Bordeaux Geography/Regulation/Production Flashcards
Biggest AOP of Médoc in terms of plantings (ha) and volume (hl)
Margaux AOP - 1490 ha - 60 900 hl
Médoc AOP’s from North to South
- Médoc
- St-Estèphe
- Pauillac
- Saint-Julien
- Haut-Médoc*
- Listrac-Médoc
- Moulis
- Margaux
- Haut-Médoc*
Name the AOP’s of Graves
- Graves
- Graves Supérieur
- Pessac-Léognan
- Cérons
- Barsac
- Sauternes
Name the AOP’s of Entre-Deux-Mers
- Entre-Deux-Mers
- Cadillac
- Graves de Vayres
- Loupiac
- Côtes de Bordeaux-Saint-Macaire
- Sainte-Croix-du-Mont
Name the AOP’s of the Right Bank
- Saint-Émilion
- Saint-Émilion Grand Cru
- Lussac-St-Émilion
- Montagne-St-Émilion
- Puisseguin-St-Émilion
- Saint-Georges-St-Émilion
- Pomerol
- Lalande-de-Pomerol
- Canon Fronsac
- Fronsac
Latitude of Bordeaux City
Roughly at 45th latitudinal ine
Climate of Médoc
Maritime
What moderates the climate of Médoc
- Atlantic and Gironde
- Landes Forest
Climate challenge for Médoc
- Humidity & Mold
- Frost at budbreak & Flowering
Most planted varietal of Médoc
- Cabernet Sauvignon - 49,7%
- Merlot - 44,3%
- Cabernet Franc - 3,7%
- Petit Verdot - 2,1%
- Malbec & Carmenère - 0,2%
What is Garonnaise Gravel
- Gravel beds formed from increases in water flows
What is Pyrenean Gravel
- Alluvial gravels from the Pyreness
Style of St-Estèphe
- Nothernmost commune
- Sturdy and Full-bodied : Tannic, austere, rugged
- Touch more Merlot due to higher clay with the gravel
- No 1st growth, only 5 classified growths overall
- 1229 ha
- Excels in drought or hot vintages
Style of Pauillac
- Classic Claret
- Cabernet-Sauvignon dominant
- Three 1st growth : Lafite-Mouton-Latour
- Deepest gravel topsoil of the Haut-Médoc
- Iodine, pencil shavings, black currants
- Highest number of 5th growth
- 1213 ha
Style of St-Julien
- Less wine but higher quality (80% cru classé)
- Elegant style, balances the warmth of Margaux with the structure and restraint of Pauillac
- No 1st growth, but five 2nd
- 910 ha
Style of Listrac
- Soils generally more clay and limestone
- No classified growths, but good value, especially in better vintages
- Merlot-dominant
- 787 ha
- Notable : Fourcas-Hostens, Clarke
Style of Moulis
- Soils generally more clay and limestone
- No classified growths, but good value, especially in better vintages
Merlot-dominant
- 610 ha
- notable : Chasse-Spleen, Poujeaux
True or False, in the Médoc and Pomerol, producers can freely add the product of new parcels to their grands vins
- True, if it provided those parcels lie in the same AOP stated on the label
What is the Liv-Ex classification?
- London International Vintners Exchange has published a biennial list of the top wines of Bordeaux since 2009. This list is based on current trading prices on the exchange and only Left Bank red wines are considered.
What is the difference between Bordeaux AOP and Bordeaux Supérieur AOP?
- Bordeaux: can be red, rosé, clairet, white (dry, off dry, medium sweet)
- Bordeaux Superieur: limited to red and medium sweet white wines. It requires a longer élevage for red. Minimum vine density is greater for Bordeaux Supérieur, maximum yields are lower, and minimum potential alcohol is slightly higher.
What is the main grape variety used for red Bordeaux and Bordeaux Supérieur?
- Merlot
True or False, oak chips and American oak is allowed for Bordeaux and Bordeaux Supérieur?
- True
What IGP covers the Gironde, the Charente, Dordogne and the western part of Lot-et-Garonne?
- Atlantique IGP
Where can we find in Bordeaux Cordon-trained vines? Why?
- Where we produced sweet wines like Sauternes
- Cordon-training produces smaller berries that attract botrytis; Guyot cane-training produces slightly larger berries that tend to develop grey rot instead
What is the classic vine training for red varieties in the left bank and the right bank?
- Guyot for both; double is common on the left and simple on the right
What is the difference in term of vine density between Medoc and Saint-Émilion & Pomerol?
- Médoc: it is the highest, they required 7000 vines per hectare. Many top wineries employ 1x1 meter spacing, like in Côte d’Or.
- Saint-Émilion & Pomerol: 5 500 vines per hectare, and rows are separated by 1.3-1.5 meters
What is the difference in term of canopy height between Medoc and Saint-Émilion & Pomerol?
- Smallest in Médoc, where bunches hang one meter off the ground to take advantage of the stony soil’s radiant heat.
- The canopy is higher in the right bank, especially in the more frost-prone inland region
What’s the forest located west of the Médoc?
- Landes Forest, it helped to shield the region’s vineyards from Atlantic weather and winds
Which “premier” appellation in Médoc contain more merlot? Why?
- Saint-Estèphe
- Much more clay in the soils
Which “premier” appellation in Médoc contain more hectares of vine?
- Margaux
Which “premier” appellation in Médoc contain less hectares of vine?
- Saint-Julien
Which “premier” appellation in Médoc contain the most Cru Bourgeois estates?
- Saint-Estèphe
What is the most northerly classified growth in the Médoc?
- Calon-Ségur (third growth of St-Estèphe)
What is the most northerly classified first growth in the Médoc?
- Lafite Rothschild
How’s called the system of canals built by the Dutch engineers in Bordeaux?
- Jalles
Which decade between 70s, 80s, 90s has been considered as the most difficult one and the best one in Bordeaux?
- The most difficult 70s
- The best 80s
What’s the synonym of Cabernet Franc in Right Bank?
- Bouchet
What’s Pressac Noir?
- Malbec
What separate St-Estèphe and Pauillac?
- Jalles de Breuill
Pauillac is divided in two by..?
- Chanel du Gaer
What are the communes of production in Margaux?
- Arsac
- Cantenac
- Soussans
- Margaux
- Labarde
What are the communes of production in Sauternes?
- Barsac
- Bommes
- Sauternes
- Preignac
- Fargues
What style of wine is produced in Graves AOP?
- Dry red
- Dry white
What style of wine is produced in Graves Supérieur?
- only sweet wine production, most wine finishing around 40-50 g/l of RS
What style of wine is produced in Graves de Vayres?
- Red wine, White, sweet
What style of wine is produced in Haut Benauge?
- off dry-liquoreux
- RS betweem 5-60 g/l
What style of wine is produced in Cadillac?
- Sweet White
What style of wine is produced in Côtes de Bordeaux Saint-Macaire?
- Blanc ( Sec, Moelleux, Liquoreux)
What style of wine is produced in Côte de Bordeaux Sainte-Foy?
- Rouge
- Blanc (sec, moelleux & liquoreux)
What style of wine is produced in Loupiac?
- Sweet white
What style of wine is produced in Ste-Croix du Mont?
- Sweet white
What style of wine is produced in Premières Côtes de Bordeaux?
- Moelleux white
Which “premier” appellation in Médoc is usually the first to harvest?
- Margaux
True or False, the majority of Pessac-Léognan are white
- False, 80% of the production today is red