Bordeaux History and Laws Flashcards
When was Cru Bourgeois started
When was it nullified
When was it reinstated?
Cru Bourgeois introduced in 1932
Nullified in 2003
Reinstated 2008
2020: terms “crus bourgeois exceptionnels” and “crus bourgeois supérieurs” were reinstated.
The classification will be reviewed every five years, with a new list appearing in 2025.
When was cru Artisan created, when was it formally recognized
Cru Artisans work an average of this many ha each
1944
Formally recognized in 2002
From 2005 onward, 44 producers can use the designation
Cru Artisans work an average of 6ha each
Bordeaux is this on the Winkler scale
II
hottest month in bordeaux
August
does Bordeaux experience diurnal shift
No
IGP Bordeaux Atlantique spans these departments
Gironde
Dordogne
Western Lot et Garonne
Charente*
Charente-Maritime*
*Cognac departments
this year ended Dutch primacy in Bordeaux trade ,also the year savage winter and spring frost wiped slate clean in Pays Nantais for Melon de Bourgogne
1709
first Bordeaux Estate to make it to England
Haut Brion
Led to the “Pontacs head” pub
When was the treaty of Methuen signed?
1703
Portugese ended taxes on English textiles
English lessened taxes on Portugese
Helping the English beat the French
King Louis XIV ordered planting forests in these places to provide oak for ships in order to compete with the Dutch
Troncais and Limousin
this category created in 1949 was eliminated in 2011
VQDS “vin delimite de qualite superiure”
What is société civile, how does it function?
Created to protect the estates from government takeover of Estates (Lafite used them)
eliminates the actual transfer of property by creating shares in a real estate-owning company.
In inheritance law (Napoleonic code) when equal shares of inheritance amongst heirs, they must pay property tax and it can be untenable for most. Most sell, this prevents it.
These seven grapes are new in Bordeaux as of 2019 and approved for 5% of vineyard area and 10% of their production to find blends
Arinaroa (tannat x cab sauv)
Touriga nacional, Castets, Marselan, (Cab Sauv x Grenache)
Alvarinho
Petit Manseng
Liliorila
What are croupes
Gravel Mounds in Bordeaux
Average rainfall in Bordeaux
35 inches
As of this 2008, these preexisting Bordeaux appellations can be consolidated as Cotes de Bordeaux
2008:
Francs
Castillon
Blaye
Cadillac (Subregion of Cotes de Bordeaux, not sweet wine like Cadillac AOP)
This Nobleman owned Leoville Estates in St Julien and Chateau Palmer
Alexander de Gasp
This nobleman presided over Chateau Lafite Latour and Calon in early 1700s
Nicolas-Alexandre de Segur
Of Calon segur
Only two grapes of Bordeaux that aren’t related to the others
Petit Verdot and Muscadelle
Why did Merlot plantings surge in Bordeaux?
The terrible winter in 1956 laid waste to many Bordeaux varieties
These three American diseases hit Bordeaux in succession in the last half of 19th century
Oidium 1852
Phylloxerra 1869
peronospera (downy mildew) 1880s
What is the Place de Bordeaux?
The Place de Bordeaux is a three-tier, de facto system of wine production, brokerage, and sales that controls the trade of wine in Bordeaux.
Production tier: chateau
sales tier: negociant
broker tier: courtier
This First Growth Chateau opted out of the en primeur system in 2012
Chateau Latour
When were second wines first introduced in Bordeaux?
1982
What is a cuverie, what is a chai
Cuverie: building within the chateau where the wine is made
Chai: The cellar where wine is stored and aged
The Vin Delimité de Qualité Superieure was created in this year as a stepping stone to AOC
1949, eliminated 2011
Max Yields Bordeaux AOP
Whites: 90 hl/ha
Red/Rosé: 85 hl/ha
Frances Largest (not in terms of volume, second to Languedoc) Wine region
Bordeaux
In 2007, the INAO (Created in 1935) became this:
L’Institut National de l’Origine et de la Qualité—although it retained its former acronym.
Vin De Pays producers (may label their wines as Indication Géographique Protégée (IGP)) have these legal limits for production
Yields are set for white wines at 90 hl/ha and for red and rosé wines at 85 hl/ha; in addition, total output for any producer making Vin de Pays must fall within 100 hl/ha. Minimum alcohol levels range from 9% to 10%
There are three levels of IGP zones:
regional, departmental, and local
As of this year, the table wine category was rechristened as Vin de France, and both vintage and variety may now appear on the label.
2009
When did phylloxera hit Bordeaux
1869
What is the privilege de la descente?
Prohibited the transfer of Non Bordeaux wines by boat through the Port until Nov 11 of each year
What is the privilege de la barrique?
Entitled Bordeaux wines alone to storage and shipment in the barrique barrel
A statute was created in 1764 aimed at preventing illicit Bordeaux barrel use: barrels had to be branded with Chateau name and Commune of production
This family Maintained Chateau Latour after the French Revolution
Ségur
Liv-Ex (London International Vintners Exchange) has published a biennial list of top wines of Bordeaux since this year
2009 (only Left Bank considered)
As of 2019, these three Chateaux have ascended to the second tier in Liv EX.
This Chateau was downgraded to second tier.
Calon-Segur
Beychevelle
Rauzan-Segla
Mission Haut-Brion (descended)
Why is the fourth most planted grape in Bordeaux Villard Noir
After 1869 when phylloxera hit, many producers replanted with hybrid vines
Who was the Weinfuhrer in Bordeaux
Herr Bömers
Head of largest wine company in Germany
What is negociating sales “sur Souches”
pricing based on a previous vintage, agreed upon prior to harvest
First estate to Estate bottle their entire production
Mouton Rotschild, in 1924
(also kept Herr Bömer as their importer after the war)
In this year, Chateau bottling became compulsory for classified estates in the Médoc
1972
This blockbuster vintage in the 80s caught the attention of Robert Parker
1982
These three years in the 80s Bordeaux led to concentrated, bold wines
1988-1990 (warm, dry vintages)
1991-1994 had these weather conditions in Bordeaux
Rainy, difficult
Some great Bordeaux wine consultants who emerged in the 1990s
Following in the footsteps of Emile Peynaud:
Michel Rolland
Stephane Derenoncourt
Denis Dubourdieu
What year did China ban party officials for using public funds for luxury goods (affecting Bordeaux purchases)
2012
In these regions of Bordeaux, producers may add the product of new parcels to their grand vins, provided they lie in the same AOP stated on the label
Medoc
Pomerol
(More difficult for St. Emilion to do so because of regulations and INAO management)
The crus bourgeois and Cru Artisan are reviewed every 5 years and the newest list will appear in this year
2025
