Bordeaux Pt 2 - Viticultural history Flashcards

1
Q

What was the historic name of Bordeaux?

A

Burdigala. it was inhabited by the Bituriges Vivisci tribe.

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2
Q

Who brought the vine to Bordeaux?

A

The Romans.

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3
Q

What heralded the first golden Age for Bordeaux?

A

The marriage of Henry and Eleanor and the establishment of commercial ties to England for 300 years. It was ended by the Hundred Years War.

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4
Q

What impact did the Dutch wine buyers have in Bordeaux?

A

They need white wine to distill into Brandywein and for sweet wines for the table. Bordeaux shifted production to meet the demand.

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5
Q

What did the Dutch do in Bordeaux in the 1600’s

A

They drained the Medoc peninsula, raising the gravel beds and reclaiming viable land for planting the vine.

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6
Q

What led to the second Golden Age for Bordeaux?

A

Access to the new Dutch, French and British colonies expanded the Bordeaux wine market.

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7
Q

How did “Chateau “ become associated with winemaking in Bordeaux? First one?

A

Wealthy merchants began to build luxurious chateaux with surrounding vineyards. The term became synonomous with winemaking.
Haut-Brion in Pessac-Leognan.

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8
Q

What impact did the French Revolution have on Bordeaux wine trade?

A

The region was relatively unscathed however the conflict frightened trade partners who then avoided the port.

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9
Q

Who revived mercantile trade with Bordeaux and when?

A

In 1852 Napoleon III reestablished ties with England.

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10
Q

Which three vineyard challenges came to Bordeaux in the late 19th century?

A

Powdery Mildew (1852);
Phylloxera (1865);
Downy Mildew (1880).

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11
Q

What year did the ‘deep freeze’ strike Bordeaux? What variety was worst affected?

A

in 1956 killing 1/4 of the vine stock. Malbec as particulaly hard hit and was replaced by Merlot which is more cold-hardy. There was also an increase in red over white plantings.

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12
Q

What influence did Emile Peynaud have on the wine industry in Bordeaux?

A

He encouraged the use of the fruit of the young vines to make second labels. This gave a boost to the quality of the Grand Vin wines.

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13
Q

What does Grand Vin signify in Bordeaux?

A

It is the top wine of a chateau or producer.

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14
Q

What influence did Robert Parker have on the wine industry in Bordeaux?

A

His review of the 1982 vintage stimulated renewed focus on Bordeaux. This was the third Golden Age of Bordeaux.

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15
Q

Why has Bordeaux futures market declined/stagnated?

A

After a decade or so of rising prices, Chateaux decided to increase ex-cellar prices making it a less profitable venture for traders.

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16
Q

How have Bordeaux chateaux adapted to the drop off in the En Primeur market?

A

They are less reliant on the historical platforms. They now have brand families and retain larger % for cellaring themselves.

17
Q

How did the hailstorms of 2013 impact Bordeaux?

A

Damaged 50,000 acre/20,000 ha of vineyard.

18
Q

How did the severe frosts of 2017 and 2018 impact Bordeaux?

A

2017- loss of 40% of potential crop;
2018 - wreaked havoc on 17,544 ac/7,100 ha of vineyard.

19
Q

How have the financial and weather challenges impacted producers in Bordeaux?

A

Many smaller entities are selling up. Larger estates are snapping up prized appellations.

20
Q

What % of all French AOC plantings are in Bordeaux?

A

25% It has the largest % of large wine estates, and produces most of France’s prestige or luxury bottlings.