BORDEAUX

READING BETWEEN THE WINES:

Bordeaux is not only the largest wine-producing region in France, but it’s the largest winemaking region in the world. The wines made in its well-known soils make up a good percentage of the best quality French wines. Although Bordeaux is famous for its big balanced and beautiful reds, the region also boasts some superb whites.

THE REGION

The Bordeaux wine region is near the city of Bordeaux in the southwest corner of France. The major districts in the region are Barsac, Graves/Pessac-Léognan, Medoc/Haut-Medoc, Pomerol, St. Emilion, and Sauternes.

THE GRAPES

BORDEAUX REDS:

The rich ruby Bordeaux is usually a varied tri-blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Merlot grapes. With flavors infused with black fruit and wood flavors, each variety’s delicate blend and sundry aging offers its own unique taste once it hits the bottle.

Cabernet Sauvignon

Now, here’s a big red grape. Known for it’s bold flavors and tannic zip, this grape starts out hard and earthy but age or a little Merlot blending lends to a well-balanced red wine with black fruit aromas and complex and gallant red flavors.

Cabernet Franc

This grape tends to need a partner in crime — as it’s a little hardcore on its own. Most wineries add the fragrant and strawberry-esque zip of Mr. Franc in small amounts to Sauvignon and Merlot grapes for a tastier red wine.

Merlot

Definitely, winning the popularity contest, this sweet grape is the most-planted in Bordeaux. Its delicious red fruit flavors, often whipped up with some Cabernet Sauvignon grapes, bring us some of the smoothest, most-balanced, best-tasting red wines.

BORDEAUX WHITES:

Sauvignon Blanc

“How dry I am,” boasts this grape. Its citrusy, grassy flavors and acidity, often stomped with some Sémillon grapes, make Bordeaux’s best crisp, light whites and are often looped in to brighten up the sweeter blends.

Sémillon

This grape goes from zero to ripe in no time, moldering its fleshy insides into intense sugary mounds. Usually blended with Sauvignon Blanc, its figgy, nutty flavors make up the honey and apricot aromas and rich flavors of sweet whites.

Muscadelle

The sweetest thing you can add, the fruity and floral-smelling Muscadelle grape is used in the best blends of Bordeaux’s sweet white wines.

GROWTH CLASSIFICATIONS

In 1855, France decided to develop a classification system of Bordeaux wines. They developed five categories called crus (meaning growth and refers to a wine estate). Thus the first, and most prestigious are called the First Growths. To this day there are only five estates in the First Growth category. They are:

Château Lafite-Rothschild
Château Latour
Château Margaux
Château Haut-Brion
Château Mouton-Rothschild

You can be sure that any wine from a First Growth estate will lighten your wallet considerably.

There are fifty-six more estates spread out among the second through fifth growths.

DISTRICTS OF BORDEAUX

Below are the four main districts of Bordeaux

Various Haut-Médoc Producers

Various Graves/Pessac-Léognan Producers

Various Pomerol Producers

Various St-Émilion Producers

References

www.terroir-france.com
www.tastings.com
www.epicurious.com

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