Bordeaux Flashcards
INAO
Institute National des Appellations d’Origine; established in 1935 to de-limit and enforce wine laws and appellation systems.
What were the INAO laws modeled after?
Chateauneuf du Pape, 1411. They had self imposed laws stipulating yields, vineyard density, training, pruning, varietals, production methods, min alcohol, min must weights and geographical boundaries. Wines must also pass a tasting panel.
What happened to the INAO in 2007?
They were merged with an existing EU designation governing foodstuffs and now oversee the French AOC.
- Introduction of the PDO/AOP system
- laws are stricter
- designations of AOP/ AOC are used interchangeably.
What is PDO?
Protected designation of Origin.
VDQS/ AOVDQS
Vin Délimité de Qualité Supérieure
- Began in 1949, was the stepping stone to AOC, but no longer exists.
- Most VDQS were advanced to full AOC.
Vin de Pays
“Regional Wine”
- Middle level - quality varies widely
- Relaxed regulations
- Formerly VINIFLOHR
- 29% of production in france
- Labeled as IGP (Indication Géographique Protegee) or PGI (Protected Geographic Indication)
- Must be Vitis Vinifera, 85% from sourced area.
- Min alochol, 9-10%
- limits on added sulfur, acidity, and grape sources.
Vin de Table/ Vin Ordinaires
“Table Wine”
- lowest quality rung in France.
- Allow varietal, vintage, and place.
- Acidification and oak chips are allowed.
What were the Dutch responsible for doing in Bordeaux?
Creating a complex series of drainage canals in the 4th century, that allowed the marshes to be habitable by the 1600s.
Eleanor of Aquitane
Daughter of Duke Aquitane married Henry Plantagenet, the future king go England, and the land of Bordeaux became under British rule. 1152-1453
Jalles
The name of the drainage channels
Claret
The original name of Bordeaux wine.
What did the Gironde Estuary do for bordeaux?
It’s proximity to the Atlantic and the world’s demand for claret gave Bordeaux a direct trade line, and let many wealthy investors build grand chateau all over the region.
Negociants in Bordeaux
Buyer of fruit or wine in barrel to age at their own cellars to be bottled and sold under their label. This practice faded after WWII in favor of estate bottled wines.
Courtiers
Brokers
Became a powerful investing force for Bordeaux, as they gave financial backing while gaining total control of the actual trade. Created En Primeur Sales.
En Primeur
The yearly offering of Bordeaux wine as futures
Grand Vin
A chateau’s best bottling, comprised of the best fruit from its estate.
Second wines
Comprised of fruit deemed “inappropriate” for the Grand Vin.
- Usually younger vines in newly replanted plots OR
- Vines in less favorable terroir.
ex. Mouton Rothschild bottles Petit Mouton as 2nd.
What is the climate of Bordeaux?
Maritime.
Humidity and mold are worries.
-Climate becomes more continental toward St. Emillon and Pomerol.
What are the climate moderators of Bordeaux?
- Atlantic Ocean
- Gironde Estruary
Protects from winter freezes and spring fros
What is the Bordeaux mixture?
A mix of lime, copper sulfate, and water. A natural fungicide that combats frost and prevents :
- Couloure
- Millerandage
which destroys the fruit
What do the forests to the west of Bordeaux do?
Block the Atlantic wind.
Coulure
A metabolic reaction that causes a failure of fruit to develop after flowering.
Millerandage
“Hens and chickens”
- when numerous small berries form on a cluster of normal size berries.
What styles of wine are produced in Bordeaux?
- Red
- White
- Sparkling
- Rose
- Clairet (a darker, more aromatic style of rosé )
- Sweet
Assemblage
Blend
What is the most planted grape in Bordeaux?
Merlot. Prefers clay soils, earliest to ripen.
What grapes are allowed in red Bordeaux AOP?
Merlot Cab Sauv Cab Franc Petit Verdot Malbec (Cot) Carmenere
What soil type does Cab Sauv prefer?
Well-drained Gravel. Allows the vine’s root system to dig deeply while slight water stress adds concentration to the fruit.
What soil type does Cab Franc prefer?
Limestone-based soils, which promote acidity and freshness in the wines.
Encepagement
A mixture of grapes in the vineyard that give “insurance” due to the nature of different ripening times across the different species.
What is the last grape to ripen in Bordeaux?
Petit Verdot = inky
What is the basic makeup of wines on the left bank vs the right?
