General Flashcards
Where does Bordeaux rank in size of French wine producing region?
How many hectares?
1st
117,500 Hectares
14% of total French vineyard area
5-6 million HL each year
What are the subregions of Bordeaux?
Medoc
Graves
Entre-deux-Mers
The Right Bank
Blaye and Bourg
What climate is Bordeaux categorized as?
Describe it
Maritime
Warm summer and cool winter moderated by Gironde Estuary
Atlantic Gulf Stream current, bringing warm waters up from the Caribbean, keeps its climate mild
NO significant diurnal shift
Frost is very rare
What is the annual rainfall of Bordeaux and where does it rank?
950 ml
1st of all major regions
Where does Bordeaux fall on the Winkler Scale?
II
What are the red grapes authorized for Bordeaux AOP and other red wine producing AOPs?
Cabernet Sauvignon
Merlot
Cabernet Franc
Cot (Malbec)
Carmnere
Petite Verdot
Arinarnoa - added in 2021
Castets - added in 2021
Marselan - added in 2021
Touriga Nacional - added in 2021
Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc make up 99% of planting
What are white grapes authorized for Bordeaux AOP?
Sémillon
Sauvignon Blanc (and Gris)
Muscadelle
Ugni Blanc
Merlot Blanc
Colombard
Alvarinho - added in 2021
Lilorila - added in 2021
What percentage of grapes in Bordeaux are red?
What is most planted?
89%
Merlot - red - 63% of red grapes planted
Semillon - white - 45% of white grapes planted
Sauvignon Blanc - 43%
What is the historical reason for planting various grapes in Bordeaux?
“Insurance policy” agaisnt ripening or budding issues from rain or frosts
What are the most likely weather related viticulture problems in Bordeax?
Rot and coulure from rainfall
What is the chemical pound responsible for pyrazine flavours?
2-methoxy-3-isobutylpyrazine
What are the parents of Merlot
Cabernet Franc x Magdelein Noire de Charentes
What soils does Merlot prefer and why?
Riping and buding timing?
Clusters?
Disease susceptibility?
Cool Clay soils to tame ripening and yield
Buds and ripens two weeks earlier then Cab
Thinner skin than Cab prone to rot and coulure
Less susceptible to wood-rotting disease allowing vines to live to 100 years old
What soils does Merlot prefer and why?
Riping and buding timing?
Clusters?
Disease susceptibility?
Cool Clay soils to tame ripening and yield
Buds and ripens two weeks earlier then Cab
Thinner skin than Cab prone to rot and coulure
Less susceptible to wood-rotting disease allowing vines to live to 100 years old
What are the parents of Cabernet Sauvignon
Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc
What soil does Cabernet Sauv prefer and why?
Clusters?
Warm, gravel soils to allow to ripen to full potential
Thicker skins to help resist rot
What are synonyms for Malbec?
Cot
Pressac Noir
Malbec was the named of the grower that brought it to the Right Bank in 1730s
Chateau de Pressac was the estate Malbec bought in 1730 and planted with Cot/Pressac Noir/Malbec
What does Cab Franc added to right bank blend?
Acid and Aromatics
What does Petite Verdot added to Left bank Cab blends?
Even more tannin
Color
Exotic spice
Floral perfume
What does Petite Verdot added to Left bank Cab blends?
Even more tannin
Color
Exotic spice
Floral perfume
What Semillon add to white blends?
Waxy and rich texture - Foils the pungent aromas of Sauvy B
What are the parents of Carmenere?
Cabernet Franc x Grois Noir
What is Sauvignon Gris?
Grey-skined, early ripening mutation of Sauvignon Blanc
Listed as a seperate grapes in the Bordeux Cahiers
Popular in Graves
Describe Muscadelle
Not related to Muscat but shows similiar flowery, grapey and intense aromatics
Like Petit Verdot in Médoc reds, a tiny addition of Muscadelle can significantly impact a dry or sweet white wine’s aromatic profile.
What are the 3 regional appellations in Bordeaux?
Bordeaux AOP
Bordeaux Superieure AOP
Cremant de Bordeaux AOP
What IGP does Bordeaux fall within?
What departments are within the IGP?
