France - Bordeaux

Question 1

What is the climate, what is it influenced by and what are the ideal conditions this can create?

Answer 1

Moderate maritime. The cool Atlantic Ocean lies to the west and acts as a cooling influence.

Gentle heat throughout the growing season, sufficient rainfall to promote growth and ripening, and relatively dry and warm early autumns can allow for steady ripening, resulting in excellent balance or tannins, sugar and acidity and excellent longevity of the greatest vintages.

Question 2

What does the left bank need protection from, and what offers this?

Answer 2

Atlantic storms, the Landes extensive pine forests lie in between the Ocean and vineyard area, offering protection.

Question 3

Which estates lie on the border of the Landes, and what does this mean for vineyard area?

Answer 3

Domaine de Chevalier in Leognan and many estates in Listrac in the médoc. It means they’re cooler and more marginal than the vineyards to the east.

Question 4

What is the landscape in the northern Médoc, and what does this mean for the climate?

Answer 4

The forest is less of a feature, so more open to maritime influence, resulting in a cooler climate than southern Médoc and graves

Question 5

What is the average rainfall?

Answer 5

950mm but significant variation year on year and the times within the year when it falls.

Question 6

How does excessive rainfall at key moments affecy vintage variation?

Answer 6

At flowering = poor fruit set.

Throughout the growing season = increased disease pressure.

At and following véraison = unripe fruit and fungal disease.

Harvest = dilute flavours.

Question 7

How has climate change affected the growing season?

Answer 7

It’s led to hot, dry summers with insufficient rainfall.

Question 8

What can excessively hot seasons lead to, and an example vintage?

Answer 8

Although the hardy varieties can resist extreme temperatures, hot, dry years such as 2003 can lead to reds and whites with low acidity and that lack balance. It can also lead to wines being more alcohol than in the past as growers wait for phenolic ripeness to harvest.

Question 9

What is the climate in the easterly regions of Bordeaux?

Answer 9

In the Right Bank regions such as the Libournais (Saint-Émillion, Pomerol and surrounding) the maritime influence is less prominent but still a factor.

Question 10

Which climatic hazard occasionally affects large areas of vineyards, and in which 3 years was this severe?

Answer 10

Frost. 1956, 1991 and 2017.

Question 11

Which prestigious estates of the Médoc are most protected from frost, and why?

Answer 11

Those closest to the Gironde estuary as it’s a moderating influence and offers protection, those a little further inland can be decimated.

Question 12

How does hail behave in Bordeaux?

Answer 12

Sporadically, but has become more widespread and destructive in the last decade.

Question 13

How significant is vintage variation on volume?

Answer 13

Significant. E.g. in frost-affected 2017, 33% less wine was made than the 10 year average and 40% less than the bumper 2016 crop. This has significant financial implications for estates and wine business as a whole.

Question 14

What soils are the most sought after in the Medoc, and where did they come from?

Answer 14

Deposits of gravel and stony soils, carried to the region by floodwaters from the Pyrenees and the Massif central thousanda of years ago.

Question 15

What are the most sought after soils in the Medoc often mixed with?

Answer 15

Dependant on origin, they are mixed with sand or clay.

Question 16

What are croupes and where are they found?

Answer 16

Gravel mounds found in the left bank that all the top estates are planted on.
They are found at low altitudes (highest is 32m in Margaux) and do not cover the whole region.

Question 17

What are gravel soils known for, and why is this good for the Left Bank?

Answer 17

Good drainage, useful as the region experiences frequent showers and storms so can dry out quickly and continue ripening.

Question 18

What did the left bank experience in 2003 and 2005, and why?

Answer 18

Vines at risk of drought stress due to extreme heat and poor water retention in the soil.

Question 19

In what situation can vines especially be at risk of water stress, and example?

Answer 19

Where soils are shallow, E.g. in Pomerol soils are barely more than a metre deep and vines suffered in the very dry summer of 2016.

Question 20

What is the second noteable feature of gravel on the Left Bank?

Answer 20

Heat retention. After a hot summer day the pebbles and stones retain heat and re-radiate it to the vines, allowing a slow ripening process.

Question 21

What is the other prominent soil type in the Left Bank, where is it found and what style of wine does it produce?

Answer 21

Pockets of clay, especially in Saint-Estèphe. Robust and characterful wines but have not achieved the same acclaim as gravel.

