Right Bank Red Wine Appellations

Question 1

RIGHT BANK RED WINE APPELLATIONS

Answer 1

The Right Bank is characterised by many small estates (some as small as one hectare) and the dominance of Merlot in particular (which does well on the cool, clay soils), followed by Cabernet Franc and small plantings of Cabernet Sauvignon

Question 2

Saint-Émilion and Saint-Émilion Grand Cru AOC

Answer 2

These two appellations cover the same large area producing red wine only.
Saint-Émilion Grand Cru has lower maximum yields (46 hL/ha, as opposed to 53 hL/ha) and longer minimum maturation time (20 months, as opposed to six months).
Merlot is the dominant grape variety (60 per cent) and Cabernet Franc the next most grown variety. Saint-Émilion has its own classification system.
There is a great range of quality from simple wines made for early drinking through to the top grand cru Classé wines of comparable quality to the First Growths of the 1855 classification

Question 3

TASTING NOTE:

saint-Émilion and Saint-Émilion Grand Cru AOC

Answer 3

top wines typically have pronounced red and black plum fruit with noticeable vanilla and clove new oak character,

• full body,
• high alcohol,
• medium (+)
• high acidity
• medium (+)
• high tannins.

Because of the intense fruit concentration, high acidity and tannins, the best wines can age for many years in bottle

Question 4

Saint-Émilion satellites:

Answer 4

This is the name given to four AOCs that are close to Saint-Émilion but further away from the River Dordogne.
Similar wines are made to the same rules as Saint-Émilion AOC.
The two largest satellites are Montagne Saint-Émilion AOC and Lussac-Saint-Émilion AOC.

Question 5

Pomerol AOC

Answer 5

This is a small but very prestigious appellation for red wines with Merlot as the dominant grape
(around 80 per cent),
Cabernet Franc being the next most grown variety.
The maximum yield is 49 hL/ha.
There is no classification system in Pomerol but many top-quality estates.
The wines are typically very good to outstanding and premium to super-premium in price.
The top wines are similar to the top wines of Saint-Émilion.

Question 6

TASTING NOTE:

Pomerol AOC:

Answer 6

the wines typically have

• pronounced red and black plum fruit with noticeable vanilla and clove new oak character,
• full body,
• high alcohol,
• medium (+) to high acidity
• medium (+) to high tannins.

Because of the high fruit concentration, high acidity and tannins, the best wines can age for many years in bottle.

Question 7

Pomerol AOC:

Why does it cost so much?

Answer 7

Partly because of the small size of the estates in Pomerol and consequent small production.
(compare Petrus with less than 12 ha to the Left Bank First Growths with 80–100 ha each),

the top properties command some of the highest prices in the world per bottle. Like the top wines of Saint-Émilion,

Question 8

Lalande-de-Pomerol AOC

Answer 8

This is a larger satellite appellation that allows slightly higher yields than in Pomerol AOC