Bordeaux Flashcards
What region makes more wine than Bordeaux?
Only the Languedoc
What is the largest AOC/AOP region in France?
Bordeaux (although it is not the largest winegrowing region)
What did the Dutch contribute to Bordeaux
complex drainage channels that made it suitable for viticulture in the mid 1600’s
What is a Courtier?
Broker of wine
- supply châteaux with financial backing while taking control over trade
- maintain authority today
- responsible for en primeur sales (futures)
What is the climate of Bordeaux?
Maritine
What are the moderating influences of Bordeaux?
Atlantic Ocean and Gironde estuary
What is the climate near St-Émilion and Pomerol?
More continental than maritime - rain is worry at harvest
When is grey rot likely to take hold?
Cooler years
What can springtime frost lead to in Bordeaux?
Coulure - From alternating hot/cold or dry/wet - Vine moves sap past embryos to make new shoots, leads to partially formed berries eventually dry up and drop to the ground
Millerandage - bunches contain berries of greatly differing size and levels of maturity. Caused by cool weather during flowering
What is the Bordeaux mixture?
Lime, copper sulfate, water
used to prevent fungal problems
What is clairet?
darker more aromatic style of rose in Bordeaux
6 grapes allowed in BDX red wines?
Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot Cabernet Franc Petit Verdot Malbec Carmènere
What is the most planted grape in Bordeaux?
Merlot
What is the earliest grape to ripen in Bordeaux?
Merlot
What are the preferred soils for:
Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc?
Merlot - clay-based soils
-delay its natural vigor
Cabernet Sauvignon - well-drained gravel
- allows the vine’s root system to dig deeply
- water stress adds concentration to the fruit
Cabernet Franc - limestone-based soils
-promote acidity and freshness
What are the typical blends of Left Bank and Right bank?
Left:
2/3 Cab Sauv, the rest merlot, cab franc,others
Right:
3/4 Merlot, 1/4 Cab Franc
What is Malbec known as on the right bank?
Pressac
What 3 white grapes dominate white wines of Bordeaux AOP? What other white grapes are found but are limited to max 30%
Sémillon, Sauv B, Muscadelle
Ugni Blanc, Merlot Blanc, Colombard
What is a barrique?
225-L barrel used in Bordeaux
same size as rioja!
What is Bordeaux Superiore AOP?
For reds and off-dry whites with higher min alcohol
How long is the left bank?
50 mile stretch North from the City of Bordeaux
What is jalles?
Drainage channels in Bordeaux
What color must AOP wines in Médoc be?
red
Which is broader, Haut-Médoc or Médoc?
Médoc - encompasses Haut-Médoc, usually less quality from marshy area north of St Estéphe, more merlot
What is a croupe?
Gravel mound on left bank of BDX, best chateaux usually located upon them
Most important communes of Haut-Médoc?
North to South Saint-Estéphe Pauillac St. Julien Listrac-Médoc Moulis-en-Médoc Margaux
Who commissioned the 1855 Classification of Bordeaux
Emperor Napoleon III
-carried out by courtiers
What is the only property that classified in 1855 that was not from Médoc?
Château Haut-Brion in Graves
When did Château Mouton-Rothschild get elevated from 2nd to 1st growth?
1973 - only significant change to classification
Define Cru Artisan
Cru Artisan
- formally recognized in 2002
- From the 2005 vintage forward
- 44 producers (must be smaller than 5 ha)
- exceptional producers without the financing or apparatus of large-scale operations
- reviewed every ten years
Define Cru Bourgeois
-introduced in 1932
-3 categories:
Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnel
Cru Bourgeois Supérieur
Cru Bourgeois.
- not official until 2003, many lost status
- legal action nullified the entire classification
-reinstated for the 2008 vintage, but the higher designations of Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnel and Cru Bourgeois Supérieur were eliminated
- 2018 new legislation passed to reinstate the previously eliminated terms.
- Starting in 2018 châteaux may once again apply for Cru Bourgeois, Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnel, and Cru Bourgeois Supérieur
- The terms will appear on labels in 2020
- reviewed every 5 years
What is the northernmost commune in Haut-Médoc?
St-Estèphe AOP