs, introduced alongside Saint-Émilion Grand Cru in 1954. True or False?
True. However, the cru classé AOCs did not comply with the EU definition of an appellation, and in 1984 the classifications of grand cru classé and premier grand cru classé were eliminated as appellations.
What 2 rivers and town encircle Pomerol?
Isle and Barbanne rivers and the town of Libourne
crasse de fer
crasse de fer—iron-rich sand deposits celebrated by some producers as part of the “magic” of Pomerol’s terroir.
Four satellite appellations are located to the north of Saint-Émilion itself, what are they?
Lussac-Saint-Émilion AOP,
Puisseguin-Saint-Émilion AOP,
Montagne-Saint-Émilion AOP,
Saint-Georges-Saint-Émilion AOP.
What small stream divides Saint-Émilion AOP from the satellite appellations north of the town?
Barbanne River
Of the four satellite appellations (Lussac, Puisseguin, Montagne, and Saint-Georges) north of Saint Emilion, which one produces the most wine?
Montagne-Saint-Émilion—the “mountain”
__________ is the northernmost satellite and the highest in elevation—it is therefore one of the last places in the right bank to harvest each year.
“Puisseguin” is the northernmost satellite and the highest in elevation—it is therefore one of the last places in the right bank to harvest each year.
Across the Barbanne River and west of Montagne-Saint-Émilion, Pomerol has one satellite of its own:________
Lalande-de-Pomerol AOP
What is the major varietal planted in Lalande-de-Pomerol AOP?
As in Pomerol Merlot dominates, accounting for three-quarters of the total vineyard area.
Three-quarters of Bordeaux AOP wines are produced where?
Entre-Deux-Mers region
_________ is one of the coolest growing areas in the entire Bordeaux region
Entre-Deux-Mers is one of the coolest growing areas in the entire Bordeaux region
Haut-Benauge
Entre-Deux-Mers AOP wines from nine communes along the border of Côtes de Bordeaux-Saint-Macaire AOP are entitled to carry a geographic designation: Haut-Benauge. (The Haut-Benauge designation may also be applied to dry Bordeaux AOP whites from the same area.)
What kind of wines does Cotes de Bordeaux Saint Macaire produce?
Côtes de Bordeaux-Saint-Macaire produces dry and sweet white wines, occasionally with a touch of botrytis.
Where is Premieres Cotes de Bordeaux AOP and what kind of wines are produced?
Premières Côtes de Bordeaux AOP, a thin ribbon of hillsides on the right bank of the Garonne, was re-envisioned with the launch of the Côtes de Bordeaux AOP in 2009 as a sweet white wine-only appellation, mandating at least 34 g/l of residual sugar.
What is the main varietal in Premières Côtes de Bordeaux AOP?
Sémillon is the appellation’s dominant grape. (Producers in the region now have the choice of releasing red wines as Côtes de Bordeaux AOP.)
Cadillac AOP, Loupiac AOP, and Sainte-Croix-du-Mont AOP are located where?
Premières Côtes de Bordeaux AOP
What year was Cotes de Bordeaux AOP established and why was it created?
Côtes de Bordeaux AOP debuted in 2009 to rebrand and unify numerous outlying appellations in Bordeaux under a common banner in the marketplace
What areas does Cotes de Bordeaux AOP comprise of?
The appellation comprises three disconnected sectors: the Premières Côtes de Bordeaux on the western fringe of the Entre-Deux-Mers, the area adjacent to the eastern borders of the Saint-Émilion and Puisseguin-Saint-Émilion AOPs, and a massive zone north on the eastern bank of the Gironde that conforms exactly to the boundaries of Blaye AOP.
The appellation comprises three disconnected sectors: the Premières Côtes de Bordeaux on the western fringe of the Entre-Deux-Mers, the area adjacent to the eastern borders of the Saint-Émilion and Puisseguin-Saint-Émilion AOPs, and a massive zone north on the eastern bank of the Gironde that conforms exactly to the boundaries of Blaye AOP.
What AOP is this considered?
Cotes de Bordeaux AOP
What are the four geographic designations for Cotes de Bordeaux AOP?
Castillon,
Francs,
Cadillac,
Blaye
Where does the Cadillac geographic designation of Cotes de Bordeaux AOP lie?
Cadillac geographic designation spans the Premières Côtes de Bordeaux sector
Where are the geographic designations Castillon and Francs located in the Cotes de Bordeaux AOP?
