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Bordeaux Flashcards

(78 cards)

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1
Q

Bordeaux Climate

A

Maritime

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2
Q

What Rivers meet north of the city of Bordeaux?

A
  • Garonne
  • Dordogne
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3
Q

What rivers form the Gironde Estuary?

A
  • Garonne
  • Dordogne
    (both in Bordeaux)
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4
Q

Medoc and Graves Soil?

A

Gravel

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5
Q

Saint-Emilion Soil?

A

Gravel, limestone, and sand

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6
Q

Pomerol Soil?

A

Iron pan under sand and clay

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7
Q

Bordeaux Grape Varieties?

A

White
- Sauvignon Blanc
- Semillon
- Muscadelle (small quantities)

Red
- Merlot (the most widely planted)
- Cabernet Sauvignon
- Cabernet Franc
- Petit Verdot (small quantities)
- Malbec (allowed, but rarely seen today)
- Carmenere (allowed, but rarely seen)

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8
Q

Vinification from Medoc

A
  • 70% Cabernet Sauvignon
  • 30% Merlot
  • Some Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot
  • Aged usually in French oak barrels
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9
Q

Vinification Saint-Emilion and Pomerol

A
  • 70% Merlot
  • 30% Cabernet Franc
  • Aged in French oak barrels
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10
Q

Vinification Dry White Wines Graves (left bank) and Entre-Deux-Mers

A
  • 80% Sauvignon Blanc
  • 20% Semillon
  • The majority of inexpensive white wines from Bordeaux are made without oak. Prestigious white wines tend to be aged in new French oak barriques.
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11
Q

Vinification of Sweet Wines Bordeaux

A
  • 80% Semillon
  • 20% Sauvignon Blanc
  • Muscadelle (small percentage)
  • Many sweet wines in Bordeaux are aged in new French oak barrels.
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12
Q

Bordeaux Appellations

A
  • Bordeaux AOP
  • Sub-Regional of District Appellations (ex. Haut Medoc AOP and Entre-Deux-Mers AOP
  • Commune Appellations (ex. Pauillac, Margaux, Pomerol, Saint Julien, Saint Estephe, St. Emilion)
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13
Q

Bordeaux Left Bank Most Renowned Wine Area

A

Medoc

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14
Q

Name Medoc’s Wine Appellations

A
  • Medoc
  • Saint-Estephe
  • Pauillac
  • Saint-Julien
  • Haut-Medoc
  • Margaux
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15
Q

Medoc’s Soil

A

Gravel, with great moisture draining properties. Perfect for Cabernet Sauvignon

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16
Q

Medoc Grape Varieties

A

Red wines only,
Cabernet Sauvignon based blends.

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17
Q

Medoc AOP’s

A
  • Sub-Regions
    • Medoc AOP
    • Haut-Medoc AOP
  • Commune
    • Saint-Estephe AOP
    • Pauillac AOP
    • Saint-Julien AOP
    • Margaux AOP
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18
Q

Explain Bordeaux 1855 Classification

A

Emperor Napoleon III commissioned a ranking of Bordeaux top chateaux for the Universal Exposition in Paris. Merchants and brokers ranked 61 properties in five tiers: first growth through fifth growth. They used historical record of the prices that each property’s wines commanded. The higher the price, the higher the ranking.
- Communes in the Right Bank were not part of the classification.
- One property in the Pessac-Leognan commune in Graves was included because Chateau Haut-Brion had long fetched a very high price.
- This was all a marketing decision

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19
Q

Name Bordeaux First Growth Chateaux of the 1855 Classification

A
  • Chateau Lafite-Rothchild
  • Chateau Latour
  • Chateau Mouton-Rothschild (elevated to first growth in 1973)
  • Chateau Margaux
  • Chateau Haut-Brion (Graves)
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20
Q

Graves AOP Soil

A

Gravel

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21
Q

Graves AOP Grape Varieties

A

White
- Sauvignon Blanc
- Semillon
Red
- Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc

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22
Q

Graves AOP Sub-Regions

A
  • Pessac-Leognan AOP
  • Vinification
    • Dry white wines
    • Dry red wines
    • New French Oak
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23
Q

Sauternes AOP Vinification

A
  • Botrytis-affected sweet wines
  • Oak aged, often in new French barrique
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24
Q

