Bordeaux Flashcards
Name the two rivers that traverse Bordeaux and also name the estuary they form.
Garonne and Dordogne form the Gironde estuary.
Vineyards west of Garonne and Gironde are collectively called what?
Left bank.
Vineyards east of Dordogne and Gironde are collectively called what?
Right bank.
The area between Garonne and Dordogne is called what?
Entre-Deux-Mers
How many per cents of plantings are black grapes in Bordeaux?
Nearly 90%
For AOC wines, name the production percentage of red, dry white, sweet white and rosé in Bordeaux.
Red-85%, Dry white-9%, Sweet white-less than 1%, Rosé-5%
In order, name the 6 most planted varieties in Bordeaux.
Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Sémillon, Sauvignon Blanc, Muscadelle.
When was the Médoc peninsula drained and by whom?
By Dutch merchants in 17th and 18th century.
By mid 18th century some Bordeaux properties where already famous in Europe and even America. Name two.
Lafite and Margaux.
Bordeaux was also a hub for wine exports from other regions (Bergerac for example). Entrepreneurial class of merchants with origins from where distributed Bordeaux wines and raised the reputation?
Ireland, Germany, Holland, Britain.
The famous commercial exhibition, when was it and what was it called?
1855, Exposition Universelle de Paris
What was the famous classification based on and what body asked for it?
Based on price, Bordeaux chamber of commerce.
How many bands were Médoc classed into, and what property outside of Médoc were classed too?
Five bands, 1st growth, 2nd growth etcetera. Haut-Brion in Graves was also included in the Médoc classes.
In the 1855 classification, how many bands were Sauternes classed into?
Three.
How many hectares are under vine in Bordeaux?
108.000 hectares. Enormous!
In Bordeaux, 72% of AOC wine are entitled to what AOCs? (4)
Bordeaux AOC, Bordeaux Supérieur AOC, Médoc AOC, Côtes AOC.
What climate does Bordeaux have?
Moderate, maritime.
What is the major warming influence of Bordeaux and beyond?
The Gulf Stream, originating from the Gulf of Mexico.
Excellent balance of tannins, sugar and acidity partly explains the remarkable longevity of great vintages in Bordeaux. What are the climatic reasons behind this?
Warmth throughout growing season, plentiful of rain, a relatively dry first month of autumn = steady and complete ripening.
What are the extensive pine forests that partly protect the left bank called?
Landes
Northern Médoc is cooler than southern and Graves, why?
Less protected by the Landes (pine forest) from Atlantic maritime influence.
Level of average rainfall in Bordeaux?
950mm, but very variable.
Rain at flowering can result in what?
Poor fruit set.
Rain throughout growing season can lead to what?
Increased disease pressure.
Rain at véraison can lead to what?
Unripe fruit and fungal diseases.
Rain at harvest can lead to what?
Diluted flavours.
Name a hot, dry year in Bordeaux that led to low acidity and poor balance in both red and white wines.
2003
In a hot year, growers wait for phenolic ripeness before harvesting, what happens to the level of alcohol because of that?
Higher accumulation of sugar gives a higher level of alcohol.
Name years that was heavily influenced by frost in Bordeaux.
1956, 1991, 2017
Prestigious wines tend to be close to the Gironde estuary, in frost years like 1956, 1991 and 2017 the closeness to the water is even more important. Why?
The Gironde estuary has a moderating effect on the climate.
Vintage volume variation is marked in Bordeaux. How much less wine was made in the frost year 2017 compared to a 10 year average?
33%
The left bank is two regions, which?
Médoc in the north and Graves in the south.
The gravel soil in the left bank has origins from where?
Carried by floodwaters from the Pyrenees and the Massif Central many thousand years ago.
All top estates on the left bank are planted on gravel mounds (högar) , what are the mounds called and how high is the highest and where is it?
Croupes. Highest is 32 meter, found in Margaux.
What are the benefit of gravel soils?
Unlike clay, it drains well. After heavy rains the soil dries out and ripening can continue.
Heat retention. At night the pebbles and stones gradually release warmth upwards and facilitates the vines slow ripening.
Name a hot year in Bordeaux. Why are gravel soils not so good in a hot year?
2003 and 2005. The excellent drainage of gravel soils can cause drought stress.
Right bank has more clay, what grape favours clay?
Merlot
Where are the best grapes grown on the right bank, on what soil?
On the limestone plateau or the gravel section bordering Pomerol.
Where in Bordeaux is Merlot the dominant variety?
Whole of the right bank and cooler northern Médoc.
In northern Médoc and on the right bank the soils are more fertile and has a high clay content. What grape variety thrives there?
Merlot. The water-holding capacity of clay enables Merlot to produce large berries, typical of the variety.
What does Cabernet Franc contribute to the Bordeaux bland?
Red fruit, high acidity and medium tannins.
