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Certified Sommelier > France - Bordeaux > Flashcards

France - Bordeaux Flashcards

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1
Q

Where is Bordeaux located?

A

Southwest France

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2
Q

What is Bordeaux named after?

A

4th largest city in France

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3
Q

What is the Cilmate of Bordeaux?

A

Maritime with the Atlantic and Gironde Estuary moderating temperature and climate. Short winters, long springs, and more contental towards St. Emilion

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4
Q

Two major areas of Medoc

A

Bas (lower)
Haut (Upper)

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5
Q

What is the dominate grape of Medoc?

A

Cabernet Sauvignon

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6
Q

What are the two main red grapes used to blend with Cabernet Sauvignon left bank wines?

A
  • Cab France: Used to soften the tannin structure, add aromatic notes
  • Merlot: Used to soften tannins, add weight, and add ripe fruit characteristics
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7
Q

How are high quality wines from Haut Medoc labeled?

A

Appellation Haut-Medoc Controlee

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8
Q

What are the four main communes of Haut-Medoc?
What are the two lesser known?

A

St Estephe
Paulliac
St Julien
Listrac
Moulis
Marguax

North to South

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9
Q

Soil type in Medoc

A

Heavy gravel deposited from the Garonne. Most of which is layered over a sand, clayish limestone.

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10
Q

Soil variation in Medoc

A

North- More gravel, clay, limestone with cool temperatures
South-Finer soils and flatter terroir with gravel but with more sand and slightly warmer temps
West-More clay as you head west

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11
Q

How many communes in Medoc?

A

21

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12
Q

Soil composition and it’s effects in Margaux

A

Heavy gravel in soil with very little clay.
Warmer temps
Natural drainage from gravel while reflecting sunlight and retaining heat. The vines are forced to root deep down into soils. Margaux grapes are typically first to ripen and be harvested.

Typically this showed intense, aromatic, and elegant wines.

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13
Q

Soil composition and it’s effects in St Julien

A

Surface soil is an unbroken expanse of pebbles and different size rocks, the subsoil is very complex and gives wines there a varying character. Lots of drainage, creating perfect sunlight and warmth for deep vine growth into the soils.

More powerful, tannic, and masculine styles much like Margaux but slightly more refined as the best vineyards lie on gentle slopes.

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14
Q

Soil composition and it’s effects in Pauillac

A

Northern portion, the land sits at higher elevations. The soils are typically deep with gravel sitting on top of sand, limestone and marl. The elevation and cool subsoil allow grapes to have a cool climate but the gravel and sunlight give more heat to vines.

Southern end, the larger, gravel rocks, and stones persist with more clay further down in the subsoils.

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15
Q

Soil composition and it’s effects in St Estephe

A

The biggest difference in the wines here is that the large clay deposits help the appellation create amazing wine even in hot and dry years, making it a prime choice during any vintage. St-Estèphe features slopes and elevations, and due to its proximity to the river has a bit of a micro-climate itself.

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16
Q

Most grown grape in Bordeaux?

A

Merlot

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17
Q

Red grapes of Bordeaux

A

Merlot
Malbec
Petite Verdot
Cab Franc
Cab Sauv
Carmenerre

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18
Q

White grapes of Bordeaux

A

Sauvignon Blanc
Semillion
Muscadelle

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19
Q

What commune is considered to be the most important in all of Bordeaux?

A

Paulliac

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20
Q

The five First Growths in the 1855 classification

A

Lafite-Paulliac
Margaux-Margaux
Latour-Paulliac
Haut-Brion - Pessac Leognon
Mouton - Paulliac

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21
Q

Smallest commune in Haut Medoc

A

St Julien

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22
Q

Boulbenes

A

Sicillious Mixture of sand, gravel, clay
found mostly in Entre Duex Meres

23
Q

The three major bodies of water in Bordeaux

A
  • Gironde Estuary
  • Garonne
  • Dourdogne
24
Q

What area on the left bank is known for its sweet white wine?

A

Sauternes and Barsac

25
Q

Fungus that is very popular on grapes that helps produce sweet white wines?

A

Botrytis Cinerea

26
Q

What grape gets Botrytis Cinerea the most?

A

Semillion because of it’s thin skin

27
Q

What causes Noble Rot?

