Bordeaux Breakdown Flashcards
Key Developments in the History of Bordeaux
In 1855 a major commercial exhibition, the Exposition Universelle de Paris, was to take place. The Bordeaux chamber of commerce asked the region’s brokers to compile a classification of the wines. This was based on price, and the estates of the Médoc plus Haut Brion in Graves were classed into five bands, those of Sauternes into three.
The area under vine in Bordeaux is enormous, with some 111,000 hectares planted. However, the great majority of wine produced is only entitled to the modest Bordeaux or Bordeaux Supérieur appellations and are inexpensive to mid-price. 70 per cent of all bottled wines are inexpensive or mid-priced and 30 per cent are premium or super-premium priced
The Growing Environment and Grape Growing
Top planted grapes: Merlot (early budding, mid ripening), Cabernet Sauvignon (late budding, late ripening), Cabernet Franc (early budding, mid ripening), Semillon (mid ripening, thin skins), Sauvignon blanc (late budding, early ripening), other reds, other whites.
The region has a moderate maritime climate. The Left Bank is partially protected from Atlantic storms by extensive Landes pine forest. In the northern Médoc, the forest is less of a feature and the landscape is more open to maritime influence.
Rainfall is variable, an average of 950 mm a year
In the Médoc, the most prestigious wines tend to be close to the Gironde estuary, which has a moderating influence on the climate and often protects those vines from frost, while those located a mile or two to the west can be devastated. Hail, which is always sporadic, has been more widespread and destructive over the past decade.
The Left Bank – that is, the Médoc to the north of Bordeaux and Graves to its south – benefits from deposits of gravel and stony soils carried to the region by floodwaters from the Pyrenees and the Massif Central. Highest croupes in Margaux (32m). Gravel, unlike clay, drains well, so even after the showers and storms, to which the Left Bank is prone, the roots of the vines soon dry out and the grapes can continue to ripen. In extremely hot years, such as 2003 and 2005, the excellent drainage can put some vines at risk of drought stress. Also, stones retain their warmth and continue gradually to release it upwards onto the vines, facilitating their slow ripening.
On the Right Bank there is far more clay in the soil, although there are significant patches of gravel in certain sectors of the Libournais. The best wines come from grapes grown on the limestone plateau or the gravel section that borders Pomerol.
top quality vineyards is closely spaced vines at 10,000 vines per hectare, vines being planted one metre apart with one metre between the rows. vines for basic Bordeaux AOC are typically planted at 3–4,000 vines per hectare.
Most common training is head-trained, replacement cane- pruned, in which canes are trained along wires. On the Left Bank, two canes are trained, called Double Guyot. The single-cane Single Guyot is more common on the Right Bank. Another method, cordon-trained, spur-pruned rare but also used.
canopy management is important to reduce the incidence of downy mildew, powdery mildew and botrytis bunch rot.
Winemaking
red winemaking - Fermentation takes place in closed vats with pump-overs as the usual practice. Most properties used cultured yeast for its reliability. Fermentation vessels include wood, stainless steel and concrete. All are fitted with temperature control. Fermentation temperatures and the extent of post-fermentation maceration on the skins depends on the style of the wine to be made and the quality of the vintage
There are two approaches to blending. Most estates, especially those that opt to present their wines in the spring for the en primeur tastings blend over the winter. A minority of estates blend a few months before bottling.
Two styles of rosé are now made in Bordeaux, the deeper coloured, traditional Clairet and a lighter coloured rosé. The main varieties used are Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. In the past wines were made either from younger vines or by the short maceration and bleeding off method. Here the rosé is a by-product of red wine production in which the main aim is to produce deeper coloured red musts and wines. The newer style lighter coloured rosé is more likely to be made by direct pressing.
white winemaking - Wines intended for early drinking are generally fermented at cool fermentation temperatures in stainless-steel tanks. Inexpensive wine may then remain in the tanks for a few months before being clarified and bottled. Mid-priced wines are often left on the fine lees for 6– 12 months, which will give them more weight and complexity. Higher quality wines are fermented and aged in barriques, with a varying proportion of new oak. Many producers block the malolactic conversion to retain freshness and acidity. It used to be common for the fine lees to be regularly stirred (bâtonnage) to enrich the wines further.
sweet winemaking - Low yields and the reduction in juice created by botrytis mean that many estates do not achieve the low 25 hL/ha maximum allowed in the top appellations, Sauternes and Barsac. Below 10 hL/ha is common at the very top estates. Top-quality wines are typically barrel-fermented (for the best integration of oak and fruit flavours) with a high proportion of new oak and barrel-aged (for 18–36 months for top wines) to encourage a gentle oxidation that will add complexity
Key Appellations, Wine Law and Regulations
65 appellations in Bordeaux. Permitted red grapes are mainly Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Carmenère, Malbec, Merlot and Petit Verdot.