Left Bank:
- 70% Cab Sauv
- 30% Merlot
Right Bank:
- 70% Merlot
- 30% Cab Franc
What grapes are allowed in white Bordeaux AOP?
- Sauv Blanc
- Semillon
- Muscadelle
- Ugni Blanc*
- Merlot Blanc*
- Colombard*
*rarely used, and only allowed to be 30% of blend combined.
Barrique
225L barrel
What is Bordeaux Superiore AOP?
Wine qualifying with higher alcohol level.
Medoc AOC
Covers the entire 50 miles stretch pf the left bank of the gironde stray.
- Encompasses Haut-Medoc as well as Bas-Medoc
- Typically only used for Chateau that do not qualify for a more precise appellation.
- EX. Vineyards north of St. Estephe,
- Merlot dominates due to waterlogged clay soils.
- Minimal oak = NFO too expensive.
What are the communes of Haut Medoc?
- Saint-Estephe
- Paulliac
- St. Julien
- Listrac-Medoc
- Moulis-en-Medoc
- Margaux
Where are the best vineyards situated on the Left Bank?
The Dutch unearthed gravel mounds (croupes) during their drainage work in the 1600s, and the better châteaux are usually located upon these deeper banks of gravel
What were the original 4 1st growths of Bordeaux, and when were they classified?
1855, Napoleon Classification
- Chateau Margaux
- Chateau Lafite Rothschild
- Chateau Latour
- Chateau Haut Brion (Graves, not in medoc)
Which chateau was elevated to 1st growth in 1973?
- Chateau Mouton Rothschild
The classification system for Bordeaux and Burgundy is Exactly the same. T or F?
FALSE.
- Bordeaux = Chateau. Owner of land dictates price and AOP.
- Burgundy = Land dictates AOP, regardless of owner.
Cru Artisan
- 35 small producers, formally recognized in 2002.
- Exceptional wines without the financing of larger Chateau.
- Updated every 5 years.
Cru Bourgeois
Began in 1932 with 444 properties in 3 categories:
- Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnel
- Cru Bourgeois Superieur
- Cru Bourgeois
Became official in 2003, only 247 chateau retained status and resulted in legal battle that nullified the whole system.
Reinstated in 2008, now just a guarantor of quality, and the top two categories are eliminated. Only Bourgeois exists.
St. Estephe AOP
- Northern Most AOP
- Higher % of merlot due to clay based soils.
What is the super second of St. Estephe?
Cos d’Estournel = powerful and modern.
How many classified growths are in St. Estephe?
5.
No 1st growths.
Soil in Pauillac AOP
Gravel topsoil is at it’s deepest, cabernet wines dominate and are structured and long lived. Classic claret style.
“Zip Code” of Pauillac
3201-12
3 - 1st growths 2 - 2nd growths 0 - 3rd growths 1 - 4th growth 12 - 5th growths
Which 1st growths are in Pauilliac?
- Mouton Rothschild
- Lafite Rothschild
- Latour
Which 1st growths are in Pauillac?
- Mouton Rothschild
- Lafite Rothschild
- Latour
Notable 2nd growths of Pauillac?
- Pichon-Longueville
- Pichon-Longeuville-Lalande
“Zip Code” of St. Julien
05240
0 - 1st growths 5 - 2nd growths 2 - 3rd growths 4 - 4th growths 0 - 5th growths
Which Bond is Saint-Estephe like?
Daniel Craig
- More austere and “cooler”
- tend to be tannic in youth, soften with age
- Concentrated and spicy
- Higher in acidity than counterpoints
- Calon Segur, Cos d’Estournel, Lafon Rochet, Montrose, Les Ormes de Pez.
Which Bond is Pauillac like?
Sean Connery
- Many consider this the “textbook” style of Bordeaux
- Stands the test of time - ages for decades
- Notes of cassis, blackberry, graphite, tobacco
- frim tannin
*Grand Puy Lacoste, Lunch Bages, Latour, Lafste Rotchschild, Mouton Rothschild.
Which Bond is Saint Juilen Like?
Roger Moore
- Coming the best of two worlds: power of pauillac, grace of Margaux.
- Fine concentration, purity and persistence
- Range from powerful, tannic and masculine to more elegant and refined.
*Beychevelle, Gloria, Ducru Beaucaillou, Leoville Barton, Leoville Las Cases, Talbot.
Which Bond is Margaux like?
Pierce Brosnan
- The most “feminine” wine
- Elegant with silky tannin and velvety texture
- a “haunting perfume” with dark berries, truffle, tobacco, cassis, violets and lilac (can be very floral).
