Bordeaux is the home to some of the most expensive, famous and sought after wine in the world. Though its very best examples account for less than 5% of the region’s total wine output, it remains the standard bearer for wines of its type.
General Background
Largest Appellation Controlee region in France
Over 250,000 acres of vineyards
54 Appellations – 10,000 producers
Bordeaux Rouge and Bordeaux Supérieur account for 45% of total production
Terms
Chateau: Estate under single ownership – size varies with purchase or sale of vineyard (Ch. Petrus has increased by 50% since 1969
Negociant: An agent who purchases fruit or wine in barrel, then ages it in their own cellar
En Primeur Sales: (Futures) Early release of wines for sale
Soils
Medoc and Northern Graves: gravel
St. Emilion: gravel over limestone
Pomerol: iron pan under sand and clay
White grapes of Bordeaux (dry and sweet)
Sav Blanc
Semillon
Muscadelle de Bordelais
Red grapes of Bordeaux
Cab Sauv
Merlot
Malbec (Cot)
Cab Franc
Petit Verdot
Typical Bordeaux Blends
Medoc communes (left bank)
70% Cab Sav and 30% Merlot and minor varieties
St. Emilion and Pomerol (right bank
70% Merlot and 30% Cab Franc
Medoc General
Largest appellation in Bordeaux
Originally marshlands drained in the 18century
Two sub appellations
Haut (upper) Medoc
Medoc
Red wines predominate
St. Estephe
Northernmost commune of the Haut Medoc
Wines are generally sturdy and full-bodied
Five classified growths including the (Super seconds) 2nd growths Chateaux Cos d’Estournel and Montrose
Pauillac
Considered to be the epitome of “claret”
Wines balance power and finesse
Three 1st growths: Ch. Latour, Lafite-Rothschild, Mouton Rothschild
Name the sweet wine regions of Graves in Bordeaux
Sauternes
Barsac
Ceron
Name Pomerol's leading Estates
(not classified ever)
CH Petrus
CH Certan-dormay
CH l'Evangile
CH Lafleur
CH Petite Village
Vieux CH Certan
CH Le Bon Pasteur
CH Clinet
Clos Rene
CH l'Eglise Clinet
CH la Consellante
CH Latour a Pomerol
CH Trotanoy
CH Beauregard
CH Certtan Giraud
CH l'Eglise
CH la Croix de Gay
CH Gazin
Medoc Classifications of 1855
Ranked 61 properies in the Medoc (one in Graves) – commissioned by Emperor Napoleon III for the Universal Exhibition in Paris
Wines ranked by price and categorized into first through fifth growths:
1st Crus 5
2nd Crus 14
3rd Crus 14
4th Crus 10
5gh Crus 18
Graves (except Haut-Brion) and Saint Emilion are not included
Name the orignal 1855 first growths of Haut- Medoc (there are 4)
Chateau Lafite-Rothschild (Pauillac)
Chateau Latour (Pauillac)
Chateau Margaux (Margaux)
Chateau Mouton-Rothschild (Pauillac) Elevated from 2nd to 1st in 1973
Chateau Haut-Brion (Pessac)
Name 4 second crus of Bordeaux
Chateau Brane-Cantenac (Cantenac-Margaux)
Chateau Cos-d'Estournel (Saint-Estephe)
Chateau Ducru-Beaucaillou (Saint-Julien)
Chateau Durfort-Viviens (Margaux)
Chateau Gruaud-Larose (Saint-Julien)
Chateau Lascombes (Margaux)
Chateau Leoville-Barton (Saint-Julien)
Chateau Leoville-Las-Cases (Saint-Julien)
Chateau Leoville-Poyferre (Saint-Julien)
Chateau Montrose (Saint-Estephe)
Chateau Pichon-Lalande (Pauillac)
Chateau Pichon-Longueville Baron (Pauillac)
Chateau Rauzan-Segla (Margaux)
Chateau Rauzan-Gassies (Margaux)
Chateau Boyd Cantenac
Pichon Longueville Comtesse
Name 4 third growths
Chateau Boyd-Cantenac (Cantenac-Margaux)
