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WSET D3 > Bordeaux > Flashcards

Bordeaux Flashcards

1
Q

What are the two rivers which traverse Bordeaux?

A
  • Garonne (running South of Entre-Deux Mers)
  • Dordogne (running North of Entre-Deux Mers)
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2
Q

What do the Garonne and Dordongne rivers merge to form?

A

The Gironde Estuary.

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3
Q

Where is the left bank?

A

West of River Garonne and Gironde estuary

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4
Q

Where is the right bank?

A

East of the River Dordogne and the Gironde estuary.

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5
Q

How much of the plantings in Bordeaux are red?

A

Nearly 90% (almost 60% Merlot)

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6
Q

What is the split of the AOC wine production?

A

85% red, 10% dry white, 1% sweet white and 4% rosé

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7
Q

Has Bordeaux always been suitable for cultivating grapes?

A

No. The Dutch residents drainedthe Medoc peninsula in the 17th and 18th centuries

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8
Q

What is the area under vine in Bordeaux?

A

111,000 hectares. (about 70% size of London)

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9
Q

How much wine is inexpensive/mid priced? Premium/super premium?

A
  • 70% inexpensive/mid
  • 30% premium/super premium
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10
Q

What is the climate in Bordeaux?

A

Moderate Maritime.

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11
Q

What has a cooling influence on Bordeaux?

A

The Atlantic to the west of the vineyards.

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12
Q

What does the Atlantic do to Bordeaux?

A

Exerts a cooling influence.

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13
Q

What protects the Left Bank from Atlantic storms?

A

The pine forest, the Landes.

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14
Q

What influence does the Landes forest have?

A

Partially protects the Left Bank from Atlantic storms, but is less of a feature in the northern Medoc whuich is open to more maritime influence.

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15
Q

Are the southern Medoc/Graves areas cooler or warmer than Northern Medoc? Why?

A

Warmer in southern Medoc/Graves. The forest is less of a feature in the North, leaving it open to maritime influence.

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16
Q

What is the rainfall in Bordeaux?

A

Variable, average 950mm/year.

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17
Q

How does rain impact vintage variation in Bordeaux?

A
  • rain at flowering can result in poor fruit set
  • rain throughout the growing season can result in increased disease pressure
  • rain at and following véraison can lead to unripe fruit and fungal diseases
  • rain at harvest can dilute flavours.
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18
Q

What impact does climate change have on Bordeaux?

A

Hot dry summers with insufficient rain. Can cause insufficient acidity/a lack of balance and higher alcohol.

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19
Q

What can decimate crops in Bordeaux and when has it happened?

A

Frost. ‘56, ‘91, ‘17.

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20
Q

What can protect vines from frost?

A

In Medoc, those close the the Gironde estuary see a moderating influence whihc can protect from frost which further west can be devastating.

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21
Q

What is the predominant soil on the Left Bank?

A

Gravel and stony soils.

Depending on origin, maybe mixed with clay or sand

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22
Q

Why is gravel beneficial?

A
  • Gravel drains well, so even after showers abnd storms (to which LB is prone), roots dry out soon and grapes continue to ripen.
  • Heat retention, after a warm summer day, they retain and gradually release heat upwards to the vine to facilitate ripening
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23
Q

What are the risks of gravel soils?

A

In extremely hot years, the drainage can put the vines at risk of drought stress, particularly where soils are shallow.

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24
Q

Is there clay on the Left Bank?

A

Pockets yes (esp Saint Estephe) but wines do not have same acclaim as those from gravel.

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25
Q

What is the soil of the Right Bank?

A
  • There is far more clay
  • Significant patches of gravel in some sections of Libournais
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26
Q

What is the dominant grape of the Right Bank and why?

A

Merlot, as it is ideally suited to soils with signficant clay. It ripes fully in almost all vintages.

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27
Q

Where are the best wines of the Right Bank from?

A

Grapes grown on the limestone plateau or the gravel section bordering Pomerol.

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28
Q

What are the red varietals of Bordeaux?

A
  • Merlot
  • Cabernet Sauvignon
  • Cabernet Franc
  • Malbec
  • Petit Verdot
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29
Q

What are the white varietals of Bordeaux?

A
  • Semillon
  • Sauvignon Blanc
  • Muscadelle
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30
Q

Is Merlot early or late budding? Ripening?