Castillon and Francs compose the sector in the eastern right bank.
Wines from the Castillon and Cadillac appellations under the Cotes de Bordeaux AOP are what type of wines?
Castillon and Cadillac are reserved for red wines subject to more stringent viticultural requirements
Where is the Bourg AOP and Blaye AOP located and how long has it been around for?
Located north of the right bank and across the Gironde from the Médoc, and the regions of Bourg and Blaye have been growing vines since Roman times
Between Bourg and Blaye, which one is smaller?
Bourg AOP
What kind of wines are produced from Bourg AOP
the Bourg AOP, established in 1936 for red wines and expanded to include whites in 1941
What region has the highest concentration of Malbec vines planted in Bordeaux?
Bourg
What can be said of the white wines of Bourg?
White wines from the region are a rarity: white grapes account for only 25 ha out of 4,000 in the appellation.
Famous producer in the Bourg
Château Roc de Cambes: a Saint-Émilion vigneron named François Mitjaville bought the run-down property in 1987 and showed the world the potential of Bourg.
Château Ducru-Beaucaillou is located where and what growth is it classified as?
Saint-Julien and second growth
Chateau Ducru-Beaucaillou was established when?
17th century
Summary of Chateau Ducru-Beaucaillou.
Summary: A “Super Second” of Saint-Julien, Château Ducru-Beaucaillou was once part of the Beychevelle estate. In the late 17th century the original Beychevelle property fractured and Beaucaillou (“beautiful stones”) was born. It remained in the hands of the Bergeron family from 1720 until 1795, when Bertrand Ducru acquired the property. He built its château in the 1820s and raised its renown as a source for wines, securing its status as a second growth in 1855. The Ducru family didn’t last long, however; the estate weathered two transitions of ownership until its eventual purchase by François Borie in 1941. The Borie family brought in Emile Peynaud to oversee winemaking, by the end of the century they built a new underground chai to quell the systemic TCA contamination that had plagued the winery in the late 1980s and early 1990s.
Vineyard holdings for Chateau Ducru Beaucaillou
Vineyard Holdings: 75 ha
70% Cabernet Sauvignon
30% Merlot
Wines produced by Chateau Ducru Beaucaillou
Château Ducru-Beaucaillou
Croix de Beaucaillou
Inaugural vintage for Criox Beaucaillou?
Croix de Beaucaillou: 1995
Average total production for Chateau Ducru Beaucaillou
Average Total Production: 260,000 bottles
Style/Vinification Techniques for Chateau Ducru Beaucaillou
Style / Vinification Techniques: Château Ducru-Beaucaillou typically contains 80-85% Cabernet Sauvignon and ages for 18 months in 50-80% new oak. A Parker favorite in the new millennium, the modern wines are typically rich, polished, and very dense.
What year was Chateau Latour established?
1331
Summary of Chateau Latour
Château Latour was ranked directly behind Château Lafite-Rothschild in 1855. In 1863 the château began bottling some of its wines on the property (though it did not fully convert to the practice until the 1930s). The pride of the property is L’Enclos, a 47-ha vineyard immediately surrounding the tower and château. It crowns a 16-meter-high croupe of gravel and is the primary source for the Château Latour grand vin.
Vineyard holdings for Chateau Latour
Vineyard Holdings: 78 ha (including the 47-ha L’Enclos, the 4-ha La Pinada, the 15-ha Petit Batailley, and other parcels)
80% Cabernet Sauvignon
18% Merlot
2% Cabernet Franc (not being replanted)
2% Petit Verdot
Wines produced from Chateau Latour
Château Latour
Les Forts de Latour: The second wine is produced from plots outside the L’Enclos and young vines from within L’Enclos.
Le Pauillac de Château Latour: The third wine is produced from wines that do not meet selection criteria for Les Forts.
Inaugural vintage for “Les Forts de Latour”
Les Forts de Latour: 1966
Inaugural vintage for “Le Pauillac de Chateau Latour”
Le Pauillac de Château Latour: 1973
Total production for Chateau Latour
Average Total Production: 380,000 bottles
Style/Vinification Techniques for Chateau Latour
Style / Vinification Techniques: Château Latour produces the quintessentially powerful and long-lived style of Médoc Cabernet Sauvignon. The top wine typically contains at least 85% of the grape, harvested from vines with an average age of 50 years. After meticulous sorting in the vineyard and winery, fermentation takes place in conical stainless steel tanks; maceration typically lasts around four weeks. Malolactic fermentation also occurs in tank, prior to a 20-22 month élevage in 80-100% new wood. (Les Forts de Latour receives only 50% new wood, and typically the blend for the second wine includes up to 30% Merlot.) A light fining with egg white occurs in barrel, but the wines have not been filtered since 2000.
