Bordeaux History and Laws

Question 1

When was Cru Bourgeois started

When was it nullified

When was it reinstated?

Answer 1

Cru Bourgeois introduced in 1932

Nullified in 2003

Reinstated 2008

2020: terms “crus bourgeois exceptionnels” and “crus bourgeois supérieurs” were reinstated.

The classification will be reviewed every five years, with a new list appearing in 2025.

Question 2

When was cru Artisan created, when was it formally recognized

Cru Artisans work an average of this many ha each

Answer 2

1944

Formally recognized in 2002
From 2005 onward, 44 producers can use the designation

Cru Artisans work an average of 6ha each

Question 3

Bordeaux is this on the Winkler scale

Answer 3

II

Question 4

hottest month in bordeaux

Answer 4

August

Question 5

does Bordeaux experience diurnal shift

Answer 5

No

Question 6

IGP Bordeaux Atlantique spans these departments

Answer 6

Gironde
Dordogne
Western Lot et Garonne
Charente*
Charente-Maritime*

*Cognac departments

Question 7

this year ended Dutch primacy in Bordeaux trade ,also the year savage winter and spring frost wiped slate clean in Pays Nantais for Melon de Bourgogne

Answer 7

1709

Question 8

first Bordeaux Estate to make it to England

Answer 8

Haut Brion
Led to the “Pontacs head” pub

Question 9

When was the treaty of Methuen signed?

Answer 9

1703

Portugese ended taxes on English textiles
English lessened taxes on Portugese

Helping the English beat the French

Question 10

King Louis XIV ordered planting forests in these places to provide oak for ships in order to compete with the Dutch

Answer 10

Troncais and Limousin

Question 11

this category created in 1949 was eliminated in 2011

Answer 11

VQDS “vin delimite de qualite superiure”

Question 12

What is société civile, how does it function?

Answer 12

Created to protect the estates from government takeover of Estates (Lafite used them)
eliminates the actual transfer of property by creating shares in a real estate-owning company.

In inheritance law (Napoleonic code) when equal shares of inheritance amongst heirs, they must pay property tax and it can be untenable for most. Most sell, this prevents it.

Question 13

These seven grapes are new in Bordeaux as of 2019 and approved for 5% of vineyard area and 10% of their production to find blends

Answer 13

Arinaroa (tannat x cab sauv)
Touriga nacional, Castets, Marselan, (Cab Sauv x Grenache)
Alvarinho
Petit Manseng
Liliorila

Question 14

What are croupes

Answer 14

Gravel Mounds in Bordeaux

Question 15

Average rainfall in Bordeaux

Answer 15

35 inches

Question 16

As of this 2008, these preexisting Bordeaux appellations can be consolidated as Cotes de Bordeaux

Answer 16

2008:
Francs
Castillon
Blaye
Cadillac (Subregion of Cotes de Bordeaux, not sweet wine like Cadillac AOP)

Question 17

This Nobleman owned Leoville Estates in St Julien and Chateau Palmer

Answer 17

Alexander de Gasp

Question 18

This nobleman presided over Chateau Lafite Latour and Calon in early 1700s

Answer 18

Nicolas-Alexandre de Segur
Of Calon segur

Question 19

Only two grapes of Bordeaux that aren’t related to the others

Answer 19

Petit Verdot and Muscadelle

Question 20

Why did Merlot plantings surge in Bordeaux?

Answer 20

The terrible winter in 1956 laid waste to many Bordeaux varieties

Question 21

These three American diseases hit Bordeaux in succession in the last half of 19th century

Answer 21

Oidium 1852
Phylloxerra 1869
peronospera (downy mildew) 1880s

Question 22

What is the Place de Bordeaux?

Answer 22

The Place de Bordeaux is a three-tier, de facto system of wine production, brokerage, and sales that controls the trade of wine in Bordeaux.

Production tier: chateau
sales tier: negociant
broker tier: courtier

Question 23

This First Growth Chateau opted out of the en primeur system in 2012

Answer 23

Chateau Latour

Question 24

When were second wines first introduced in Bordeaux?

