D3: Bordeaux

Question 1

France has a long history of wine with large-scale vine growing being practiced in the period of Roman Gaul (influence of romans in the then called Galië (nederland, belgie, duitsland, luxemburg..).

Answer 1

Preceded by planting of wines in the greek colony, today called Marseille, then:

Gallia Narbonensis.

And by wines having been brought in from Italy.

Question 2

The major expansion of vineyards came later under?

Answer 2

Charlemagne:

• Crowned holy emperor in 800CE
• CE: Common Era
• And then the period of the monasteries (kloosters after 1000 CE)

Question 3

The Middle Ages saw the importance in export markets in:

• England
• Scotland
• Flanders
• Holland

But developing whas the key. beacause

Answer 3

Major rivers and sea facilitated the movement of wine.

Because of the difficulty of transporting wine overland, the capital Paris, was supplied by vineyard area close to it or on major rivers.

these includes:

• vineyards very close to paris (now abandoned)
• Auxerre and Chablis
• Vineyards of the Loire RIver
  *

Question 4

The 17th to 19th centuries saw a huge expansion of exported wine, especially from Bordeaux.

Eventually leading to the classification of 1855.

What whas the key developments in the history of Bordeaux ?

Answer 4

Draining of the marshes (droogleggen van moerassen) in the Médoc.

• Dutch engineers in the 17th century
• This provided extensive land suitable for viticulture due the fast-draining gravelly soils
• These are revealed due the draining work
  
  • Ports (havens) near Bordeaux became the key trading channel for wine destined for the north of Europe and Paris.

Question 5

However, the development of the Bordeaux region was then followed by a series of new challenges in the vineyard in the second half of 19th Century.

Answer 5

• Powdery Mildew
• Downy mildew
• black rot
• phylloxera

The industry onlu fully recovered in the early 20th Century

Solutions where first found and then implemented on an industry-wide scale

Question 6

In common with other EU countries, France reduced its land under vine considerably through the impetus of the EU vine pull scheme.

Answer 6

The total area under vine including for table grapes and brandy fell by one third between 1970 and the early 2010s

Question 7

Climate of France:

Answer 7

Due the size of France climate is divided in individual regions

The latitude of grape growing regions ranges from 42-49°N and vary markedly between, for example:

• Northerly Atlantic-influenced Muscadet
• Continental Burgundy
• Mediterranean Provence

Question 8

Vineyard management of France:

Answer 8

With the exception of the continued use of bush vines in parts of the south of france, virtually all French vineyards are planted at high density with vines trained on trellises.

The vines often trained with the cane replacement pruned Guyot system with VSP

The number of ha of certified organic grape growing increased nearly fourfould in the decade to 2017

Question 9

Grape varieties of france: from the most plantings to the lowest:

Answer 9

1. Merlot (ca 115000ha): due its popularity in Bordeaux (france largest wineregion) and its plantings for IGP wines in Languedoc
2. Ugni Blanc: ca 80000 ha mostly for cognac and armagnac in south west france
3. Grenache Noir: ca 80.000ha
4. Syrah: 65.000 ha
5. Chardonnay: 50.000ha
6. Cabarnet Sauvignon: 48.000 ha
7. Cabarnet Franc: 38.000ha
8. Carignan: 37.000 ha
9. Pinot noir: 29000 ha
10. Sauvignon Blanc: 26.000 ha

Question 10

Chaptalisation was invented in france and is much used in cooler regions.

Answer 10

though less so in recent years due to a warmer climate and better canopy management.

Question 11

Maturation in barrels (small or large) has long been a standart part of french winemaking.

Answer 11

Supported by a large coöperage industry with a high reputation in France and around the world

Question 12

French winemaking is supported by a large scientific sector devoted to viticulture nd vinification, including major institutions based in:

Answer 12

Bordeaux and Montpellier

Question 13

INAO:

Answer 13

founded in 1935:

originally: Institut National des Appellations d’Origine

Now: Institut National de l’Origine et Qualité

It oversaw the creation of the AOC system and from 2009 also the IGP.

• the AOCs embed (integreren) a commitment to geographically defined appellations that also included detailed rules about methods of production (varieties allowed in an AOC, planting density, allowed training systems, maximum yields, minimum alcohol levels, required length of maturation of wine before release, earliest date the wine can be sold)
• This idea is based on the idea of terroir

Question 14

Due the succes of varietally labelled wine from new world countries in 2009 France and other countries in EU agreed to:

Answer 14

allow the name of the grape variety to appear on the label alongside the name of the appellation

eg:

Bourgogna AOC Chardonnay

Question 15

Wine without a geographical indication can now carry the name of the variety or varieties and the vintage of the wine.

