Wines of the Principal Regions - Old World Flashcards
Bordeaux, Bordeaux Supérieur
- Supérieur has slightly stricter appellation rules and higher alc
- At best, reds are early-drink med-body with ripe red and black fuit, and sometimes cedar (cheapest can have astringent tannins)
- Roses are fresh and fruity
- Whites are increasingly dominated by Sauv Blanc, and grassy
Côtes de Bordeaux
- Includes: Blaye, Cadillac, Castillon and Francs
- Typically Merlot-based and meant for early drinking
Entre-Deux-Mers
- Between the Garonne and Dordogne
- Whites only (reds from this area must be labeled with a generic appellation)
- Tend to be unoaked Sauv Blanc
Médoc
- Predominately clay, but outcroppings of gravel
- Tend to have higher proportion of Merlot
Haut Médoc
- More highly rated
- Saint-Estèphe, Pauillac, Saint-Julien, Margaux
- High percentage of Cab Sauv
- Core of blackcurrant, complemented by cedar. Grippy tannins when young, long ageing potential
Pessac-Léognan
- In Graves
- Gravelly soil
- Reds a little lighter and more fragrant than Haut Médoc
- Whites: Blends of Sauv Blanc and Semillon, and ferm or matured at least partly in new oak
- Whites eligible for cru classe status
Graves
- Gravelly soil
- Reds less concentrated/complex than Pessac-Léognan
- Whites usually unoaked Sauv Blanc
Saint Émilion
- 3 areas:
- (i) plateau N and W of town (warm, well-drained gravel and limestone): Cab Franc and sometims Cab Sauv
- (ii) escarpment to the S and E with clay limestone soils
- (iii) foot of escarpment (sandy): light, cheap
- Best wines have soft/rich texture with complex red berry fruit and plum, developing tobacco and cedar
Pomerol
- Richer than Saint Émilion, with spicier, blackberry fruit
Sauternes, Barsac
- Passerilage when there is little noble rot
- Producers in Barsac can use either
- Semillion (thin skin, botrytis), Sauv Blanc (acid, fruity), Muscadelle (sometimes, and adds exotic perfume)
- High in alc, sweet with high acid, apricot and citrus peel (from noble rot) with toast and vanilla
Bergerac
- Climate less maritime than Bordeaux
- Reds and whites from Bordeaux varieties
Monbazillac
- Botrytized sweet wines from Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc
Cahors
- Malbec
- Also: Merlot and Tannat
- Best: deep color, high tannin, intense dark berry fruits, developing cedar and earth
Madiran
- Blends led by Tannat
- Traditionally long bottle aging
- Now, concentrated black fruit and high levels soft riper tannins
Jurançon
- Foothills of Pyrenees
- Dry and sweet white wines
- Sweet from Petit Manseng, passerillage: high acid, pronounced apricot and grapefruit, sometimes spicy from new oak
Côtes de Gascogne IGP
- Ugni Blanc: Dry, light bodied, green apple
Bourgogne Rouge, Bourgogne Blanc
- Most generic regional appellation in Burgundy
- Usually made from Pinot Noir or Chard
Chablis
- Premier cru and grand cru planted on slopes facing south: riper, more concentrated fruit (citrus rather than green apple), more body, but still high acid
- Lesser: Petit Chablis
- A portion of grand cru and some premier cru in old oak for rounder texture and subtle flavors
Bourgogne Côte d’Or
- Red or white from any village in the Côte d’Or
Bourgogne Hautes Côtes de Nuits, Bourgogne Hautes Côtes de Beaune
- To the west and higher altitude, more winds
- Cooler, leading to less body and concentration
Côte de Nuits-Villages
- Red or white
- Any vineyard in Côte de Nuits that does not qualify for more famous village appellation
Côte de Beaune-Villages
- Must be red
- Any vineyard in Côte de Beaune that does not qualify for more famous village appellation
Côte de Nuits from North to South (and grand cru sites)
- Gevrey-Chambertin (Chambertin, Chambertin Clos de Bèze)
- Vougeot (Clos de Vougeot)
- Vosne-Romanée (Romanée-Conti, La Tâche, La Romanée)
- Nuits-Saint-Georges
Côtes de Beaune: key villages (and grand cru sites)
- Aloxe-Corton (Corton, Corton-Charlemagne)
- Beaune
- Pommard
- Volnay
- Meursault
- Puligny-Montrachet (Montrachet)
- Chassagne-Montrachet (Montrachet)
The last three have the highest reputation for whites.
