Bordeaux Flashcards
What does en primeur refer to in Bordeaux?
The system of buying wine as futures – customers pay for the wine before it is made, based on tasting samples from the barrel. The wine is delivered after it has been completely made, blended and matured for the minimum period.
What size is a piece?
A small oak barrel that is 228l in capacity – same as a barrique
Name the 5 key red varieties of Bordeaux?
- Cabernet Sauvignon - Cabernet Franc - Merlot - Petit Verdot - Malbec
What is the most planted variety in Bordeaux?
Merlot
What are the 3 key white varieties of Bordeaux?
- Semillon - Sauvignon Blanc - Muscadelle
What is the other villages in Sauternes that is entitled to its own sweet wine appellation?
Barsac
What is pourriture noble?
The french name for noble rot
What are the bodies of water that influence the climate in Bordeaux?
- Gironde estuary - Dordogne river - Garonne river - Atlantic ocean
What is the name of the river that influences Sauternes?
Garonne
What soils are considered to be ideal for Cabernet?
Gravel - because they are free draining and Cabernet does not grow well in clay based soils that retain a large amount of moisture.
What are the two key appellations of the Right bank?
- Pomerol - Saint-Émilion
What is the name of the river closest to St-Émilion?
Dordogne
Name 2 first growth properties?
- Chateau Latour - Chateau Mouton-Rothschild - Chateau Lafite - Chateau Margaux - Chateau Haut-Brion
Which appellation in Bordeaux produces only dry white wine?
Entre-Deux-Mers
Give one example appellation for each of the following tiers of the Bordeaux hierarchy: - Generic - District - Commune
Generic: Bordeaux AC, Bordeaux Superieur AC
District: Entre-Deux-Mers, Haut-Medoc, Medoc, Graves
Commune: Saint-Estèphe, Pauillac, Saint-Julien, Margeaux, Pessac-Léognan, Barsac, Sauternes
