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VB - Court of Master Sommeliers - Certified > France - Bordeaux > Flashcards

France - Bordeaux Flashcards

1
Q

Where is Bordeaux Located?

A

Bordeaux is located in southwestern france, and is named after the 4th largest city in France, Bordeaux

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2
Q

What are the two major areas of Medoc

A
  • Bas - Medoc ( Lower)

- Haut-Medoc (Upper)

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3
Q

Wines labeled “Appellation Mèdoc Controlèe were made from what part of Mèdoc?

A

Châteaux in Bas-Mèdoc

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4
Q

What is the dominant grape of Mèdoc

A

Cabernet Sauvignon

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5
Q

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

A
  • Cabernet Franc: used to soften the tannin structure and to add herbaceous and aromatic notes
  • Merlot: used to soften tannins and add ripe fruit Characteristics
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6
Q

True or False

Haut - Medoc is not a sub region of Mèdoc?

A

False

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7
Q

True or False

Haut Medoc has the more superior type of soil than the rest of Medoc?

A

True

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8
Q

How are high quality wines from Haut Medoc labeled?

A

Appellation Haut-Medoc Contrôlèe

Note:
Are often high quality wines

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9
Q

What are the 4 communes of Haut - Medoc?

A

From north to south

  • St. Estèphe
  • Pauillac
  • St. Julien
  • Margaux

Note:

These 4 AOC regions are considered by many to be home to the greatest collection of top quality wineries anywhere in the world

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10
Q

What is the main soil type of Medoc?

A

Gravel

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11
Q

What are the areas that set off of the Gironde Estuary and Garonne River

A

Medoc

Graves

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12
Q

What is the most grown grape in Bordeax?

A

Merlot

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13
Q

What are the red grape varietals of Bordeaux?

A
  • Merlot
  • Cabernet Sauvignon
  • Cabernet Franc
  • Petit Verdot
  • Malbec
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14
Q

What is the main white grape varitials in Bordeaux?

A
  • Sauvignon Blanc
  • Semillion
  • Muscadelle
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15
Q

What is the furtherest northern Commune in Haut - Medoc?

A

St. Estèphe

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16
Q

What commune in Bordeaux is known to being the most important appellation in all of Bordeaux

A

Paulliac

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17
Q

What are the five 1st Growth Classification Wines of 1855?

A
  • Chateau Latour
  • Château Lafite - Rothchild
  • Château Mouton - Rothschild
  • Château Margeux
  • Château Haut - Brion
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18
Q

What are the 3 communes that are found in Pauillac?

A
  • Château Latour
  • Château Lafite - Rothchild
  • Château Mouton - Rothchild
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19
Q

What is the smallest commune in Haut Medoc?

A

St. Julien

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20
Q

What are boulbenes?

A

The mixture of sand, gravel, and light clay soil. This takes place in Graves

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21
Q

True or False

You can only produce red wines in Graves?

A

False - you can produce red wines and white wines. Only in Medoc and Haut- Medoc in the left bank can you only made red wines

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22
Q

What are the 3 major bodies of water in Bordeaux

A
  • Gironde Estuary
  • Gasonne River
  • Dogdonne River
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23
Q

What area in the Left Bank is known for its sweet white wines?

A

Sauternes and Barsac

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24
Q

What is the fungus that is very popular on grapes in Sauternes and Barsac that helps produces sweet white wines?

A

Botrytis Cinerea

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25
Q

What grape gets Botrytis Cinerea the most in Bordeaux and why?

A

Semillion and because it’s a thin skinned grape that contains a lot of sugar

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26
Q

What causes Noble Rot?

A

The climate, the perfect mixture of humidity and mild weather. Misty mornings and later sunshine make perfect conditions for Noble Rot

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27
Q

What is the white wine that is made in Pessac - Lèognan?

A

Sauvignon Blanc

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28
Q

What is the soil type in the right bank?

A

Clayish

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29
Q

What is the main grapes of the right bank?

A

Merlot - the main grape

Cabernet Franc - is also a leading grape

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30
Q

What appellations in the right bank make white wines

A

Côte de Blaye and Côte de Bourg

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31
Q

What are the two main red wine regions in the right bank?

A

Pomerol

Saint - Èmilion

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32
Q

Other red wines of the right bank?

A

Canon - Fronsac

Fronsac

Lalande - de - Pomperol

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33
Q

What is the smallest commune of all the quality communes in Bordeaux?

A

Pomerol

Note:
- it’s limited supply is what has caused prices in the appellation to skyrocket

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34
Q

What is the major grape grown in Pomerol?

A

Merlot

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35
Q

What is the top château in Pomerol?

A

Château Pètrus

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36
Q

What is the main grape of Saint Èmilion?

A

Merlot

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37
Q

True or False

Saint Èmilion was apart of the 1855 Classification?

