Bordeaux : Environment and Grape Growing

Question 1

Bordeaux: Climate

Answer 1

• maritime climate, moderate
• warm Gulf stream is a warming influence \
• plentiful rainfall 950mm throughout the growing season to promote growth
• Rain at key moments
• • rain at flowering can result in poor fruit set
• -rain throughout growing season can increase disease pressure
• -Rain at veraison cna lead to unripe fruit and disease / fungal
• -rain at harvest can dilute flavours
• Best years result in balance of tannins, sugar and acid
• Left bank is protectd from the Atlantic storms by the Landes forest - north in Medoc, less so and more exposed to ocean influence = cooler
• Lately, rainfall is less and hjot dry summers lead to wines that lack acidity and balance
• Also more alcohol as growers wait to pick ( phenolic ripeness )
• Right banks has less maritime influence
• From time to time , large areas are affected by frost eg. 1956, 1991, **2017 ** and crops were decimated- 33 % less wine made leading to financial implications for the wine business
• Hail is always sporadic and can also be destructive
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Question 2

Bordeaux : Soils

Answer 2

** Left bank - Medoc to the city of Graves in the south
** GRAVEL (heat retaining ) AND STONY (some mixed with sand and clay ) carried to the region from the floodwaters of the Pyrenees
* Margaux 32m high gravel mounds
* All top estates have Coupes or gravel mounds - drains well and leaves the roots to dry out
* 2003-2005 had vines stress from drought - Pomerol had vine stress in 2016 from very dry summer
* Pockets of Clay esp. in St- Estephe means robust but not as a elegant as those grown on gravel

• Right bank - Clay and patches of gravel in certain areas
  Merlot is suited to these soils
  Ripens in almost all vinatges
  Best wines are from the limestone plateau in Pomerol

Question 3

Bordeaux : Merlot

Answer 3

• Early budding - spring frost , Mid Ripening
• Susceptible to coloure, drought and botrytis bunch rot - reducing yields
• Can ripen in almost all climates - dominant variey in the right bank and cooler north Medoc (more fertile and clay soils )
• Water holding clay creates large berry with high sugar levels that transaltes to higher abv
• Wines are medium to pronounced fruits if strawberry, plum and herbaceous in cooler years
• Blackberry and Black plum in warmer years
• Medium tannins, Med-high abv %

Question 4

Bordeaux: Cabernet Sauvignon

Answer 4

• Late budding, late ripening making susceptible to autum rains
• Small berries with thick skins with high tannins
• Prone to fungal disease, trunk and powdery mildew
• Eutypa and Esca
• Best on warm, well drained soils sucha s Gravel
• Adds Violet, blackcurrant and black cherry, menthol and herbaceous flavours
• Medium Abv % , high acid, high tannins =full body
• Blended with Merlot and Cab fRanc when unripe

Question 5

Bordeaux : Petit Verdot

Answer 5

• Buds early (spring frost) , ripens the latest making it unpopular due to rains in autumn
• Best in warmer parts of Medocc
• Used up to 5% in the blend to add deep colour ,spice and tannins
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Question 6

Bordeaux: Semilllon

Answer 6

• Mid ripening, susceptible to botryitis and to noble rot
• high yielding
• Low intensity apple, lemon and grassy , medium body, medium to med + acid, good with vanilla and spice from new oak
• In high quality whites, its adds weight body, and medium acid
• softens SB
• In botyritis wines, it adds honey, waxy, dried lemon peach
• Top Sauternes have a high amount of Semillon eg. Ch Climens or d’Yquem
• Prized for ageing to toast and honeyed notes with age.
• SB can hold but does not evolve .
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