Atlantique IGP
- Gironde, Charente-Maritime, Charente, Dordogne, Lot-et-Garonne (partial)
What is the first evidence of grape vines in Bordeaux?
The Roman poet Ausonius, whose writings provide evidence of early winegrowing in Bordeaux, was born in Burdigala in 310 CE.
Chateau Ausone is named after Ausonius
Who is Eleanor of Aquitane?
How did her relationships affect the ownership of Bordeaux?
- In 1137, Eleanor succeeded her father William X as the Duchess of Aquitaine
- In 1137, the young Duchess of Aquitaine was betrothed to the son of Louis VI of France, heir to the king.
- That same year, on Christmas Day, Louis VII and Eleanor were crowned king and queen of France, and Aquitaine was formally annexed into the realm of England
- Elanor fled west to plead with the Pope to annul her marriage to King Louis VII after their armies were defeated in the Second crusades. He refused initially but relented after she bore the king a second daughter
- Three months after her annulment, Eleanor married Henry II, the Duke of Normandy and future King of England.
- Henry ascended to the throne in 1154, and Eleanor became Queen of England, transferring the title of the Duchy of Aquitaine to the English House of Plantagenet
- For the next 300 years, Aquitaine—including Bordeaux and Gascony—joined under a common banner the other possessions of the House of Plantagenet in Western France, England, Scotland, and Wales. The English monarch ruled Aquitaine from 1154 to 1453, and in these three centuries the English taste for Bordeaux wines was born
- 1337 to 1453. The Hundred Years’ War saw Edward III attempt to protect Aquitaine and eliminate his rival for the French throne, King Philip VI, first of the Valois kings of France and grandfather of Philip the Bold of Burgundy. The war spanned five generations of rulers; in its course the nations of England and France fully materialized, and at its conclusion with the Battle of Castillon in 1453 Aquitaine reverted to French rule. Bordeaux was French again.
Explain the Dutch impact on Bordeaux
- When the French reclaimed Bordeaux they wanted to maintain the profitable trade with England and the Dutch, with their fleet being the biggest in Europe, became the middle man
- 1600s - The Dutch preferred sweet whites and deep colored reds and Bordeaux began to change their styles from the Clariet preferred by the English. Sweet whites began to be made in Sauternes and Barsac. The Dutch taught them to use the German method of burning a sulphur candle in Barrels to preserve the wine
- They build a system of canals (jalles) to drain the lowlands of the Medoc
What was the first brand name used to market a wine as opposed to a broad category?
- Chateau Haut-Brion described in 1663 by Samuel Pepys . “Ho Bryen that hath a good and most particular taste.”
- the château’s owner, Arnaud de Pontac III, opened a tavern to sell the wine. Open for more than a century, the Pontac’s Head became London’s most fashionable eating-house, selling Château Haut-Brion for a premium
When were most of the Chateau on the Left Bank built?
17th century
When and where was Cabernet Sauvignon first planted in Bordeaux?
Medoc - 2nd half of 1700s
What is police des vins?
a code of regulations that governed the export of wine from Bordeaux’s port, shaped the region’s commercial monopoly in the 13th and 14th centuries by limiting the sale of Sud-Ouest and Languedoc wines in favor of those of Bordeaux
What is privilège de la descente?
a longstanding competitive advantage conferred by the police des vins which prohibited the transfer of non-Bordeaux wines by boat through the port until November 11 of each year, remained on the books until the Revolution
What is privilège de la barrique?
entitled Bordeaux wines alone to storage and shipment in the barrique barrel
What law was made in Bordeaux in 1764 regarding barrels?
required all Bordeaux wines in barrel to be branded with the château name and the commune of production, an early precursor to appellation law
When was the modern 225L barrique size introduced to Bordeaux?
1860s
When was the modern 225L barrique size introduced to Bordeaux?
1860s
What wines did Thomas Jefferson mention by name after visiting Bordeaux in 1787?
Lafite, Margaux, Latour, Haut-Brio and Chateau d’Yquem
What wines did Thomas Jefferson mention by name after visiting Bordeaux in 1787?
Lafite, Margaux, Latour, Haut-Brio and Chateau d’Yquem
How did the French revolution’s “Reign of Terror” affect Bordeaux producers relative to Burgundy?
