Bordeaux: Key AOC's , Wine Laws and Regulations

Question 1

Bordeaux : Bordeaux AOC and Bordeaux Superieur AOC

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Answer 1

• Vast region for Red , Rose and White wines
• MAX YIELD IS 67hl/hc for whites, 62hl/hc for rose and 60hl/hc for reds
• =low flavour concentration
• Bordeaux Superieur AOC :
• MAX YILED is 59hl/hc - slighty stricter rules regarding ageing and min abv % levels
• =44 % of the regions wines produced in these two regions
• Red Wines are mainly made from Merlot and medium intensity red fruit , high acid, medium + tannins, medium body and medium abv%
• White wines are mainly SB and have a mdium intensity of gooseberry, lemon, medium body, high acidity, and medium abv%
• Acceptable to good $-$$
• *

Question 2

Bordeaux: Medoc and Haut Medoc AOC

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Answer 2

• Left bank of Gironde , north of the city
• MAX YIELD IS 55hl/hc = higher fruit concentration with Med + red fruit
• Wines can only be sold for consumpotion from mid June the year after harvest
• Medoc AOC - mainly Merlot 55% and Cab Sauv 45%
• Haut Medoc AOC is the area closesest to Bordeaux and encompasses the smaller communes . Soils are warm and gravelly , perfect for Cab Sauv and Merlot
• 1. Saint Estephe
• 2.Pauillac
• 3. Saint Julien
• 4. Margaux
• **REDS ONLY MAX YIELD is 57hl/hc
• **
• Adjacent to the Gironde estuary and have moderating influences from the river , gravelly soils help Cab Sauv to ripen
• Wines have pronounced blackcurrant , green pepper (cooler) , plum, vanilla and cedar oak
• Med-high alcohol, high tannins, and med + body
• Very good to outstanding and prem to super prem

Question 3

Bordeaux: Saint Estephe AOC

Answer 3

• Most northerly, Coolest with maritime inflence
• 43% Merlot on clay soils away from the estuary
• 49% Cab Sauv planted on gravel close to the estuary
• Rustic wines that need time in the bottle to softern
• Clay is good for water retention in the summer months
• Large number of Cru Bourgeois and second growths - no first growth

Question 4

Bordeaux : Pauillac AOC

Answer 4

• Higher portion of Cab Sauv at 63%
• on gravel banks near the estuary - good for ripenign
• Top estates have even higher amounts of Cab Sauv 70-80% reulting wines that have high concentration and longevity
• Most structured wines on the left bank with high tannins and high acid
• 3 of the 5 first growths
• 85% of the cru classes production

Question 5

Bordeaux: Saint-Julien

Answer 5

• High proportion of Cab Sauv and high proportion of cru classe production
• Very homogenous soils of gravel
• Mid wauy between the structure of Pauillac and the elegance of Margaux
• 5 second growths

Question 6

Bordeaux: Margaux AOC

Answer 6

• One first growth and high proportion of cru classe production
• Cabernet Sauv is the most planted and has slighlty more Merlot than pauillac or St -julien
• Stony gravelly soils and southern aspects means grapes ripen a few days early - good in cool years with onset rain
• Clay means they require supplementary drainage adding to the investment
• Perfumed wines with silky tannins

Question 7

Bordeaux: Listrac -Medoc and Moulis AOC

$$-$$$

Answer 7

• red wines , furthest from the river
• Less moderation and less gravel in the soils
• AOC states they can release the wines for consumption slightly earlier
• Wines are good to very good and mid to prem prices

Question 8

Bordeaux: Graves AOC

Answer 8

• Large appellation for red and white wines
• MAX YIELDS are 58 and 55 hl/hc
• 85% is RED
• Acceptable to Good , inexpensive to mid priced
• Graves Superierures AOC is restricted to late picked or botrytis affected wines and allows 40 hl/hc -higher than Sauternes