Answer 24

1982

Question 25

What is a cuverie, what is a chai

Answer 25

Cuverie: building within the chateau where the wine is made Chai: The cellar where wine is stored and aged

Question 26

The Vin Delimité de Qualité Superieure was created in this year as a stepping stone to AOC

Answer 26

1949, eliminated 2011

Question 27

Max Yields Bordeaux AOP

Answer 27

Whites: 90 hl/ha Red/Rosé: 85 hl/ha

Question 28

Frances Largest (not in terms of volume, second to Languedoc) Wine region

Answer 28

Bordeaux

Question 29

In 2007, the INAO (Created in 1935) became this:

Answer 29

L’Institut National de l’Origine et de la Qualité—although it retained its former acronym.

Question 30

Vin De Pays producers (may label their wines as Indication Géographique Protégée (IGP)) have these legal limits for production

Answer 30

Yields are set for white wines at 90 hl/ha and for red and rosé wines at 85 hl/ha; in addition, total output for any producer making Vin de Pays must fall within 100 hl/ha. Minimum alcohol levels range from 9% to 10%

Question 31

There are three levels of IGP zones:

Answer 31

regional, departmental, and local

Question 32

As of this year, the table wine category was rechristened as Vin de France, and both vintage and variety may now appear on the label.

Answer 32

2009

Question 33

When did phylloxera hit Bordeaux

Answer 33

1869

Question 34

What is the privilege de la descente?

Answer 34

Prohibited the transfer of Non Bordeaux wines by boat through the Port until Nov 11 of each year

Question 35

What is the privilege de la barrique?

Answer 35

Entitled Bordeaux wines alone to storage and shipment in the barrique barrel A statute was created in 1764 aimed at preventing illicit Bordeaux barrel use: barrels had to be branded with Chateau name and Commune of production

Question 36

This family Maintained Chateau Latour after the French Revolution

Answer 36

Ségur

Question 37

Liv-Ex (London International Vintners Exchange) has published a biennial list of top wines of Bordeaux since this year

Answer 37

2009 (only Left Bank considered)

Question 38

As of 2019, these three Chateaux have ascended to the second tier in Liv EX. This Chateau was downgraded to second tier.

Answer 38

Calon-Segur Beychevelle Rauzan-Segla Mission Haut-Brion (descended)

Question 39

Why is the fourth most planted grape in Bordeaux Villard Noir

Answer 39

After 1869 when phylloxera hit, many producers replanted with hybrid vines

Question 40

Who was the Weinfuhrer in Bordeaux

Answer 40

Herr Bömers Head of largest wine company in Germany

Question 41

What is negociating sales "sur Souches"

Answer 41

pricing based on a previous vintage, agreed upon prior to harvest

Question 42

First estate to Estate bottle their entire production

Answer 42

Mouton Rotschild, in 1924 (also kept Herr Bömer as their importer after the war)

Question 43

In this year, Chateau bottling became compulsory for classified estates in the Médoc

Answer 43

1972

Question 44

This blockbuster vintage in the 80s caught the attention of Robert Parker

Answer 44

1982

Question 45

These three years in the 80s Bordeaux led to concentrated, bold wines

Answer 45

1988-1990 (warm, dry vintages)

Question 46

1991-1994 had these weather conditions in Bordeaux

Answer 46

Rainy, difficult

Question 47

Some great Bordeaux wine consultants who emerged in the 1990s

Answer 47

Following in the footsteps of Emile Peynaud: Michel Rolland Stephane Derenoncourt Denis Dubourdieu

Question 48

What year did China ban party officials for using public funds for luxury goods (affecting Bordeaux purchases)

Answer 48

2012

Question 49

In these regions of Bordeaux, producers may add the product of new parcels to their grand vins, provided they lie in the same AOP stated on the label

Answer 49

Medoc Pomerol (More difficult for St. Emilion to do so because of regulations and INAO management)

Question 50

The crus bourgeois and Cru Artisan are reviewed every 5 years and the newest list will appear in this year

Answer 50

2025