Question 22

What is the predominent soil on the Right Bank, but what are there patches of?

Answer 22

Clay, with significant patches of gravel in certain areas of the Libournais.

Question 23

Why do the soils of the Right Bank mean Merlot is the dominant variety?

Answer 23

Ideally suited to those soils, ripens fully in most vintages, accumulates more sugar (and so alcohol) that Cab Franc and Cab Sauv (previously a benefit).

Question 24

Where do the best wines of the Right Bank come from?

Answer 24

The limestone plateau or the gravel section that borders Pomerol.

Question 25

What is a benefit of growing Merlot in Bordeaux, and where is it most commonly found?

Answer 25

It can ripen fully in cooler years.
It is the dominant variety in the cooler Right Bank and in the cooler northern Médoc (due to fertile soils and high clay content)

Question 26

What soils does Merlot grow best on, and why?

Answer 26

Fertile soils with high clay content because it ripens on these cooler soils and the water holding capacity of clay enables it to produce the typical large berry size

Question 27

What is Merlot’s possible potential alcohol, and is this a good thing?

Answer 27

As it reaches higher sugar levels it has a higher potential alcohol than the Cabernets.
This was an advantage in the past but as the climate is warming it becomes less so.

Question 28

What does Merlot contribute to the Bordeaux blend?

Answer 28

Medium to pronounced intensity fruit (strawberry and red plum with herbaceous characteristics in cool years, cooked blackberry and plum in hot years), medium tannins and medium to high alcohol.

Question 29

Where produces the highest quality Cabernet Sauvignon?

Answer 29

The warm, well drained soils, such as the gravel beds of the Médoc.

Question 30

What does Cabarnet Sauvignon contribute to the Bordeaux blend?

Answer 30

Pronounced violet, blackcurrant, black cherry and menthol/herbaceous flavours. Medium alcohol and high acidity and tannins.

Question 31

Why is Cabernet Sauvignon often blended?

Answer 31

Growers can struggle to fully ripen the variety in cooler seasons producing wines with high acidity, unripe tannins and little fruit. So often blended with the early ripeners Merlot and Franc.

Question 32

What does Cabernet Franc contribute to thr Bordeaux blend?

Answer 32

Red fruit, high acidity and medium tannins.

Question 33

Why, and when did Bordeaux see a sudden decrease in Malbec plantings?

Answer 33

After the hard frosts of 1956 Malbec was mainly replaced with Merlot which is easier to grow in Bordeaux.

Question 34

Where does Petit Verdot do best?

Answer 34

The warm parts of the Médoc.

Question 35

What does Petit Verdot contribute to the Bordeaux blend?

Answer 35

Powerful, deeply coloured wines with spice notes and high tannins.

Question 36

How prevalent is Petit Verdot?

Answer 36

Usually less than 5% of the blend. There are still very few plantings but it is increasingly valued as a warmer climate makes it more likely to ripen each year.

Question 37

What does Semillon contribute to high quality, dry white Bordeaux blends?

Answer 37

Low - medium intensity aromas, weight and body, and medium acidity: softening Sauv Bs intense flavours and high acidity.
Has a good affinity with new oak aromas.

Question 38

What does Semillon contribute to botrytis affected Bordeaux blends?

Answer 38

Pronounced honey and dried fruit (lemon, peach) and a waxy texture. As it’s more susceptible to botrytis it usually makes up the majority of the blend.

Question 39

What does Sauvignon Blanc contribute to the Bordeaux blend, and how often is it bottled as single variety?

Answer 39

Grassy and gooseberry fruit high acidity to dry and sweet wines. Due to increasing global demand, single variety bottlings are increasing.

Question 40

Where does Muscadelle need to be planted and what does it contribute?

Answer 40

Well exposed sites as prone to BBR. The vast majority goes to sweet wines where it contributes flowery and grapey notes.

Question 41

What is the tradition vine spacing for top quality vineyards, and why is this suitable?

Answer 41

Closely spaced: 10,000 per ha, planted 1 metre apart with 1 metre between rows.
Suitable due to relative infertile soils resulting in moderate vigour.

Question 42

What implications on cost does traditional planting have in vineyards in Bordeaux?

