Week 4a: Bordeaux Flashcards
Bordeaux: largest wine growing region in France?
Second after Southern France
Bordeaux climate:
Moderate maritime
Bordeaux disease pressure:
Mould and rot
Bordeaux weather hazards:
Spring frost
Hail
Autumn rain
Number of bottles produced in Bordeaux each year:
900 million
How and when did Bordeaux become connected to England?
Marriage of Eleanor of Aquitaine to Henry II, king of England in 1152 created strong economic ties and a market for Bordeaux wines.
When did the French retake Bordeaux
End of 100 Years war in 1453 at Battle of Castillon
When did the Dutch drain the Médoc and why?
1600’s - left behind gravel beds. They wanted white wine to distill into eau de vie and sweet table wines.
What happened in Bordeaux in the 1700’s?
Bordeaux wine market expanded other include the British - second Golden Age
What happened during the French Revolution?
Bordeaux merchants scared away and nearly brought Bordeaux wine trade to a stop.
What did Napoleon do to the Bordeaux wine trade?
Re-established ties with Britain in 1852.
Three bad events that occurred in Bordeaux:
Powdery Mildew - 1852
Phylloxera - 1856
Downy Mildew in 1880
What happened after the deep freeze in Bordeaux in 1956??
Many vines destroyed. Merlon planted instead because it was resistant to cold.
What happened in Bordeaux in 1982?
Robert Parker praised Bordeaux wines - Third Golden Age.
List the 3 Golden Ages in Bordeaux
1152 - 1453: Aquitaine and England connected
1700s: British included again
1982: Robert Parker
Feature that protects Bordeaux from Atlantic:
Les Landes forest
Can summers in Bordeaux be cloudy?
Yes - Atlantic influence
Are Bordeaux winters harsh?
Not usually but freezes can happen
Bordeaux soil:
Sedimentary
Gravel terraces sprinkled with sand, silt, clay and limestone
Bordeaux: hilly or flat?
Mostly flat: elevation peaks at 377ft
Right Bank: small hills
Left Bank: fairly level gravel mounds
Entre Deux Mers: slopes
Describe gravel and sand in Bordeaux. Where is it mainly found?
Gravel and sand drain water away; warms up more quickly in the sun
Radiates heat to the vine
Found mainly in the Left Bank and Entre Deux Mers
Gravel and sand are good for what Bordeaux varieties?
Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot
How does gravel in Bordeaux contribute to structure?
Gives firm tannin and structure
What ripens earlier: CS or Merlot
Merlot ripens 2-3 weeks earlier
Are clay and limestone cooler than gravel and sand?
Yes - because they don’t drain as easily, they retain moisture and warm up more slowly
Where are clay and limestone found?
Right bank
Hillsides of Entre Deux Mers
What Bordeaux grapes are well suited for clay and limestone?
Merlot, CF and Malbec
Why does limestone create crisper wines?
Limestone is more basic so grapes have more acid to compensate. It also creates lean, polished tannins.
What does Petit Verdot add to a wine?
Colour, tannin and spice
Which has more plush tannins: CS or Merlot?
Merlot
What does CF provide in Bordeaux?
Acidity
What does CS provide in Bordeaux wines?
Structure and aromatics
Bordeaux red grapes:
Primary:
Cabernet Sauvignon
Merlot
Cabernet Franc
Secondary:
Malbec
Carmenère
Petit Verdot
New Additions:
Arinarnoa
Castets
Marselan
Touriga Nacional
Bordeaux white grapes:
Primary Grapes
Sémillon
Muscadelle
Sauvignon Blanc
Sauvignon Gris
Secondary Grapes
Ugni Blanc
Merlot Blanc
Colombard
New Additions
Alvarinho
Lilliorila
Is blending common in Bordeaux?
Blending is constant due to weather variations.
Merlot grape characteristics:
Bordeaux context
Adds “flesh” to CS skeletal structure
Adds fruit to herbaciousness of CF
Ripens earlier than Merlot
Resistant to PM (powder is dry)
Susceptible to DM and Grey Rot
Prefers cool, moisture retaining soil
Cabernet Sauvignon characteristics:
Bordeaux context
Backbone of Left Bank blends
Inherent structure = ageable wines
Thick skinned
Small berry size
Disease resistant
Prefers gravel
Cabernet Franc characteristics:
Bordeaux context
Significant role in Saint Emilion: 30-35% of blends
Backbone of red blends found in the Côtes
Flavour and structure like CS but to lesser degree
Thinner skinned than CS
Buds / ripens a week earlier than CS
DM and PM
Cold resistant
Prefers limestone and sand
Malbec characteristics:
Bordeaux context
Low acid nature softens blends
Adds black fruit
Petit Verdot characteristics:
Bordeaux context
Adds tannin, pigment and spice
Carmenère characteristics:
Bordeaux context
Rare in Bordeaux blends
Succumbed to disease in 1800’s and not replanted
Sémillon characteristics:
Bordeaux context
Thin skinned so susecptible to NR
Primary grape for sweet wine
Takes well to oak
Sauvignon Blanc characteristics:
Bordeaux context
Dominates Bordeaux white blends
Muscadelle characteristics:
Bordeaux context
Intense aromatics used in small amounts (5% or less) to boost aromatics
Sauvignon Gris characteristics:
Bordeaux context
Adds depth and texture with muskier aromatics of boxwood
Three general appellations of Bordeaux:
Bordeaux context
Bordeaux AOP
Bordeaux Supérior AOP
Crèmant de Bordeaux AOP
Bordeaux AOP description:
All colours
Clairet (light red)
Dry to semi-sweet
All varietals allowed
Subzone:
Haut-Benauge in EDM running parallel to Garonne
Makes dry to semi-sweet SB/Sém
Bordeaux Supérior AOP description:
Red
Semi-sweet white (min 17g/l)
All varietals allowed except Alvarinho
Stricter production: lower max yield, higher min abv, longer ageing)
Some oaking
Must be estate bottled
Crémant de Bordeaux description:
Sparking white and rosé
All varietals
9 months on lees minimum
Left Bank dimensions
Bordeaux context
80km stretch
1600HA
Left Bank production
Bordeaux context
100 million bottles
50% of wine exported
15% of Bordeaux production
Number of Bordeaux châteaux and brands
600 châteaux
1000 brands
Bordeaux: white or black grapes?