A

Mixture between humidity and mild weather. Misty mornings and later sunshine

28
Q

White wine made in Pessac Leognan

A

Sauvignon Blanc

29
Q

Soil type on Right Bank

A

Clayish

30
Q

Soil type in St Emilion

A

Limestone plateau
Massive layers and deposits of limestone, along with clay and loam

As you head down the slopes towards the bottom of the hillsides he soils are calcaious

31
Q

What is calcaire

A

Mixture of Clay and Limestone in france

32
Q

What is Asteries

A

A dense type of limestone that was used to build Chateaux in Bordeaux. There are remnants of it in the soil of the Right Bank

33
Q

Main grapes of Right Bank

A

Merlot
Cab Franc

34
Q

What appellations make white wines in the Right Bank?

A

Cote de Blaye
Cote de Bourg

35
Q

3 Other Red Wines of the Right Bank

A

Canon Fronsac
Fronsac
Lalande de Pomeral

36
Q

Generic Bordeaux AOP’s?

A

Bordeaux AOP

Bordeaux Superieur AOP

Cremant de Bordeaux AOP

37
Q

What soil does Bordeaux Merlot prefer?

A

Most widely planted and earliest to ripen

Prefers Clay based soil as it delays its natural vigor

38
Q

What type of soil does Bordeaux Cabernet Sauvignon prefer?

A

Well-draning gravel

Perfect for retaining heat and radiating it in order to aid ripening

Well drained soil

39
Q

What soil does Bordeaux Cab Franc prefer?

A

Limestone based soil to promote acidity and freshness.

Needs well-drained soils in order to prevent vine from becoming very vigorous

Avoid high fertile deep soils

40
Q

What does Cabernet Sauv offer to a Bordeaux blend?

A

Structure, power, tannin, longevity, acid

41
Q

What does Merlot bring to a Bordeaux blend?

A

Fleshiness, juiciness, softens Cab Sauv’s austericity

Round/silky mouth texture

42
Q

What does Cabernet Franc bring to a Bordeaux blend?

A

More tannins than Merlot

Less weighty and masculine than Cabernet Sauvignon

Aromatics and herbal spice

Violets

43
Q

What does Petit Verdot add to a Bordeaux blend?

A

Adds color, depth, weight, and exotic perfume

44
Q

What does Malbec add to a Bordeaux Blend?

A

Smoothness, roundness, fruit, and rich tannins

45
Q

How many Grand Cru Classe properties are there?

A

1er - 5

2er - 14

3er - 14

4eme - 10

5eme - 18

(61)

46
Q

Describe the wines of St Estephe and a Chateau of Note

A

Powerful, rich, full-bodied wines with lots of structure, tannin and body

Fit to age

Chateau Cos d’Estournel - Founded in 1811 by Louis Gaspard d’Estournal

Rich, powerful, sensuous wines.

Very elegant but refined.

Meant to age.

Very perfumed.

Aged an average of 50-60% in New French Oak for 18 months

Second Label: Les Pagodes de Cos (Pulled from Marbuzet)

47
Q

What is Cru Bourgeouis and it’s history?

A

1932: the Crus Burgeouis were grouped in a list established by wine merchants under the aegis of the Bordeaux Chamber of Commerce and Gironde Chamber of Agriculture selecting 444 estates for the classification
2003: Initiated in 2000, tasted in 2002 and finalized in 2003, the list was reclassified and reduced to 247 out of 490 candidates (due to stand 10 years and be reclassified)
2008: Crus Bourgeois Superieur, and Crus Bourgeois Exceptionnel were stopped. Chose to update every year. All wines would be labeled Cru Bourgeois
2012: 2010 Classification was released with heavy controversy
2018: three grades were reintroduced and will be tasted every 5 years 18 months after vintage release

48
Q

What commune holds the most Crus Bourgeois classifications?

A

St Estephe

49
Q

What region is Crus Bourgeois based out of?

A

Medoc

50
Q

History of 1855 Classification of Medoc

A

Emperor Napoleon III ordered a classification of Medoc wines in order to show at the Exposition Universelle de Paris

April 5, 1855 the Gironde Chamber of Commerce ordered an official classification of chateaux chosen from Margaux, St Julien, St Estephe and Haut Medoc

April 18, 1855 the list is finished including Chateau Haut-Brion from Graves due its worldwide fame and sales from 1815-1855

61 Chateaux are added to list

51
Q

What changes were made to the 1855 Classification of Medoc

A

1856 - Cantermerle was added because they forgot to add it on the original classification

1870’s Dubignon became a part of St Exupery

1974 Mouton Rothschild was evelated to First Growth

52
Q

General info on 1855 Classification for Sauternes and Barsac`

A

Seperated into: Premier Cru Superieur, Premier Cru, Duexiemer Cru

Chateau d’Yquem is the only PCS

26 total wines

Cover 45% of appellation and are responible for 30% of production

53
Q
A

*

Certified Sommelier (8 decks)

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