Right Bank Flashcards
When did the wines of the Right Bank first become commercially successful?
The post-war modern era
What are the main communes of the Right Bank?
St.-Emilion and Pomerol
What are St.-Emilion and Pomerol known for?
Red blends dominated by Merlot, and to a lesser extent Cabernet Franc
How does the topography change as you move inland from the Left Bank to the Right Bank?
Elevation increases, landscape changes from flat to rolling hills, plateaus, etc.
What is the climate like in the Right Bank compared to Left Bank?
It is drier, with greater temperature swings from Summer to Winter
What climatic factor is a concern in the Right Bank?
Spring and Fall Frosts
What is the soil type in the Right Bank, generally speaking?
It is more defined by cool clay and calcareous clay, although there are still some alluvial gravel deposits like the ones in Left Bank
What do changes in climate, topography, and soil type mean for the Right Bank?
It is more well-suited to the Merlot grape
What is the general encepagement for wines of the Right Bank?
70% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Franc
How did Merlot become the main grape of the Right Bank?
It first surged after phylloxera in the late 19th century, then intensified after the winter freeze of 1956
What grape stands in for Cabernet Sauvignon in the Right Bank? Why?
Cabernet Franc, it helps temper the fruitcake and jam of Merlot with bright acidity and firmer tannic structure
What can white wines made on the Right Bank be labeled as?
Bordeaux AOP
How do Right Bank Chateaux compare to those in the Medoc?
They are much smaller, and in Fronsac & the satellites it’s common to encounter individually-owned Chateaux
Who sparked the Garagiste Movement?
Valandraud in St.-Emilion
What is a “vin de garage?”
Originally produced in garages, the wines are small-production, low-yielding, highly extracted wines that luxuriate in new oak