A

Early budding (ie vulnerable to spring frosts)

Mid budding (can be picked before Autumn rain)

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31
Q

What is Merlot susceptible to?

A
  • Coulure
  • Drough
  • Most Botrytis bunch rot

Requires sorting to maintain quality, all above can reduce yields.

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32
Q

What is the benefit of Merlot in Bordeaux?

A

In cooler years it can ripen fully (vs later ripening Cab Sauv)

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33
Q

What was an advantage in the past but less so today wrt to Merlot vs the Cabernets?

A

It reaches higher sugar levels, therefore higher potential alcohol. (less relevant in a warming climate).

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34
Q

What does Merlot contribute to a Bordeaux blend?

A
  • Medium to pronounced intensity fruit
    • strawberry and red plum with herbaceous in cooler years
    • cooked blackberry and black plum in hot years
  • Medium Tannins
  • Medium to high Alcohol
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35
Q

Is Cabernet Sauvignon early or late budding?

Ripening?

What does this mean?

A

Late budding. Gives some protection from spring frosts.

Late ripening. Vulnerable to Autumn rains.

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36
Q

What does Cabernet contribute to a Bordeaux blend?

A
  • Pronounced violet, blackcurrant, black cherry and menthol or herbaceous flavours
  • medium alcohol
  • high acidity
  • high tannins
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37
Q

What happens in cooler years to Cabernet Sauvignon and how is it mitigated?

A

Can struggle to ripen, resulting in high acid, unripe tannin and little fruit.

Blended regularly with Merlot and Cabernet Franc.

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38
Q

What does Cabernet Franc contribute to a Bordeaux blend?

A
  • Red fruit
  • High acid
  • Medium Tannin
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39
Q

When and why was Malbec replaced in Bordeaux? With what?

A

Hard frosts of 1956.

Mainly Merlot.

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40
Q

Is Petit Verdot early/late budding? Ripening? Where does it do best?

A

Early budding and ripens later than Cabernet Sauvignon.

Does best in the warmer parts of Medoc.

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41
Q

How much Petit Verdot is typically used in a Bordeaux blend?

What does it provide?

A

< 5%

Provides:

  • Deep colour
  • Spice notes
  • High Tannin
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42
Q

When does Semillon ripen?

A

Mid-ripening

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43
Q

What is Semillon susceptible to?

A

Botrytis bunch rot, and Noble rot (under the right conditions.

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44
Q

What does Semillon contibute to dry white Bordeaux blends?

A
  • Low intensity
    • apple, lemon
    • if under ripe, grassy, flavours
  • Medium body
  • Medium alcohol
  • Medium to medium (+) acidity.
  • Softens Sauvignon Blanc’s more intense flavours and high acidity.
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45
Q

What does Semillon contibute to botrytis-affected sweet Bordeaux wines?

A
  • Pronounced honey and dried fruit (lemon, peach) character and a waxy texture.
  • top Sauternes wines tend to have a high proportion of Sémillon in the blend
  • Ageability - Develops toast and honeyed notes with age
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46
Q

What does Sauvignon Blanc contribute in Bordeaux blends?

A
  • Grassy and goosbery fruit
  • High acidity

Added both to dry white blends, and sweet botrytis affected wines.

Increaing amounts of dominant or single varietal wines are being made.

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47
Q

Where does Muscadelle need to be planted?

A

Well exposed sites, as susceptible to botrytris bunch rot.

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48
Q

How is Muscadelle used?

A

Mostly in sweet wines to contribute flowery and grapey notes.

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49
Q

What is the traditional vine spacing in Bordeaux?

A

1m apart

1m between rows

10,000 vines / ha

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50
Q

What are the pros/cons of close spacing in Bordeaux?

A

Pros

  • Best use of expensive vineyard land
  • Suitable for relatively infertile soils
  • Results in moderate vigour

Cons

  • Adds costs - more plants, more trellising, specialised tractors
  • More time to train, plough, spray
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51
Q

What is the common vine training in Bordeaux?

A

Head trained, replacement cane pruned.

Left bank two canes (Double Guyot) common

Right bank one cane (Single Guyot) common

52
Q

What is the more rare method for managing vines in Bordeaux?

A

Cordon trained, spur pruned. Some presigious estates argus it reduces yields and gives better aeration.

53
Q

Why is canopy management important and what is done?

A

The climate is damp, moderate.