Bordeaux estate were seazed and sold similar to Burgundy, but they were typically bought as entire estate instead of being parcelled off like in Burgundy
When did the word Chateau begin to appear in conjuction with the estate name on bottlings?
Early 1800s
In the 1855 Classification, only 5 of the estates had Chateau in the name
What event and which ruler called for the 1885 Classification?
What were the rankings based off?
- 1855 Universal Exposition in Paris, Emperor Napoleon III invited the Bordeaux Chamber of Commerce to select the region’s best wines for presentation to the public.
- The chamber in turn looked to the city’s courtiers to quickly draw up a list of the top estates of Bordeaux
Price
How many Chateau were classified in 1855 in each region…
Haut-Medoc
Graves
Sauternes
Haut-Medoc - 56
Graves - 1 - Haut-Brion
Sauternes - 21
Who many chateau are classified today and what is the reason for the change?
Haut-Medoc - 60
Graves - 1
Sauternes - 27
The division and multiplication of some classed estates (Léoville in Saint-Julien, Doisy in Barsac) and the disappearance of others (Château Pexoto in Sauternes) has affected the overall number of châteaux in each classification
What is the only estate to be upgraded in the 1855 classification and when?
1973, the French minister of agriculture elevated second growth Château Mouton-Rothschild to the status of premier cru classé.
The motto of Baron Philippe de Rothschild? “Premier je suis. Second je fus. Mouton ne change.” (First I am. Second I was. Mouton doesn’t change.)
What the 1855 classification the first attempt to classify Bordeaux Estates?
No
There were over 20 attempts in the previous 100 years but this one stuck
What is Liv-Ex?
London International Vintners Exchange (Liv-Ex)
- biennial list of the top wines of Bordeaux since 2009
- based on current trading prices on the exchange and only Left Bank red wines are considered
- imperfect snapshot that can be heavily influenced by trends, it may be a better indicator of current performance
When did Ouidium (powdery mildew) appear in Bordeaux?
1852
- 1854 France harvested its smallest vintage since the late 1700s
- it was soon manageable through the application of sulfur in the vineyard. Bordeaux thus returned to prosperity in the 1860s
When did Phylloxera arrive in Bordeaux?
1869
- It took hold by the late 1870s and caused widespread ruin
- Top estates could afford to replant and graft, but some smaller operations chose a cheaper option—replanting with direct producers, or hybrid vines
What was the 4th most planted red grape in Bordeaux in 2011?
Villard Noir, a hybrid
When did peronospera (downey mildew) affect Bordeaux?
What was the treatment and when was it created?
Early 1880s
Bordeaux Mixture - copper sulfate-lime - 1888
How did Phylloxera impact the plantings of Camenere and Malbec?
They began to diminish in plantings because they didnt graft as well as the others
How did Phylloxera impact the plantings of Camenere and Malbec?
They began to diminish in plantings because they didnt graft as well as the others
Who was the weinfuhrer installed by Nazi in Bordeaux?
Herr Bomers
Bömers admired the wines of Bordeaux, apparently maintaining enough civility to become Mouton’s chosen German importer after the war, but it was a fine line for the Bordelaise, who risked accusations of collaboration by doing business with the occupiers
What are the best vintages of the 1940s
1945 - Considered one of the best of all time
1947
1949
What is sur roches?
pricing based on a previous vintage, agreed upon prior to harvest
Who was the first estate to bottle their own wine and when?
How was bottling done before?
Moutin-Rothshild - 1924
Chateaux sold casks of wine to negociants who completed elevage and bottled it
Bottling at the estate did not become widespread until the 1960s. (Paul Draper of Ridge recalls buying Château Montrose in barrel in the early years; he wanted to use the barrel for his wines in Santa Cruz, and so Ridge bottled and sold the wine in San Francisco, essentially acting as a négociant.)
When did bottling by the Chateau become a law in Bordeaux?
1972
What vintage is known as the Parker Vintage and why?
1982
new American critic Robert Parker. Fruit, concentration, and the desirability of new oak increasingly stood out as chief attributes, and the wines of the right bank finally began to take their place next to the great wines of the Médoc
How did Parkerism effect Bordeaux style?
