L3 - Bordeaux - Chapter 13

Question 1

What are the key grape varieties of Bordeaux?

Answer 1

Black Grapes:

Cabernet Sauvignon
Merlot
Cabernet Franc
Petit Verdot

White Grapes:

Sauvignon Blanc
Semillon
Muscadelle

Question 2

What are the Bordeaux Classifications of the Medoc and Sauternes?

Answer 2

1855 Classification

In preparation for the World’s Fair, the 1855 classification was created by order of Napoleon Bonaparte.

This is an official list of the “best wines of Medoc and Sauternes” originated in 1855 (referred to as Grand Cru Classes wines).

The majority of these wines are red (primarily Cab Sauv w/ blend of Merlot) + some sweet wines from Sauternes and Barsac.

While inclusion on this list can be a good indicator of quality, it is not a guarantee as the classification has been in place for over 165 years.

Question 3

What type of climate is Bordeaux?

What is the growing season like?

What are rainfall levels like? What mitigates rainfall here?

What risks are posed by rainfall?

Answer 3

Moderate Maritime climate

-long growing season extends to October, because the gulf stream provides warming ocean currents (spring frosts rarely a problem)
-High levels of rainfall due to proximity to the Atlantic Ocean, but the Landes forest and sand dunes protect the vineyards from the worst of the storms

High rainfall = disrupts flowering and fruit set, promotes rot, dilutes flavors

Vintage variation is important to mitigate the risk -top producers reject unhealthy grapes (varietals ripen and bloom at different times -reduces the risk of frost)

Warmer climate (climate change) and canopy management means healthier grapes, less rot, more sugar and flavor.

-Merlot is the most widely planted variety followed by Cabernet Sauvignon which dominates the Medoc and Haut Medoc
-Wines are typically blends of Merlot & Cabernet Sauvignon

Question 4

What are the key appellations of Bordeaux (left bank)?

In Haut Medoc and Graves what soil predominates?

What varietal predominates here and why? What does the soil do?

Answer 4

Medoc
Haut Medoc (Saint-Esteph, Pauillac, Margaux, Saint-Julien)
Graves (Pessac-Leognan)

Cabernet Sauvignon is the key varietal here due to high stone/gravel content in the soi, means they are warm and well drained and aid in the late-ripening Cab Sauv, even in the coolest/wettest sites and years.

Cab-Sauv often 3/4 of a blend.

Question 5

What are the key appellations of Bordeaux (right bank)?

Answer 5

Saint Emillion-
Produces med body wines with soft and rich texture and complex flavors of red berry fruit, plum, and develop tobacco notes. also cedar as they evolve

Pomerol -richer , spicier, blackberry fruit character

[Merlot is key and to a lesser extent Cabernet France]

Question 6

What are the 5 premier crus of the Medoc in Bordeaux?

Answer 6

The top are:
- Chateaux Lafite Rothschild,
- Chateaux Latour,
- Chateaux Margaux,
- Chateaux Mouton Rothschild and
- Chateau Haut-Brion (from Graves)

Question 7

What are the Crus Bourgeois classifications in Medoc?

Answer 7

Crus Bourgeois was introduced to classify the other chateaux not included in 1855 Medoc classification. There are three tiers:

• Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnel (the best)
• Cru Bourgeois Superior
• Cru Bourgeois

This classification is reviewed every 5 years.

Question 8

What is the classification system in Graves (Pessac-Leognan)?

Answer 8

There are parallel but separate lists for red and white wines in Graves.

There is no rankings of the wines, instead all wines listed are called “Cru Classe” and must be within Pessac-Leognan limits.

Question 9

What is the classification system in Saint Emillion?

Answer 9

Saint Emillion has its own appellation system.

There is the broader Saint Emillion and within it the Saint-Emillion Grand Cru, and within that a classification of the best chateaux.

Saint Emillion Grand Cru is divided as follows:

-Premier Grand Cru Classe A (the best)
-Premier Grand Cru Classe B
- Saint Emillion Grand Cru Classe

Unlike Medoc’s 1855 classification, Saint Emillion classifications are regularly reviewed (with the possibility of promotion or demotion and reclassification) every 10 years.

Question 10

What rivers divide the Bordeaux region?

What are the 3 sub-regions created by these rivers?

Answer 10

The left and right banks of Bordeaux are split by the Gironde estuary which is where the Dordogne and the Garonne rivers meet which divides the region into 3 areas.

Southwest -beneath the Gironde estuary /Garonne river is the Medoc, Graves and Sauternes (the Left Bank of Bordeaux). This is the heaviest Cabernet Sauvignon varietal blends.

Between the Dordogne and Garonne is Entre-Deux Mers which is a region known for whites -Sauvignon and Semillon blends.

Northeast - above the Gironde estuary /Dordogne river are the Saint-Emillion and Pomerol (the Right Bank of Bordeaux) which heavily produces Merlot varietal blends.

Question 11

Where are the Medoc, Graves and Sauternes located?

