Medoc - Bordeaux Flashcards
Who are some of the Medoc’s top competition around the world?
Napa Valley, Tuscany, Stellenbosch, Margaret River, Coonawarra, Maipo
What is the name for the type of gravel in the Medoc, Graves, and Pomerol?
Gunzian gravel - Pleistocene ice age (Quarternary period where sediment from the Pyrenees during their formation & Massif Central was carried down the Garonne)
What type of vine training is most common in the Medoc?
Double Guyot - trained lower to absorb heat radiation from gravel (Single in Libourne, Cordon in Sauternes to produce smaller berries to attract noble rot)
Name the dry white wine labels for
a) Ch. Margaux
b) Ch. Mouton Rothschild
c) Ch. d’Yquem
d) Ch. Rieussec
a) Pavillon blanc
b) l’Aile d’argent
c) Y
d) R
What differentiates Bordeaux Supérieur from normal Bordeaux AOC
Lower max. yields,
higher potential alcohol,
minimum aging requirements (blanc 6 months, rouge 9 months) vs none for regular
What 1st Growth departed the En Primeur System in 2012?
Chateau Latour
What is Live-Ex?
Biennial, modern classification of Bordeaux wines reflecting the current economic context -
first compiled by the London International Vintners Exchange in 2009
- ONLY left bank wines - La Mission is in the first tier; Lynch Bages, Palmer, and Pontet Canet are in the second tier
Classed Growth Chateaux owned by Suntory Group?
LaGrange and Beychevelle
Which Commune in the Medoc has the highest percentage of classed growth vineyard land?
Saint-Julien - 85%
Name a classed Growth in the Medoc certified in Biodynamics
Pontet-Canet since 2008 OR 2010?
What are the terms for 1) drainage canal 2) gravel mounds
jalles, croupes
What are the 2nd wines of the 5 First Growths?
Les Carruades, Les Forts, Le Petit Mouton, Pavillon, Clarence (Bahans) - white is called la Clarte
What are the Second Growths of St. Julien?
Leoville las cases, Leoville Poyferre, Leoville Barton, Gruaud Larose, Ducru Beaucaillou
Who invented the “bouillie bordelaise” in 1885?
Ducru Beaucaillou
What are the Second Growths of Margaux?
Rauzan Segla, Rauzan Gassies, Durfort-Vivens, Lascombes, Brane-Cantenac
What are the classified growths of the Haut Medoc outside of the 4 main communes?
La Lagune 3e (Ludon), La Tour Carnet 4e (St. Laurent), Belgrave 5e (St. Laurent), Camensac 5e (St. Laurent), Cantemerle 5e (Macau)
What are the communes of Pauillac?
Pauillac,
Saint-Saveur,
Saint-Estephe,
Saint-Julien Beychevelle
What are the communes of Saint-Julien?
Saint-Julien-Beychevelle,
Cussac-Fort-Medoc,
Saint-Laurent-Medoc
What are the 5 communes of Margaux?
Cantenac, Labarde, Arsac, Margaux, Soussans
3 great LB vintages in the 2010’s
2010, 2015, 2016, (2017), 18, 19
3 great LB vintages in the 2000’s
2000,
2005,
(2008),
2009
3 great LB vintages in the 90’s
90,
95,
(96)
3 great LB vintages in the 80’s
82,
86,
(88),
89
3 great LB vintages in the 70’s
70, 78
Any great old vintages still drinking well?
61, 59
Vintages to avoid?
1977, 1980, 1984, 1991, 1992, 1999, 2002, 2003 (super hot), 2007, 2011, 2013
How many members are there currently of Cru Artisan?
36 - land stewardship and exemplary winemaking,
average 6 hectares,
small-scale,
revised every 5 years (official since 2005 with 44 producers originally)
What is the difference between coulure (shatter) and millerendage (hens and chicks)?
coulure happens when flowers remain closed and do not pollinate (frost, or wind/rain),
millerandage is when some berries do not mature fully due to wind or rain disrupting pollination (small, sweet, seedless berries)
How many Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnel were there in 2003? Where are the majority located? How many Exceptionnel are there now? Superieur? Total Cru Bourgeois?
9 - Chasse Spleen, Haut Marbuzet, Labegorce Zede, Ormes de Pez, de Pez, Phelan Segur, Potensac, Poujeaux, Siran;
Saint Estephe, some in Moulis and Margaux;
14 Exceptionnel now;
56 Superieur;
249 total Cru Bourgeois
What happened to the original 2003 Exceptionnels?
six of them formed a marketing group “les exceptionnels” Chasse-Spleen, Ormes de Pez, Poujeaux, de Pez, Potensac, Siran
Name all of the current Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnels (14) 2020 Revision
MARGAUX:
Paveil de Luze,
d’Arsac;
SAINT-ESTEPHE:
Le Bosq,
Lillian Ladouys,
Le Crock;
LISTRAC:
Lestage,
HAUT-MEDOC: d’Agassac, Arnauld, Belle-Vue, Cambon La Pelouse, Charmail, Malescasse, Malleret, du Taillan
Only Cru Bourgeois in the Bas Medoc to have been ranked Exceptionnel?
Potensac
Is the minimum planting density higher on the LB or RB?
LB - 7,000 vines/ha in the communes,
6,500 in haut medoc,
5,000 in medoc
RB - 5,500 vines/ha in SE and POM
What are some methods of dealing with excess water during the growing season?
Must concentration techniques - vacuum distillation, reverse osmosis, saignage
What separates Bordeaux Supérieur from straight Bordeaux?
higher abv (12 vs. 10% blanc; 11 vs. 10.5% rouge);
lower max yields (67/60 vs 49/59 hl/ha);
higher density 4,500 vs 4,000
Name the respective Chateaux for each Second Wine… Clos du Marquis
Las Cases
Moulin Riche
Leoville Poyferre
Chevalier de ____
Lascombes
Segond de ____ Vivenne,
Durfort Vivens
Baron de ____
Brane Cantenac
Les Tourelles de ____ and Les Griffons ____
Pichon Baron
La Reserve de ____
Pichon Comtesse, Leoville Barton
La Croix de ____
Beaucaillou
Les Charmes de ____
Kirwan
Blason de ____
Issan
Sarget ____ or La Rose ____
Gruaud
Le Marquis de ____
Calon Segur
Lacoste Borie
Grand Puy Lacoste
Echo de ____
Lynch-Bages
La Sirene de ____
Giscours
La Dame de ____
Montrose, Malescot