New corporate owners invested in massive Médoc properties too unwieldy and burdensome to bequeath to heirs, and properties that needed work in the winery and the vineyard could suddenly afford to do so. The American market asserted itself, as did an “American palate”—to the loud chagrin of traditional British critics
How did Parkerism effect Bordeaux style?
New corporate owners invested in massive Médoc properties too unwieldy and burdensome to bequeath to heirs, and properties that needed work in the winery and the vineyard could suddenly afford to do so. The American market asserted itself, as did an “American palate”—to the loud chagrin of traditional British critics
Describe the vintages 1988, 1989 and 1990
Warm and dry
Production and quality was high
When were 2nd wines introduced?
90s
List some famous Bordeaux consultants
When did they begin?
Emile Peynaud were Michel Rolland, Stéphane Derenoncourt, Denis Dubourdieu
1990s
Describe 2000 vintage
Very dry summer that produced late-picked, ripe and ready style of wines
Loved by Parker and Wine Spectator
Describe 2003 vintage
Ultra-Hot
Super-ripe, low-acid
It too initially found favor in the American press, but critics quickly washed their hands of it
Describe 1991-1994 vintages
Very wet
Bordeaux’s most sophisticated producers were starting to catch up to nature; with enough money and attention, through severe selection and the aid of concentrators, the best properties could salvage good quality wine in poor vintages
List the best vintages in 2005-2010
2005, 2009, 2010
Where does China rank in Bordeaux imports?
2nd - 436,000 hl
Germany is 3rd at 275,000 hl
What is Place de Bordeaux?
three-tier, de facto system of wine production, brokerage, and sales that controls the trade of wine in Bordeaux
What countries set up the first firms at the brokerage tier of Place de Bordeaux?
In the 1600s Dutch and English
German and Irish firms appeared in the 1700s
What are brokers called in Bordeaux?
Courtiers
What is en premieur?
Selling wine futures
Every spring, the en primeur tastings joined the traditional players (merchant, broker, producer) with an increasing number of international writers, importers, and even retailers, all to taste out of barrel, pronounce scores, uphold allocations, and await pricing. A short while later, scores are released, then prices, and wine futures are released to the trade and general public in successive tranches, each priced higher than the last, until all is sold. The wines may not reach the final buyer for two years or more
What is a societe civile?
Why is this used?
eliminates the actual transfer of property by creating shares in a real estate-owning company
To avoid paying an inheritance tax that can be up to 50% of the property value
How are most chateau transferred from one owner to another?
Being sold
château owners commonly sold to their agents of commerce, the négociants, or to bankers; by the early 21st century the buyers were more likely insurance companies, luxury conglomerates, French billionaires, Chinese investors
1853, when the London-born Baron Nathaniel de Rothschild purchased a château named Mouton
How are most vines trained in Bordeaux?
Vertical Trellises
Guyot system - double is common on the left and simple on the right
How are vines commonly trained in Sauternes and why?
Cordon
Produces smaller berries that tend to encourage grey roy
What is common vine spacing in Bordeaux?
Left Bank - 1x1
Right bank - 1.3-1.5x1.3-1.5
Right bank soils are generally shallower; roots cannot penetrate the limestone bedrock and therefore spread outward rather than dig down
What percentage of viticulture was organic in 2017?
60%
Are copper sprays considered organic?
Yes even though copper levels build with repeated usage
Are sulfur sprays considered organic?
Sulfur treatments applied to stymie the spread of powdery mildew are also acceptable in organic regimes
How does Bordeaux treating foliage to prevent rot issues?
de-leafing, by machine or manually. After véraison, many vineyards in Bordeaux are stripped of greenery in the fruit zone, giving the fruit needed ventilation into the humid late summer and early fall.
How does Bordeaux treating foliage to prevent rot issues?
de-leafing, by machine or manually. After véraison, many vineyards in Bordeaux are stripped of greenery in the fruit zone, giving the fruit needed ventilation into the humid late summer and early fall.
What cap management technique is most used in Bordeaux?
Remontage - Pump over
What is the typical elevage length in Bordeaux and how often is wine racked?
18-24 months
Every 3 months
Does white bordeaux undergoes malolactic fermentation?
How long do white wines age?
No except for very acidic vintages
12-15 months
What is the standard barrel size in Bordeaux?
What percentage of oak is new for most white bordeaux?
