Graves / Entre Deux Mers Flashcards
NO - it retains its own cahier des charges (unlike Blaye)
It is both rainier and warmer (effect of the city and the forest)
What are the major soils of Graves?
Lots of gravel in the North and “Boulbenes” - gravel mixed with sand and clay
What are the principal and accessory varieties admitted for Bordeaux Blanc?
Min. 70% semillon, sauvignon blanc, sauvignon gris, muscadelle;
acc. max. 30% ugni blanc, merlot blanc, colombard
What does ‘Haut Benauge’ on a Bordeaux label signify?
A geographical indication for a district (9 communes along the border with Saint Macaire) within Entre-Deux-Mers.
It can be appended to Bordeaux AOC (dry or sweet) or EDM AOC (dry). Min. potential alcohol is 11.5%
Name the sweet white appellations on the right bank of the Garonne
Loupiac, Cadillac, Sainte-Croix-du-Mont, Cotes-de-Bordeaux-St-Macaire, Premieres Cotes de Bordeaux (34 g/L RS)
What is the minimum RS for Sauternes, Barsac, and Cerons?
45 g/L (in practice it can reach 120-160 with botrytis, chaptalization, and cryoextraction)
Which sweet wine appellation in Entre Deux Mers has the highest minimum RS content?
Cadillac - 51 g/L
Which appellations may append “cotes de bordeaux” to their names?
Blaye (red only),
Blaye cotes de bordeaux (red and white),
cote de blaye (white only - minimum 60-90% ugni/colombard),
Cadillac (red only),
Castillon (red only),
Francs,
Sainte Foy Bordeaux
Which Cru Classe of Graves (1959) are classed for white wine only?
Ch. Couhins,
Ch. Couhins-Lurton,
Ch. Laville Haut-Brion (final vintage 2008)
Who makes Creme de Tete?
Produced by Ch. Gilette - aged for 20+ years, 2-3 bottles, no new oak, declassifies more vintages than Yquem (also produced by Suduiraut)
Who makes ‘l’Extravagant’
Ch. Doisy Daene - majority/sometimes 100% SB harvested late so very sweet (extremely sweet - 200+ g/L)
Who makes Y, S, and G?
Dry white wines from Yquem, Suiduiraut, and Guiraud
Can Graves blanc be sweet?
If labeled Graves Supérieur, it is liquoreux (min. 34 g/L)
When were the chateaux of Graves classified?
1959 - originally 15 but now 16 (Couhins divided into two)
Which two classified estates were absorbed by La Mission Haut Brion?
Latour Haut Brion (2005) and Laville Haut Brion (2008)
Who was the impetus behind the Pessac-Leognan AOC
Andre Lurton - approved in 1987 - helped stem the tide of suburban sprawl
What % of Pessac Leognan is planted to white grapes?
20%
Which chateaux in Pessac Leognan are inside the city of Bordeaux?
Haut Brion,
La Mission Haut Brion,
Ch. les Carmes Haut Brion (formerly part of Haut Brion but donated by Jean de Pontac in 1584 to the carmelite monks)
Top producers of Pessac Leognan blanc?
Domaine de Chevalier, Smith Haut-Lafite, Carbonnieux, Pape Clement, Haut Brion, La Mission Haut Brion, Chateau de Fieuzal, Malartic Lagraviere
Denis Dubordieu perfected what technique in the 80’s?
maceration pelliculaire - skin contact from 2-24 hours before pressing and fermentation to increase aroma and body; now regular practiced on sauvignon blanc
What are the communes of Pessac that are home to classed growths?
PTVCLM - Push Those Very Clean Lawn Mowers - Pessac Talence Villenave (d’Ornon) Cadaujac Leognan Martillac
In which commune is Haut Brion located?
Pessac
In which commune is La Mission?
Talence
In which commune is Couhins-Lurton?
Villenave d’Ornon
In which commune is Bouscaut?
Cadaujac
In which commune is Chevalier?
Leognan
In which commune is Smith Haut Lafite?
Martillac
Which two rivers contribute to the humidity in Sauternes?
The Ciron (cool) and the Garonne (warm)
The Ciron (cool) and the Garonne (warm)
The mold permeates the grape skins and dehydrates it to concentrate the sugar, acids, and glycerol - flavors of honey, saffron, ginger, spice
How many ‘tries’ or vineyard passes are common in a sauternes harvest?
3-4
T or F - new oak is common for barrel fermentation and elevage in Sauternes?
TRUE
Define cryoextraction?
“Fake Ice Wine” The method of cooling grapes to the point of freezing and filtering out ice crystals to achieve more must concentration - there is virtually no loss of flavor
What was the most expensive ex-cellar price for a bottle of wine ever (from the Graves area)?
2015 Liber Pater from Loic Pasquet - selling for 30,000 euros a bottle. pre-phylloxera, ungrafted vines - old varieties- castet, coulant, tarnay, petit vidure, saint macaire, horse plowing, aging in amphorae
What training system is most commonly used in Sauternes?
Cordon - helps encourage smaller berries to attract botrytis rather than gray rot
Name a biodynamic producer in Sauternes
Chateau Climens, Yquem in conversion
Name a producer of 1005 sémillon Sauternes
Chateau Climens
Name an organic producer?
Chateau Guiraud
Producer with a high % of SB in Sauternes
Chateau Guiraud
What is so special about Chateau d’Yquem?
The vineyard is planted on similar smectite clay to Petrus (buttonhole?),
it is the highest site in Sauternes,
famous for performing MANY vineyard passes
- up to 11 in 1974 only to reject the wine
- lowest avg yields 8 hl/ha
Name a quality producer from Barsac (largest commune)
Climens (chalky limestone - elegance);
Coutet (largest estate in Barsac - elegant);
What are the communes authorized for the production of Sauternes/Barsac?
