Ch 13 - Bordeaux

Question 1

Describe the climate of Bordeaux and the main climatic influences.

Answer 1

Moderate maritime climate - benefits from the effect of the Gulf Stream. Warming ocean current extends the growing seasons so spring frosts are rarely a problem and grape ripening can continue well into October.

Question 2

What are the main hazards in Bordeaux? What protections are offered/used?

Answer 2

The Atlantic brings high levels of rainfall and humidity. Vineyards are protected from the worst of the Atlantic storms by the Landes forest and coastal sand dunes to the West.

Rain fall throughout the year can disrupt flowering and fruit set, promote rot and dilute flavours of grapes at harvest. Canopy management results in healthier grapes and a rise in the levels of sugar and flavour development at harvest.

Question 3

What is the impact of the high rainfall when considering Bordeaux?

Answer 3

Vintage variation is important - top produces will reduce the differences year to year by rejecting unhealthy or unripe grapes.

Question 4

Are the majority of Bordeaux wines blends of varietals? Why?

Answer 4

Because of the risk of ripening issues and variability in the weather most makers do not rely on one variety too heavily. The different varieties permitted flower and ripen at different times so one bad frost or heavy shower is unlikely to ruin an entire crop.

Question 5

What are the dominant black varieties in Bordeaux? Specify where they grow most and why.

Answer 5

Cabernet Sauvignon in the Haut-Médoc and Bas-Médoc and Graves regions. High stone/gravel content of these soils raises vineyard temp and so these are the only areas Cab Sav can ripen reliably.

Cab Franc in Saint-Émillion and in the Médoc and Graves to a lesser extent. Prefers well drained, warm soils like Cab Sav.

Merlot is the most widely planted in Bordeaux - particularly important in Saint-Émilion and Pomerol. Merlot successfully grows on these cooler clay soils.

Petit Verdot less than the others. Ripens fully only in very hot years.

Question 6

What sorts of wine does Cab Franc produce in Bordeaux and how do they differ from Cab Sav? How does it contribute to blends?

Answer 6

Produces wines with less body and tannin than Cab Sav. Can have herbaceous or stalky flavours if unripe but when ripe contributes vibrant fruits and floral notes to blends.

Question 7

What quality level is Merlot from Bordeaux predominant in and why?

Answer 7

Soft wines - means usually predominant in high volume and inexpensive wines.

Question 8

What sorts of wine does Petit Verdot produce in Bordeaux and how does it contribute to blends?

Answer 8

Gives very deep coloured, tannic wine that ages slowly. Never plays more than a minor role in blends where it is used to add tanning, colour and spicy notes.

Question 9

Discuss winemaking practices in Bordeaux for black varieties.

Answer 9

Very varied particularly because of resources available to produces. Little agreement over which fermentation vessels produce best wines. Some best produces use traditional oak vats as well as steel or concrete to increase blending options.

Question 10

How is blending used in Bordeaux for black varieties?

Answer 10

Most wines blended in spring following vintage but some keep parcels of wine separate until end of maturation. Top quality reds are aged in small oak barriques of 225L. In the finest chateaux all wine may be put into new casks whereas smaller lesser places may use a mix of new casks with old and generic wines will be unlikely to see any oak. In order to maintain quality and style of top wines most leading chateaux now make second and third wines from blends not suitable for the top one.

Question 11

What styles of white wine are made in Bordeaux?

Answer 11

Range from dry to sweet wines.

Question 12

What is the predominant white grape used for sweet wines and why?

Answer 12

Sémillon is the most important variety for sweet Bordeaux wines because of its thin skin and affinity for noble rot. C

Question 13

How is dry white wine made using Sémillon in Bordeaux (blending) and what are the two premium areas it can be found in this style? What does Semillon add to the blend?

Answer 13

Blended with Sav Blanc. Premium dry whites are produced in Pessac-Léognan and Graves. Sémillon adds body.