Answer 42

Close planting adds to cost: more plants and more trellises have to be bought, as do specialist over-the-row tractors. More time is required for vine training, ploughing and spraying.
However, close planting makes the most use of expensive vineyard land.

Question 43

What is the average vines per hectare in less prestigious appellations?

Answer 43

Often planted at lower density. E.g. for basic Bordeaux AOC plantings are typically 3-4000 vines per ha.

Question 44

What is the most common form of vine training in Bordeaux?

Answer 44

Head-trained, replacement cane pruned, in which canes are trained along wires.

Question 45

On which bank is Double Guyot more common?

Answer 45

Left bank.

Question 46

On which bank is Single Guyot more common?

Answer 46

Right Bank.

Question 47

What is the second, rare method of vine training, and why do some estates champion it?

Answer 47

Cordon trained, spur pruned. Some prestigious estates champion it as a way of naturally reducing yields and giving better aeration to the bunches.

Question 48

What is the primary aim of canopy management?

Answer 48

Reduce the incidence of downy + powdery mildew and BBR in the moderate, damp climate.

Question 49

What is arguably the most important form lf canopy management that takes place, and what does it achieve?

Answer 49

Leaf removal in summer.
Improves aeration and deters rot. It also exposes the grapes to ultraviolet light to aid ripening.

Question 50

Whats the logisitical consequence of an attack of mildew followed by rain?

Answer 50

Tractors may have difficulty entering the vineyards to spray, and the rain washes away the treatments compounding the problem.

Question 51

Which other diseases have become a major problem recently, and what has proven a solution?

Answer 51

Eutypa dieback and Esca, rotting the vine from the inside.
A relatively new treatment called ‘soft pruning’ which includes making only small cuts if possible, leaving extra wood at the cut site to allow the wood to dry out and maximise the opportunity for sap to flow around the plant.

Question 52

How can Flavescence dorée be contained, and who is that method not popular with?

Answer 52

Insecticides.
The growing band of organic and biodynamic producers.

Question 53

How can leaf removal be carried out, and when is it risky to do so?

Answer 53

Either on both or one side of the rows. The leaves do, however protect from sunburn and extreme heat. If carried out late in the season (when extreme heat is less likely) it is less risky than early on but they still benefit from aeration.
E.g. vineyard managers who removed leaves in 2003 ended up with raisinated grapes.

Question 54

What canopy management technique became approved practice 20 years ago?

Answer 54

Removing bunches, by hand or machine, as a way to correct vinea carrying a high yield, and improve flavour concentration.

Question 55

Why is bunch removal now less popular, and what is the emphasis on today?

Answer 55

Some viticulturalists argue it unbalances the vine and that pruning short in winter is a better way to control yields.
The emphasis is on allowing vines to find their natural balance, avoiding corrective measures unless there is no alternative.

Question 56

Have yields increased or decreased in the last 20 years?

Answer 56

Decreased, they now average 50 hL/ha and wines have benefitted?

Question 57

What was a consequence of exaggerated high yields in the past?

Answer 57

Super concentrated wines that could often be jammy or tiring, and the sense of place - the hallmark of fine Bordeaux - was obscured by excessive concentration that robs wine of nuance.
This was the fashion, especially on the right bank, but it is now in decline.

Question 58

Previously, how was harvest carried out?

Answer 58

Teams were hired to arrive for a defined period, based on an informed guess when the grapes would be ripe and harvest regardless resulting in some underripe, some ripe and some overripe grapes in each vintage.

Question 59

How is harvest carried out today?

Answer 59

Harvesting teams are hired for longer than previously and expect some days of paid idleness if the harvest is interrupted by rain.
Larger estates hire large teams (over 100), and many hire from other EU countries and accommodate them throughout, adding to cost.

Question 60

What are three reasons machine harvesting is commonly used?

Answer 60

1) Distance. In the northern Médoc, for example, it is hard to find workers to pick as the vineyards are a 2 hour drive from Bordeaux, resulting in picking by machine out of economic necessity.
2) Disease or weather pressure. If risk of fungal disease is high or if the forecast is rainy or stormy.
3) For high volume, inexpensive wines.

Question 61

What are an advantage and disadvantage of machine harvesting?

Answer 61

Advantage:
Allows harvest at the opportune moment, without dealing with intricacies of workers schedules.
Disadvantage:
Don’t achieve the same quality control, which is why top estates will always hand harvest.