Answer 15

okido

Question 16

France average vineyard holding:

Answer 16

Much higher than Spain and Italy:

10.5ha

Cooperatives continue to be very important for smaller growers with over 40% of wine production being processed by them.

Question 17

Wine consumption per capita:

Answer 17

• Steep decline
• now less than half the levele of a century ago
• 3/4 of volume sales by producers in france are thorugh small and medium sized companies or private label.
• The largest company is Castel Frères (12% of total volume by sales) followed by Carrefour France and ITM Enterprises

Question 18

Export:

Answer 18

• France export less wine than Spain and Italy
• world leader in terms of value export

50% more exported by value than Italy and three times as much by value as Spain

Question 19

France is also a large importer of wine:

Answer 19

• Mainly at the inexpensive level
• This creates tension between French growers and those importing the wine

Question 20

Bordeaux:

Answer 20

• Southwest of France, traversed by river Garonne and Dordogne wich merge into the Gironde Estuary
• Garonne: vineyard situated and known as the Left bank
• Dordogne RIght bank
• In between: Entre Deux Mers
• 90% of the plantings are black varieties
• Production: 85% red, 10% dry white, 1% sweet white, 4% rosé

Question 21

Grapes:

Answer 21

1. Merlot ca 60%
2. Cab Sauvignon ca 20%
3. Cabarnet Franc ca 8%
4. Other reds 3%
5. Sémillon 5%
6. SB 6%
7. Muscadelle 1%

Question 22

Key developments in the history of Bordeaux:

Answer 22

1. In the 17th and 18th centuries the large Médoc peninsula north of the city, was marshy(moerassig) and unsuitable for agriculture. Dutch residents drained the soil an planted.
2. By the mid 18th century wines from Lafite and Margaux were already widely appreciated across Europe and even in America
   - - This succes was also because the city was an centre of exports from other regions such as Bergerac
   - - Led to Merchants (Britain, Ireland, Germany, Holland and elsewhere)
3. So this system of distribution was undertaken by merchants rather than proprietors (still today)
4. 1855: Exposition Universelle de Paris (Bordeaux needed a classification system)
   
   1. This was based on price
   2. estates of medoc + Haut Brion in Graves where classed into five bands
   3. those of Sauternes in 3
   4. The classification had official status and remains essentially unaltered (ongewijzigd) this day and still influences prices today

Question 23

Bordeaux has ___ ha of vines:

Answer 23

111.000ha

• Great majority of wine produced is only for Bordeaux AOP or Superieur AOP and are inexpensive to mid priced
• Around 70% of all bottled wines are inexpensive or mid priced and mere 3% are premium of super premium priced
• by contrast Pomerol: 800ha

Question 24

Climate of Bordeaux:

Answer 24

1. Moderately maritime climate
2. The cool atlantic ocean lies just west of the vineyards and is a cooling influence
   ​
3. **The best years: Sufficient rainfall to promote growth and ripening, and fine, relatively dry and warm early autumns allow for steady and complete ripening

Such a climate can result in an excellent balance of tannins, sugar, and acidity,

this partly explain the remarkable longevity of great vintages here**
​

Question 25

Climate left bank:

Answer 25

Partially protected from Atlantic storms by extensive pine forest, The Landes

Estates who fringe (aansluiten) those forest such as D. de chevalier in Léognan and many in Listrac in the Médoc are cooler and thus more marginal than neighbours in the east are

In the northern médoc, the forest is less of a feature and the landscape is more open to maritime influence

so: In the northern medoc the climate is cooler than the southern médoc and Graves.

Question 26

Domaine de Chevalier

Haut brion and mission Brion

Pape clement

Malartic la Gravière

All Graves

Answer 26

• Winemaker: Olivier Bernard
• Quality just under: Ch Haut Brion (2017= €580)
  Under Ch Mission Haut brion (2018 369, 2016 518)

Mission and Haut brion are in the same street in Pessac at the West side of the city Bordeaux so lot of urbanisation in pessac and Bordeaux

Owner: Domaine Clarence Dillon for both

Winemaker: Jean Philippe Delmas

La mission: 30ha

Chateau Pape Clemant: Bernard Magrez

2016: 120 €

• Chateau Malartic Lagrvière: Belgische eigenaar Alfred-Alexandre Bonnie (investeerder) en raad Michel Rolland (wereld beroemde oenoloog en bezit ook wijngaarden te Bordeaux)