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WSET Level 3 Textbook > Bordeaux > Flashcards

Bordeaux Flashcards

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1
Q

In which 3 locations is Cabernet Franc widely grown?

A

1) Saint-Émilion
2) Medoc
3) Graves

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2
Q

What is a Cru Classé?

A

Any château listed in the 1855 Classification

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3
Q

What 2 climatic issues does the Atlantic create in Bordeaux?

A

1) Rain

2) Humidity

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4
Q

What is the soil type mostly found in Pessac-Léognan?

A

Gravel

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5
Q

Why are most red and white wines from Bordeaux made from blends of different grape varieties?

A

The level of vintage variation caused by differing annual weather patterns means producers can not rely too heavily on one single variety, in case that crop is poor

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6
Q

Which 4 appellations can call themselves Côtes de Bordeaux?

A
  • Blaye
  • Cadillac
  • Castillon
  • Francs
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7
Q

What 2 geographical features protect Bordeaux from the worst of the Atlantic storms?

A

1) The Landes Forest

2) Coastal sand dunes

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8
Q

The top sweet wine appellations of Bordeaux are grouped on the banks of which two rivers?

A

1) The Garonne

2) The Ciron

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9
Q

When and where did the Classification of Bordeaux take place?

A
  • 1855

- At the Paris Universal Exhibition

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10
Q

In what sort of vessel would you expect a high-volume, inexpensive white Bordeaux to be fermented?

A

Temperature-controlled inert vessels

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11
Q

What are the 4 top châteaux within the Médoc’s top rank?

A
  • Lafite Rothschild
  • Latour
  • Margaux
  • Mouton Rothschild
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12
Q

What is the top-ranked château in Graves?

A

Château Haut-Brion

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13
Q

What attribute makes Sémillon ideal for sweet winemaking?

A

Thin skin - susceptible to botrytis

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14
Q

Where in Graves are 100% of the cru classé châteaux?

A

Pessac-Léognan

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15
Q

When are the majority of red wines blended in Bordeaux?

Why might there be exceptions?

A

1) In the spring following the harvest

2) Some winemakers choose to keep their parcels of wine separate until the end of maturation

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16
Q

What is the area north and east of the Gironde and Dordogne called?

What are its principal appellations?

A

1) The Right Bank

2) Saint-Émilion and Pomerol

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17
Q

Which are the 2 main Merlot-growing appellations in Bordeaux?

A
  • Saint-Émilion

- Pomerol

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18
Q

Which Bordeaux wine:

  • Dominated by Sauvignon Blanc
  • Vibrant grassy character
A

Generic white Bordeaux

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19
Q

What soil type does Cabernet Sauvignon prefer, and why?

A
  • High stone & gravel content

- Raises vineyard temperature & ensures reliable ripening

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20
Q

Outside of Pessac-Léognan, with which variety are most Graves reds made?

A

Merlot

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21
Q

What has resulted in healthier grapes and a decline in the use of fungal sprays in Bordeaux?

A

Improvements in canopy management techniques

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22
Q

What sort of wine is Premières Côtes de Bordeaux?

A

Sweet

It is not connected to the Côtes de Bordeaux group

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23
Q

Is spring frost a problem in Bordeaux?

Why?

A
  • Rarely

- The warming Gulf Stream

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24
Q

What can wines from Barsac call themselves?

A

Either Barsac or Sauternes

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25
Q

What is the only place in Bordeaux which falls within France’s normal appellation system?

A

Saint-Émilion

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26
Q

Why is the Bordeaux Classification a source of ongoing debate?

A

It has never been reviewed or changed since 1855, and since then the châteaux have undergone many changes in number, size, ownership & quality

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27
Q

What is the one variety which is the exception to the general rule that Bordeaux wines are blends?

A

Sauvignon Blanc is often varietal

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28
Q

What is the advantage of having different varieties which flower and ripen at different times in Bordeaux?

A

One bad frost or heavy shower is unlikely to ruin an entire crop

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29
Q

What are ‘vins de garage’?

A

Wines made on the Right Bank from small plots of land in an incredibly ripe style by ‘garagistes’. No expense is spared in making these wines.

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30
Q

What 3 problems does rainfall throughout the year cause in Bordeaux?

