Wines of Bordeaux (Part 1&2)
Bordeaux Characteristics:
Maritime climate; Atlantic influence but protected by large forest along coast; Garonne, Dordogne rivers
and Gironde estuary influence, located at 45th parallel (Portland) stretching 60 miles North to South; 80
miles East to West. Warm summers; Coll winters. 1.5% of world’s vineyards; 7000 Estates within 62
Appellations (AOCs). More Cab Sav & Merlot in this corner of the world than any other location. Soil type
drives grape planting location.
Main Wine Areas: 88% Red Wines; 12% White Wines. Areas: Left Bank: Cab Sav based blends (Gravel
soils); Right Bank: Mainly Merlot and some Cab Franc (Clay & Limestone based soils) based blends; Entre
Deux Mers: (Land between the seas); Merlot and Cab Sav based blends (All soil types)
Primary Red grapes: Merlot (60%); Cabernet Sauvignon(26%); Cabernet Franc (12%); Malbec; Petit
Verdot and Carmenère (2% of last three grapes)
Primary White grapes: Sémillon (55%); Sauvignon Blanc (34%); Mucadelle (7%) Others: Ugni Blanc;
Colombard; Folle Blanc
Wine Producing in Bordeaux (AOC Wines):
Overall Bordeaux: Bordeaux AOC (All); Bordeaux Supérier AOC (Red, Sweet); Bordeaux Clairet (rosé);
Crémant de Bordeaux (White-Rosé).
Left Bank: Médoc: Médoc AOC (red). Haut-Médoc: Haut Médoc AOC (red); Saint-Estèphe AOC (Red);
Pauillac AOC (red); Saint Julien AOC (Red); Margaux AOC (red); Moulis en Mèdoc AOC (red); Listrac-Médoc
AOC (Red). Graves: Graves AOC (Red, White); Graves Supérieres (Sweet); Pessac-Léognan (Red, White).
Sauterns: Sauterns AOC (Sweet); Barsac (Sweet); Cérons AOC (Sweet)
Right Bank: Fronsac: Fronsac AOC (red); Canon-Fronsac (Red); Pomerol: Pomerol AOC (Red); Lalande
de Pomerol (Red).
Saint Emilion: Saint Emilion AOC (Red); Saint Emilion Grand Cru AOC (Red);
Saint-Georges-Saint-Emilion AOC (red); Lussac-Saint Emilion AOC(Red); Montagne-Saint-Emilion AOC
(Red); Puisseguin-St. Emilion AOC (Red) Cotes de Bourg AOC (Red, White). Blaye: Blaye AOC (Red, White);
Cotes de Blaye AOC (White); Premiéres Cotes de Blaye AOC(Red, White); Cotes de Castillion AOC (Red);
Bordeaux Cotes du Francs (Red, White, Sweet)
Entre-Deux Mers: Entre-Duex-Mers AOC (White) and 9 others AOCs producing Red, White and Sweet
wines.
Cabernet Sauvignon: Synonyms: Cabernet. Progeny of Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc. Smaller,
think skinned berries. Late budding, high in tannins due to pulp/skin ration. High Acidity making longlived wines. Aromas: Black currant (Cassis); Blackberry blueberry Green peppers, Key growing areas:
Bordeaux, Italy (Northern Italy, Super Tuscans); Spain; Portugal; along Black Sea (Russia and Ukraine);
Israel; California (Napa, Sonoma); Washington State; Chile; China (#1 grape)
Merlot: Synonyms: Merlot (with hard T in NE Italy). Progeny of Cabernet Franc and ? Large berry, fleshy
widely planted early ripening grape; medium tannins and rich velvety texture. Bordeaux origins. Aromas:
Blackberries, plums, grape jam, Key growing areas: Where isn’t it grown? France, Northern Italy;
California (North coast for quality; central valley for production); Washington State, Australia and Chile.
Cabernet Franc: Synonyms: Breton. Parent of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot!, although origins from
Basque region of Spain. Vigorous, Mid-ripening small berry fruit suited to Limestone clay soils. Looks like
Cab Sav but matures earlier. Semi-aromatic with lower tannins and acid than Cab Sav. Aromas: Raspberry,
blueberry, strawberry, cranberry, sices such as pepper and herbs. Key Growing areas: France: Loire
(Chinon), Bordeaux (Right bank, St. Emilion), SW France; Italy (NE); Spain; California (Napa and Sonoma);
Virginia
Malbec (Côt): Synonyms: Côt, Malbech (Italy); Auxerrois, Pressac. Origins from the Cahor region of France,
but finds its great expression in Argentina. One of the 5 major grapes of Bordeaux. Meduim to full bodied
wines with medium-high tannis. Aromas: Plum, Dark cherry, blackberry, vanilla, cocoa, tobacco. Key
Growing areas: Argentina, France: Bordeaux (Entre-Duex-Mers), Cahors, SW France, Loire