Where is Chateau Pichon-Longueville, Comtesse de Lalande located and what growth are they classified as?
Château Pichon-Longueville, Comtesse de Lalande: Pauillac and second growth
Summary of Chateau Pichon-Longueville, Comtesse de Lalande
Summary: Formally the Château Pichon-Longueville, Comtesse de Lalande but commonly abbreviated as Château Pichon-Lalande, this cumbersomely named estate is widely regarded as a “Super Second” of the Médoc.
The château property is adjacent to Château Latour, and Pichon-Lalande’s vineyards spread southward along—and across—the Saint-Julien commune boundary, near Léoville-Las-Cases. 9 ha of vines are actually in Saint-Julien AOC, but the winery has received dispensation to include the fruit in its Pauillac wines. (Prior to 1959, the winery bottled a separate Saint-Julien.)
Vineyard holdings for Chateau Pichon-Longueville, Comtesse de Lalande
Vineyard Holdings: 89 ha
61% Cabernet Sauvignon
32% Merlot
4% Cabernet Franc
3% Petit Verdot
Wines produced from Chateau Pichon-Longueville, Comtesse de Lalande
Wines Produced:
Château Pichon-Longueville, Comtesse de Lalande
Réserve de la Comtesse
Inaugural vintage for “Reserve de la Comtesse”
1973
Total production for Chateau Pichon-Longueville, Comtesse de Lalande?
Average Total Production: 430,000 bottles (Up to 50% of the production may be the second wine.)
Style/Vinification techniques for Chateau Pichon-Longueville, Comtesse de Lalande?
Style / Vinification Techniques: The most striking element of the Château Pichon-Lalande grand vin is its high percentage of Merlot. One-third of the blend is Merlot—a large component for a classified growth in the Médoc and the highest proportion of Merlot for any Pauillac AOC grand vin. The high proportion of Merlot is cause for the winery to employ less new oak than most upper-echelon Médoc châteaux; only one-half of the oak used for the top wine is new each year.
Chateau Leoville-Barton is located where and classified growth are they?
Château Léoville-Barton is from Saint Julien and it’s a classified as a second growth.
What year was Chateau Leoville-Barton established?
Year Established: 1826
Summary of Chateau Leoville-Barton
Summary: Hugh Barton purchased this sector of the Léoville estate in 1826, separating its vineyards from those of the Marquis de Las-Cases. Five years earlier, Barton had acquired the neighboring property of Château Langoa-Barton, and the two estates have been united ever since. The château depicted on the Léoville-Barton label is actually the Langoa-Barton manor house, and today the Barton family vinifies both properties’ top wines identically. Both wines are produced in the Langoa-Barton facility.
Anthony Barton and his daughter, Lilian Barton-Sartorius, jointly manage the two properties today.
Vineyard holdings for Chateau Leoville-Barton
Vineyard Holdings: 50 ha
74% Cabernet Sauvignon
23% Merlot
3% Cabernet Franc
Wines produced from Chateau Leoville-Barton
Château Léoville-Barton
La Réserve Léoville-Barton
Inaugural vintage for “La Reserve Leoville-Barton
La Réserve Léoville-Barton: 1988
Average total production for Chateau Leoville Barton
Average Total Production: 250,000 bottles
Style/Vinification methods for Chateau Léoville-Barton
Style / Vinification Techniques: If Léoville-Las-Cases is concentration and weight and Léoville-Poyferré is flash and generosity, Léoville-Barton is likely the most classic of the trio—although recent vintages have, like much of Bordeaux, been riper and riper. The grand vin assemblage is typically in line with the estate’s encépagement, and the wine spends 20 months in 50% new oak prior to bottling.
Chateau Pontet-Canet is located where and what classified growth are they considered?
Château Pontet-Canet is located in Pauillac and they’re a fifth growth (Cinquième Grand Cru Classe).
Chateau Pontet-Canet was established when?