A

1) Disrupts flowering and fruit set
2) Promotes fungal disease and rot
3) Dilutes flavours at harvest

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31
Q

How are premium dry whites from Médoc and Sauternes labelled?

A

As generic White Bordeaux

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32
Q

How is the awarding of a cru bourgeois different to that of a cru classé?

(2 points)

A

1) Cru bourgeois status is awarded to a specific vintage, not to a château
2) Wines from new vintages must be submitted each year to gain the cru bourgeois classification

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33
Q

What vessels are used to age top-quality red Bordeaux?

A

225-litre barriques

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34
Q

How often to reclassifications occur in Saint-Émilion?

A

At least once every 10 years

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35
Q

Which Bordeaux grape:

  • Small plantings
  • Only ripens fully in hot years
  • Very deep colour
  • High tannin
  • Slow-ageing
  • Spicy notes
A

Petit Verdot

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36
Q

What 2 terms are allowed for labelling generic Bordeaux rosé?

A

1) Bordeaux Rosé

2) Bordeaux Clairet

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37
Q

Which has higher tannins and fuller body:

1) Cabernet Sauvignon
2) Cabernet Franc

A

Cabernet Sauvignon

38
Q

Where would you find Bordeaux wines with these characteristics:

  • High % of Cabernet Sauvignon
  • Blackcurrant fruit
  • Cedar notes
  • Grippy tannins when young
  • Long ageing potential
A

The Haut-Médoc

39
Q

Which 2 Bordeaux wines:

  • Early drinking
  • Medium body
  • Ripe red & black fruit
  • Cedar notes from oak
A

Red Bordeaux/Bordeaux Supérieur

40
Q

Which grape variety is predominant in high-volume, inexpensive red Bordeaux?

A

Merlot

41
Q
  • Which 3 districts lie west and south of the Gironde Estuary and Garonne River?
  • What is this entire area called?
A
  • Médoc
  • Graves
  • Sauternes
  • The Left Bank
42
Q

What do most leading châteaux use to make their second and third wines?

A

Blends which did not make the cut for the Grand Vin

43
Q

How are the wines of Graves classified?

A

With separate lists for reds and whites, with parallel rankings

44
Q

What aromas are usually associated with Bordeaux Sauvignon Blanc?

(2 points)

A

1) Citrus

2) Green fruit

45
Q

For how long are the best examples of Bordeaux sweet wines matured in new oak?

A

Anything up to 3 years

46
Q

What is needed to help concentrate sugars in years when there is little noble rot?

A

Passerillage

47
Q

Which variety dominates in Côtes de Bordeaux?

A

Merlot

48
Q

What changes in Bordeaux have led to a marked rise in sugar levels and flavour development at harvest time?

A

Improvements to canopy management techniques

49
Q

What are the 3 distinct topographies of the vineyard areas of Saint-Émilion?

What are their soil types?

A

1) The plateau:
Well-drained gravel & limestone soils

2) The escarpment:
Clay & limestone soils

3) Foot of the escarpment:
Sandy soils

50
Q

In there areas where it grows best, what % of a Bordeaux blend can Cabernet Sauvignon account for?

A

Up to 75%

51
Q

What makes Bordeaux Clairet different to a standard Bordeaux Rosé?

(2 points)

A

1) The grapes undergo a longer maceration

2) It has deeper colour & fuller body

52
Q

What soil type does Merlot prefer in Bordeaux?

A

Cool, clay soil

53
Q

Which appellation covers the area between the Dordogne and the Garonne?

A

Entre-Deux-Mers

54
Q

What do some top Bordeaux producers do with excess wine?

A

Sell it to négociants

55
Q

In which 2 areas is Sémillon blended with Sauvignon Blanc to add body to premium dry whites?

A

1) Pessac-Léognan

2) Graves

56
Q

How many ranks are châteaux divided into in the Médoc?

A

Five

57
Q

Pessac-Léognan dry whites:

1) Use which varieties?
2) Are eligible for what status?
3) Are fermented & matured in what sort of vessels?

A

1) Sémillon and Sauvignon Blanc
2) Cru classé status
3) At least partly in new oak barrels

58
Q

How do top Bordeaux producers minimise the effect of vintage variation in the winery?

