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WSET Diploma Study > Bordeaux > Flashcards

Bordeaux Flashcards

1
Q

What aromas and flavours would you expect from wines of Haut-Medoc?

A

A core of blackcurrant fruit with cedar notes from Oak. Grippy Tannins

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2
Q

Put the following wines in order of price and quality, lowest to highest

St Emilion,

St Emilion Satellites,

St Emilion Grand Cru Classé ,

St Emilion Premier Grand Cru Classé A,

St Emilion Premier Grand Cru Classé B

A

St Emilion Satellites,

St Emilion,

St Emilion Grand Cru Classé,

St Emilion Premier Grand Cru Classé B,

St Emilion Premier Grand Cru Classé A

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3
Q

How many chateaux are currently ranked as St.-Emilion Premier Grand Cru Classé A?

What about B?

What about Grand Crus Classé?

A

4

14

64

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4
Q

How many 3rd growth chateaux are there in Pauillac?

A

0

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5
Q

When was the first classification of Graves?

A

1953

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6
Q

What are the 4 satellite appellations of St-Emilion?

A

Lussac,

St-Georges,

Montagne,

Puisseguin

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7
Q

Which grape is trypically the last to ripen in Bordeaux?

A

Petit Verdot

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8
Q

Name the two main and one minor grapes used for Sweet wine production in Bordeaux:

A

Semillon, Sauvignon Blanc

Minor - Muscadelle

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9
Q

Traditional Method sparkling wines from Bordeaux are labeled as ___

A

Crémant de Bordeaux

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10
Q

What IGP encompasses Bordeaux and nearby regions?

A

Atlantique IGP

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11
Q

3 sweet white wine appellations on the eastern side of the Garonne?

A

Loupiac, Ste-Croix-du-Mont, and Cadillac.

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12
Q

In which recent vintage did Chateau d’Yquem choose not to produce any wine?

Why?

A

2012

A poor vintage in Sauternes, particularly in October, proved too much for the grapevines, and the wines did not pass the house’s strict taste tests for quality.

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13
Q

From north to south name the 8 appellations of the Left Bank

A

Medoc

Haut-Medoc

St.-Estephe

Pauillac

St.-Julien

Listrac-Medoc

Moulis-en-Medoc

Margaux

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14
Q

What is the appellation located at “A”?

A

Pessac-Leognan

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15
Q

Name the two leading appelations of the ‘right bank’.

A

St. Emilion and Pomerol

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16
Q

What kind of wine is produced under the Graves Superieur AOP?

A

Sweet white wines.

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17
Q

Where is Loupiac AOC located, and what kind of wine is produced there?

A

Entre-Deux-Mers, Bordeaux.

Sweet white wines.

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18
Q

What is “en primeur”?

A

An annual event where Bordeaux wines are offered as futures.

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19
Q

5 Top Producers in Pomerol?

A

Chateau Pétrus

Chateau Le Pin

Chateau Lafleur

Vieux-Chateau-Certan

Chateau Trotanoy

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20
Q

What two rivers border Sauternes AOC?

A

The Garonne

The Ciron

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21
Q

What does Cabernet Sauvignon add to a Bordeaux blend?

A

Color, Tannins, Power, structure and longevity.

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22
Q

What name is given to the most northerly part of Medoc?

A

Bas-Medoc

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23
Q

What types of wines are produced in Blaye AOP and Cotes de Blaye AOP, and what are the predominant grapes used?

A

Blaye: Red wines only, at least 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot

Cotes de Blaye: White wines only, mostly ugni blanc and colombard.

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24
Q

Who produces the wine below?

A

Chateau Angelus

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25
Q

When was the first classification of St-Emilion?

A

1955

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26
Q

Match the following châteaux with their respective classification/Growth and commune.

Clerc-Milon

Lascombes

Talbot

Palmer

A

Clerc-Milon: 5th Growth, Pauillac

Lascombes: 2nd Growth, Margaux

Talbot: 4th Growth, St-Julien

Palmer: 3rd Growth, Margaux

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27
Q

Describe a high-end wine from St. Emilion

A

Full-bodied red wine based on Merlot w/some Cabernet Franc.