Sauternes, Barsac, Fargues, Preignac, Bommes (some boys fart pretty bad)
Name a quality producer from Fargues
Rieussec (deep and rich- own cooperage)
Name a quality producer from Preignac
Suduiraut (lush and sumptuous), Ch. Gilette
Name a quality producer from Sauternes
Raymond-Lafon (unclassified), Sigalas Rabaud, Guiraud, Filhot, Yquem
Name a quality producer from Bommes
Climens, Lafaurie-Peyraguay (floral)
Who made the first intentional botrytis harvest?
Ch. Latour Blanche in 1836
What is the soil of Entre Deux Mers ?
Limestone plateau with sand and clay
Are there any famous SB wines from the right bank?
Yes! Petit Cheval Blanc - produced and released since 2014,
Chateau Monbousquet
How much Bordeaux wine is produced in the Entre Deux Mers zone?
75% - most of it merlot labeled Bordeaux or Bordeaux Sup
What is the major difference between Graves and Entre Deux Mers?
The latter is typically unoaked, fruity
What is the dominant grape of Premieres Cotes de Bordeaux?
sémillon
What is the dominant grape of Entre Deux Mers?
sauv blanc
Which 3 superior sweet wine AOPs fall within Premieres Cotes geographical boundaries?
Cadillac,
Loupiac,
Saint-Croix du Mont - hand-picking in tries is required, lower yields
Where is Graves de Vayre AOP located?
Just west of the Libourne across from the Dordogne in the EDM zone
What is the general style of Cotes de Bordeaux wines?
Mostly merlot-dominant reds, while Blaye, Francs, and Sainte-Foye may produce white wines as well (Castillon & Cadillac for reds)
Does Bourg/Cotes de Bourg comply with the Cotes de Bordeaux AOP?
NO - it retains its own cahier des charges (unlike Blaye)
The final abv of Sauternes usually reaches
14%
Can any of the vins liquoreux de Graves be made by passerillage instead of botrytis?
YES - Cerons and Graves Superieur may be made by passerillage
What river separates Sauternes from Barsac?
Le Ciron
1855 classified 2nd growth located in Bommes?
NONE - all 1st growths
Max yields for Sauternes=Barsac
25 hl/ha;
40 hl/ha for Cerons, Graves Sup, Loupiac, Saint Croix;
37 hl/ha for Cadillac and CdBDX Saint Macaire
Unclassified growths of Sauternes
Raymond-Lafon, Gilette
Denis Dubordieu (owner of Doisy-Daene) purchased what other estate in 2014?
Doisy-Dubroca - absorbed into Doisy Daene
If a Sauternes producer makes a dry wine, what can they label it?
Bordeaux Blanc
Late harvested wine in Sauternes date back to
Early 18th century and later was prized by the European and Russian noblesse
3 communes of Cerons
Cerons, Potensac, Illats
Sweet wine AOPs in Blaye & Bourg?
NONE
What are the sweet wine appellations with the highest min. RS
Cadillac;
Cotes de Bordeaux: Sainte Foy de Bordeaux & Francs
Which commune in Sauternes is home to the # least of classified chateau
Preignac - Suduiraut (1e) and Ch. de Malle (2e)
Most northerly classified chateau of Sauternes
Ch. Nairac (2e Barsac)
Soil differences between Sauternes and Barsac?
Barsac - brighter and fresher; Sauternes - richer and fuller
Best vintages of past 20 years in Sauternes
01, 03, 07, 09, 10, 11, 13, 14, 15*, 17 (good semillon, concentration + freshness), * really good
Worst recent Sauternes vintages
18 (dry and sunny no botrytis, and some hail damage), 12 - rain in October and November, 08, 06
Who owns Ch. Rieussec
Ch. Lafite
3 most recent vintages no Yquem was made
2012, 1992, 1974
Name a producer of Loupiac
Loupiac Gaudier,
Filhot
2e, Sauternes
Rieussec
1e, Fargues
Ch. de Malle
2e, Preignac
La Tour Blanche
1e, Bommes
Doisy-Daene
2e, Barsac
Ch. La Rame is located where?
Saint Croix du Mont (also makes Cadillac)
Noble rot vs. Gray rot (bunch rot)
When the humidity drops below 60% (if the sun comes out in the afternoons) the grapes are allowed to dry, leading to noble rot
Chateau Climens dry wine?
Asphodel - collaboration with Pascal Jolivet (semillon done in sancerre style)
Who owns Ch. d’Yquem
LVMH - Lur Saluces
What are the 1er cru classe of Barsac?
Ch. Coutet,
Ch. Climens
2e crus of Sauternes?
Filhot,
d’Arche,
Lamothe-Guignard
What is the Source of the Dordogne?
Massif Central
and the Garonne?
Pyrenees
EDM Haut Benoge?
still dry whites, 9 communes in EDM, min. 11.5%
Bordeaux Haut Benoge sweetness levels
can be off-dry or dry
Dry wines from Premieres Cotes de Bordeaux would be labeled
Bordeaux Blanc - NOT EDM
What are Boulbenes?
Sandy limestone - in Graves, EDM, Cognac
Which Cotes de Bordeaux are for reds only
Cadillac and Castillon
Which Cotes de Bordeaux allow sweet whites
Sainte Foy,
Francs
Producer of Cadillac?
Chateau Fayau
What major estates does Pierre Lurton manage?
Cheval Blanc
Ch. Yquem