A

They can afford to reject unripe and unhealthy grapes

59
Q

Which Bordeaux wine:

  • Rich
  • Spicy
  • Blackberry and red fruit
A

Pomerol

60
Q

How many grape varieties are permitted under Bordeaux regulation?

A

13

61
Q

Name the 4 most highly esteemed communes in the Haut-Médoc.

A
  • Saint-Estèphe
  • Pauillac
  • Saint-Julien
  • Margaux
62
Q

Which Bordeaux grape:

  • Unripe: herbaceous and stalky
  • Ripe: vibrant fruit and floral notes
  • Prefers warm, well-drained soils
A

Cabernet Franc

63
Q

1) What are the 2 levels of generic appellation in Bordeaux?

2) What makes the 2nd stricter?

A

1) Bordeaux and Bordeaux Supérieur

2) Higher minimum alcohol level

64
Q

What are the 4 predominant black grape varieties of Bordeaux?

A
  • Cabernet Sauvignon
  • Merlot
  • Cabernet Franc
  • Petit Verdot
65
Q

What are the 2 subdivisions of Saint-Émilion Premier Grand Cru Classé?

A

A and B (A is the best)

66
Q

How much new oak might be used in a generic Bordeaux red?

A

None - they might not see any oak at all

67
Q

What was the further classification later introduced for other châteaux, a step down from cru classé?

A

Cru bourgeois

68
Q

What does Sauvignon Blanc bring to a sweet Bordeaux?

A

High acidity

69
Q

What does the 1855 Classification list?

2 points

A

1) The best red wines from the Médoc

2) The best white wines from Sauternes

70
Q

Which Bordeaux wine:

  • Fermented and matured in new oak
  • Rich and concentrated
  • Nutty flavour overlaying fruit
A

Premium dry Sauvignon Blanc from Pessac-Léognan

71
Q

What is a château?

A

An individual estate in Bordeaux

72
Q

What do Bordeaux classifications rank?

A

The estate/château (not the vineyard)

73
Q

Which Bordeaux wine:

  • High alcohol
  • High acidity
  • Apricot and citrus peel
  • Toast and vanilla
  • Sweet
A

Sauternes

74
Q

What is the climate of Bordeaux?

A

Moderate maritime

75
Q

What extends the Bordeaux growing season?

A

The warmth of the Gulf Stream

76
Q

Which large appellation is only permitted to produce white wines?

A

Entre-Deux-Mers

77
Q

What is the main cause of vintage variation in Bordeaux?

A

Rainfall

78
Q

Which Bordeaux wine:

  • Medium to high tannins
  • Soft, rich mouthfeel
  • Complex red berry and plum
  • Age: tobacco and cedar
A

Saint-Émilion

79
Q

In which 3 broad areas of Bordeaux does Cabernet Sauvignon dominate?

A

1) Haut-Médoc
2) Bas-Médoc
3) Graves

80
Q

How are wines from Bas-Médoc labelled?

A

Simply as ‘Médoc’

81
Q

What is the soil type of the Bas-Médoc?

A

Clay with gravel outcrops

82
Q

Which variety dominates in the Bas-Médoc blends?

A

Merlot

83
Q

What is Bordeaux’s most widely planted variety?

A

Merlot

84
Q

Roughly how many appellations are there in Bordeaux?

A

Over 50

85
Q

What characterises red winemaking practises in Bordeaux?

A

Diversity - no consensus on the best techniques

86
Q

What are the 3 Saint-Émilion appellations, ranked highest to lowest?

A

1) Saint-Émilion Premier Grand Cru Classé
2) Saint-Émilion Grand Cru
3) Saint-Émilion Grand Cru Classé

87
Q

What are Bordeaux’s 3 principal white varieties?

A
  • Sémillon
  • Sauvignon Blanc
  • Muscadelle
88
Q

How many ranks of châteaux are there in Sauternes?

A

3

89
Q

What is the top château of Sauternes?

A

Château d’Yquem

90
Q

Which Bordeaux variety?

  • Grapey, floral
  • Supporting role in blends
  • Sweet & dry production
  • Small % of any blend
A

Muscadelle

91
Q

How can the size of a château vary over the years?

A

Due to the purchase and sale of vineyard plots

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