Bordeaux Fundamentals Flashcards
In which part of France do you find Bordeaux?
South West
Does Bordeaux have a cool, moderate or warm climate?
Moderate
What is the term for the main wine made by a Bordeaux château?
Grand Vin
Is rainfall in Bordeaux high, low or moderate?
High
Which Bordeaux ‘bank’ has predominantly free draining soils consisting of gravel over a base of marl and flint?
Left Bank
What is the scientific name for noble rot?
Botrytis cinerea
Do Bordeaux’s sweet white wines typically have high or low alcohol?
High alcohol
Are Bordeaux’s sweet white wines usually light, medium or full bodied?
Full bodied
What is a barrique?
A small oak barrel used for ageing wine
What color wine is made under the generic appellation of Bordeaux Clairet?
Rosé
What is the unabbreviated version of AOC?
Appellation d’Origine Controlée
What is the unofficial English term for red wines from Bordeaux?
Claret
Which wine is deeper in color, Bordeaux Clairet or Bordeaux Rosé?
Bordeaux Clairet
What kind of oak is generally used in Bordeaux wine production?
French oak
What is meant by the term ‘second wine’?
A secondary label for wines that are made one grade down from a châteaux’s Grand Vin
What affect does oak ageing have on the color of Sauternes’ sweet white wines?
Darkens and intensifies the color to shades of deep gold
What does it mean if a wine is sold ‘en primeur’?
Some classed growths are sold as wine futures before being bottled and released onto the market
In total, how many hectares of vines does Bordeaux have?
120,000 hectares
What does the term Grand Vin tell you about a wine?
It is the main wine made by a châteaux
What is the common name for botrytris cinerea?
Noble rot
What is the term of a small oak barrel used for ageing wine?
A barrique
What is the term for wines that are made one grade down from a châteaux’s Grand Vin?
Second wine
What is the term when some classed growths are sold as wine futures before bottling?
En Primeur
Name the two rivers that run through the Bordeaux region
The Garonne and the Dordogne
In which Left Bank region would you find the ACs: Saint-Estephe, Pauillac, Saint-Julien and Margaux
Haut-Médoc
Which Bordeaux ‘bank’ has soil made predominantly from clay, sand and limestone?
Right Bank
What is the trade structure of Bordeaux known as?
La Place de Bordeaux
How many liters should a Bordeaux barrique hold?
225 liters
Cru Bourgeois is a quality classification term for red wines produced in which of Bordeaux’s wine regions?
Médoc
Meritage is a trade-marked name for wines made in the style of a Bordeaux blend but is only legally available to be used on labels by wineries who join the Meritage Alliance. In which country would you find the Meritage Alliance?
United States of America
According to the 2012 classification, how many Grand Cru Classés are in Saint-Émilion?
64 Grand Cru Classés
Who commissioned the 1855 Classification?
Emperor Napoleon III
What is a tonneau?
A barrel used in Bordeaux that holds 900 liters, or the equivalent to four barriques
What does INAO stand for?
Institut National des Appellations d’Origine
What is the French national body responsible for appellations and quality classifications?
INAO - Institut National des Appellations d’Origine
Blaye, Premières Côtes de Bordeaux, Côtes de Franc and Côtes de Castillon are found in which Right Bank region?
Côtes de Bordeaux
Which is Bordeaux’s most widely planted grape variety?
Merlot
Which additional quality classification for Médoc wines was introduced in 1932?
Cru Bourgeois
What trade-marked wines are made outside of Bordeaux but modeled on the region’s blends and styles known as?
Meritage wines
What is the name for a Bordeaux barrel that holds 900 liters (four barriques)?
Tonneau
What soil type does the Right Bank predominantly have?
Clay, sand and limestone
What soil type does the Left Bank predominantly have?
Free draining soils consisting of gravel over a base of marl and flint
What’s the Bordeaux Wine Official Classification of 1855 about?
The wines were ranked in importance from first to fifth growths (crus). All of the red wines that made it on the list came from the Médoc region except for one: Château Haut-Brion from Graves. The white wines, then of much less importance than red wine, were limited to the sweet varieties of Sauternes and Barsac and were ranked only from superior first growth to second growth.
What are the different Cru Classifications of Bordeaux?
- Crus Artisans: Small artisan producers of the Médoc
- Crus Bourgeois: For producers in the Médoc based on quality assessment of regional character
- Crus Classés de Graves: A classification of producers in Graves from 1953 (amended in 1959)
- Crus Classés de Saint-Émilion: A classification of top quality producers in Saint-Émilion that is revisited every 10 years.
- Crus Classés de 1855: A 5-tier classification of producers in Médoc and Graves (and sweet wines from Sauternes and Barsac) from 1855. One producer moved up a tier in 1973.
What are the First Growths (Premiers Crus) of the Bordeaux Classification of 1855?
- Château Lafite, now Château Lafite Rothschild, Pauillac
- Château Latour, Pauillac
- Château Margaux, Margaux
- Haut-Brion, now Château Haut-Brion, Pessac - Léognan, Graves
- Mouton now Château Mouton Rothschild, Pauillac (elevated in 1973)
