Bordeaux Flashcards
What is a Second Wine?
- A second wine is produced from areas of vineyards deemed to be less good.
- From vines which have not reached full maturity
- Wines rejected at assemblage
When Was Cru Artisan established and how many Chateaux does it include?
- 19th Century (but fell into disuse)
- This was re-established in 2005 and is now a legal classification for 44 Chateaux
When was the Cru Bourgeois established?
1932 - with 444 Chateaux
- It was updated in 2003, when 247 chateaux were classified, however after much controversy it was annulled in 2007 for leaving out 200 chateaux and returned to the 1932 list.
How many classified growth chateaux are there?
61
Why do wines from the Medoc age well?
- High Tannin
- Strong Flavour
- High Acid
These mellow over maturation period
Flavours associated with good Medoc?
- Blackcurrant
- Cassis
- Cedar wood
- Graphite
- Pencil
- Pencil Shavings
- Wet leaf / Wet soil
What is the best soil in the Medoc?
Well-draining Alluvial gravel, deposited by glacial erosion of the last ice age.
What is Bordeaux red wine known as in the UK
Claret
What soil type is the Medoc?
Mainly gravel with some clay and limestone
When was the Haut-Medoc drained and who by?
17th century by Dutch engineers
How much of France’s premium wine does the Bordeaux region produce?
25%
How many acres is under vine in Bordeaux
310,000 Acres
128,000 Ha
What oak is used in Bordeaux?
French Limousin Oak
Limousin is a forest north of Bordeaux where the oak comes from.
What are the barrels used in Bordeaux called and how much wine can they hold?
Barriques
225L
What are the 3 major Bodies of water in Bordeaux
- Gironde Estuary
- Garonne River
- Dordogne River
True or False
You can only produce Red wine in Graves
False
Unlike Medoc & Haut-Medoc the Graves region has the perfect terroir to produce both red and white wine.
What are Boulbenes?
Mixture of sand, gravel and light clay soil
Found in Graves
3 Important facts on Graves
- Produces both Red and White wine
- Named after the gravely soil found in this area
- Situated south of Bordeaux along the banks of the Garonne River
3 Important facts on Pessac-Leognan
- Pessac-Leognan was granted its own AOC in the 80’s
- Historically produced the best wine with in Graves
- Home to First growth Chateau Haut-Brion
What us the Flavour profile of wine from Margaux?
Margaux wines are known to be Elegant and smooth with soft tannins and intense aromas.
What are the two lesser known AOC communes within the Haut-Medoc?
- Listrac
2. Moulis
Wines Labelled “Appellation Medoc controlee” were made in what part of the Medoc?
Most of the wines are made by Chateaux in the Bas-Medoc
What us the Dominant grape of the Medoc?
Cabernet Sauvignon
What are the 4 Premium AOC communes in the Haut-Medoc?
- Saint Estèphe
- Pauillac
- Saint Julien
- Margaux
4 Important Facts about Margaux
- Margaux is the most southern of the 4 most important regions in the Haut-Medoc
- Margaux wines are Cabernet Sauvignon Dominated
- Margaux has the most classified growth estates in the Haut-medoc.
- Is home to one of the original first growths of the 1855 classification - Chateau Margaux
What are the two major areas of the Medoc?
Bas-Medoc (Lower Medoc - North)
Haut-Medoc (Upper Medoc - South)
3 Important facts on Saint Estèphe
- Saint Estèphe is the most northern AOC within the Haut-medoc region.
- It is the least known and is home to far fewer classified growth estates
- Region produced some of the most age worthy wines in Bordeaux due to the powerful tannin structure they possess.
What can you expect from wines of Pauillac?
The wines from Pauillac are Powerful, full-flavoured and long lived.
3 Important facts on Pauillac
- Argued as the most important AOC in Haut-Medoc
- Home to 3 of the 5 first growths of the 1855 classification.
- Chateau Mouton-Rothschild
- Chateau Latour
- Chateau Lafite-Rothschild
- Almost ever acre is owned by a classified growth estate.
3 Important facts on Saint-Julien
- Located between Pauillac to the north and Margaux to the south and is the smallest AOC with in the 4 important AOC’s of Haut-Medoc
- Produces consistently top quality wine and is home to some of the most important classified growth chateaux in Bordeaux
- Cabernet Sauvignon is the dominant grape grown in Saint-Julien giving the wines great power and structure.
How many Chateau’s were classified into how many classifications in the 1885 classification?
58 chateaux were classified into 5 growths.
Over time some houses have split into two estates increasing the classified growth chateaux to 61.
Sauternes and Barsac were also classified in 1885.
How many Chateaux were classified and into how many classifications?
27 Chateaux into 3 levels of growth / crus.
What is the only premier grand cru exceptional chateau in Sauternes?
Chateau d’Yquem
Was was the date that Bordeaux’s Chateaux classified into growths / crus?
April 18th 1855
Name 4 Second growths?