1725
Summary of Chateau Pontet-Canet
Summary: Founded by Jean-François de Pontet in an old hamlet named Canet, the estate passed into the hands of a Danish-German négociant named Hermann Cruse in 1865. The Cruse family maintained the château for over a century and sold its wines to the French railways, establishing Pontet-Canet as a household name. But in 1973 the family’s négociant arm was embroiled in the Scandale à Bordeaux—French investigators brought charges against the company’s director, Lionel Cruse, asserting his complicity in buying and selling inferior wines as prestigious Bordeaux AOC products. The Cruse family was disgraced and forced to sell Pontet-Canet in the scandal’s wake. Guy Tesseron of Cognac fame bought the property in 1975 and installed Jean-Michel Comme as technical director in 1989. Together they have raised the estate from scandal and transformed the property into a biodynamic, natural-minded estate that often outperforms its 1855 ranking as a fifth growth.
Vineyard holdings at Chateau Pontet-Canet
Vineyard Holdings: 81 hectares
62% Cabernet Sauvignon
32% Merlot
4% Cabernet Franc
2% Petit Verdot
Wines produced from Chateau Pontent Canet
Wines Produced
Château Pontet-Canet (typically 90% of production)
Les Hauts de Pontet-Canet
Inaugural vintage for “Les Hauts de Pontet-Canet”
Les Hauts de Pontet-Canet: 1982 (as Château les Hauts de Pontet)
Total production for Chateau Pontet-Canet
Average Total Production: 25,000 cases
case contains 12 750ml bottles, for a total of 9 liters of wine.
Style/Vinification techniques for Chateau Pontet-Canet
Style / Vinification Techniques: Jean-Michel Comme, vineyard manager and winemaker for more than a quarter-century, has transformed Château Pontet-Canet into the only certified biodynamic classified growth in the Médoc. (The only other classified château on the Left Bank that has fully converted to biodynamic viticulture is Château Climens in Barsac—where Comme’s wife has engineered the change.) The low-trained, high-density vineyard (10,000 vines/ha) is unlike any other in Pauillac: Comme does not hedge, trim, leaf-thin, or green-harvest his vines. Fruit is hand-harvested and sorted by hand, before and after destemming. Ambient yeast fermentation occurs in both truncated cement vats and in large, temperature-controlled oak casks. Maceration lasts up to 3-4 weeks, with malolactic fermentation also occurring in vat and cask. After pressing, the wines are racked into three types of vessel for a 16- to 18-month élevage: new barriques (50%), 1-year-old barriques (15%), and egg-shaped cement “amphorae” (35%) of Comme’s own design. Collage is no longer practiced. The resulting style is incredibly ripe, extracted and brambly, but not overtly oaky.
Château Lynch-Bages is located where and what growth are they classified as?
Chateau Lynch-Badges is located in Pauillac and they’re classified as a fifth growth.
When was Chateau Lynch-Bages established?
Year Established: early 1700s
Summary of Chateau Lynch-Bages
Summary: Château Lynch-Bages is widely viewed to over-deliver and outperform its status as an 1855 fifth growth, particularly among American Bordeaux drinkers. The 2009 Liv-Ex re-creation of the price-based classification promoted Lynch-Bages to second growth, ranking it as the Left Bank’s 16th most expensive bottle of wine.
Vineyard holdings for Chateau Lynch-Bages
Vineyard Holdings: 110 ha (104 ha red, 6 ha white)
76% Cabernet Sauvignon
15% Merlot
7% Cabernet Franc
2% Petit Verdot
Wines produced from Chateau Lynch-Bages
Wines Produced:
Château Lynch-Bages
Echo de Lynch-Bages: The domaine’s second wine, formerly known as Haut-Bages-Averous.
Blanc de Lynch Bages (Bordeaux AOC)
Inaugural vintage for Echo de Lynch-Bages?
Echo de Lynch-Bages: 2008
Inaugural vintage for Haut Bages-Averous?
Haut-Bages-Averous: 1976
Inaugural vintage for Blanc de Lynch-Bages?
Blanc de Lynch-Bages: 1990
Total production for Chateau Lynch Bages
Average Total Production: 480,000 bottles
Style/Vinification techniques for Chateau Lynch-Bages
Style / Vinification Techniques: Château Lynch-Bages is made in an unrepentantly modern and immediate style. The grand vin is aged in 70% new oak and typically contains 70-80% Cabernet Sauvignon.
Château Calon-Segur is located where and what growth are they considered?