Med-High tannins

Soft, rich mouthfeel

Complex red berry fruit/plum aromas that evolve into tobacco/cedar.

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28
Q

What are “jalles”?

A

Drainage channels, like those found in Bordeaux.

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29
Q

What are the 3 grapes used for Sauternes production and what do they contribute to the wine?

A

Semillon: thin-skinned, susceptible to Botrytis, ages well.

Sauvignon Blanc: acidity and flavors.

Muscadelle: aromas of exotic perfume.

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30
Q

Which commune in the Médoc has the most classified growths?

Which has the most First Growths?

A

Margaux

Pauillac

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31
Q

Where are you likely to find the very best white wines in Bordeaux?

A

Pessac-Leognan

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32
Q

As of 2008, what are the 5 communes that may list their name in the Cotes de Bordeaux appellation?

A

Blaye, Francs, Castillon, Cadillac, Sainte Foy

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33
Q

In what year did Chateau Laville Haut Brion stop producing wine?

Who does it now sell its grapes to?

A

2009

Chateau La Mission Haut Brion

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34
Q

In what, and for how long, are the best sweet wines of Bordeaux fermented and matured?

A

In a moderate-high % of new oak barrels for up to 2 years.

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35
Q

Name two benefits of Gravel soil

A

Good drainage, so water isn’t retained.

Gravel soils tend to be warming.

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36
Q

Name the 4 “Premiers Grands Crus Classé A” of the 2012 St. Emilion Classification

A

Chateau Ausone

Chateau Cheval Blanc

Chateau Pavié

Chateau Angelus

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37
Q

What style of wine is produced in the following appellations:

Margaux

Pomerol

Sauternes

Pessac-Leognan

Entre-Deux-Mers

A

Margaux: Dry Red

Pomerol: Dry Red

Sauternes: Sweet White

Pessac-Leognan: Dry Red/White

Entre-Deux-Mers: Dry White

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38
Q

What does Cabernet Franc add to a Bordeaux blend?

A

More tannic than Merlot, less muscular and assertive than Cabernet.

Herbal spice and red fruit aromatics.

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39
Q

Which Ocean Current warms Bordeaux?

A

The Gulf Stream

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40
Q

Who is the producer of “Creme de Tete”?

Where are they based?

What is unique about this wine?

A

Chateau Gilette.

Sauternes.

It is aged only in concrete, no oak.

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41
Q

Name the most highly rated area in Graves

A

Pessac-Leognan

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42
Q

“Pavillon” is the Second wine of which chateau?

A

Chateau Margaux

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43
Q

The Atlantic brings high levels of rainfall and humidity to Bordeaux, what 3 risks does this bring?

What helps to protect the vineyards from these rains?

A
  1. Rain can disrupt flowering and fruit set
  2. Dampness can promote rot
  3. Rain at harvest time can dilute flavours

Coastal pine forests.

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44
Q

Who produces the wine below?

A

Chateau Palmer

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45
Q

Where does Chateau Roc des Cambes produce wine?

A

Cotes de Bourg.

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46
Q

What are “croupes”?

A

Gravel mounds in Bordeaux uncovered by the Dutch during their drainage work in the 1600’s.

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47
Q

Put the following appellations in order from North to South:

Sauternes

Médoc

Barsac

Pomerol

Fronsac

A
  1. Medoc
  2. Fronsac
  3. Pomerol
  4. Barsac
  5. Sauternes
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48
Q

Sauternes AOP covers which 5 villages?

A

Sauternes, Barsac, Fargues, Preignac, and Bommes.

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49
Q

What are the 2 broad categories of soils on the Right Bank, and what are they made of?

A

The Côtes: Steep, limestone slopes.

The Graves: Gravelly, limestone plateau similar to Medoc.

50
Q

What is the soil composition in Graves and what is it known as?

A

A mixture of sand, gravel and light clay is known as “boulbenes”.

51
Q

Who ruled Bordeaux between 1152 and 1453

A

England

52
Q

What are the 3 major and 3 minor white grapes allowed in Bordeaux?

