Ch 13 - Bordeaux Flashcards
(40 cards)
Describe the climate of Bordeaux and the main climatic influences.
Moderate maritime climate - benefits from the effect of the Gulf Stream. Warming ocean current extends the growing seasons so spring frosts are rarely a problem and grape ripening can continue well into October.
What are the main hazards in Bordeaux? What protections are offered/used?
The Atlantic brings high levels of rainfall and humidity. Vineyards are protected from the worst of the Atlantic storms by the Landes forest and coastal sand dunes to the West.
Rain fall throughout the year can disrupt flowering and fruit set, promote rot and dilute flavours of grapes at harvest. Canopy management results in healthier grapes and a rise in the levels of sugar and flavour development at harvest.
What is the impact of the high rainfall when considering Bordeaux?
Vintage variation is important - top produces will reduce the differences year to year by rejecting unhealthy or unripe grapes.
Are the majority of Bordeaux wines blends of varietals? Why?
Because of the risk of ripening issues and variability in the weather most makers do not rely on one variety too heavily. The different varieties permitted flower and ripen at different times so one bad frost or heavy shower is unlikely to ruin an entire crop.
What are the dominant black varieties in Bordeaux? Specify where they grow most and why.
Cabernet Sauvignon in the Haut-Médoc and Bas-Médoc and Graves regions. High stone/gravel content of these soils raises vineyard temp and so these are the only areas Cab Sav can ripen reliably.
Cab Franc in Saint-Émillion and in the Médoc and Graves to a lesser extent. Prefers well drained, warm soils like Cab Sav.
Merlot is the most widely planted in Bordeaux - particularly important in Saint-Émilion and Pomerol. Merlot successfully grows on these cooler clay soils.
Petit Verdot less than the others. Ripens fully only in very hot years.
What sorts of wine does Cab Franc produce in Bordeaux and how do they differ from Cab Sav? How does it contribute to blends?
Produces wines with less body and tannin than Cab Sav. Can have herbaceous or stalky flavours if unripe but when ripe contributes vibrant fruits and floral notes to blends.
What quality level is Merlot from Bordeaux predominant in and why?
Soft wines - means usually predominant in high volume and inexpensive wines.
What sorts of wine does Petit Verdot produce in Bordeaux and how does it contribute to blends?
Gives very deep coloured, tannic wine that ages slowly. Never plays more than a minor role in blends where it is used to add tanning, colour and spicy notes.
Discuss winemaking practices in Bordeaux for black varieties.
Very varied particularly because of resources available to produces. Little agreement over which fermentation vessels produce best wines. Some best produces use traditional oak vats as well as steel or concrete to increase blending options.
How is blending used in Bordeaux for black varieties?
Most wines blended in spring following vintage but some keep parcels of wine separate until end of maturation. Top quality reds are aged in small oak barriques of 225L. In the finest chateaux all wine may be put into new casks whereas smaller lesser places may use a mix of new casks with old and generic wines will be unlikely to see any oak. In order to maintain quality and style of top wines most leading chateaux now make second and third wines from blends not suitable for the top one.
What styles of white wine are made in Bordeaux?
Range from dry to sweet wines.
What is the predominant white grape used for sweet wines and why?
Sémillon is the most important variety for sweet Bordeaux wines because of its thin skin and affinity for noble rot. C
How is dry white wine made using Sémillon in Bordeaux (blending) and what are the two premium areas it can be found in this style? What does Semillon add to the blend?
Blended with Sav Blanc. Premium dry whites are produced in Pessac-Léognan and Graves. Sémillon adds body.
What sorts of wine does Bordeaux Sav Blanc produce (blends or varietals, aromas)?
Actually creates varietal dry white wines increasingly but is also used in blends. Have citrus and green fruit aromas.
What does Sav Blanc contribute to blends?
It gives high acidity which is particularly important in sweet wines.
What is the character of Muscadelle in Bordeaux?
Pronounced grapey, floral flavour and plays an important supporting role in sweet and dry white wine production. Only makes up a small percentage of any blend.
Describe the different styles of still white dry Bordeaux (from lower end of the market to premium).
Those at lower end tend to be fresh and fruity, fermented in temperature controlled, inert vessels with minimal ageing but some show toasty hints of oak. Premium dry whites from Pessac-Léognan are frequently fermented and matured in new oak barrels and have a richness and concentrated nutty flavour overlaying the fruit.
How are the best sweet wines of Bordeaux made?
Great sweet wines of Bordeaux are made by noble rot affected fruit. The best are fermented and matured in new oak barrels for anything up to three years.
How does classifcation in Bordeaux differ from other regions?
The system lies outside of the appellation system and does not rank individual vineyards but individual estates aka Chateaux. The estates may change in size as they acquire or sell land so the classification is attached more to a brand than a designation of a vineyard.
What are the levels in the Bordeaux Classifications?
In the 1855 classifications there are crus classés. In Médoc there are 5 ranks. The top is Chateaux Lafite Rothschild, Latour, Margaux and Mouton Rothschilde - Chateau Haut-Brion from Graves is also top. IN Sauternes there are 3 ranks with Chateau d’Yquem at the top.
Below the crus classés there are Crus Bourgeois. These are awarded to wines vintage-to-vintage so new ones have eto be submitted each year to be classified.
Graves have parallel but separate lists for red and whites. No ranking - those listed are crus classés All crus classés lie in the limits of Pessac-Léognan.
In Saint-emilion there is a separate system. Top is Premier Grand Cru Classé (a) and then (b) and below those, the Grand Cru Classé. Below that is Grand Cru. They get reclassified every 10 years and can be demoted or promoted in the process. Unclassified wines will just be St Emilion.
What are the three areas in Bordeaux?
the Médoc, Graves and Sauternes lie west and south of the Gironde and Garonne - this is the Left Bank. Entre-Deux Mers is between the Dordogne and Garonne rivers. North and East of the Gironde and Dordogne are Saint-Emilion and Pomerol - the Right Bank.
What are the generic appellations in Bordeaux and what distinguishes them?
Bordeaux and Bordeaux Supérieur. Supérieur has slightly stricter rules and requires higher alcohol in final wine).
What is the main output of the generic appellations in Bordeaux? What other wines are produced? What is the standard of such wines?
Mainly red Bordeaux (or Superieur) but also make white and Rosé (Bordeaux Rosé or Clairet). Standards have improved considerably and continue to do so as winemakers focus on export and competing with wines from other regions.
What are the generic red Bordeaux wines like (comment on the best and then the lower quality wines)?
Early drinking, medium bodied with ripe red and black fruit and sometimes cedar notes from oak. Cheapest can be lighter in body and have more astringent tannins than better wines.