Chateau Calon-Segur is located in Saint-Estèphe and they are considered a third growth.
Summary of Chateau Calon-Segur
Summary: Château Calon-Ségur, once joined with Lafite, Latour, and Mouton under the common ownership of Marquis Nicolas-Alexandre de Ségur, is the most northerly classified growth in the Médoc. Its origins date to the Middle Ages, although vines did not appear until the arrival of the Ségur family in the 1700s. They chateau is now owned by Capbern-Gasqueton family
Calon-Ségur has not dramatically changed in size since the 1855 classification. It consists of a single, walled parcel of vines adjacent to the château, standing at a meager 12 meters above sea level. The “Calon” is of uncertain origin: some suppose it refers to the calonis, a boat that traveled the estuary, while others suggest it is a contraction of old words for water and stone.
Vineyard holdings for Chateau Calon-Segur
Vineyard Holdings: 55 ha
67% Cabernet Sauvignon
32% Merlot
1% Petit Verdot
What wines are produced by Chateau Calon-Segur
Wines Produced:
Château Calon-Ségur
Le Marquis de Calon-Ségur (formerly Marquis de Calon)
Saint-Estèphe de Calon-Ségur (formerly La Chapelle de Calon)
Total production for Chateau Calon Segur
Average Total Production: 300,000 bottles
Style/Vinification technique for Chateau Calon Segur
Style / Vinification Techniques: Calon-Ségur is a solid and sturdy representation of great Saint-Estèphe, though critics claim troubling inconsistency in some years. The grand vin is dominated by Cabernet, while the second wine may include up to 75% Merlot.
Château Lafite-Rothschild was established when?
17th century
Summary of Chateau Lafite-Rothschild
Summary: Although the earliest-known mention of “Lafite” dates to 1234, the arrival of Jacques de Ségur by marriage in 1670 is generally acknowledged as the dawn of the estate as a winemaking property. His son Alexandre inherited the estate in 1691 and in an early union of two great châteaux, married the heiress of Château Latour four years later. His son Nicolas-Alexandre presided over the Lafite, Latour, and Calon (Ségur) estates until the union unraveled with his death in 1755. In that era the wines of Château Lafite found their footing in the City of London, where the prime minister himself was reputedly a regular customer. Later in the century the wine earned acclaim at Versailles, but the estate fell on hard times shortly before revolution broke out. The last relative of the Ségur family to preside over Château Lafite died by the guillotine.
What does the word “Lafite” derive from in Chateau Lafite Rothschild?
The word “Lafite” derives from faîte, an old Médocain word indicating a ridge and a fitting description for the château—it occupies a 27-meter gravel croupe, one of the highest sites in Pauillac.
Vineyard holdings for Chateau Lafite Rothschild
Vineyard Holdings: 112 ha in three parcels, the main Château vineyards, the Carruades parcel, and a 4.5-ha parcel in Saint-Estèphe, entitled to the Pauillac AOC.
70% Cabernet Sauvignon
25% Merlot
3% Cabernet Franc
2% Petit Verdot
Wines produced from Chateau Lafite Rothschild
Wines Produced / Average Total Production:
Château Lafite-Rothschild: 16,000 cases
Carruades de Lafite: 20,000 cases. (The second wine of Lafite, known as “Moulin des Carruades” until 1985.)
Style/Vinification techniques for Chateau Lafite Rothschild?
Style / Vinification Techniques: Château Lafite-Rothschild is typically positioned as an elegant, subtle counterpoint to the power of Château Latour. The blend for the grand vin changes with each vintage; in recent years the amount of Cabernet Sauvignon varies from 80-98%. Fermentation occurs in stainless steel and wood vats, and the estate does not practice cold-soaking or pigeage. The grand vin wines rest in new barriques (from the château’s own cooperage) for 18-20 months prior to a light fining before bottling. The winemaking team has experimented with vacuum concentration and other modern techniques, but professes to keep the machines away in favor of achieving proper ripeness in the vineyard. The second wine contains up to 50% Merlot and is aged mostly in second-use barrels.
List the style of wines that can be made under the following Entre-Deux-Mers AOP.
Entre-Deux-Mers AOP ?
Cadillac AOP ?
Graves de Vayres AOP ?
Loupiac AOP ?
Côtes de Bordeaux-Saint-Macaire AOP ?
Sainte-Croix-du-Mont AOP ?