Canopy management reduces mildrew and botrytis bunch rot.

Leaf removal takes place in summer to improve aeration and UV exposure.

54
Q

What hazards have become a major problem and how are they addressed?

A

Eutypa dieback and Esca.

Soft Pruning is the method employed

55
Q

What are the dangers of leaf removal?

A

Leaves protect from sunburn/extreme heat, so it is less risky to remove them when extreme heat is less likely.

56
Q

Is bunch thinning practiced?

A

It is approved and was a way to correct high yields and improve concentration.

It is now less popular as is argued that it unbalances the vine and emphasis today is to let the vine find its natural balance.

57
Q

What are average yields currently?

A

~50hl/ha

58
Q

How has harvest changed?

A

Used to be random, based on a guess as to when grapes are arrived.

Now teams are hired longer and will sometimes be idle, adding to cost.

59
Q

How is sorting done?

A
  • Variable depending on the value of wine/quality of vintage.
  • Low quality may not be at all.
  • High quality can be sorted during picking/by hand/optically
  • In best vintages, may not even be required
60
Q

What is ‘plot by plot’ winemaking?

A
  • Picking of individual plots for optimum ripeness and then making separate small lots of wine with those grapes.
  • Requires more, smaller vessels to be available in the winery, adding to cost but producing higher quality.
61
Q

What are the fermentation vessels used in Bordeaux?

A

Wood/SS/Concrete - all temperature controlled

62
Q

What is the fermentation temp/maceration time like for early drinking/age worth wines?

A
  • Early drinking - Mid range fermentation, 5-7 days maceration
  • Age worthy - Mid-warm range fermentation, 14-30 days maceration
63
Q

How is press wine used?

A
  • It is kept separate and then the winemaker will decide later what proportion of press wine the final blend will contain.
  • Depends on whether the free-run needs more structure and tannin.
64
Q

Why do many estates innoculate to ensure rapid completion of MLF?

A

Many of these wines will be tasted in the following spring by buyers and journalists.

65
Q

How are many simpler red wines be aged?

A
  • Steel or concrete vates, 4-6 months
  • Oak chips may be added
66
Q

How are high quality red wines aged?

A
  • In French Oak Barriques
  • Most common is a mix of new, one and two year old barriques
  • Some can use 100% new oak but % new oak has recently been decreasing to more moderate levels
67
Q

If the wines are not racked and left on the lees, what may occur?

A

Micro-oxygenation, in leui of the oxygenation that occurs during racking.

Prevents reduction and softens tannins.

68
Q

How do the majority estates blend red wines?

What about the minority?

A
  • Blend over winter
  • Yields near-final blend and deselects the second/third label or those sold off.
  • A minority will blend a few months before bottling.
69
Q

What styles of Rose are made in Bordeaux?

A
  • Traditional deep coloured Clairet
  • A lighter coloured rose
70
Q

What are the main varietals in Rosé Bordeaux?

A

Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon

71
Q

How are Rosé wines made in Bordeaux?

A
  • In the past, younger vines or short maceration/bleeding off.
  • Newer style is likely direct pressing.
72
Q

How might grapes for white wines be pressed?

A
  • Immediately upon reception
    • Maximum freshness
  • After 24 hours on the skins
    • For aromatic and phenolic complexity
    • Grapes must be fully healthy else off-flavours
73
Q

How are early drinking white wines fermented?

A
  • Stainless steel
  • Cool teperatures
  • Inexpensive wines - few months in tank
  • Mid-priced wines - on fine lees 6-12 months
74
Q

How are high quality white wines fermented?

A
  • Fermented and aged in barriques, varying % new oak
  • Many block MLF to preserve freshness/acid
75
Q

Is battonage used in white wines? What is it?

A
  • Battonage is stirring fine lees
  • Used to be common
  • Today winemakers may be wary as can add excessive body vs acidity.
76
Q

Who is credited with the contemporary style of white Bordeaux and why?

A
  • Professor Denis Dubourdieu and André Lurton
  • Advocated an increased focus on
    • Sauvignon Blanc
    • Skin contact for the extraction of aromatics
    • A reduction in the proportion of new oak used in the fermentation and maturation stages.
77
Q

What are yields like for sweet wines?