Generic Appellations are Bordeaux AOC and Bordeaux supérieur AOC. These two appellations together account for 50 per cent of all wine produced in Bordeaux. Red wines typically merlot based. red, rosé and white wines allowed.
Left Bank - Medoc AOC and Haut Medoc AOC. situated on the left bank of the Gironde to the north of the city of Bordeaux. Both of these appellations are for red wine only and maximum yield is 55 hL/ha. Individual communes - Saint Estephe (rustic, cooler climate), Pauillac (structured, cru classé wine around 85 per cent of production), Saint Julien, Margaux (perfumed and silky). Also Listrac Medoc and Moulis. How many premier cru? Name the 1st growths in each region.
Left Bank - Graves AOC for white and red wines. Graves Superieures for sweet botrytized and late harvest whites only. Pessac Leognan AOC for red and whites.
Entre-Deux-Mers AOC - white only. red labeled as Bordeaux/Bordeaux Supérieur AOC
Right Bank - Saint Emilion AOC and Saint Emilion grand Cru AOC (red only, lower yields and longer maturation for Grand Cru), Saint Emilion Satellites (Montage, Lussac, red wine only), Pomerol AOC (red grapes only), Lalande de Pomerol AOC (satellite, slightly higher yields than Pomerol), Cotes de Bordeaux AOC (blaye, franc, castillon, cadillac, lower yields if name appended, red and white grapes allowed), Cotes de Bourg AOC (has 10% Malbec grape plantings)
Sweet wine appellations - Sauternes AOC, Barsac AOC. The cold Ciron River with the warmer Garonne River, promoting morning mists. Sauternes is the largest sweet wine appellation in Bordeaux, accounting for 50 per cent of all production. Sweet white wine is also produced in Sainte-Croix-du-Mont AOC and Loupiac AOC (maximum yields, 40 hL/ ha) and Premières Côtes de Bordeaux AOC (maximum yield, 45 hL/ha)
Classification Systems
1855 classification - 60 rated cru. 1-5th growths. based on price, hasn’t changed (except Mouton Rothschild in 1973.) Ch. d’Yquem being awarded a special category of its own, Premier Cru Supérieur.
Graves Classification - based on pricing, fame and quality
as judged by tasting. Altogether there are 16 classified châteaux, for their red, white or both, all located within the sub region of Pessac Léognan. Created in 1959.
The Saint-Émilion classification - only for the Saint-Emilion Grand Cru AOC. Levels are premier grand cru A, premier grand cru B, and grand cru classe. The classification dates back to 1955 and has been revised at approximately 10-yearly intervals ever since. judged on their terroir, methods of production, reputation and commercial considerations and a blind tasting of at least 10 vintages
The Crus Bourgeois du Médoc classification - created in 1932. a level below Cru Classé, but still of superior quality. individual wines rather than to châteaux. A mark of quality based on an assessment of both production methods and the finished product. Any property in the Médoc may apply. From the 2018 vintage on, châteaux will be classified as one of three tiers of quality (as was done in the past): Cru Bourgeois, Cru Bourgeois Supérieur and Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnel, and this classification will last for five years.
Wine Business
over 7,000 estates mostly called châteaux. The average estate size has been rising and is now over 19 hectares. Co-operatives responsible for a quarter of production from 40 per cent of grape growers
Production costs for Bordeaux AOC, a Médoc estate and a classed growth are significantly different: €0.57, €2.35 and €16 per bottle.
The total value of Bordeaux wine sales in 2018 was more than €4 billion, split more or less evenly between France and exports. 56 per cent of Bordeaux wine by volume was sold within France, with 48 per cent of that being sold in supermarkets The top export markets by value were Hong Kong, China, USA and UK.