Bourgogne Côte Chalonnaise
- Reds (from Pinot Noir) or whites (from Chard) in Côte Chalonnaise
Rully
- Côte Chalonnaise village
- More white than red
- Sparking wine
Mercurey
- Côte Chalonnaise village
- Highest rep in Côte Chalonnaise for reds
Givry
- Côte Chalonnaise village
- Reds admired
- Smallest in Côte Chalonnaise
Montagny
- Côte Chalonnaise village
- Only whites
Mâcon, Mâcon Villages
- Red or white
- Chard most widely planted
- White: Fresh apple or citrus, med acid, med to full body
- Reds usually Gamay (though some Pinot Noir too)
- Red: Light/fruity/early drinking
- Village shows ripeness, body, character
Pouilly-Fuissé, Saint-Véran
- Villages in Mâconnais
- Ripe tropical and stone fruits, toasty oak
- Roche de Solutré: E and SE facing limestone slopes
Beaujolais
- Mainly carbonic maceration and semi-carbonic maceration
- Light body and tannin, red berry fruit, often kirsch, banana, and cinnamon (from carb mac)
Beaujolais Villages
- Rolling hills with granite soils
- 39 villages
- Tend to be made with blending from different villages
Morgon, Moulin-à-Vent
- Village appellations in Beaujolais, named crus
- Often produce most structured wines, can improve with bottle ageing
- Rarely new oak
- Sometimes semi-carb or small proportion of whole bunches
Brouilly, Fleurie
- Village appellations in Beaujolais, named crus
- Lighter, more perfumed styles among crus
- Rarely new oak
- Sometimes semi-carb or small proportion of whole bunches
Alsace
- Riesling: med- to full-bodied, dry, med alc, citrus/stone, stony/steely (not as floral as German)
- Gewurz: fully body, oily texture, high alc, low to med acid, pungent lychees, roses, sweet baking spices
- Pinot Gris: full body, rich texture, high alc, more acid than Gewurz but less aromatic. Fresh and dried fruits and honey
- Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains: light to med body, low to med acid, intense orange blossom, rose, grape
Alsace Grand Cru
- Over 50 vineyards, probably too much land that is not that great
Muscadet Sèvre et Maine
- Part of the larger Muscadet appellation
- Melon Blanc
- Dru, med alc (12%), high acid, light body, subtle green fruit. Trad ferm in old oak, but now inert
- sur lie: spent winter on lees
Anjou-Saumur: whites and reds, still and sparkling
- Saumer: Known for trad sparkling from Chenin Blanc, but also makes reds from Cab Franc
- Anjou: Chenin Blanc and Gamay. Known for dry, sometimes matured in new oak
Anjou-Saumur: rosés
- Rosé de Loire: Dry, from Cab Franc, Cab Sauv, and other varieties
- Cabernet d’Anjou: med-dry to med-sweet, blend of Cab Franc and Cab Sauv (highest quality rosé)
- Rosé d’Anjou: less sweet, mostly from Grolleau
Coteaux du Layon
- River Layon, south of Loire
- Sweet wines from Chenin Blanc
- Subregions include Quarts de Chaume and Bonnezeaux
Savennières
- Full bodied Chenin Blanc, typically dry
- Late harvested
Saumur-Champigny
- Reds from Cab Franc
- Usually fruity (particularly floral), drunk young
- Now also sometims fuller bodied, tannic, suitable for ageing
Chinon, Bourgueil
- Reds from Cab Franc
- Sandy soil: light, fruity
- South-facing with limestone and clay: fuller bodies, more tannic
- Some mature in oak, and best can age for many years
Vouvray
- Cool with clay soils
- Still and sparkling Chenin Blanc
- Still: dry to luscious
- Light to med body, fresh fruit and floral
- Rarely new oak
Touraine
- Mostly Sauv Blanc and Gamay
- Usually fruity style
Sancerre, Pouilly-Fumé
- Well-drained, stony, limestone-based soils
- Dry, high acid, hints of green apple and wet stones
- Pouilly-Fumé: said to be smokey
- Some can evolve in bottle, but most not meant for ageing
- Techniques vary: sometimes old oak, lees, MLC
Menetou-Salon
- Mod-priced in same style as Sancerre and Pouilly-Fumé
Côtes du Rhône
- Mostly red wine, but also whites and roses
- Most med body, fruity and simple
- More than half of all appellation wine production in Southern Rhone
Côtes du Rhône Villages
- Higher min alc and max yields, and greater percentage of blend must be GSM
- Some individual villages can add their name if 100% comes from that village - more body/structure/flavor
Châteauneuf-du-Pape
- Largest of all crus in Rhone
- Grenache dominates, but usually a blend (13 varieties permitted)
- Best: full body, rich texure, high alc, concentrated spiced red fruit
- Small amount of white
Lirac
- West bank of Rhone
- Known for top-quality reds and whites in the style of Châteauneuf-du-Pape
- May also produce roses
Tavel
- Rose wines mainly from Grenache and Cinsault
- Full body (compared with Provence) intensely flavored, can bottle age
Gigondas, Vacqueyras
- Red wines, usually Granache-led blends similar to Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Côte Rôtie
- Only red wines, but up to 20% Viognier can be added
- Deeply colored, fully body, spicy
- Best have aromatic, floral freshness and textural elegance that distinguishes from Hermitage