A

3 Major: Semillon, Sauvignon Blanc, Muscadelle.

3 Minor: Ugni Blanc, Merlot Blanc, Colombard.

53
Q

Generally speaking what is the main difference between the soils of the left bank and the right bank?

A

Left bank predominately gravelly

Right bank predominately clay / limestone with gravelly outcrops

54
Q

Who produces the wine below?

A

Chateau Petrus

55
Q

What does Merlot add to a Bordeaux blend?

A

Adds softness and fleshy, juicy texture.

56
Q

How are the best Bordeaux red and white wine aged?

A

In 225 ltr Barriques, usually a mix of new and old oak.

Red: Up to 2 years in barrel.

White: 12-16 months in barrel.

57
Q

How is Rosé wine labelled in Bordeaux?

A

Bordeaux Rosé or Bordeaux Clairet

58
Q

What is the “microchateau” or “garagiste” movement in Bordeaux?

Name 3 examples and where they produce wines.

A

A group of small châteaux making powerfully ripe and polished modern wines from just a handful of acres.

Le Pin in Pomerol.

Valandraud and La Mondotte in St-Émilion.

59
Q

What is the minimum alcohol level for St-Emilion Grand Cru AOP?

A

11.5%

60
Q

Which is the only Medoc First Growth not to sell its wines “en primeur”?

A

Chateau Latour

61
Q

The climate in Bordeaux is maritime. What does that mean?

A

Low continentality, low diurnal, rain all year long

62
Q

In Bordeaux, what are “Courtiers”?

A

Brokers of wine who supplied the chateaux with financial backing in exchange for control over the actual trading of wine.

63
Q

How would you describe Bordeaux climate?

What parallel is it located on?

A

Moderate Maritime

45th Parallel

64
Q

Which grape is trypically the first to ripen in Bordeaux?

A

Merlot

65
Q

When was the last classification of St-Emilion?

A

2012

66
Q

What are the 2 parent grapes of Cabernet Sauvignon?

A

Sauvignon Blanc

Cabernet Franc

67
Q

What is ‘Clairet’?

A

A deeper coloured Rose wine with fuller body made by longer maceration.

a darker, more aromatic style of rosé that evokes the original claret wines shipped to England in the Middle Ages.

68
Q

In what year did Chateau La Tour Haut-Brion stop producing wine?

Who do they now supply grapes to?

A

2006

Chateau La Mission Haut-Brion

69
Q

How are wines from Pauillac generally characterized?

Which 3 First-Growths are found there?

A

Cabernet Sauvignon-based wines that are structured and long-lived.

Chateau Latour, Chateau Mouton-Rothschild, Chateau Lafite-Rothschild.

70
Q

What is the minimum acquired alcohol level and sugar in g/L for Sauternes?

A

12% abv

45g/L

71
Q

Which wine region in France has the most hectares under vine?

A

Bordeaux

72
Q

Name the 3 Sweet Wine appelations within Graves Superieur.

A

Sauternes

Barsac

Cerons

73
Q

Chateau Lafite is associated with which wine/vineyard area?

A

Bordeaux/Medoc

74
Q

What is the difference between “coulure” and “millerandage”?

What are they caused by?

A

Coulure: Uneven set. Occurs when a significant number of berries do not set after flowering. Caused by cold weather during flowering or mineral deficiency.

Millerandage: “Hens and Chicks” or Uneven ripening. Grape clusters with berries that vary in size and number of seeds. Caused by cold weather at flowering, mineral deficiency, or disease.

75
Q

What is “Bouchet”?

A

A synonym for Cabernet Franc on the Right Bank

76
Q

What are the 6 red grapes allowed in Bordeaux?

A

Cabernet Sauvignon,

Merlot,

Cabernet Franc,

Petit Verdot,

Malbec,

Carmenére.

77
Q

Chateau Lynch-Bages is a ___ Growth in which commune?

A

5th Growth, Pauillac.

78
Q

Traditional barriques in Bordeaux contain how many liters?

A

225

79
Q

What is the main taste difference of Pomerol Vs Saint Emilion wine?

