Bordeaux Flashcards
Bordeaux climate
Moderate
Gulf stream
Gulf stream effect Bordeaux
Extends growing season
Spring frosts rarely problem
Ripening into October
Atlantic effect Bordeaux
High levels of rain and humidity
Bordeaux vintage variation management
Top chateaux reject unhealthy or unripe grapes
Bordeaux grape varieties
13 allowed/Dominated by 3 black and 2 white
Blends almost necessary to deal with vintage variation
Bordeaux black varieties
Cabernet Sauvignon
Cabernet Franc
Merlot
Petit Verdot
Cabernet Sauvignon (Bordeaux)
Haut-Medoc, Bas-Medoc, Graves
Likes high stone and gravel soils in left bank (high enough temperature to ripen CS)
Cabernet Franc (Bordeaux)
Mostly Saint Emilion
Less body and tannin than CS
Prefers well drained warm soils
Herbaceous flavors when unripe
Fruit and floral when ripe
Merlot (Bordeaux)
Most widely planted variety
Saint Emilion and Pomerol
Good in cool clay soil
Softness = good in high volume inexpensive wine
Petit Verdot (Bordeaux)
Very hot years
Deep color
High tannins
Slow aging
Mainly used for tannin, color, or spicy notes
Bordeaux blending time
Usually in spring following vintage
Some keep different parcel separate until after maturation
Sémillon (Bordeaux)
Most important sweet
Blended with SB in Pessac Leognan and Graves to add body
Sauvignon Blanc (Bordeaux)
Citrus and green fruit aroma
Increasingly single variety wines
Adds acidity in blends
Muscadelle (Bordeaux)
Grapey and floral flavor
Blending partner
Low end Bordeaux whites
Fresh and fruity
Temp controlled inert vessels
Minimum aging
Some have toasty oak notes
Premium whites Pessac Leognan
Ferm and Mat in new oak
Rich
Concentrated nuttiness over fruit
Number of Bordeaux appellations
> 50
Crus Bourgeois
Non 1855 chateaux
Awarded for a specific vintage, not chateau itself
Graves classification
All called crus classes
No rankings
All crus classes within Pessac Leognan
Saint Emilion classification
In appellation system
Saint Emilion crus classe and Saint Emilion Grand Cru
Saint Emilion Grand Cru
Two levels
SE Grand Cru Classe
SE Premier Grand Cru Classe
Generic Bordeaux appellations
Bordeaux AOP
Bordeaux Supérieur AOP
Diff between Bordeaux and Bordeaux Supérieur
BS has higher minimum ABV
Bordeaux rose appellations
Bordeaux Rosé
Bordeaux Clairet
Bordeaux AOP and BS AOP typical style
Early drinking
Medium bodied
Ripe red and black fruit
Sometimes cedar from oak
Bordeaux Rosé typical style
Fresh and fruity
Clairet
Rose with deeper color from longer maceration
Fuller body
Popular in France
White Bordeaux typical style
Sauvignon Blanc
Vibrant grassy character
Médoc soil
Mostly clay with some gravel
Medoc typical style
Higher Merlot than other Left Bank
Early drinking
Best Haut Medoc communes
Saint Estephe
Pauillac
Saint Julien
Margaux
Haut Medoc typical style
High CS
Blackcurrant with cedar from oak
Grippy tannins when young
Long aging potential
Pessac Leognan typical style
CS (from gravel)
Lighter and more fragrant than Haut Medoc
Graves typical style
Similar to PL
Less concentrated and complex
More Merlot
Saint Emilion soils
Warm, well drained gravel and limestone (Plateau north and west of SE)
Clay limestone (Escarpment to south and east)
Sandy (foot of escarpment)
Premium Saint Emilion typical style
Medium to high tannin
Soft and rich mouthfeel
Red berry and plum
Tobacco and cedar as evolve
Pomerol typical style
Richer and spicier than SE
Blackberry
Vin de garage
Right Bank
Full bodied and incredibly ripe
Tiny quantities from small plots
Garagistes
Cotes de Bordeaux appellations
Blaye
Cadillac
Castillon
Francs
Cotes de Bordeaux typical style
Merlot based
Early drinking
Premieres Cotes de Bordeaux
Sweet wine
Not part of CdB
Entre Deux Mers style
Only whites
Unoaked SB
Pessac Leognan typical white style
Blend of SB and Semillon
Some new oak
Medium to full body
Toasty flavors
Passerillage
Leaving grapes on vine to dry and concentrate flavors