225L Barrique
Less than 50% new
What technique has been used since the 90s to soften green, rustic and tannic edges in Bordeaux?
Micro-Oxygenation
What is Cliquage?
- Moderate doses of oxygen are applied to to the finish wine in barrels
- used to simulate the larger oxygen exposure traditionally accomplished through racking
- Some top estates and top consultants advocate for the practice, noting that it can counter reduction invited through bâtonnage, yet critics contend that it is produces short-term gain at the expense of long-term stability
What are the two schools of though for assemblage in Bordeaux?
- One side prefers to create the final blend early in the year after harvest, in time for the April en primeur tasting
- The opposing perspective would prefer to blend just before bottling, in order to isolate and observe the maturation of separate components for as long as possible
What are some of the reasons Chateaux give for making a 2nd or a 3rd wine?
- in order to maintain high quality in the grand vin, an estate will direct less impressive lots or imperfect fruit into a second wine
- use young vine parcels that lack the maturity needed for the grand vin
- even develop specific vineyards solely for second wine production
- Some producers purchase entirely separate château properties and use the name of the new estate for a second wine
- Second wines in the Médoc tend to have a greater percentage of Merlot than grands vins, offering greater approachability
- Second wines usually see less new oak
What are the 2 subsections of the Medoc?
the northern “lower” Bas-Médoc
the southern “upper” Haut-Médoc
What georaphical feature covers the western sections of the Medoc?
the manmade Landes Forest
Coastal pine trees that help to shield the region’s vineyards from Atlantic weather and winds
What is a coupes?
Gravel deposits from the Garonne River
What is the northernost commune of the Haut-Medoc?
Saint-Estephe
What are the 6 commune appellations in the Haut-Medoc from North to South
Saint-Estephe
Pauilac
Saint-Julien
Listrac-Medoc
Moulis-en-Medoc
Margaux
What geographical features seperates Saint-Estephe from Pauillac, more specifically Cos d’Estournel and Lafon-Rochet from Lafite-Rothschild?
Jalle de Breuil
What are classified estate in Saint-Estephe?
Château Cos d’Estournel, Saint-Estèphe
Château Montrose, Saint-Estèphe
Château Calon-Ségur, Saint-Estèphe
Château Lafon-Rochet, Saint-Estèphe
Château Cos Labory, Saint-Estèphe
What percentage of Merlot is planted in Saint-Estephe?
40%
Where are the deep coupes in Bordeaux located?
Pauillac
Where are the deep coupes in Bordeaux located?
Pauillac
What percentage of Cabernet is planted in Pauillac?
70-80%
What percentage of Cabernet is planted in Pauillac?
70-80%
How many classified growths are in Saint-Julien and what percentage of production comes from those Chateaux?
11
85%
How many classified growths are in Saint-Julien and what percentage of production comes from those Chateaux?
11
85%
What percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon is planted in Margaux?
65%
How many classified growths are in Margaux and what percentage of production are they reponsible for?
21
70%
What coupe is shared by Moulis-en-Medoc and Saint Julien?
Poujeaux
Château Chasse-Spleen and Château Poujeaux have holdings on this coupe in Moulis-en-Medoc
What is Cru Artisan?
- A designation that has been in use for nearly a century and a half, was formally recognized in 2002
- From the 2005 vintage forward, 44 small producers throughout the Médoc have the right to use the designation
- average of six hectares each
- Following a review in 2018, the number of producers has decreased to 36, reflecting changes in ownership
- Rankings will now be updated every 5 years, as opposed to every 10 as previously required.
What is Cru Bourgeois?
- originally introduced in 1932, gave 444 properties that were considered
- Three quality tiers were drafted: cru bourgeois exceptionnel, cru bourgeois supérieur, and the basic cru bourgeois
- 2003, trimmed the list of total qualifying châteaux to 247, with only nine exceptionnels, and mandated further revisions every 12 years
- This didn’t sit well with a number of declassified estates; ensuing legal action nullified the entire classification and resulted in an outright ban on the term cru bourgeois itself by 2007
- Reintroduced for the 2008 vintage, cru bourgeois was awarded annually from 2010 until 2019, though the separate designations of cru bourgeois exceptionnel and cru bourgeois supérieur were eliminated
- In 2018, new legislation passed to reinstate the previously abandoned terms.
