Bordeaux Flashcards
Basic Mastery (61 cards)
What are the classic grapes in a Bordeaux Blend?
- Merlot
- Cabernet Sauvignon
- Cabernet Franc
- Petit Verdot
- Malbec (and tiny amounts of Carmenere)
What are the First Growths and where are they located?
Chateau Lafite-Rothschild - Pauillac
Chateau Latour - Pauillac
Chateau Margaux - Margaux
Chateau Haut-Brion - Pessac, Graves
Chateau Mouton-Rothschild - Pauillac
Describe the geographical layout of Bordeaux.
Bordeaux is in Southwestern France, centered around the Gironde Estuary, which divides it into left and right banks. The Medoc and Graves are on the Left bank, and Bourg and Blaye and the Libournais are on the right bank. The Gironde Estuary then splits, with the Garonne flowing west and the Dordogne flowing east - the area between is known as the Entre-Deux-Mers.
What are the 8 sub-regions of the Medoc, north to south?
It is first divided into the Bas-Medoc (or simply Medoc) in the North and Haut-Medoc in the South.
Médoc
Saint-Estèphe
Pauillac
Saint-Julien
Listrac-Médoc
Moulis-en-Médoc
Margaux
Haut-Médoc
What are the sub-regions of Graves, north to south?
Graves encompasses 4 smaller regions. They are (from North to South) Pessac-Leognan, Ceron, Barsac, and Sauternes.
How big is Bordeaux?
About 290,000 acres (117,000 hectares).
Six times the size of Napa.
Four times the size of Burgundy.
What geographical features influence the climate of Bordeaux?
- Water - The Gironde Estuary, Garonne and Dordogne rivers, countless streams, and the Atlantic Ocean (warmed by the Gulf Stream) temper the region’s climate, making it’s vineyards milder and more stable.
- Forests - Bordeaux is bordered on the South and West by Les Landes, 2.5 million acres (just over 1 million hectares) of manmade pine forest.
These features and a maritime climate protect Bordeaux from storms, cold snaps, and frosts.
Is Bordeaux hilly?
It is relatively flat, with gently rolling hills.
What is the soil like in Bordeaux?
Bordeaux varietals are sensitive to too much water, so drainage is key. The best vineyards are on gravel and stone, or sometimes limestone (especially in St.-Emilion). Lesser vineyards are on clay, which is more suited to earlier-ripening Merlot.
Which red Bordeaux varietals are actually from SW France?
All but Cab Franc, which is from Northern Spain.
How many white grapes are permitted in Bordeaux? What are they?
7
Main 3: Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, and Muscadelle.
In Tiny Amounts: Ugni Blanc, Colombard, Merlot Blanc, Sauvignon Gris, Mauzac, and Ondenc
How did the 1855 Classification come about?
- In 1855, Napoleon III asks Bordeaux’s top Chateau owners to rate their wines from best to worst for the Paris Universal Exhibition.
- Understandably, the owners stalled.
- In response, the Bordeaux Chamber of commerce stepped in and ranked the wines based on sale price.
What is the only change ever made to the 1855 Classification?
The promotion of Chateau Mouton-Rothschild from Second to First Growth in 1973, after 20 years of petitions by Baron Philippe de Rothschild.
When was St.-Emilion first classified, and what are the rankings?
1954
- Premier Grand Cru Classe (Sub-divided into A and B)
- Grand Cru Classe
- Grand Cru
Which St.-Emilion wines are considered Premier Grand Cru Classe A?
- Chateau Angelus
- Cheateau Ausone
- Chateau Pavie
- Chateau Cheval Blanc
How often are Medoc wines reclassified?
Never
How often are Graves wines reclassified?
Never
How often are St.-Emilion wines reclassified?
Every 10 years.
How often are Pomerol wines reclassified?
Pomerol vineyards are not ranked or otherwise officially classified.
Name a Second Growth from the four most important regions of the Medoc.
- Chateau Montrose (St.-Estephe)
- Chateau Pichon Longueville Baron (Pauillac)
or - Chateau Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande (Pauillac)
- Chateau Gruaud-Larose (St.-Julien)
- Chateau Lascombes (Margaux)
Which Chateau is the only Premier Cru Superieur of Bordeaux and where is it located?
Chateau d’Yquem (Sauternes)
Which two communes of the Medoc feature less well-drained soils, and often less refined wines?
Listrac and Moulis
On what parallel is Bordeaux located?
45th
How did the wine region of Bordeaux come to be?
It was salt marshes and pine forests until the mid 1600s when Dutch merchants drained the area and exposed the gravel banks to make great vineyard areas.
This, coupled with its easy trade location brought the region to prominence.
