Bordeaux - Sweet Wines Flashcards
When was the first classification of Graves?
When was it revised?
How was quality judged?
1953, revised 1959.
Classification was executed via pricing, fame, and quality as judged by tasting.
Name the two main and two minor grapes used for white wine production in Bordeaux:
MAJOR: Sémillon, Sauvignon Blanc
MINOR: Muscadelle, Sauvignon Gris
4 sweet white wine appellations on the eastern side of the Garonne?
3 on the western side?
EASTERN: Loupiac AOC, Sainte-Croix-du-Mont AOC, Cadillac AOC, Premieres Cotes de Bordeaux AOC.
WESTERN: Sauternes AOC, Barsac AOC, Graves Superieur AOC
In which recent vintage did Chateau d’Yquem choose not to produce any wine?
Why?
2012
A poor vintage in Sauternes, particularly in October, proved too much for the grapevines, and the wines did not pass the house’s strict taste tests for quality.
When was the classification of Sauternes?
What are the different levels within the classification?
Provide 2 examples from each tier:
1855.
Superior First Growth (Premier Cru Superieur); Chateau d’Yquem ONLY.
First Growth (Premier Cru Classé); Chateau Rieussec, Chateau Guiraud, Chateau Suduiraut.
Second Growth (Deuxieme Cru Classé); Chateau Doisy-Daëne, Chateau Lamothe.
4 Factors that make Chateau d’Yquem Sauterns such high quality / so expensive?
- High proportion of Sémillon in the blend, which is more susceptible to Botrytis, prized for its ageability and ability to develop complex honey/toast flavors.
- High proportion of new oak barriques used for aging (100%).
- Highest classification level (Premier Cru Superieur) in Sauternes.
- Very low yields (commonly <10hl/ha) increase concentration of flavors and limit supply (increasing scarcity and raising production costs / market prices).
Which two rivers border Sauternes AOC?
How do these rivers and other weather conditions influence the likelihood of Botrytis to occur (2)?
The Garonne and the Ciron.
The cold Ciron meets the warm Garonne, producing morning mists.
The mists burn off by the middle of the day, then the warming afternoon sun dries the grapes and prevents the development of grey rot.
What do the 3 main grapes used for Sauternes / other sweet wine production contribute to the wine?
Why do top estates tend to use a higher proportion of Sémillon in their blend (2)? 2 eg.s of such estates?
Sauvignon Blanc:
Grassy, gooseberry flavors.
High acidity.
Sémillon:
High susceptibility to Botrytis.
Honey / Dried fruit (lemon, peach) flavors that develop w/age (vs. Sauvignon Blanc).
Waxy texture.
Muscadelle:
Very prone to Botrytis.
Provides flowery, grapey notes.
Sémillon is more susceptible to Botrytis, making it more difficult to work with, but more adept at contributing signature flavors to Sauternes.
Prized for its ageability.
e.g. Ch. d’Yquem / Ch. Climens
Sweet Bordeaux wines are made using ___ fruit.
What are max. yields allowed / in practice?
Why are they this way + how do they affect costs?
How is this achieved (2)?
- botrytis-affected fruit.
- Yields must be kept low (~ one third of those for still wines)
=> ensures very high sugar levels in grapes. - Top appellations (eg. Sauternes, Barsac) = max. 25 hl/ha)
- More commonly, yields are 10 hl/ha and lower
=> increases production costs greatly - achieved by pruning to a low number of buds
- removal of any damaged / diseased fruit (prone to grey rot)
Why is harvesting grapes for Sweet Bordeaux more complicated than for other types of wine (3)?
When does harvesting typically occur?
- Harvesting must be by hand.
- Harvesters must be well trained + able to differntiate noble from grey rot
- pickers typically must go through the vineyards more than once (in some vintages 10–12 times at top estates) to select properly botrytised and ripe bunches or berries.
- September to November
The level of botrytis in Sweet Bordeaux wines depends on (4):
As a result, resultant wines may contain:
- vintage conditions, success/degree of spread of noble rot
- estate’s location (proximity to areas where mist forms most regularly)
- willingness of estates to wait for the best times to harvest and risk losing all or part of the crop due to adverse weather
- $$$ investment for multiple passes through the vineyard to select botrytis-affected fruit.
- varying proportions of botrytis-affected and late- harvested fruit.
(varies from year to year)
How are grapes for Sweet Bordeaux handled once harvested (3)?
How are wines handled differently depending on quality level desired +why?
specific eg?
- similar to dry white wine
- fermented in stainless steel, concrete tanks or barriques
- aged for varying periods in any of those containers.
- Top-quality wines = typically barrel-fermented (best integration of oak + fruit flavours) w/ high % of new oak
- % of new oak ranges from 30 to 50%
- eg. Ch. d’Yquem = 100%
- barrel-aged (18–36 months)
=> encourages gentle oxidation = complexity - Wines from the less prestigious sweet wine appellations = unoaked and released a year after the harvest.
New barrels, labor, storage space = contributes to production $$$
Where are Sauternes and Barsac located (2)?
What type of wine is produced there, with which grapes?
- the southern part of the Graves
- at the confluence of the cold Ciron and warmer Garonne rivers.
- Sweet, typically botrytis- affected wines
- Sémillon (80% of plantings), Sauvignon Blanc and tiny amounts of Muscadelle
For what % of sweet wine production does Sauternes account?
How may wines from the commune of Barsac be labelled?
Max. yields allowed + reality + why?
- the largest sweet wine appellation in Bordeaux (50% of all production)
- either Barsac AOC or Sauternes AOC
Max. yields = 25 hL/ha for both
- typically much lower yields (10 hl/ha)
=> required to ensure grapes are fully ripened before noble rot develops.
Typical wine characteristics for Sauternes / Barsac:
Aromas + Flavors
Body
Alcohol
Acidity
Finish
Typical quality + pricepoint?
- pronounced aromas of citrus peel, honey, tropical fruit (mango) + vanilla oak notes
- full bodied
- high alcohol
- medium - medium (+) acidity
- sweet finish.
- very good - outstanding
- mid-priced to super-premium