A

Pomerol tends to be richer with a spicier blackberry fruit character

80
Q

What was the Médoc like before it became a renowned wine area, and who was responsible?

A

It was a salt marsh and pine forest.

Dutch engineers drained the marshes in the mid-17th Century and discovered beds of gravel underneath.

81
Q

What is the “Bordeaux Mixture” and what are its ingredients?

A

A spray applied to vines in oder to prevent fungal disease.

Lime, copper sulfate, water.

82
Q

What are the 5 villages of Margaux?

A

Soussans, Margaux, Cantenac, Labarde and Arsac.

83
Q

What is the name of the original classification of the best red and white wines of The Medoc and Sauternes?

How are wines in this classification referred?

Who commissioned this ranking?

What data did they use to structure the rankings?

A

1855 classification

Crus Classé

Napoleon III

Record of the prices each property’s wine commanded; the higher the price, the higher the ranking.

84
Q

What are 3 synonyms for Malbec, and where are they used?

A

Côt: Cahors

Pressac: Bordeaux Right Bank

Auxerrois: Loire Valley

85
Q

Which river does St-Emilion border?

A

The Dordogne

86
Q

What is the process of ‘Passerillage’?

A

French term for leaving grapes on the vine past normal harvest so that they dry up and concentrate their flavours

87
Q

What is Malbec known as in the Right Bank?

In Cahors and the Loire Valley?

A

Right Bank: Pressac

Cahors: Côt

Loire Valley: Auxerrois

88
Q

What type of soil would you expect in Haut-Medoc and Pessac-Leognan?

A

Gravelly, slightly more sandy towards the south.

89
Q

Chateau Petrus is associated with which region/vineyard area?

A

Bordeaux/Pomerol

90
Q

Match the following châteaux with their respective classification/Growth and commune.

Château Léoville Las Cases

Château Cos d’Estournel

Château Duhart-Milon-Rothschild

A

Château Léoville Las Cases: 2nd Growth, St-Julien

Château Cos d’Estournel: 2nd Growth: St-Estephe

Château Duhart-Milon-Rothschild: 4th Growth, Pauillac

91
Q

From which region does Chateau Cheval Blanc come?

A

Bordeaux - St. Emilion

92
Q

How many “Growths” in the historical 1855 classification of Bordeaux Red wine?

White wine?

A

Red - 5 White 3

93
Q

What does Petit Verdot add to a blend?

A

Color, depth and exotic perfume;

94
Q

Where is Chateau Trotanoy located?

A

Pomerol

95
Q

In which commune of the Médoc is Chateau Lafite produced?

A

Pauillac

96
Q

Top 5 recent vintages of the Médoc?

A

2005

2009

2010

2015

2016

97
Q

What is the main difference between Bordeaux and Bordeaux Superieur?

A

Superior has slightly stricter appelation rules and has a higher alcohol content than plain Bordeaux

98
Q

What style do wines from St-Julien generally deomstrate?

A

A more elegant style.

99
Q

How are wines from Margaux generally characterized?

A

Often described as feminine, with an emphasis on floral bouquet, exotic character and finesse.

100
Q

How are wines from St.-Estephe generally characterized?

A

Sturdy and full-bodied, with a slightly higher percentage of Merlot.

101
Q

What are the 5 First Growths of Bordeaux?

Which Chateau is unusual and for what reason?

A
  • Latour
  • Lafite-Rothschild
  • Mouton-Rothschild (not originally classified as a First Growth in 1855, later added in 1973)
  • Margaux
  • Haut-Brion
102
Q

Where does Chateau Rieussec produce wine?

Who owns this property?

A

Sauternes.

Chateau Lafite-Rothschild

103
Q

What 2 terms can be applied to wines outside the Crus Classé classification?

What are the differences bewtween them?

A

Cru Artisan and Cru Bourgeois.

Cru Artisan: Reserved for smaller estates (smaller than 5 ha), the list is reviewed every 10 years. Wines must be from 1 of the 8 Medoc communes.

Cru Bourgeois: A superior designation that must be applied for each year; applies only to the individual wine and not the entire estate. Wines must be from 1 of the 8 Medoc communes.