Answer 11

Southwest -beneath the Gironde estuary /Garonne river is the Medoc, Graves and Sauternes (the Left Bank of Bordeaux). This is the heaviest Cabernet Sauvignon varietal blends.

Question 12

Where is Entre-Deux Mers located?

Answer 12

Between the Dordogne and Garonne rivers is Entre-Deux Mers which is a region known for whites -Sauvignon and Semillon blends.

Question 13

Where are Saint Emillion and Pomerol located?

Answer 13

Northeast - above the Gironde estuary /Dordogne river are the Saint-Emillion and Pomerol (the Right Bank of Bordeaux) which heavily produces Merlot varietal blends.

Question 14

What style are red wines typically made in, in Bordeaux?

Answer 14

A range of styles, however, all are typically a blend of grape varieties. The variability of weather in this maritime climate means it is too risky to make wines from one varietal

Question 15

What are some of the well-known Merlot labels for Bordeaux?

Answer 15

-Bordeaux AOC & Bordeaux Superior AOC
–Both are typically Merlot dominated blends
–Both can be planted from vines anywhere in the Bordeaux region

-Saint Emillion AOC & Pomerol AOC
–Most famous Merlot dominated wines
–Wines from these 2 regions tend to be: full bodied, w/ pronounced black fruit aromas & flavor from oak
–These wines can age well int eh bottle developing complex aromas of dried fruit & tobacco

Question 16

What are the characteristics of Cabernet Sauvignon?

Answer 16

-Grows in moderate to warm climates (but can struggle to ripen in moderate climates & needs to be planted in a warm “site”)
-Requires a long and warm growing season
-Grapes have thick skins containing high levels of flavor, tannin, and color.
-Single varietal will be deeply colored
-Dry, high acidity, high tannin, medium to full body
-Flavors: black fruit (blackcurrant, black cherry), herbal (mint), herbaceous notes (green bell pepper, capsicum)
-In warm climates, fruit flavors become cooked

Question 17

What wine-making techniques are used for Cabernet Sauvignon?

Answer 17

-Can be single-varietal, but also can be blended w/ other varieties such as Merlot
–Blending helps soften Cabs high levels of acidity & tannins. This is most important for Cab grapes grown in moderate climate regions where Cab struggles to ripen
-It can also be matured in oak barrels for months/years to soften tannins. New oak barrels will impart secondary flavors (smoke, vanilla, cloves)
–newly fermented Cab can taste unpleasantly tannic which is why oak age helps

Question 18

What Bordeaux regions are most important for Cabernet Sauvignon?

Answer 18

–Medoc AOC
–Haut-Medoc AOC
–Margaux AOC
–Pauillac AOC
–Graves AOC
–Pessac-Leognan AOC

Question 19

What qualities of Cabernet Sauvignon make it suitable for aging?

Answer 19

-Cab Sauv is highly tannic and acidic which act as natural preservatives
-For this reason Cab can mature over many years in bottle or via barrel
-Aging allows the tannins to soften and the wine develops complex tertiary flavors (dried fruits, earth, & forest floor)

Question 20

What regions most successfully grow Cabernet Sauvignon in Bordeaux?

Answer 20

• Cabernet Sauv ripens best on the Left Bank as there are some soils there that contain stones (it otherwise struggles in moderate climates)
  -These soils are known as “gravel” and help Cabernet Sauvignon ripen. The stones in the soil allow rainwater to drain away so that roots are not damp and cold and they also absorb heat during the day and warm the vineyard at night
  -Cab-Sauv dominated blends are common in the following Left Bank areas: Medoc AOC, Haut-Medoc AOC (including Margaux AOC, Pauillac AOC, Graves AOC, and Pessac-Leognan AOC)

Question 21

Why is blending important in Bordeaux?

Answer 21

-Because Bordeaux has a moderate climate, many regions are too cool to grow Cabernet Sauvignon
-The weather varies from one year to the next and in some years Cabernet Sauvignon will struggle to grow even on the Left Bank with gravel soils
-As a result blending is important and the proportion of Merlot may increase in year where Cabernet Sauvignon has struggled to ripen

Question 22

What styles of white wines are typically made in Bordeaux?

Answer 22

Like red, Bordeaux white is made in a range of styles.

Lower end market wines tend to be fresh, fruity, fermented in inert vessels, with minimal further aging. Some may be lightly aged in oak for toasty notes.

Premium dry whites may come from Pessac-Leognan (Sauv Blanc & Semillion blends) where they are fermented and matured in new oak barrels and have a richness and concentrated nutty flavor overlaying the fruit.

Sweet wines (such as Sauternes made from Semillon) are made with fruit infected by noble rot.

Question 23

What are the characteristics of Semillon?

Answer 23

-White grape varietal
- Grows primarily in moderate and warm climates
-Young semillon has simple primary flavors = apple, lemon, grass
-Depending on ripeness semillion can range from medium to high acidity, and light to full body
-Some examples can age very well and develop tertiary notes of dried fruits, nuts, and honey in bottle

Question 24

What regions and sub-regions of France are best known for Semillon?