Chateau Calon-Segur (Saint-Estephe)
Chateau Cantenac-Brown (Cantenac-Margaux)
Chateau Desmirail (Margaux)
Chateau Ferriere (Margaux)
Chateau Giscours (Labarde-Margaux)
Chateau d'Issan (Cantenac-Margaux)
Chateau Kirwan (Cantenac-Margaux)
Chateau Lagrange (Saint-Julien)
Chateau La Lagune (Ludon)
Chateau Langoa-Barton (Saint-Julien)
Chateau Malescot-Saint-Exupery (Margaux)
Chateau Marquis d'Alesme-Becker (Margaux)
Chateau Palmer (Cantenac-Margaux)
Name 3 fourth growths
Chateau Beychevelle (Saint-Julien)
Chateau Branaire-Ducru (Saint-Julien)
Chateau Duhart-Milon-Rothschild (Pauillac)
Chateau La Tour-Carnet (Saint-Laurent)
Chateau Lafon-Rochet (Saint-Estephe)
Chateau Marquis-de-Terme (Margaux)
Chateau Pouget (Cantenac-Margaux)
Chateau Prieure-Lichine (Cantenac-Margaux)
Chateau Saint-Pierre (Saint-Julien)
Chateau Talbot (Saint-Julien)
List 4 fifth growths of Bordeaux (18)
Chateau Batailley (Pauillac)
Chateau Belgrave (Saint-Laurent)
Chateau Camensac (Saint-Laurent)
Chateau Cantermerle (Macau)
Chateau Clerc-Milon (Pauillac)
Chateau Cos-Labory (Saint-Estephe)
Chateau Croizet-Bages (Pauillac)
Chateau d'Armailhac (was Chateau Mouton d'Armailhac (Pauillac))
Chateau Dauzac Labarde (Margaux)
Chateau Grand-Puy-Ducasse (Pauillac)
Chateau Grand-Puy-Lacoste (Pauillac)
Chateau Haut-Bages-Liberal (Pauillac)
Chateau Haut-Batailley (Pauillac)
Chateau Lynch-Bages (Pauillac)
Chateau Lynch-Moussas (Pauillac)
Chateau Pedesclaux (Pauillac)
Chateau Pontet-Canet (Pauillac)
Chateau du Tertre Arsac (Margaux)
Name the four satellites of St. Emilion.
Montagne-St. Emilion,
Lussac-St. Emilion,
Puisseguin-St. Emilion,
St George-St.Emilion.
Château Latour is within what AOC? What commune? What Growth?
Pauillac AOC, Pauillac, 1st Growth
The type of wine of Lalande de Pomerol AC
Good quality red wines
What is the abv for Sauternes and Barsac?
13% ABV
The type of wine of Lalande de Pomerol AC
Good quality red wines
The type of wine of Cerons AC
Sweet wines
The type of wine of Loupiac
Similar but lesser sweet wines than Sauternes that must contain some botrytized grapes
The type of wine of Ste-Croix-du-Mont
Similar but lesser sweet wines than Sauternes that must contain some botrytized grapes
The styles of Premieres Cotes de Bordeaux AC wines
Red wine in the North; med-dry to dry in the Centre; sweet White wine in the South
The style of Entre-Deux-Mers AC wines
Ordinary quality whites
The style of Ste-Foy-Bordeaux AC wines
Sweet and dry whites
The style of Fronsac and Canon Fronsac AC wines
Fruity red wines in the style of Pomerol of a slightly lower quality
The style of Bourg AC wine
Average to good quality Reds
The style of Blaye AC wines
Average dry Whites
What does "mis en bouteille au Chateau" mean?
In Bordeaux, it means that the wine was bottled at the the chateau winery.
How long are wines from the Medoc left in oak casks?
1 1/2 to 2 years
Name the second wine produced by the following
1. Chateau Latour Chateau Latour -Les Forts de Latour
2. Chateau Lafite Chateau Lafite - Carruades de Lafite
3. Chateau Haut-Brion Chateau Bahans Haut-Brion
4. Chateau Margaux Pavillon Rouge du Chateau Margaux
What does the River Ciron contribute to the wines of its bordering areas?
Humidity, which aids in attracting Botrytis to the vines in Sauternes.
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