Bordeaux AOCs Flashcards
Bordeaux AOC
Wine Styles: Dry White, Rose, Red, Light Red, Semi-Sweet Wine
Sweetness: Semi-Sweet White between 0,5-6% (5-60g/l)
Grape Varieties:
White: [P] Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, Muscadelle [S] Colombard, Merlot Blanc, Ugni Blanc, Alvarinho, Liliorila
Rose: [P] Sauvignon Gris
Red: [P]Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Cot, Carmenere [S] Arinarnoa, Castets, Marselan, Touriga Nacional
Bordeaux AOC is the large, region-wide appellation for dry whites, semi-sweet whites, roses, light reds (clairet) and reds.
Whites are primarily Sauvignon Blanc or Sauvignon / Semillon Blends. All white varieties except for Alvarinho can be used in semi-sweet white wines. Roses are made from the red varieties with the possible addition of Semillon and/or the Sauvignons. They are always dry. Light reds, or clairets, are made from red varieties only.
Reds are also only made from red varieties, with most being Merlot-based. The wines have a light tannic structure and are best enjoyed upon release.
Haut-Benauge is a slender strip of land in the Entre-deux-Mers sub-region that runs parallel to the Garonne. Haut-Benauge is also a DGC, a specific area under Bordeaux AOC that makes dry and semi-sweet whites largely from Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc.
Bordeaux Superieur AOC
Wine Styles: Red, Semi-Sweet Wine
Minimum Sweetness: Semi-Sweet White 1.7% (17g/l)
Grape Varieties:
White: [P] Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, Muscadelle [S] Colombard, Merlot Blanc, Ugni Blanc, Liliorila
Rose: [P]Sauvignon Gris
Red: [P] Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Cot, Carmenere [S] Arinarnoa, Castets, Marselan, Touriga Nacional
The Bordeaux Superieur appellation must adhere to stricter production standards than the Bordeaux AOC, such as lower maximum yield and a higher minimum alcohol level. Red wine must be aged until June 15th of the year after harvest. Whites must fall into the moelleux (semi-sweet) category and must be made from at least 70% of the primary white varieties. There is no dry white Bordeaux Superieur, which is why Alvarinho is not allowed in the AOC.
As a general rule, the fruit designated for Bordeaux Superieur hails from special parcels and/or older vines than the fruit going into the Bordeaux AOC. This is not to say that the fruit is “old vine” fruit; it is simply that the vineis are older than those being used for the Bordeaux AOC. Sometimes, red and white Bordeaux Superieur is given a stint in oak. All Bordeaux Superieur must be estate-bottled.
Cremant de Bordeaux AOC
Wine Styles: Sparkling White, Sparkling Rose
Grape Varieties:
White: [P]Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, Muscadelle [S] Colombard Merlot Blanc, Ugni Blanc
Rose: [P]Sauvignon Gris
Red: [P]Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Cot, Carmenere
Although sparkling wine has been made in Bordeaux for over 100 years, it only received official AOC status in 1990. Cremants can be white or rose. White cremant must be made from at least 70% of the primary varieties including the Bordeaux region’s major red grapes when vinified as blanc de noirs. Rose is made from red varieties only.
The Medoc
The sub-region of Medoc encompasses a triangular peninsula to the north of the city of Bordeaux. The vineyards are located in a narrow swath along the left bank of the Gironde Estuary, and they enjoy the temperature-moderating effects of this body of water as well as that of the Atlantic. For the most part, soils are gravel mounds atop limestine; Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot dominate plantings.
All the Medoc AOCs are:
Wine Styles: Red
Grape Varieties:
Red: [P] Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot [S] Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Cot, Carmenere
Medoc AOC
Wine Styles: Red
Grape Varieties:
Red: [P] Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot [S] Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Cot, Carmenere
Medoc AOC is located in the north of the Medoc Peninsula. There are a wife variety of terroirs here, but in general, there is more clay and limestone and less gravel. For this reason, Merlot dominates plantings. Approximately 40% of the Medoc Peninsula’s entire production is made here.
Haut-Medoc AOC
Wine Styles: Red
Grape Varieties:
Red: [P] Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot [S] Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Cot, Carmenere
The Haut-Medoc AOC covers the southern 2/3 of the Medoc Peninsula, in between the other named communes. The soils are gravels atop various subsoils. Because Haut-Medoc runs for 60km, there can be many mesoclimates the growing environments. As a rule, wine quality is high and offers good value.