A
  • Must be kept low, often 1/3rd of those for still wines
  • Ensures very high sugar levels.
  • Many estates achieve below the maximum 25hL/ha and top estates common < 10 hL/ha.
  • Increases production costs greatly.
78
Q

How are low yields achieved for sweet wines?

A
  • Pruning to a low number of buds
  • Removal of any fruit showing disease/damange.
79
Q

When does the harvest of sweet wines occur?

A
  • Sept-Nov.
  • Multiple passes depending on the vintage/estate
80
Q

What does the final level of botrytis depend on in sweet wines?

A
  • Whether conditions are favourable for spread of noble rot (varies y/y)
  • Proximity of estate to areas where mist forms regularly
  • Willingness of estates to wait for optimal harvest and/or multiple passes.
81
Q

What is the oak regime for sweet wines?

A
  • Top Quality - 18-36 months, 30 to 50 (up to even 100%) new oak
  • Less prestigious - unoaked, released year after harvest
82
Q

How many appelations in Bordeaux?

A

65

83
Q

What are the generic appellations?

A

Bordeaux and Bordeaux Supérieur AOC

84
Q

How much wine do the generic appellations account for?

A

50%

85
Q

What is the quality level and price of most Bordeaux AOC/Bordeaux Superieur?

A

Acceptable to good.

Inexpensive to mid priced.

86
Q

Describe the red wines of the generic appellations.

A
  • Mostly Merlot
  • Medium intensity red fruit
  • High acid
  • Medium (+) tannins
  • Medium body
  • Medium alcohol
87
Q

Describe the white wines of the generic appellations.

A
  • Increasing amounts of Sauvignon Blanc
  • Medium intensity gooseberry, lemon fruit
  • Medium body
  • High acidity
  • Medium alcohol
88
Q

What are the four prestigious single commune appellations in the Haut-Medoc AOC (North to South)

A
  • Saint-Estephe
  • Pauillac
  • Saint-Julien
  • Margaux
89
Q

Which of the communal Haut-Medoc appellations has the largest Merlot plantings?

A

Saint-Estephe at 40%

90
Q

Which Haut-Medoc communal AOCs have first growths?

A

Pauillac (3)

Margaux (1)

91
Q

Which two left bank appellations are further from the river than the four single communes appellations? Where are they?

A

Listrac-Medoc AOC

Moulis AOC

North of Margaux but south of Saint-Julien

92
Q

Which is commune appellation has the most Cabernet Sauvignon planted?

A

Pauillac AOC - ~62%

Mostly on gravel banks close to the estuary.

93
Q

Which is regarded as the most structured wine of the left bank?

A

Pauillac AOC

High tannins and high acidity vige in capacity for long aging.

94
Q

What does Margaux have a reputation for?

A

Perfumed wines with silky tannins.

95
Q

What is the quality level/price of Listrac-Medoc AOC and Moulis AOC wines?

A
  • good to very good quality
  • mid-priced to premium priced.
96
Q

Where is Graves AOC?

A

It is a large appellation from the city of Bordeaux southwards.

97
Q

What % of red wine is made in Graves AOC?

What is the quality/price?

A

85%

Acceptable - tood, inexpensive - mid priced

98
Q

What is allowed in Graves Supérieures AOC?

A

Late picked and/or botrytis-affected sweet wines which allows higher yields (40 hL/ha) than Sauternes.

99
Q

Where is Pessac-Leognan AOC?

A

A sub-region within Graves AOC, south of Bordeaux.

100
Q

What is Pessac-Leognan AOC known for?

A
  • high quality, often barrel- fermented and aged white wines
  • high-quality red wines (similar style price to Medoc communes)
  • split is 80% red / 20% white
  • It includes on first growth from 1855 classification
101
Q

How is red wine produced in Entre-deux-Mers AOC labelled?

A

Bordeaux or Bordeaux Superieur (the EdM appelations is only for whites)

102
Q

What is the price/quality of wines from Entre-deux-Mers AOC?

A
  • Acceptable to good quality
  • Inexpensive to mid priced
103
Q

How is the Right Bank characterised?

A
  • Many small estates (some as small as one hectare)
  • Dominance of Merlot, followed by Cabernet Franc and small plantings of Cabernet Sauvignon.
104
Q

What are the similarities between Saint-Émilion and Saint-Émilion Grand Cru AOC?

A
  • Cover same area, producing only red wines.
  • GC has lower maximum yields (46hL/ha vs 53)
  • GC has longer minimum ageing (20 months vs 6)
105
Q

What lends to the ageability of top quality Saint-Emilion wines?

