Bordeaux, France Flashcards
Bordeaux location/ geography/ climate and viticulture
Southwestern France, inland from Atlantic Ocean
Maritime, Bordeaux is located on the 45th parallel, climate is moderated by its waterways and proximity to Atlantic coast, weather is mild yet humid
Can suffer from rain and frost
Bordeaux geography and climate influences including the two rivers
Large pine forest along the coast protects from harsh storms and winds off the ocean
Two rivers garonne and dordogne meet north of the city of Bordeaux and form the gironde estuary which flows to the Atlantic
What are the three sections of Bordeaux and how is it divided
Left bank- west of the two rivers
Right bank- east and north of the two rivers
Entre-deux- Mers- between the two rivers
Grape verities of Bordeaux (white)
Sauvignon blank
Semillon
Muscadelle (small quantities)
Grape verities of Bordeaux (red)
Merlot Cabernet Sauvignon Cabernet franc Petit Verdot- small quantities Malbec - allowed but rarely seen Caremenere- allowed but rarely seen
Grape blend of medic communes left bank
70/30 cab Sauvignon/merlot
Also can franc and petit Verdot
Usually aged in French oak
Grape blends of saint Emilio and pomerol right bank
70/30 merlot /cab Sauvignon
Some French oak barrel aging
Grapes blends from Graves( passacaglia-leognan) left bank and entre-deux-mers
80/20 Sauvignon blanc/ semillion
Grape blends from sautern and nervy communs
80/20 semillion/ Sauvignon blanc
Muscadelle(small percentage)
Many are aged in new French oak
AOP’s of Bordeaux
Medoc (left bank) Graves (left back) Entre- deux- mers Saint - emillion (right bank) Pomerol(right bank)
What is Bordeaux’s most renowned red wine region?
Medoc
Medoc soil, grape varieties
Gravel- great moisture draining properties perfect for Cabernet Sauvignon
Ride wine only cab Sauvignon based blends
Medoc AOP’s
Sub regions
Medoc
Haut- Medoc
Commune Saint- estephe Pauillac Saint Julian Margaux
Graves grape varieties and soil
Soil- gravel
White- Sauvignon blanc, semillon
Red- Cabernet Sauvignon, merlot, Cabernet frank
Graves AOP’s
Passac- leognan
Sauternes
Entre -deux-mers soil, grape verities, and vinification
Soil- very fertile silt
White- Sauvignon blanc, semillon, Muscadelle
Vinification- dry white only, little to no oak
Saint emillion soil and grape verities
Soil- large bed of silt, clay and gravel
Limestone plateau. Sand
Merlot, Cabernet franc
Pomerol soil and grape varieties
Soil- sand, clay, gravel, subsoil of iron pan and rich clay
Grape- merlot and Cabernet franc based blends
Which is concidered the most important grape variety in Medoc
Cabernet Sauvignon
What soil in Bordeaux is most suitable for Cabernet Sauvignon
Gravel
In what year were the wines of Medoc first classified
1855
Where is chateau hair- brion located
Passac-leognan
Which region produces only dry white AOP wines
Entre-deux-mers
What grape typically dominates the wines of pomerol
Merlot
Which area of Bordeaux is best known for not having a classification of its chateau
Pomerol
Why were the French wines of Bordeaux better known internationally thank most other French wines
The proximity to the Atlantic plus the wide Gironde estuary was large enough for ships to sail inland into the region for international trade
Describe the difference between how the wines of Bordeaux and burgundy are classified
Bordeaux- classified by chateau or producer
Burgundy- classified based on land and vineyard terroir
List the 5 first growths of the 1855 classification of the Medoc
Chateau lafite Rothschild Chateau latour Chateau margaux Chateau haut-brion Chateau mouton Rothschild
Margaux location and wine style
Left bank
Dry red
Pomerol location and wine style
Right bank
Dry red
Sauternes location and wine style
Left bank
Sweet white
Passac- leognan location and wine style
Left bank
Dry white
Entre - deux- mers location and wine style
In between the two rivers
Dry white