Château Rausan-Ségla (Rauzan-Ségla) Margaux
Château Rauzan-Gassies Margaux
Château Léoville Las Cases St.-Julien
Château Léoville Poyferré St.-Julien
Château Léoville Barton St.-Julien
Château Durfort-Vivens Margaux
Château Gruaud-Larose St.-Julien
Château Lascombes Margaux
Château Brane-Cantenac Cantenac-Margaux (Margaux)
Château Pichon-Longueville Baron Pauillac
Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande (Pichon Longueville Lalande) Pauillac
Château Ducru-Beaucaillou St.-Julien
Château Cos-d’Estournel St.-Estèphe
Château Montrose St.-Estèphe
When was the only formal revision of the growth classification and what happened?
1973
Chateau Mouton-Rothschild was promoted form a second growth to a first growth after over a decade of fighting by the house.
What are the 4 original classified first growths?
- Chateau Latour
- Chateau Lafite-Rothschild
- Chateau Margaux
- Chateau Haut-Brion
Where is Bordeaux Located?
Bordeaux is located on the south-west Atlantic coast line of France.
What is the Bordeaux region named after?
Bordeaux is named after France’s 4th largest city (Bordeaux) which is at the heart of this region.
What is the climate in Bordeaux?
Maritime Climate
What are the two main grapes used to blend with Cabernet sauvignon in Left bank wines?
Merlot
Cabernet Franc
What are the 3 major wine making regions of the Left bank?
Medoc
Haut-Medoc
Graves
How many red and white grape varietals are permitted in Bordeaux?
14 red
3 white
What are the 5 main red grapes?
- Merlot
- Cabernet Sauvignon
- Cabernet Franc
- Malbec
- Petit Verdot
What are the 3 White grapes?
- Sauvignon Blanc
- Semillon
- Muscadelle
What is Cabernet sauvignon a blend of?
Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc
Why do wine makers blend cabernet sauvignon into Merlot & Cabernet Franc?
Helps to make the wines more robust
Why is Merlot blended into left bank wines?
Helps soften the tannins of cabernet sauvignon and adds ripe fruit character
What is muscadelle blended into wine for?
A minor blending grape which is sometimes added to white wine to add lifting floral notes.
What grape is also known as Cot?
Malbec
What does Carmenere contribute to a blend?
-adds colour, doftens tannin structure and adds red fruit and spice characteristics
What grape is also known as Grand Vidure?
Camenere
What is the length of the Medoc
50 miles along the Gironde Estuary
What is the length of the Haut-medoc?
25 miles along the Gironde Estuary
What is the best white wine from Pessac-Leognan?
Chateau Haut-brion Blanc
What is Sauternes known for?
Known for its sweet Late harvest, Botrytized wines.
True or False
Sauternes is only made in the best vintages, meaning some years no wine will be made at all
True.
True or False
There was only one dessert chateau granted premium grand cru exceptional status in the 1885 classification?
True.
Chateau d’Yquem is the only chateau granted this status in 1885 and to this date it has not changed.
It is argued that this is the most important wine made in Bordeaux, including red and white wines.
Where is the Right bank located?
The right bank is located north east of the Gironde estuary and the Dordogne river.
How are the soils on the right bank different to the soils on the left bank?
The soils on the right bank of Bordeaux contain more clay then the soils on the left bank.
Why is clay important in the soil?
Clay holds onto moisture more efficiently and provides a more fertile condition for grape vines.
What is the second major soil type of the Right bank?
Limestone
What is the dominant grape of the Right bank?
Merlot
What is the second most important grape of the Right Bank?
Cabernet Franc
What are the two most important AOC’s of the Right bank?
- Pomerol
2. Saint-Emilion
Name 3 eastern regions of the right bank, who exclusively produce red wine?
- Canon-Fronsac
- Fronsac
- Lalande-de-pomerol
Name two AOC’s in the west of the right bank that produce both red and white wines.
- Cote de Blaye
2. Cote de Bourg
What is the soil type in Pomerol?
Gravel,
As a region it has some hills but is remarkably flat.
Towards Libourne the soil tends to be sandy.
in the east and north where it joins saint-Émilion it is enriched with clay.
What is the dominant grape of Pomerol?
Merlot
What is the maximum blend of cabernet franc in Pomerol?
1/5th
What are Pomerol wines known for?
Pomerol is known for its richness and gentles and most instantly appealing red Bordeaux, with lush red fruit and less tannin
Who is responsible for the helping Pomerol wines get world recognition?
Jean-Pierre Moueix, wine merchant who settled in Libourne in 1930’s
What is the most important Chateau in Pomerol?
Chateau Petrus
What is the soil type of Petrus vineyards?
Blueish clay over well draining gravel.
What is the Climate in Saint-Émilion?
The climate in Saint-Émilion, like the rest of Bordeaux is Maritime, however due to its location further inland away from a large mass of water it is cooler than the Medoc.
What is the soil type in Saint-Émilion ?
The soils of Saint-Émilion are so varied.
On the plateaux of saint-Émilion the soil is mainly clay rich with limestone bedrock
out off the plateau and down the slopes towards pomerol the soils are gravel and alluvial based.