A

False - due to being left out Saint Èmilion created its own appellation, Appellation Saint Èmilion Grand Cru Contrôlèe”

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38
Q

What are two top producers in Saint Emilion?

A

Château Cheval Blanc

Château Ausone

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39
Q

What does Entre - Deux - Mers mean?

A

Between two Seas

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40
Q

What type wines are exclusively sold in Entre - Deux - Mers?

A

Dry white wines

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41
Q

What is the dominant grape in Entre De Mers?

A

Sauvignon Blanc

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42
Q

What type of wines are made in Sauternes?

A

Dessert Wines

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43
Q

What is the Southern most sweet wine region of Bordeaux?

A

Sauternes

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44
Q

True or False

Sauternes are made every year?

A

False - Sauternes are made only during the best vintage years. During bad vintages the wines are sold off to other producers

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45
Q

Name an important Château in Sauternes?

A

Château d’YQuem

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46
Q

What bank is Sauternes located?

A

Left Bank

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47
Q

What region in France has the most acreage

A

Bordeaux with 117,500 ha

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48
Q

What dèpartement is most of the land of Bordeaux in

A

Gironde

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49
Q

What are the main areas set off of the Dordogne River

A

Saint Emilion

Pomerol

Fronsac

Surrounding Appellations

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50
Q

What appellations set on the right bank of the Garonne River

A

Blaye

Bourg

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51
Q

What is the vast stretch of land between the Garonne River and Dordogne River

A

Entre - Deux - Mers

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52
Q

What is the climate of Bordeaux

A

Maritime

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53
Q

What area in France (more specific than Bordeaux) receives the most rainfall

A

Medoc

  • Annual rainfall is 950mm
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54
Q

What are usually the driest months of Bordeaux

A

July and August

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55
Q

What parallel runs just north of Bordeaux

A

45th parallel

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56
Q

Why is the Atlantic Gulf Stream Current important to Bordeaux

A

It brings warm water up from the Caribbean, keeping the climate mild

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57
Q

What is Bordeaux most planted white grape

A

Semillon ⚪

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58
Q

What are some notes that Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Carmenère, and Sauvignon Blanc share

A

Green notes:

Bell Pepper

Grass

Sage

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59
Q

What is the synonym for Cabernet Franc on the right bank

A

Bouchet

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60
Q

What is the original name of Malbec

A

Pressac Noir

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61
Q

What grape is the only grape that uses the spur training method

A

Sémillon

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62
Q

How many AOPs are there in Bordeaux

A

39

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63
Q

Bordeaux AOP

Bordeaux Supérieur AOP

Crémont de Bordeaux AOP

What are these to Bordeaux

A

The three regional appellations of Bordeaux

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64
Q

How many châteaux were chosen in the classification of 1855 and how many categories was it

A

57

  • 5 categories called Grand Cru Classé
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65
Q

How many Sauternes were chosen for their classification and how were they divided

A

21

  • 3 categories
    • second Crus
    • premier Crus
    • Premier Cru Supérior
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66
Q

What were the original 4 châteaux chosen for the classification of 1855

A

Latour

Lafite

Margaux

Haute - Brion

67
Q

What château received the Premier Cru Supérieur

A

Château d’Yquem

68
Q

What date was the classification of 1855 official

A

April 18, 1855

69
Q

When was château Mouton Rothschild upgraded to a first growth

70
Q

What is most common vine training system in Bordeaux and why

A

Vertical in the Guyot system

  • produces larger berries
71
Q

What is the common style of guyot system used in the left bank

72
Q

What is the most common guyot training system used in the right bank

73
Q

What type of training system is used for Sauternes and why

A

Cordon Training

  • produces slightly smaller berries that attract botrytis
74
Q

What disease is common with using the guyot cane training

75
Q

What is the common spacing in Médoc

A

1 x 1 meters

76
Q

Do the canopies hang high or low off the ground in Médoc

A

Low - one meter off the ground to take advantage of the stony soil

77
Q

What is the common spacing in Saint Émilion and Pomerol

A

1.3 - 1.5 meters

78
Q

What is the vine per hectors requirement for the left bank

A

7,000 Vines per hectare

79
Q

What is the vine per Hectare in Saint Emilion and Pomerol

A

5,500 Vines per Hectare

80
Q

What is the common spacing of Vines in Entre Deux Mers

A

Up to 2.5 meters

81
Q

Is chaptalization allowed in Bordeaux

82
Q

What type of barrel is used to age. Bordeaux red wines

A

New french oak barriques

83
Q

What is the barrique size in Bordeaux

A

225 liters

84
Q

What is cliquage

A

A controversial form on micro oxygenation when small doses of oxygen are applied to the finished wine in barrel