Overwhelmingly black
In Bordeaux, what is a classification attached to?
Classification is attached to a château and not a parcel of land.
Saint Emilion Classfication system:
Saint Emilion Grand Cru Classé A
(Chevel Blanc, Ausone, Angelus left after Pavie and Figeac added in 2012)
Saint Emilion Grand Cru Classé B (15 Châteaux)
Saint Emilion Grand Cru Classe
Saint Emilion Grand Cru
Saint Emilion
Satellite regions: Lussac, Montagnè, Saint Georges, Puisseguin
Eight Médoc AOC’s:
- Médoc
- Haut-Médoc
- Saint Estephe
- Paulliac
- Saint Julien
- Margaux
- Listrac et Moulis
Médoc AOC description:
Cool climate impacted by Atlantic
Lower elevation
Varied soil types
Best suited for Merlot
Red only
3 g/l
Haut Médoc AOC description:
Moderating influences: closer to estuary, farther from Gironde, more diurnal shift
Mostly gravel and clay
Red only
Saint Estephe description:
Tannic, austere, rustic
More clay so bigger tannin structure
Montrose, Cos, Calon Segur
Paulliac AOC description:
Aristocratic, powerful, long lived
First Growths (3)
What is a Cru Artisan in Bordeaux mean?
Created in 2022
Small estates
Owner operated and directly involved
Classification constantly updated
What is a Cru Bourgeois?
Higher level of quality than basic Bordeaux
Cru Bourgeouis
Cru Bourgeouis Superior
Cru Bourgeouis Exceptionnel
What is a “tech” wine?
Tech used to ensure that the wine is made correctly
Different from using tech to manipulate wine
Graves wine styles:
Red
White
Sweet
Graves location:
South of Bordeaux
Graves soils:
Gravel mounds along left bank of Garonne
Cérons: gravel starts to include clay, marl, limestone and sand
Moderating influence west of Graves:
Les Landes
Six Graves appellations:
Graves
Graves Supérior
Pessac-Leognan
Sauternes
Barsac
Cérons
Graves AOC description:
Dry reds (85%): 3 g/l
Dry whites (15%): 4 g/l
Whites: oaked or unoaked
Graves Supérior description:
Semi-sweet white: 34 g/l
Hand harvest in tries
NR
Pessac-Leognan description:
Dry whites: often oak with high acidity so good for ageing
Dry reds: cloves on finish
Once part of Graves: own AOC in 1987
Noteworthy CS dominant because of gravel
Sauternais description:
Home to all sweet wine AOCs
Poor soils
Microclimate supports NR
Ciron River = morning mists
Sauternes description:
Min RS of 45 g/l
Can age for decades
Barsac description:
Left bank of Ciron river
45 g/l
Producers can label wine as Sauternes so most do: more $$$$
Cérons AOC:
45 g/l
Entre Deux Mers wine style:
White: mostly SB
Red: bottled as AOC
Sweet
Entre Deux Mers AOC description:
Entre Deux Mers: dry whites
25% of Bordeaux dry white wines
Three Entre Deux Mers AOC that produce sweet wines:
Cadillac (51 g/l)
Loupiac (45 g/l)
Saint Croix du Mont (45 g/l) - most prestigious because more gravel soils
Three minor Entre-Deux-Mers AOC’s:
Graves de Vayres (most red, some white and semi-sweet whites)
Premières Côtes de Bordeaux (semi-sweet to sweet @ 45 g/l)
Côtes de Bordeaux Saint-Macaire (white, dry to sweet)
Libournais description:
Libourne is the main city
Reds: mostly Merlot and CF
Merlot dominant = silky, less powerful structure
Some CS where soil allows
Garagiste movement
List 4 Saint Emilion satellite AOC’s:
Lussac St E
Montagne St E
Puisseguin St E
Saint Georges St E
Saint Emilion satellite wine style:
Red only
Same flavour profile as St E but more delicate structure