Saint-Estephe AOC
Wine Styles: Red
Grape Varieties:
Red: [P] Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot [S] Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Cot, Carmenere
The soil of Saint-Estephe has higher percentage of clay than its southern neighbors. It is also a little windier and cooler. For these reasons, there is a higher percentage of Merlot in the Cabernet Sauvignon-dominant blend (relative to other communes of the Medoc). The higher percentage of Merlot helps to soften a wine that would otherwise be quite hard and tannic upon release.
Pauillac AOC
Wine Styles: Red
Grape Varieties:
Red: [P] Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot [S] Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Cot, Carmenere
Pauillac AOC is blessed with gravelly soil with excellent nature drainage. The blends are Cabernet Sauvignon-dominant, and the grapes ripe fully, delivering powerful, structured wines with tremendous ageability and a benchmark note of dusty cocoa. Pauillac has more classified growths (17) than any other commune in the Medoc.
Saint-Julien AOC
Wine Styles: Red
Grape Varieties:
Red: [P] Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot [S] Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Cot, Carmenere
Wine critic Robert Parker called Saint-Julien the Medoc’s most underrated commune. It is a well-drained area of gravel mounds over subsoils of clay, marl, gravel and iron-pan. Cabernet Sauvignon dominates the blend and expresses itself as chocolate and cherry here. Many consider Saint-Julien to be the most “Californian” of the Medoc communes.
Margaux AOC
Wine Styles: Red
Grape Varieties:
Red: [P] Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot [S] Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Cot, Carmenere
Margaux is the most southerly of the Medoc communes. Here, the gravels vary in size and composition. There is more sand in the subsoil, which is quick to warm but not very water-retentive. Wines from here are considered the most delicate, perfumed and elegant of all the Medoc communes.
Listrac-Medoc AOC
Wine Styles: Red
Grape Varieties:
Red: [P] Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot [S] Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Cot, Carmenere
The name “Listrac” means “fringe” or “edge,” which describes this AOC’s location at the edge of the vineyard landscape where it meets the forest. Soils here have more clay, sands and limestone, and so Merlot is the perdominant variety in the blend. Wines from Listrac are heavier and denser with less fragrance than wines from other Medoc communes. They benefit from a few years in the cellar.
Muolis-en-Medoc / Moulis AOC
Wine Styles: Red
Grape Varieties:
Red: [P] Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot [S] Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Cot, Carmenere
Moulis has quite varied soils and subsoils with a higher content of clay and marls. Like Listrac, its climate is less moderated than other communes because of its distance from the Gironde. Wines are primarily Merlot-based and full-bodied. They also express themselves best with a little age.
Graves AOC
Wine Styles: Dry White, Red
Grape Varieties:
White: [P] Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, Muscadelle
Rose: [S] Sauvignon Gris
Red: [P] Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot [S] Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Carmenere, Cot
Graves AOC produces red blends based on Cabernet Sauvignon and whites based on Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon. 85% of production here is red. Whites can be oaked or non-oaked; the blend varies from chateau to chateau.
Graves Superieures AOC
Wine Styles: Semi-Sweet White
Minimum Sweetness: 3.4% (34g/l)
Grape Varieties:
White: [P] Semillon, Sauvignon Blanc, Muscadelle
Rose: [S] Sauvignon Gris
Graves Superieures AOC produces semi-sweet white wines with grapes concentrated through the action of noble rot of passerillage.
Pessac-Leognan AOC
Wine Styles: Dry White, Red
Grape Varieties:
White: [P] Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, Muscadelle
Rose: [S] Sauvignon Gris
Red: [P] Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot [S] Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Carmenere, Cot
Once a part of the Graves AOC, Pessac-Leognan received its own AOC in 1987. This is the northernmost portion of Graves, and it produces noteworthy Cabernet Sauvignon-based reds from grapes grown on deep gravel soils. Many of these reds possess a unique hint of clove on the finish. The whites are based on Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon, and they often see oak. Their crisp acidity keeps them aging gracefully for a decade or two.
Sauterns AOC
The soils of the Sauternes appellation are diverse, but generally comprise sand, gravel, clay, marl and limestone. 2/3 of the appellation is planted to Semillon and 1/3 to Sauvignon Blanc. Muscadelle has largely fallen out of favor. Yields are just 25hl/ha.
The wines are sweet and voluptuous, complex and concentrated and have great aging ability. Flavor of young wines may be of apricot, pineapple, honey and almond, whereas aged wines typically display apricot, grilled pineapple, spice and nuts.
Dry whites are often branded with the first letter of the chateau name (e.g. Y (pronounced “ee-grek”) from Chateau d’Yquem).