85
Q

What are the two thoughts of assemblage in Bordeaux

A
  1. Create the final blend early in the year after harvest in time for the April en primeur tasting
  2. Create the blend just before bottling in order to isolate and observe the maturation of separate components for as long as possible
86
Q

When does bottling typically occurs in Bordeaux

87
Q

Is the cork a finish requirement in Bordeaux

A

No, it’s not mandated by AOC law

88
Q

What are the last top vintages of Bordeaux

A

2005, 2009, 2010

89
Q

All the winegrowing in the Médoc occurs where

A

On the eastern edge of the Médoc

90
Q

Where are the best vineyards and châteaux located in Médoc

A

Haut Medoc

91
Q

What physical feature in Médoc shields the region’s vineyards from Atlantic weather and winds

A

Landes Forest

92
Q

Where are wines labeled Medoc AOP located

93
Q

Where are wines labeled Haut Medoc AOP located

A

West of Saint Estephe, Pauillac, Saint Julien or south of Margaux

94
Q

What are some characteristics of wine from Saint Estèphe

A

Firm, tanninc, earthy, chuncky, full bodied, sturdy and slow to mature.

95
Q

Saint-Julien Second Growths

A

Château Léoville-Las Cases
Château Léoville-Poyferré
Château Léoville Barton
Château Gruaud-Larose
Château Ducru-Beaucaillou

96
Q

Saint Estèphe Second Growths

A

5

Château Cos d’Estournel
Château Montrose

97
Q

What grape accounts for 40% of Saint Estèphe communes

98
Q

What château marks the northern boundary of Paulliac

A

Château Lafite Rothschild

99
Q

What château makes up the southern boundary of Paulliac

A

Château Latour

100
Q

What is the flavor for Paulliac

A

Rich, powerful, firm, and tannic, with blackcurrant and cedar aromas and flavors

101
Q

Pauillac is home to how many first growth wines

A

3

Château Lafite Rothschild

Château Mouton Rothschild

Château Latour

102
Q

What is the flavor profile for Saint Julien

A

Rich, flavorful, elegant and finesseful, with cedary bouque

103
Q

What is the smallest Commune in Médoc

A

Saint Julien

104
Q

What Commune has the most châteaux in the 1855 Classification

A

Margaux with 21

105
Q

Does Saint Julien have any first growth

106
Q

Margaux

Cantenac

Soussans

Arsac

Labarde

These are the 5 communes for what AOC in Bordeaux

107
Q

What is the 1st growth from Margaux

A

Château Margaux

108
Q

What is the white wine that château Margaux makes and what classification does it fall under

A

Pavilion Blanc du Château Margaux

  • Bordeaux AOC
109
Q

What are the 5 Grand Cru Classé A for Saint Emilion Classification

A

Château Cheval Blanc

Château Angélus

Château Ausone

Château Pavie

Château Figeac (promoted in 2022)

110
Q

When did the Saint Emilion Classification become into existence

111
Q

How often is the Saint Emilion Classification reviewed

A

Every 10 years

112
Q

Rauzan - Ségla is a 2nd growth for what Appellation

113
Q

What is the main grape of Moulis and Listrac Médoc

A

Cabernet Sauvignon 🔴

Merlot 🔴 - on the rise in the area

114
Q

How many classifications does Medoc have and what are they

A

1855 Classification

Cru Bourgeois

Cru Artisan

115
Q

What was the purpose of creating the Cru Bourgeois

A

To create a classification for wines lacking the breed of the more aristocratic 1855 estates some collective marketing power

The Cru Bourgeois classification was created to denote high quality (a Cru Bourgeois is not just any old Chateau!), though not Bordeaux’s highest.

after 1855 no way to sneak onto first class list- this is a consolation price

116
Q

What year was the Cru Bourgeois Classification introduced

117
Q

How many tiers are there to the Cru Bourgeois Classification and what are they

A

Cru Bourgeois

Cru Bourgeois Supérieur

Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnel

118
Q

In the original introduction of the Cru Bourgeois Classification, how many properties were apart

119
Q

When was the last major revision done to the Cru Bourgeois Classification and what were they

A

2003

  • cut the total amount of properties down to 247, with only 9 of those being able to use the “exceptionnels” tier
  • mandated revisions will occur ever 12 years
120
Q

Is the Cru Bourgeois Classification still around today

A

Yes, in 2020 it was revived even though it was banned in 2007 due to a law suit filed by some of the declassified estates.