Question 9

Bordeaux: Pessac -Leognan AOC

Answer 9

• SUb region with Graves AOC
• Gravel soils and the moderating affect of the Garonne ( just like Medoc)
• High quality often barrel aged White wine and high quality red
• Red 80% , White 20%
• One first growth and all of the cru classe properties in Graves Classification
• Best white wines of Bordeaux
• **MAX YIELD IS 54hl/hc for red and white
• SB and Semillon blends are pronounced gooseberry, lemon, grapefruit, vanilla and oak , medium + body and med + to high acid, MED TO HIGH ABV %
• Very good to outstanidn and prem to super prem
• Red wines are similar to the four Medoc communes

Question 10

Bordeaux: Entre Deux Mers

Answer 10

• Second largest AOC - producing only whites
• MAX YIELD is 65hl/hc light flavour intensity.
• The wines are acceptable to good and $-$$

Question 11

Bordeaux: Saint Emilion AOC and Saint-Emilion Grand Cru AOC

Answer 11

• Large area for red wine only
• S-E AOC - 53 hl/hc
• S-E GC AOC - 46hl/hc and 20 months min maturation
• Merlot is dominant 77%
• and the Cab Franc
• See Classification System for S-E
• Grets range from drink now styles that are simple to Top Grand Cru Classe wines
• These wines have pronounced red and black fruit , noticable vanilla and clove new oak with a full body, high alcohol , med-med+ acid, med+ to high tannins
• Best wines can age in the bottle for many years

Question 12

Bordeaux: Saint Emilion Satellites

Answer 12

Montagne Saint Emilion and Lussac-Saint Emilion - similar rules to S-E AOC
Further from the river

Question 13

Bordeaux: Pomerol AOC

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Answer 13

• small, prestigious area for Merlot 80% and Cab Franc
• MAX YIELD is 49hl/hc
• No classification system only top estates
• Wines are very good to outstanidng and prem to super prem
• Prices are some of the highest in the world due to the small land holdings eg. Petrus is only 12 hc
• Wines are pronounced red and black fruit , vanilla , clove and new oak = full body, high alcohol, med +to high acid and med+ to high tannins = wines, best wines can age for many years in bottle
• Lalande-de-Pomerol AOC is a larger satellite AOC that allows only slightly higher yields than Pomerol AOC

Question 14

Bordeaux: Cotes de Bordeaux and Cotes de Bourg AOC

Answer 14

• Appellation for red and white wine created in 2009 for a group of appellations on the right bank .
• Some communes can use this after their name eg. Blaye Cotes de Bordeaux - also Cadillac, Castillon and Franc
• Max YIELD is 55hl/hc or 52hl/hc if a commune name is appended

Similare to Cotes de Bordeaux . **Dominant grape is Merlot and are similar to the Medoc AOC
Focus on Malbec with 10% of the hc planted ( largest area in Bordeaux)

Question 15

Bordeaux: Sauternes and Barsac AOC

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Answer 15

• Semillion 80% of plantings
• SB and small amounts of Muscadelle for Botrytis infected wines
• Cold Ciron River and warmer Gironne River create morning mists burnt off by the middle day sunshine and drying grapes to avoid noble rot
• Sauterne is the largest appellation - 50% of all production
• MAX YIELDS ARE 25 hl/hc
• Wines from commune Barsac may be labelled Sauternes AOC
• Pronounced citrus peel, honey and tropical fruit ( mango) with vanilla and oak notes, full bodied , high alcohol, Medium to Med + Acidity , sweet finish
• Very good to outstanding with mid priced to super prem prices
• Sauterne has been in decline for 30 years - inresponse producers create a dry line of SB and Semillon as well **

Question 16

Bordeaux: Other Sweet Appellations

Answer 16

• Sainte Croix du Mont AOC
• Loupiac AOC
• both MAX YIELD of 40hl/hc
• Premieres Cotes de Bordeaux AOC
• MAX YIELD of 45hl/hc .
• Late harvest or Botrytis
• Good to very good and inexpensive to mid priced