What is the dominant grape in Saint-emillion?
Merlot
What is Saint-Émilion named after?
Saint-Émilion is named after the the medieval village located in the centre of the appellation.
When did Saint-Émilion create its own classification system?
1958, it gets renewed roughly ever ten years
How many classifications are there in Saint-Émilion?
There are three Classifications.
- Premiers Grand Crus Classes A
- Premiers Grand Crus Classes B
- Grand Crus Classes
Who are the top producers in Saint-Emillion?
Chateau Cheval Blanc
Chateau Ausone
In 2012’s most recent review of the classification of saint -Émilion, 2 chateaux were promoted to be a premiere grand cru classes A, Who are they?
- Chateau Angelus
2. Chateau Pavie
Saint-Émilion has 4 satellite AOC’s, What are they?
- Lussac-Saint-Émilion
- Montagne-Saint-Émilion
- Puisseguin-Saint-Émilion
- Saint-George-Saint-Emilion
What is the translation for Entre-deux-Mers?
Between the seas
What bodies of water does the AOC entre-deux-mers lie between?
Dordogne River (north) Garonne River (south)
what are the two main grapes grown in the Entre-deux-mers?
Merlot
Sauvignon Blanc
What style of wine is labelled as “Appellation Entre-Deux-Mers Controlee”?
Dry, white wines
What will red wines be labelled as from Entre-Deux-Meres?
- Appellation Bordeaux Controlee
2. Appellation Bordeaux superior controlee
Where is the cru Classe in place?
in 1950’s in Graves to classify their wines.
No ranking system just simply a list of the best estates for red and white wines.
What is Botrytis Cinerea sometimes referred to as?
Noble Rot
What grape is most likely to be attached by noble rot?
Sémillon
What % of vines are planted to Sémillon in Sauternes?
80%
What does botrytis do to an infected grape?
The bacteria produces small holes in the grape skin, this causes the grapes to lose there water content, shrivelling up.
This results in the concentration of sugar and flavour within these grapes and produces flavours such as
- Honey
- Saffron
-Caramel
What is the second river that flows through sauternes?
River Ciron
What is a Trie?
a trie is a pass through the vineyard for picking grapes
What is Chateau d’Yquem’s dry white label called?
Chateau Ygrec
What is special about Chateau d’Yquem’s harvest?
- Hand Harvested
- Picked over 6-8 weeks
- Must weight of Apox. 360g/L (35° Brix)
- Average one glass of wine per vine (8hl/ha)
- In a bad vintage no wine is made, grapes are sold to négociants for blending.
What are the 5 communes in the sauternes/Barsac district?
- Sauternes
- Fargues
- Bommes
- Preignac
- Barsac
What can wines made in Barsac be labelled under?
Sauternes or Barsac AOC
What is the minimum ABV for wines from the sauternes regions AOC’s?
13% ABV
How many chateaus are in each classification in sauternes & barsac?
1 Premier Grand Cru Supérier
11 Premiers Crus
15 Deuxiemes Crus
What is the Cerons AOC/AOP?
This is a region in-between Sauternes & Graves.
It is known for reasonably priced sweet wine with a simular style to sauternes, using some botrytis’d grapes.
The AOC is only for sweet wines, the dry reds and whites from this region will be sold under the Graves AOC
Where is Lalande-de-pomerol AOC?
This district is larger than pomerol and is situated to the north.
Good red wine without reaching pomerol’s standards
What is Fronsac & Canon Fronsac AOC?
Fronsac produces fruity red wines in the style of Pomerol and Saint-Emilion but slightly lower quality.
Prodominalt grape is Merlot blended with cab franc and a little cab sav & malbec.
Bourg AOC?
Wines from Bourg have improved tremendiously over the last few years, with good quality red and white wines being produced.
Best known for red wines made from Merlot, blended with cab franc and little bits of cab sav & malbec.
What is Cote de Bordeaux AOC?
Appellation covers the old regions of Blaye, Cadillac, Cotes de Franc & cotes de Castillon
Blaye-Cotes de Bordeaux AOC?
Specializes in Dry white wine from Colombard, Ugni Blanc And sauvignon blanc.
Reds are produced with Bordeaux varieties, Merlot being dominant.
Cadillac-Cotes de Bordeaux AOC?
Cadillac-Cotes de Bordeaux is located within the Entre-Deux-Meres region.
Only Red wines are produced under this AOC
Castillon-Cotes de Bordeaux AOC?
Located East of Saint-Émilion, Red wines made from blended Bordeaux varieties with Merlot being dominant
Saint Macaire AOC?
South of Entre-Deux-Meres, Produces a very small amount of sweet white wine.
Haut-Benauge AOC?
Splits into 2 AOC
Bordeaux-Haut-Benauge AOC
Entre-Deux-Meres-Haut-Benauge AOC
Dry whites from 9 different surrounding communes
Graves de Veyres AOC?
Situated north of Entre-Deux-Meres immediately opposite Saint-Émilion, it is a very small area but produces good quality red and white wine.
White wines are permitted to contain up to 30% merlot blanc