Entre-Deux-Mers AOP Soil

A

Very fertile silt

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25
Entre-Deux-Mers AOP Grape Varieties
White - Sauvignon Blanc - Semillon - Muscadelle
26
Entre-Deux-Mers AOP Vinification
- Dry white wines only - Little to no oak, stainless steel - Red wines made in this area fall under the Bordeaux AOP Appellation
27
Name the Right Bank Wine Region
Saint-Emilion
28
Saint-Emilion Soils
(Proportions vary depending on the location) - Large bed of silt, clay, and gravel - Limestone plateau - Sand
29
Saint-Emilion Grape Varieties
- Merlot - Cabernet Franc - AOP for red wines only
30
Saint-Emilion AOP Appellations
- Saint-Emilion AOP - Saint-Emilion Grand Cru AOP (wines have an additional 0,5% alcohol and must undergo a longer aging than wines labeled Saint-Emilion AOP
31
Saint-Emilion Classification System
- Instituted in 19556 with a goal to revision every 10 years. The most recent revision was in 2012.
32
Saint-Emilion Classification 2012
- Premiers Grand Crus Classe A * Chateau Ausone * Chateau Angelus * Chateau Pavie * Chateau Cheval-Blanc - Premiers Grand Crus Classe B * 14 named chateaux - Grand Crus Classe * 64 named chateaux
33
Pomerol AOP Locaion
Along the Dordogne River near the town of Libourne to the northwest of Saint Emilion. A very small appellation, only 3 square miles.
34
Pomerol AOP Soils
- Sand - Clay - Gravel - Subsoil of iron pan and rich clay
35
Pomerol AOP Grape Varieties
Merlot and Cabernet Franc-based blends.
36
The Loire River Description
- Longest river in France - Originating at the center of the country in the Massif Central and meandering 629 miles to the Atlantic Ocean. - Wine regions along its banks are remarkably diverse with distinct microclimates, wine styles, grape varieties, and growing conditions.
37
Loire Valley Main Regions
- Pays Nantais - Anjou-Samour - Touraine - Central Vineyards
38
Pays Nantais Climate
- Cool and wet maritime - Affected by proximity to the Atlantic Ocean
39
Pays Nantais Soils
Gravel and sand over schist and granite
40
Pays Nantais Grape Varieties
Melon de Bourgogne
41
Pays Nantais Vinification
Sur lie
42
Pays Nantais Appellations
- Muscadet AOP - Muscadet Sevre-et-Maine AOP
43
Anjou-Saumur Location
To the east of the Pays Nantais
44
Anjou-Saumur Climate
- Maritime/continental (shifting from the former to the latter as vineyard locations move inland) - Humid
45
Anjou-Saumur Grape Varieties
White - Chenin Blanc Red - Cabernet Franc
46
Anjou-Saumur Appellations
- Savennieres - Quarts-de-Chaume - Bonnezeaux - Anjou-Villages - Saumur
47
Saumur AOP Grape Varieties & Vinification
- Chenin Blanc - Cabernet Franc - Vinification; this AOP is well known for Chenin Blanc based sparkling wines
48
Saumur AOP Grape Varieties and Vinification
- Chenin Blanc - Cabernet Franc - This AOP is well known for Chenin Blanc-based sparkling wines.
49
Savennieres AOP Location
Anjou-Saumur region. North of the Loire River. - Aspect Steep, south0pfacing hillsides
50
Savennieres AOP Grape Varieties and Vinification
- 100% Chenin Blanc - Vinification Sweet Wines - Viticulture Late harvest, botrytis-affected grapes.
51
Bonnezeaux AOP Location
South of the Loire River on the bank of the Layon River
52
Bonnezeaux AOP Climate
Humid (proximity of two rivers)
53
Bonnezeaux AOPf Grape Variety and Vinification
- 100% Chenin Blanc - Vinification: Sweet wines - Viticulture: Late-harvest, botrytis affected grapes.
54
Quarts-de-Chaume AOP Location
South of the Loire River on the bank of the Layon River
55
Quarts-de-Chaume AOP Location
South of the Loire River on the bank of the Layon River
56
Quarts-de-Chaume AOP Climate
Humid (proximity to two rivers)
57
Quarts-de-Chaume AOP Grape Variety and Vinification
- 100% Chenin Blanc - Vinification: Sweet wines - Viticulture: Late-harvest, botrytis-affected grapes.
58
Touraine Location
To the east of Anjou-Saumur
59
Touraine Climate
Continental - less maritime influence as vineyard locations shift inland toward the east
60
Touraine Soils
Tuffeau (soft, limestone)
61
Touraine Grape Varieties
- Chenin Blanc - Cabernet Franc
62
Touraine Appellations
- Chinon AOP - Bourgueil AOP - Vouvray AOP
63
Chinon AOP Location
Touraine Region. South of the Loire River
64
Chinon AOP Grape Varieties and Vinification
- Cabernet Franc - Vinification: Dry red wines.
65
Bourgueil AOP Location
Touraine Region. North bank of the Loire River.
66
Bourgueil AOP Grape Varieties and Vinification
- Cabernet Franc - Dry red wines
67
Vouvray AOP Location
Touraine region. North bank of the Loire Valley.
68
Vouvray Soil
Tuffeau
69
Vouvray Grape Varieties and Vinification
- 100% Chenin Blanc - Vinification: Sparkling wines, dry wines, off-dry wines, sweet wines (moelleux).
70
Central Vineyards Location
East of Touraine in the center of France
71
Central Vineyards Climate
Continental
72
Central Vineyards Soils
- Silex (flint), limestone - Kimmeridgian clay
73
Central vineyards Grape Varieties
- Sauvignon Blanc - Pinot Noir
74
Central Vineyards Appellations
- Sancerre AOP - Puilly-Fume AOP
75
Sancerre AOP Location
Central Vineyards region. West bank of the Loire River.
76
Sancerre AOP Grape Varieties and Vinification
- 100% Sauvignon Blanc - 100% Pinot Noir - Vinification: Dry red and white wines
77
Pouilly-Fume AOP Location
Central Vineyards region. Eastern bank of the Loire River.
78
Pouilly-Fume AOP Grape Varieties and Vinification
- 100% Sauvignon Blanc - Vinification: Dry white wines only.

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