After the frost in 1956 many growers replaced one variety with another. Which ones?
Many growers replaced Malbec with Merlot which is easier to grow.
Where does Petit Verdot do best in Bordeaux?
Warmer parts of Médoc.
In the Bordeaux blend, if Pertit Verdot is used, how large is the percentage?
Often less than 5%
Petit Verdot was unpopular with Bordeaux growers in the past, why?
Buds early making it prone to spring frost and ripens even later than Cabernet Sauvignon: tough to get ripe in cool years and prone to autumn rains.
What does Petit Verdot bring to the Bordeaux blend?
Power, deep colour, spice notes and high tannins.
In high quality dry white Bordeaux blends, what role does Sémillon have?
It softens Sauvignon Blanc’s more intense flavours and high acidity.
Sémillon also has a strong affinity with vanilla and sweet spice flavours from new French oak.
In botrytis-affected Bordeaux wines, what does Sémillon contribute with?
Pronounced honey and dried fruit (lemon, peach) and waxy texture.
Why is usually the percentage of Sémillon higher than Sauvignon Blanc in sweet botrytis-affected Bordeaux wines?
Sémillon is more susceptible to botrytis than Sauvignon Blanc.
Name 2 top Sauternes producers of sweet botrytis-affected wines.
Chateau Climens and Chateau d’Yquem.
Does this producer have a high or low percentage of Sémillon in their wine. Why?
Chateau Climens have a high percentage of Sémillon because it is more susceptible to botrytis.
Domaine de Chevalier is in Léognan fringing a pine forest, what is the pine forest called and what does it do to the climate for estates fringing it.
Landes. It protects from Atlantic storms. This area is more marginal, cooler, than the neighbours to the east.
What does Sauvignon Blanc contribute with in dry white Bordeaux blends?
Grassy and gooseberry fruit. High acidity.
Traditionally, what vine density is used for top quality Bordeaux?
10.000 vines per hectare
Why is planting density so high in top quality Bordeaux?
Vigour becomes moderate in the relatively infertile soils. It also makes use of very costly land as much as possible.
Basic Bordeaux AOC is planted at what density?
3000 - 4000 vines per hectare.
Left bank and right bank have two different training systems, which?
Left bank favours Double Guyot and Right bank Single Guyot.
Why is canopy management important in Bordeaux?
The damp climate requires a good aeration to fight downy mildew botrytis bunch rot and powdery mildew.
What is “soft pruning”?
A way to fight Eutypa dieback and Esca making only small cuts and leaving wood to dry out, maximising the opportunity for sap to flow around the plant.
How many percent was organic or in conversion in Bordeaux 2021?
18%
Yields have decreased in Bordeaux last twenty years. What is average yield today?
50 Hl/ha
In the past, harvest was a random procedure and teams were hired for a defined period based on an informed guess of ripeness. What was often the outcome because of this?
Picked under ripe, and over ripe and just right in every vintage.
How large can the picking teams be today at the large estates?
100 persons.
Why is machine harvesting more common in northern Médoc?
It is fairly far away and it is hard to attract workers, it is a two hour drive from Bordeaux.
Sorting quality grapes happens twice, where and how?
In the vineyard when hand picking, and at the winery using vibrating sorting belts or optical sorting if very well funded.
What is the benefit of plot by plot winemaking?
Each plot can be picked at perfect ripeness, and vinified separately to suit the plot.
What is the draw back for plot by plot winemaking?
Smaller and a larger number of vessels are needed in the winery, adding to cost.
What is most common in Bordeaux, cultured yeast or wild? Why?
Cultured, for reliability.
In red Bordeaux winemaking, what types of fermentation vessels are used?
Wood, stainless steel, concrete.
For early drinking wine in Bordeaux, what fermentation temperature is used and how long is the post-maceration? Why?
Mid-range temperature, 5-7 days on the skins (short) - to preserve primary fruit and limit tannin extraction.
Free run wine and press wine is transferred to what?
225 L barrels, barriques.
Why are many top producers in Bordeaux keen on having malolactic conversion complete quickly?
To get the wine ready for En-primeur that takes place in the spring.
Simpler Bordeaux wines are often aged in what, and for how long?
Stainless steel or concrete for 4-6 months.
What is the most common mix of barrique-are when maturing high quality red Bordeaux wine?
New, one-year-old and two-year-old.
Professor Denis Dubourdieu and André Lurton are to a large extent designers of contemporary white Bordeaux. What have they been advocating?
Increased focus on Sauvignon Blanc, skin contact, reduction in the use of new oak during fermentation and maturation.
This producer, how much new French oak do they use for maturation? What is a common percentage range among other producers?
100% Other producers use 30-50% new French oak.
Pomerol estates are generally small with small production. Compare Petrus with a Left Bank First Growth in hectare size.
Petrus have fewer than 12 ha while Left Bank First Growths have between 80-100 ha.