Answer 24

-Bordeaux AOC
This is the most important region for Semillon in France
Produces both dry and sweet wines

Pessac Leognan -which blends Semillon and Sauvignon blanc for richer, nutty wines fermented and/or aged at least partly in new oak. Sauv Blanc is rarely blended but Semillon adds body and ageing potential to the blends.

-Sauternes AOC (sub-region of Bordeaux AOC)
Sauternes is a sweet white wine made from grapes concentrated by botrytis/noble rot
Medium to high alcohol & full-bodied with high acidity
Flavors= stone fruit(apricot), oak maturation (smoke, vanilla)
Can mature many years and develop tertiary flavors(dried fruit,honey, caramel)

Question 25

Where do the top sweet wines of Bordeaux come from and why?

Answer 25

-Sauternes AOC (sub-region of Bordeaux AOC)
Sauternes is a sweet white wine made from grapes concentrated by botrytis/noble rot
Medium to high alcohol & full-bodied with high acidity
Flavors= stone fruit(apricot), oak maturation (smoke, vanilla)
Can mature many years and develop tertiary flavors(dried fruit,honey, caramel)

Sauternes is located between the banks of the Garonne and Citron which creates the ideal misty autumn conditions for noble rot. Passilerage is needed to concentrate sugars in years where there is little noble rot.

Question 26

Where do the best wines in Sauternes come from?

Answer 26

The sub-region called Barsac, which can use either Sauternes or Barsac as the appellation.

Here semillion (which dominates) is sometimes blended with Sauv Blanc to provide refreshing acidity and fruity aromas, while Muscadelle provides perfume.

Question 27

What do the best examples of Sauternes and Barsac typically show?

Answer 27

Best examples are high in alcohol, sweet yet balanced by high acidity, display apricot and citrus peel aromas along with notes of toast vanilla from oak fermenation and/or maturation.

Question 28

What does Cab Franc contribute in Bordeaux blends?

Answer 28

Creates wines with less body and tannin (compared to Cab Sauv) - herbaceous and stalky when unripe but when ripe vibrant fruit and floral notes in a blend.

Question 29

What does Petit Verdot contribute in Bordeaux blends?

Answer 29

This grape only ripens fully in very hot years

it is deep in color

used mainly to add tannin, color and some spicy notes

Takes a very long time to age. Grown in small quantities and used sparingly in blends.

Question 30

What are the typical characteristics of Medoc wines versus Haut Medoc?

Answer 30

These tend to have a higher proportion of Merlot in the blend than Haut Medoc and are more early drinking in style.

Question 31

What varietal is Haut Medoc known for and what is the typical style?

Answer 31

Higher quality Medoc wines usually made from higher percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon.

These wines generally display a core of
blackcurrant fruit and cedar notes from oak. Grippy tannins when young with the potential of long aging.

Question 32

What are the 4 chateaux with the highest reputation in Haut Medoc?

Answer 32

Within the Haut Medoc there 4 smaller appellations known for higher quality:

-Saint Estephe
-Pauillac
-Saint Julien
-Margaux

Question 33

What red varietal is Pessac Leognan known for and what is the style?

Answer 33

Cabernet Sauvignon

Pessac Leognan is hte highest rating area in Graves. The gravel soils are well suited to cabernet sauvignon

Reds tend to be lighter in body than the Haut Medoc and more fragrant

The rest of Graves makes reds in a similar style but less complex and concentrated than Pessac Leognan and with a higher proportion of Merlot

Question 34

What grapes dominate the Saint-Emillion region and what are the typical styles?

Answer 34

Merlot dominates and to a lesser extent Cab Franc. This is generally a prestigious appellation in the gravel and clay sites, but less so in the sandy sites.

Merlot is often grown for high volume, inexpensive wines. Cab Franc – Wines with less body and tannin (compared to Cab Sauv) - herbaceous and stalky when unripe but when ripe vibrant fruit and floral notes in a blend.

In the top two premium sites (with limestone/gravel, however, wines can have medium to high tannins, more structured , with soft and rich texture and complex red berry fruit and plum aromas, developing tobacco, cedar notes as they evolve

Question 35

What are the 3 types of soil in Saint Emillion?

Answer 35

There are three types of soils
(1) Plateau towns - Well drained gravel and limestone soils (encouraging the growth of Cab Franc and to a lesser extent Cab Sauv)

(2) south/easy -clay limestone soils [most prestigious wines from these areas (great for Merlot)

(3) less prestigious -sandy soils with lighter body wines” (also fine for Merlot)

Question 36

What grapes dominate the Pomerol region and what is the typical style?

Answer 36

Merlot is the dominant grape and has an equally high reputation as Saint Emillion.

Pomerol tends to produce wines that are richer, spicier with a blackberry fruit character.

Question 37

What is the Right Bank movement known as “Vins de Garage” and what type of wine does it produce?

Answer 37

A Right Bank movement to create full-bodied, incredibly ripe wines, in small quantities from small plots of land, with no expense spared in the winery.

These wines have become more famous and are now classified in the Saint Emillion appellation system.