Question 14

What sorts of wine does Bordeaux Sav Blanc produce (blends or varietals, aromas)?

Answer 14

Actually creates varietal dry white wines increasingly but is also used in blends. Have citrus and green fruit aromas.

Question 15

What does Sav Blanc contribute to blends?

Answer 15

It gives high acidity which is particularly important in sweet wines.

Question 16

What is the character of Muscadelle in Bordeaux?

Answer 16

Pronounced grapey, floral flavour and plays an important supporting role in sweet and dry white wine production. Only makes up a small percentage of any blend.

Question 17

Describe the different styles of still white dry Bordeaux (from lower end of the market to premium).

Answer 17

Those at lower end tend to be fresh and fruity, fermented in temperature controlled, inert vessels with minimal ageing but some show toasty hints of oak. Premium dry whites from Pessac-Léognan are frequently fermented and matured in new oak barrels and have a richness and concentrated nutty flavour overlaying the fruit.

Question 18

How are the best sweet wines of Bordeaux made?

Answer 18

Great sweet wines of Bordeaux are made by noble rot affected fruit. The best are fermented and matured in new oak barrels for anything up to three years.

Question 19

How does classifcation in Bordeaux differ from other regions?

Answer 19

The system lies outside of the appellation system and does not rank individual vineyards but individual estates aka Chateaux. The estates may change in size as they acquire or sell land so the classification is attached more to a brand than a designation of a vineyard.

Question 20

What are the levels in the Bordeaux Classifications?

Answer 20

In the 1855 classifications there are crus classés. In Médoc there are 5 ranks. The top is Chateaux Lafite Rothschild, Latour, Margaux and Mouton Rothschilde - Chateau Haut-Brion from Graves is also top. IN Sauternes there are 3 ranks with Chateau d’Yquem at the top.

Below the crus classés there are Crus Bourgeois. These are awarded to wines vintage-to-vintage so new ones have eto be submitted each year to be classified.

Graves have parallel but separate lists for red and whites. No ranking - those listed are crus classés All crus classés lie in the limits of Pessac-Léognan.

In Saint-emilion there is a separate system. Top is Premier Grand Cru Classé (a) and then (b) and below those, the Grand Cru Classé. Below that is Grand Cru. They get reclassified every 10 years and can be demoted or promoted in the process. Unclassified wines will just be St Emilion.

Question 21

What are the three areas in Bordeaux?

Answer 21

the Médoc, Graves and Sauternes lie west and south of the Gironde and Garonne - this is the Left Bank. Entre-Deux Mers is between the Dordogne and Garonne rivers. North and East of the Gironde and Dordogne are Saint-Emilion and Pomerol - the Right Bank.

Question 22

What are the generic appellations in Bordeaux and what distinguishes them?

Answer 22

Bordeaux and Bordeaux Supérieur. Supérieur has slightly stricter rules and requires higher alcohol in final wine).

Question 23

What is the main output of the generic appellations in Bordeaux? What other wines are produced? What is the standard of such wines?

Answer 23

Mainly red Bordeaux (or Superieur) but also make white and Rosé (Bordeaux Rosé or Clairet). Standards have improved considerably and continue to do so as winemakers focus on export and competing with wines from other regions.

Question 24

What are the generic red Bordeaux wines like (comment on the best and then the lower quality wines)?

Answer 24

Early drinking, medium bodied with ripe red and black fruit and sometimes cedar notes from oak. Cheapest can be lighter in body and have more astringent tannins than better wines.

Question 25

What are the generic Bordeaux rosé wines like (comment on style of clairet as well)?

Answer 25

Fresh and fruity with increasing number of produces making high-quality examples. Clairet is mostly popular on French market and undergoes longer maceration than typical rosé so is deeper in colour and fuller in body.

Question 26

What is the main grape used for White Bordeaux (generic appellation) and what is its distinct character?