A
  • Intense fruit concentration
  • High acidity and tannins
106
Q

What are the larger of the Saint-Emilion satellites?

A

Montagne Saint-Emilion AOC

Lussac-Saint-Emilion AOC

107
Q

What are the Saint-Emilion ‘satellites’?

A

Four AOCs that are close to Saint-Émilion but further away from the River Dordogne

108
Q

What classification system applies to Pomerol AOC?

A

None.

109
Q

What is Lalande-de-Pomerol AOC?

A

A larger satellite appellation that allows slightly higher yields than in Pomerol AOC.

110
Q

What is the name of the larger satellite appellation that allows slightly higher yields than in Pomerol AOC?

A

Lalande-de-Pomerol AOC

111
Q

What is Cotes de Bordeaux AOC?

A
  • An appellation for red and white wine created in 2009 for a group of appellations on the Right Bank.
  • A number of communes can append their name before the AOC name, for example, Blaye Côtes de Bordeaux. The same is the case for Cadillac, Castillon and Francs
  • For red wines, the maximum yield is 55 hL/ha and 52 hL/ha if a commune name is appended
112
Q

What is Coves de Bourg AOC?

A
  • Similar appellation to Côtes de Bordeaux that is not under the umbrella of Côtes de Bordeaux.
  • Dominant grape variety is Merlot
  • Wines are similar in style and price to Médoc AOC.
  • Focus on Malbec with 10 per cent of its hectares being planted with this variety, the highest percentage of any Bordeaux appellation.
113
Q

What are the major sweet wine appellations?

A

Sauternes AOC

Barsac AOC

114
Q

Why do the Sauternes and Barsac AOCs have ideal conditions to promote noble rot?

A

The meeting of the cold Ciron River and the warmer Garonne promote morning mists. When this mist burns off by the middle of the day, the sunshine in the afternoon dries the grapes to avoid grey rot developing.

115
Q

How may wines from the commune of Barsac be labelled?

A

As either Sauternes AOC or Barsac AOC

116
Q

Other than Sauternes and Barsac AOCs, what other appellations produce sweet wines?

How are they made?

A
  • Sainte-Croix-du-Mont AO
  • Loupiac AOC
  • Premières Côtes de Bordeaux AOC

Either botrytis affected or simple late harvest.

117
Q

What are the classification systems of Bordeaux?

A
  • The 1855 classification
  • The Graves classification
  • The Saint-Emilion classification
  • The Crus Bourgeois du Medoc classification
118
Q

What are the First Growths of the 1855 classification?

A
  • Chateau Lafite Rothschild, Pauillac
  • Chateau Latour, Pauillac
  • Chateau Mouton Rothschild, Pauillac (promoted in 1973)
  • Chateau Margaux, Margaux
  • Chateau Haut-Brion, Pessac, Graves
119
Q

How many properties are classified in the 1855 classification?

A

60 from the Medoc, and 1 from the Graves.

Ranked in 5 tiers (growths)

120
Q

What is the Graves classification?

How many chateaux are classified?

A
  • Created 1959
  • Simple list with no subdivisions
  • For red or white wines
  • 16 chateaux - All located within Pessac-Leognan
121
Q

What is the Saint-Emilion classification?

A
  • Applies to some Saint-Emilion Grand Cru AOC wines,
  • Dates to 1955, revised ~10 year intervals (most recent 2012)
  • 3 tiers
    • Premier Grand Cru A
    • Premier Grand Cru B
    • Grand Cru Classe
122
Q

Which appellation is the only top-quality one without a classification system?

A

Pomerol

123
Q

What is the Crus Bourgeois du Médoc classification?

A
  • Created 1932
  • A level below Cru Classe, but still superior quality
  • In 2010 revised with the label awarded annually to wines rather than chateaux
  • From 2018 on, chateaux are classified as the past (will last 5 years)
    • Cru Bourgeois
    • Cru Bourgeois Superieur
    • Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnel
124
Q

How many estates in Bordeaux?

What is the average size?

A

over 7000

over 19 hectares

125
Q

What is annual production in Bordeaux?

A

Generally over 800 million bottles

126
Q

How much production is by co-operatives?

A

In 2018 25% of production from 40% of the grape growers.

WSET D3 (11 decks)

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