- In 2020, 249 châteaux were classified as cru bourgeois, including 14 crus bourgeois exceptionnels and 56 crus bourgeois supérieurs.
- The classification will be reviewed every five years, with a new list appearing in 2025
What has caused northern Graves to shrink in vineyard area?
Bordeaux City has expanded
What is the only major region of Bordeaux to produce white, red and sweet whites?
Graves
When was the first Graves Classification? When was it revised?
1953
1959
How many chateau in Graves are classified?
Red?
White?
Both?
16
Red - 7
White - 2
Both - 6
It was 15 chateau until Chateau Couhins split in 1968
How many chateau in Graves are classified?
Red?
White?
Both?
16
Red - 7
White - 2
Both - 6
It was 15 chateau until Chateau Couhins split in 1968
How much vineyard area was in Graves in mid 1800s compared to 1980s?
5,000 ha down to 500
Who is Andre Lurton?
- Vigneron that took over control of Couhins estate in 1968
- Was president of Syndicat de Hautes Graves by 1970s
- He pushed throughout the 80s for a new appellation to seperate the higher quality and classified chateaus from the lesser quality in the south
- In 1987 the INAO created Pessac-Léognan AOC
What are the classifications of Sauternes and how many are in each?
27
Premiere Cru superieur - 1 = dY’quem
First Growths - 11
Second Growths - 12
What are the two rivers that flow through Sauternes?
Ciron
Garonne
What are the communes of Sauternes AOP?
Barsac
Preignac
Bommes
Sauternes
Fargues
What vintages did d’Yquem not make wine?
1910, 1915, 1930, 1951, 1964, 1972, 1974, 1992, 2012
In 1974, the made 11 tries (passes in the vineyard) over 10 weeks and ultimately rejected the resulting wine
What fermentation vessel is common in Sauternes for top wine?
Barrel
How is VA and refermentation prevented in Sauternes?
Sulfur dioxide
What is a common range of RS for Sauternes?
120-160 g/L RS
What are the communes of Cerons AOP?
Cérons
Podensac
Illats
What role does Caberent Franc play in right bank blends?
Adds tannin and acid
Tempers the jammy fruit of Merlot
Low alcohol
Are producers generallly larger on the left bank or right?
Smaller on the right bank
- Médoc and Graves château properties can easily amass 60 or 80 hectares of vines; in the right bank even the largest estates rarely exceed 20 or 25 ha
- Jonathan Maltus of Saint-Émilion’s Château Teyssier, who suggests the commune’s average domaine size has doubled from 3.5 ha to seven in two decades’ time
Who sparked the garagiste movement in the right bank?
Valandraud in the 90s
What is the style of vin de garage?
- small-production
- low-yielding
- extracted efforts that undergo severe selections
- new oak.
- They are the antithesis of terroir
- they are triumphs of technique typically produced from mediocre soils in lesser sectors of Bordeaux’s famous appellations.
What rivers are north and south of St. Emilion?
South - Dordogne
North - Barbanne
What is unique about the assemblage of Chateau Figeac and Cheval Blanc and why?
Figeac - Can be up to 40% Cabernet Sauvignon. Cab Sauv, Merlot and Cab Franc all have significant quantites
Cheval Blanc - often blends more Cabernet Franc than Merlot. Also used some Cabernet Sauvignon
Near the gravelly terrace of Pomerol on the northwestern sector of the plateau, the topsoil shifts from clay to warmer gravel and the proportion of Cabernet Franc rises
Describe the area in Saint-Emilion with most of the classified chateau
The Cotes
- The most historic growing areas are on the slopes, or côtes, of the limestone plateau near the commune of Saint-Émilion itself
- Ancient caves dug by the Romans snake through the rock beneath hillside vineyards, and the cool clay soils atop the plateau reward the early-ripening Merlot
What are the difference in Saint Emilion AOP and Saint Emilion Grand Cru AOP?
- Saint-Émilion Grand Cru AOP wines must be estate-bottled
- there are lower maximum yields and a longer élevage required for the Grand Cru category
- While the two AOPs share exact geographic boundaries, most Grand Cru estates are located on the limestone côtes and plateau rather than in the river plain
What other AOPs were previously included in Saint Emilion?