Answer 26

Sav Blanc - shows a vibrant grassy character.

Question 27

What is the name given to the northernmost part of the Médoc in Bordeaux and how are the wines labelled?

Answer 27

Called the Bas-Medoc and the wines are labelled as Médoc.

Question 28

What soils are found in the Bas-Médoc and what wines are produced as a result?

Answer 28

Predominantly clay soils with some outcrops of gravel. As such, they tend to produced wines wiht a higher proportion of Merlot which can ripen in the cooler clay soils (cab sav can’t as well) and are more early-drinking wines.

Question 29

What is the region below the Bas-Médoc and where does it start? Comment on the quality level of its wines.

Answer 29

From Saint-Estephe southwards is the Haut-Médoc. Generally produces higher rated wines than the Bas-Médoc.

Question 30

What is the apellation system in the Haut-Médoc? What are the highest ranked and what wines do they produce?

Answer 30

Inside it has a number of smaller appellations sometimes called communes - most of the higher classified chateaux are in these. Highest reputations are for Saint-Estephe, Pauillac, Saint-Julien and Margaux. Wines have a high percentage of Cab Sav and display core of blackcurrant, cedar notes from oak. Can have grippy tannins when young and have long ageing potential.

Question 31

What is the most highly rated area in Graves and what are its soils like? What grapes thrive here and what style of wine is produced?

Answer 31

Pessac-Léognan is the best area in Graves. Soils similar to the Haut-Médoc - gravel and well suited to Cab Sav. Wines tend to be a little lighter in body and more fragrant than the finest Haut-Médoc.

Question 32

What style of wine is produced in Graves outside of Pessac-Léognan and how do they differ from Pessac?

Answer 32

Red wines similar in style but less concentrated and complex, usually with higher proportion of Merlot.

Question 33

What are the wines of the right bank in Bordeaux associated with?

Answer 33

Merlot and to a lesser extent, Cab Franc

Question 34

What are the two principal appellations of the Right Bank in Bordeaux?

Answer 34

Saint-émilion and Pomerol.

Question 35

Describe Saint-Émilion’s three main areas (including their soils) and the styles of wine produced in each. Where do the best wines come from?

Answer 35

There are three groups of vineyards with different soils.

First, those on a plateau to the north and west of the town where they have warm, well-drained gravel soil and limestone which encourages Cab Franc and sometimes Cab Sav.

Second, the escarpment to the south and east which have clay limestone soils.

The most prestigious wines come from these regions and have medium to high tannins but compared with the structured wines of the Left Bank they have a soft and rich mouthfeel with complex red berry fruit and plum aromas developing tobacco and cedar as they evolve.

The third area is sandy soils at the foot of the escarpment and produce lighter bodied, less prestigious wines.

Question 36

What kinds of wine are produced in Pomerol, Bordeaux?

Answer 36

Reputation is as high as Saint-Émilion but they tend to be richer wines witha spiecier blackberry fruit character.

Question 37

What is a garagiste wine?

Answer 37

Right Bank wines with full body, incredibly ripe fruit made in tiny quantities from small plots of land with noe xpense spared in the vineyard. Many are famous in their own right and have been classified in the Saint-Émilion appelation system.

Question 38

What wines are made outside of the two main appellations of Graves?

Answer 38

The appellations surrounding Pomerol and Saint-Émilion produce Merlot dominated wines stylistically similar to the more famous appellations.

Question 39

Describe the Cotes de Bordeaux region and the style of wine produced.

Answer 39

A group of lesser known red appellations share the name. Some of the appellations can put their names in front of the term. The wines tend to be early drinking Merlot based wines and the best offer excellent value for money. Note that Premières Côtes de Bordeaux is a sweet appellation unconnected to this group.

Question 40

What appellations are permitted to produce dry whites in Bordeaux?

Answer 40

Entre-Deux-Mers is located between the Garonne and Dordogne and can only produce whites (reds are only generic appellations).