France - Bordeaux

Question 1

Describe the climate + influences

Bordeaux

Answer 1

Maritime
moderated by its waterways + proximity to the Atlantis Coast
Gulfstream brings warm waters from the Caribbean keeping the weather mild yet humid
can suffer rain + frost
Large forest along the coast to the west protects from storms + winds from the atlantic
two rivers + estuary

Question 2

The bodies of water that divide area in 3?

Bordeaux

Answer 2

Left Bank (West of Garonne and Gironde)
Right Bank (East and North of Dordogne and Gironde)
Entre Deux Mers (between dordogne and garonne)

Question 3

Soils

Bordeaux

Answer 3

Medoc - Graves: Gravel
Saint-Emilion: Gravel, limestone, sand
Pomerol: iron pan under sand and clay

Question 4

Grape Varieties?
3 white + 6 red
Bordeaux

Answer 4

White:
Sauvignon blanc
Semillon
Muscadelle
Red:
Merlot
Cabernet sauvignon
Cabernet franc
petit verdot
malbert
carmenere

Question 5

The bordeaux pyramid of appellations?

Bordeaux

Answer 5

commune appellation arc (ex: Pauillac)
sub-regional appellation (ex: Haut-Médoc)
regional appellation app (ex: Bordeaux)

Question 6

What is the chateau concept?

Bordeaux

Answer 6

a Bordeaux Chateau is an estate under a single ownership

size of an estate can change overtime with sale and purchase of vineyards and land

Question 7

What main grape variety and soil can be find in the Medoc?

Bordeaux

Answer 7

Gravel (great moisture draining properties)

Cabernet Sauvignon

Question 8

What are the Medoc AOPs (sub-regionals (2) + communes (4)?

Bordeaux

Answer 8

sub regions:
Medoc AOP
Haut-Médoc AOP
communes:
Saint-Estephe AOP
Pauillac AOP
Saint-Julien AOP
Margaux AOP

Question 9

1855 classification

Bordeaux

Answer 9

ranking commissioned by Napoleon 3 of Bordeaux’s top Chateaux for the universal expo in Paris
Merchants and brokers ranked by properties in 5 tiers (1st to 5th) based on price (highest to lowest)
0 right bank
0 part of AOP system

Question 10

What are the first Growth Chateau (5) of the 1855 classification?
Bordeaux

Answer 10

Chateau Lafite-Rothschild
Chateau Latour
Chateau Mouton-Rothschild
Chateau Margaux
Chateau Haut-Brion (Graves)

Question 11

Top vintages in the Medoc? (4)

Bordeaux

Answer 11

2005 - 2009 - 2010 - 2015

Question 12

What are the Graves sub-regions AOP?

Bordeaux

Answer 12

Pessac-Leognan AOP
Sauternes AOP
Entre-Deux-Mers AOP

Question 13

What main soil are the Graves on (1) and what grapes are found? (2 white + 3 reds)?
Bordeaux

Answer 13

Gravel
white:
sauvignon blanc
semillon
red:
cabernet sauvignon
cabernet franc
merlot

Question 14

The difference between the vinification of the 3 sub AOPs of the Graves?
Bordeaux

Answer 14

Pessac Leognan AOP
-dry whites
-dry reds
-new French oak
Sauternes AOP
-Botrytis sweet wines
-Oak aged, often new French barriques
Entre-deux-mers AOP
-dry whites only (Sauvignon, sémillon, muscadelle)
-Reds = Bordeaux AOP
-Little to 0 oak, inox!

Question 15

Grape varieties for Saint-Emilion?

Bordeaux

Answer 15

mainly Merlot & Cabernet Franc

AOP reds only

Question 16

Appellations for Saint-Emilion?

Bordeaux

Answer 16

Saint-Emilion AOP
Saint-Emilion Grands Crus AOP
+ 0.5% alcohol
+ longer aging

Question 17

Classification of Saint-Emilion?

Bordeaux

Answer 17

Institutde in 1955
Goal of revision every 10 years
most recent revision 2012

Question 18

For the Saint-Emilion classification 2012:
name the 4 1ers grands crus classe A?
how many 1ers grands crus classe B
how many grands crus classe? 
Bordeaux

Answer 18

1er Grands Crus Classe A

• Chateau Ausone
• Chateau Angelus
• Chateau Pavie
• Chateau Cheval Blanc

14 1er grands crus classe B

64 Grands crus classe

Question 19

Appellations in Pomerol?

Bordeaux

Answer 19

Pomerol AOP

reds only

Question 20

Classification in Pomerol?

Bordeaux

Answer 20

none!