121
Q

How is Cru Bourgeois used and when was it reintroduced

A

2008

  • it is now a mark awarded annually
  • châteaux must apply each year by submitting wines to a blind tasting panel
  • there is no more tier system
122
Q

What physical feature separates Graves from the Atlantic Ocean

A

The Landes Forest

123
Q

What is the main soil of Graves

124
Q

What is the main soil type of Northern Graves

A

Gravel croupes

125
Q

What is the main soil type of Southern Graves

A

Sand and limestone

126
Q

What are the two regional AOPs of Graves

A

Graves AOP

Graves Supérieur AOP

127
Q

What type of wines are made in Graves AOP

A

Red 🔴

White ⚪

128
Q

What type of wines are made in Graves Supérior AOP

A

Sweet Whites Only

129
Q

When did the Graves Classification come into existence

130
Q

What type of wines can be apart of the Graves Classification

A

Reds and Whites

131
Q

What is the top category for the Graves Classification

A

Cru Classé

132
Q

When was Pessac Léognan AOC founded

133
Q

What are the main grapes of Pessac - Léognan

A

Cabernet Sauvignon

Merlot

134
Q

What is the only first growth of of Pessac Léognan

A

Château Haut Brion

135
Q

What is the main grape of Château Haut Brion

A

Merlot but most of their wines are Cabernet Sauvignon base blends

136
Q

Where is Sauternes and Barsac located

A

Southern Graves

137
Q

What type of wines are produced in Sauternes and Barsac

A

Sweet wines

138
Q

What is noble Rot called in France

A

Pourriture Rot

139
Q

Barsac

Preignac

Bommes

Fargues

Sauternes

These are the 5 communes for what AOC

140
Q

What are the main two rivers of Sauternes AOC

A

Ciron River

Garonne River

141
Q

Is new oak used for the sweet wines of Sauternes

A

Yes, new French Oak Barriques

142
Q

Is chaptalization allowed in Sauternes AOC

143
Q

What is the largest Commune of production in Sauternes

144
Q

What is the most coveted Bordeaux Blanc on the market

A

Château d’Yquem’s - “Ygrec”

  • debuted in 1959
145
Q

What are the examable AOPs on the Right Bank

A

Lalande - de - Pomerol

Pomerol

St - Emilion

St - Emilion Grand Cru

Montagne - St Émilion

146
Q

Why is Merlot more covenant in the right bank than left bank

A

The right bank cool clay and calcareous clay soils, which are better suited for Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon grows better in gravel soils

147
Q

What is the typical grape breakdown for the right bank

A

70% Merlot

30% Cabernet Franc

148
Q

What role does Merlot play in right bank blends

A
  • jammy

- fruitcake

149
Q

What role does Cabernet Franc play in right bank blends

A

Gives the wines structure , brighter acidity, and restrained alcohol

150
Q

Where did Château Ausone get its name from

A

The poet Ausonius who lived in Saint Émilion

151
Q

Liborne

Saint Christophe des Bardes

Saint Émilion

Saint Étienne de Lisse

Saint Hippolyte

Saint Laurent - des - Combes

Saint - Pey - d’Armens

Saint Sulpice - de - Faleyrens

Vignonet

These are the nine communes for what AOP

A

Saint Émilion AOP

152
Q

Where are the best growing areas of Saint Émilion AOP

A

On the slopes (Côtes) of limestone plateau near the commune of Saint Émilion

153
Q

Name the only red wine appellations of Saint Émilion

A

Saint Émilion AOP - established in 1936

Saint Émilion Grand Cru AOP - established in 1954

154
Q

What is the difference between Saint Émilion AOP and Saint Émilion Grand Cru AOP

A

Saint Émilion Grand Cru AOP must be Estate bottled unlike Saint Émilion AOP which can be blended and bottles by a négociant

  • Saint Émilion Grand Cru AOP requires lower maximum yields and longer élevage
  • Saint Émilion Grand Cru estates are usually located on limestone Côtes and Saint Émilion AOP is located in the river plain
155
Q

How many Saint Émilion premier Cru Classé B are there

156
Q 
Château Beauséjour (Duffau-Lagarrosse)
Château Beau-Séjour Bécot	
Château Bélair-Monange
Château Canon	
Château Canon-la-Gaffelière
Clos Fourtet	
Château La Gaffelière	
Château Larcis Ducasse
La Mondotte
Château Pavie-Macquin
Château Troplong Mondot
Château Trotte Vieille
Château Valandraud

These are the 14 estates for what classification

A

Saint Émilion Classification - Premier Classé B

157
Q

How many grand Cru Classé properties are apart of the Saint Émilion classification

158
Q

What is the only château in Bordeaux wine to be classified twice

A

Château Haut Brion

1855 Classification

Graves Classification of 1959

159
Q

All of the Graves Classification wines are located in which section of Graves (hint: it’s a proper name)

A

Pessac - Léognan

160
Q

Margaux Second Growths

A

Château Rauzan-Gassies
Château Rauzan-Ségla
Château Durfort-Vivens
Château Lascombes
Château Brane-Cantenac

161
Q

Pauillac Second Growths

A

Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande
Château Pichon Longueville Baron

162
Q

Pessac-Léognan Second Growths

A

There are none

VB - Court of Master Sommeliers - Certified (47 decks)

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