- Saint-Émilion Grand Cru Classé and Saint-Émilion Premier Grand Cru Classé were separate AOCs introduced in 1954
- In 1984 they were eliminated
When was the Saint-Emilion Classification made and revised?
1955
1958, with updates in 1969, 1986, 1996, 2006, 2012, 2022
What are the tiers of the Saint Emilion Classification system and how many producers are in each?
St-Émilion Premiers Grands Crus Classés A - 2 (Pavie and Figeac - promoted in 2022)
St-Émilion Premiers Grands Crus Classés B - 12
St-Émilion Grands Crus Classés - 71
What controversy took place in the 2006 Saint Emilion Classification revision?
- 2006 revision demoted châteaux, brought legal action and scuttled the results.
- The matter percolated in French courts for several years, resulting in a 2009 compromise that allowed châteaux promoted in 2006 to retain their new status while demotions were rendered invalid.
What controversy took place in the 2006 Saint Emilion Classification revision?
- 2006 revision demoted châteaux, brought legal action and scuttled the results.
- The matter percolated in French courts for several years, resulting in a 2009 compromise that allowed châteaux promoted in 2006 to retain their new status while demotions were rendered invalid.
What chateaus withdrew from the Saint Emilion Grand Cru Classe Classification in 2022?
Cheval Blanc (Classe A)
Angelus (Classe A)
Ausone (Classe A)
Château La Gaffelière (Classe B)
Can producers in Saint-Emilion simply add vineyards under their classification ranking in the same fashion as the 1855 Classification
No
only 27 of Château Angelus’ 29 hectares of vineyards are ranked as premier grand cru classé A
What rivers are associated with Pomerol?
Isle - West
Barbanne - North
Describe the soils of Pomerol
Pomerol is a plateau raising slightly in elevation as it moves north from the Dordogne River with 3 distinct terraces
- 1st Terrace - Near the Dordogne and Libourne - Sand over clay
- 2nd Terrace - Further inland - Gravels laid over and amalgamated with clay with bands of crasse de fer—iron-rich sand deposits
- 3rd Terrace - Highest elevations in the east - water retaining clay with some gravel
What is the buttonhole or buttonière in Pomerol?
What producer is associated with this area?
an area of deep blue clay at Pomerol’s highest and easternmost point on the 3rd terrace, spanning just 20 hectares
Petrus - Several of Petrus’ neighbors in Pomerol also cross into the buttonière, but only Petrus can claim vineyards that are almost entirely situated on this patch of thick blue clay
What is the blend of Petrus?
100% Merlot
due to estate being, uniquely located on only blue clay
What is the percentage of Merlot planted in Pomerol?
70%
Cabernet Franc was the region’s most planted grape prior to the disastrous winter of 1956 but now is only 25%
Who is largest grower of Cabernet Sauvignon in Pomerol
Château de Sales
Grows most of the regions 5% plantings of Cab Sauv
What communes in Fronsanc is known for producing the best wine?
Saillans
What seperates Canon Fronsanc from Lelande-de-Pomerol?
Isle River
Which is considered more uniform… Fronsac or Canon Fronsac?
Canon Fransac - smaller with only 300 ha
What is. thesoil type in Fronsac and Canon-Fronsac?
Fronsadais molasse, a mixture of soft limestone and clay
What seperates Saint-Emilion from it’s satellites appellation?
Barbanne River
How many Saint-Emilion satellite appelations were there at one time?
What were they?
6
Montagne
Saint-Georges
Puisseguin
Lussac
Sables - asborbed by Libourne and became a part Saint-Emilion AOP
Parsac - dissapeared as an administrative commune in 1973, now apart of Motagne Saint-Emilion AOP
What is the common % of Merlot in Canon-Fronsanc and Fronsac?
80-100%
How can producers in Saint-Georges-St.Emilion AOP label their wine as well?
Montagne-Saint-Emilion AOP
What percentage of Bordeaux AOP wines are produced in Entre-deux-Mers?
75%
Why is Entre-deux-Mers used for white wine production?
One of the coolest growing regions in Bordeaux
What grape is most grown in the Cotes de Bordeaux?
Merlot - 95%
What can producers in the Cotes des Blaye AOP also label as?
Cotes de Bordeaux AOP