Sainte-Foy-Bordeaux AOP ?
Entre-Deux-Mers Style
Entre-Deux-Mers AOP “Blanc (sec)”
Cadillac AOP “Blanc (liquoreux)”
Graves de Vayres AOP “Rouge & Blanc (sec)”
Loupiac AOP “Blanc (liquoreux)”
Côtes de Bordeaux-Saint-Macaire AOP “Blanc (sec & liquoreux)”
Sainte-Croix-du-Mont AOP “Blanc (liquoreux”
Sainte-Foy-Bordeaux AOP “Rouge & Blanc (sec & liquoreux)”
Style of wine produced under Côtes de Bordeaux AOP Francs?
Côtes de Bordeaux AOP Francs: Rouge & Blanc (sec & liquoreux)
Style of wine produced under Côtes de Bordeaux AOP Castillon?
Côtes de Bordeaux AOP Castillon: Rouge
Style of wine produced under Côtes de Bordeaux AOP Cadillac?
Côtes de Bordeaux AOP Cadillac: Rouge
Style of wine produced under Côtes de Bordeaux AOP Blaye?
Côtes de Bordeaux AOP Blaye: Rouge &; Blanc (sec)
Style of wine produced under Premières Côtes de Bordeaux AOP?
Premières Côtes de Bordeaux AOP Blanc (liquoreux)
Superior First Growth (Premier Cru Supérieur) of Sauternes
Château d’Yquem, Sauternes
First Growths (Premiers Crus) of Sauternes
First Growths (Premiers Crus) of Sauternes (11 total)
* Château La Tour Blanche, Bommes (Sauternes) * Château Lafaurie-Peyraguey, Bommes (Sauternes) * Château Clos Haut-Peyraguey, Bommes (Sauternes) * Château de Rayne-Vigneau, Bommes (Sauternes) * Château Suduiraut, Preignac (Sauternes) * Château Coutet, Barsac * Château Climens, Barsac * Château Guiraud, Sauternes * Château Rieussec, Fargues (Sauternes) * Château Rabaud-Promis, Bommes (Sauternes) * Château Sigalas-Rabaud, Bommes (Sauternes)
Second Growths (Deuxièmes Crus) of Sauternes
Second Growths (Deuxièmes Crus)
* Château de Myrat, Barsac * Château Doisy Daëne, Barsac * Château Doisy-Dubroca, Barsac * Château Doisy-Védrines, Barsac * Château d'Arche, Sauternes * Château Filhot, Sauternes * Château Broustet, Barsac * Château Nairac, Barsac * Château Caillou, Barsac * Château Suau, Barsac * Château de Malle, Preignac (Sauternes) * Château Romer, Fargues (Sauternes) * Château Romer du Hayot, Fargues (Sauternes) * Château Lamothe, Sauternes * Château Lamothe-Guignard, Sauternes
List of Chateaus that are classified (under the 1959 law) to produce red wine in Graves.
Classification of Graves (1959)
Red (13 total)
* Château Bouscaut (Cadaujac) * Château Carbonnieux (Leognan) * Domaine de Chevalier (Leognan) * Château de Fieuzal (Leognan) * Château Haut-Bailly (Leognan) * Château Haut-Brion (Pessac) * Château Latour-Martillac (Martillac) * Château Malartic-Lagravière (Leognan) * Château La Mission Haut-Brion (Talence) * Château Olivier (Leognan) * Château Pape-Clément (Pessac) * Château Smith-Haut-Lafitte (Martillac) * Château La Tour-Haut-Brion (Talence)
List of Chateaus that are classified (under the 1959 law) to produce white wine in Graves.
Classification of Graves (1959)
White (9 total)
* Château Bouscaut * Château Carbonnieux * Domaine de Chevalier * Château Couhins (Villenave d'Ornon) * Château Couhins-Lurton (Villenave d'Ornon) * Château Latour-Martillac * Château Malartic-Lagravière * Château Laville-Haut-Brion (Talence) * Château Olivier
List all the AOPs under Graves AOP and what kind of wine produced from there.
Graves AOP Rouge & Blanc (sec)
Graves Supérieures AOP Blanc (liquoreux)
Pessac-Léognan AOP Rouge & Blanc (sec)
Cérons AOP Blanc (liquoreux)
Barsac AOP Blanc (liquoreux)
Sauternes AOP Blanc (liquoreux)