- Can be lighter in weight dependent on vintage
*Palmer, Rauzan Segla, Brane Cantenac, Giscours, d’Issan, Margaux, Boston.
Which Bond is Pessac-Leognan Like?
Timothy Dalton
- Light style - hometown of Claret
- Refined, but not often known as a blockbuster
- Tobacco and minerals, develops smoky profile as it ages
*Haut-brion, Smith Haut-Lafitte, Haut-Bailly, Pape Clement
Which Bond is Saint Emillon like?
David Nevin
- Ranges from soft and fruity to serious wines capable of aging
- Delicate texture, richness and concentration of berries and plum
- Earthy, and spicy, strong sensation of minerality from limestone
- One of the most historical and today one of largest regions
*Angelus, Ausone, Figeac, Cartier, Canon, Clos Fourtet, Troplong Mondot
Which Bond is Pomerol like?
Eva Green
- Sensuous texture, rich flavors, soft tannins
- Easy to pair with food
- Range from wines with bright red fruit to more hedonistic styles with truffles, plums and spice
- Lush, opulent, exotic, even decadent
- La Conseillante, Vieux Chateau Certan (La Gravette de Certan), Petrus, Nenin, Gazin.
What are the “Super Seconds” of St-Julien?
- Leoville Las cases
- Ducru-Beaucaillou
How much of St-Julien wines are classified?
80%
None are 1st growths.
What is the “zipcode” of Listrac-Medoc and Moulis-en-Medoc AOP?
00000
Nothing is classified, but seen as a good source of value.
What is the most famous Chateau in Listrac or Moulis?
Ch. Chasse-Spleen
What is the “zip code” of Margaux?
1-5-10-3-2
1 - 1st growth 5 - 2nd growths 10 - 3rd growths 3 - 4th growths 2 - 5th growths
Margaux AOP
The largest communal appellation, consisting of five villages with high percentage of clay in outlying soils.
What are the villages of Margaux?
- Soussans
- Margaux
- Cantenac
- Labarde
- Arsac
Croupes
Rolling mounds that give vineyards varying exposures
What classified chateau in Margaux draws attention (other than ch. Margaux)?
Chateau Palmer, 3rd growth. Out performs 2nd growths.
Boulbenes
The soil of graves; mixture of sand, gravel and light clay
What is the most famous chateau in Graves?
Haut-Brion
What happened in Graves in 1987?
Pessac-Leognan was created as sub apellation where the classified chateau are.
Does Graves AOP produce white wine?
Yes! About 25% of production is white.
What are the sweet wine regions in Graves?
- Sauternes
- Barsac
- Cerons
What are the grapes of the sweet wines in Graves?
- Semillon
- Sauv. Blanc
- Muscadelle
Pourriture Noble
Noble Rot/ Botrytis
- Botrytis mold may attack the grapes, dehydrating them so that sugar, acidity, and glycerol content are heightened
- Bouquet of honey, saffron, dried fruit and ginger spice
When was Sauternes AOP classified?
1855 with the othe Bordeaux Chateau.
What is the most famous Sauternes?
Chateau d’Yquem - the only one to achieve 1er Cru Superieur
What is the soil type on the Right Bank?
Mostly clay - Merlot LOVES clay
Which chateau on the Right Bank is the exception to the typical Cepage of merlot dominant wines?
Chateau Figeac in St-Emillon - Cab Sauv dominant
What is the typical cepage on the right bank?
Merlot: 70-80%
Cab Franc: 20-25%
Which region of Bordeaux has it’s own classification system?
St.-Emillon
Grand Cru Classe A
Grand Cru Classe B
reviewed every decade
St. Emillon Grand Cru AOP
- An appellation, not a classification
- Must show additional .5% alcohol and longer aging
What is the soil in Pomerol?
Iron rich clay, known as CRASSE DE FER
What are the Best Chateau of Pomerol?
- Chateau Petrus
- Vieux Chateau Certan
- Chateau Lafleur
- Chateau Le Pin
- Chateau Trotanoy
*on par with 1er cru wines in medoc.
Garagistes of Microchateau
Tiny new winemakers putting out incredible wines from a small property (boutique wines)
- Le Pin (Pomerol)
- Valandraud (St. Emillon)
- La Mondotte (St. Emillon)
What rivers border Sauternes AOP?
Garrone and Ciron
What are the satellite regions around St. Emillon and Pomerol?
- Lussac
- Saint-Georges
- Montagne
- Puisseguin