104
Q

Within the context of Bordeaux, what is unique about the classification system in St-Emilion?

A

It forms part of the appellation system.

105
Q

What 3 components dominate the soil of Pomerol?

What is the subsoil made from?

What is the French term for this specific subsoil?

A

Clay, Sand and Gravel.

Subsoil: Iron pan and Rich Clay (Crasse de Fer / literally “Iron Dirt/Grime”)

106
Q

Chateau Lynch-Moussas is a ___ Growth in which commune?

A

5th Growth, Pauillac

107
Q

Cabernet Franc is most associated with which appellation in Bordeaux?

A

St. Emilion

108
Q

What is the most planted grape in Bordeaux?

A

Merlot

109
Q

Chateau Ducru-Beaucaillou is a ___ Growth in which commune?

A

2nd Growth / St.-Julien

110
Q

Chateau Marquis D’alesme Becker is a ___ Growth in which commune?

A

3rd Growth / Margaux

111
Q

Chateau Montrose is a ___ Growth in which commune?

A

2nd Growth / St.-Estephe

112
Q

Chateau Pape-Clement is located in which commune?

What is significant about this estate?

A

Pessac - Leognan

It is the oldest Chateau in Bordeaux, celebrating its 700th harvest in 2006.

113
Q

Chateau Pichon-Longueville Baron is a ___ Growth in which commune?

A

2nd Growth / Pauillac

114
Q

Where, specifically, is the Lafite-Rothschild estate situated?

What are the 3 major vineyard areas?

A
  • The northern end of Pauillac, close to Cos d’Estournel in St-Estephe.
    1. Hillsides around the chateau.
    2. “Les Carruades” plateau to the west.
    3. 4.5 ha in St-Estephe (technically entitles to the Pauillac appellation.)
115
Q

How are Chateau Lafite-Rothschild and Chateau Latour geographically situated in Pauillac?

How do the wines differ stylistically?

A

Chateau Lafite-Rothschild: Very northern end of Pauillac, near St-Estephe.

Chateau Latour: Very southern end, near St - Julien.

Wines from Lafite-Rothschild tend to be smooth, finessed, perfumed, polished.

Those from Latour trend towards firmness, solidity, power.

116
Q

Identify 9 superior vintages of Bordeaux between 1950 and 1990:

A

1990 / 1989 / 1985 / 1982 / 1970 / 1966 / 1961 / 1959 / 1953

117
Q

Why is 1982 such a historically significant vintage in Bordeaux?

What was the vintage like, on the whole?

A
  • Rise of Robert Parker as an unequivocally influential critic. Identified the importance of the vintage, encouraged people to buy as much 1982 as they could.
  • This brought a huge cash-flow into Bordeaux, marking the end of the “Old Era” and the beginning of Modern Bordeaux; producers began focusing on power and richness, leading to more manipulation of the wines and attempts to recreate this historic vintage.
  • Long, hot, dry year yielding rich, ripe, opulent wines.
118
Q

Who was Émile Peynaud, and why was he so significant?

A
  • A French oenologist known as the “forefather of modern oenology.”
  • Encouraged winemakers in Bordeaux to harvest later (they had been harvesting earlier to avoid rot), limit yields, use only the best fruit and pursue a richer, riper style of wine that elevated quality over quantity.
  • Also encouraged winemakers to create 2nd and 3rd labels, made with grapes that were of lesser quality.
119
Q

What are 2 hallmarks of wines from Chateau Latour?

A
  • Very slow to mature; highly tannic in youth.
  • Remarkably consistent, equally impressive in vintages considered great, average or even disappointing.
120
Q

Describe the soil and topological factors that contribute to Petrus’ power and opulence:

A
  • Iron-rich clay soils (crasse de fer) give the wines power and structure.
  • Clay helps retain water, creates a cooler mesoclimate ideal for early-ripening Merlot.
  • Average age of vines = 45 years.
  • Located on a gentle slope which aids in draining.
121
Q

What is unique about the composition of Petrus’ wine?

A

Almost entirely Merlot, whereas much of Right Bank wine is Merlot blended with Cabernet Franc.

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