Demystifying Bordeaux
17th July 2013
Demystifying Bordeaux
The wine labels maybe complicated but the wines of Bordeaux are simple to enjoy!
Bordeaux is considered by many to be one of the greatest, if not the greatest, wine region in the world, yet at the same time Bordeaux wine is often considered unapproachable by a large number of wine drinkers, above all from the younger generation.
We think it's a tragedy that these fantastic & illustrious wines run the risk of being left on the shelf when there' so much to enjoy!
A few Bordeaux basics
Bordeaux is the largest wine growing region in France (on average over 700 million bottles per vintage are produced) and is located in the South West of the country in the department of the Gironde.Approximately 89% of Bordeaux wine is red; however dry white wine, fine sweet white wine (such as the famous Chateau d'Yquem Sauternes), rose wine & a small amount of sparkling wine is also produced here.The Gironde estuary flowing down from the Atlantic Ocean naturally divides the Bordeaux region into a left bank and a right bank, terms commonly used when discussing Bordeaux wine.The name Bordeaux is derived from the French "au bord de l'eau" meaning on the waters edge in reference to the Gironde estuary that flows through the Bordeaux wine regions.Bordeaux Grape Varieties
The two most notable grapes used in Bordeaux red wines are Cabernet Sauvignon & Merlot.As a general rule the wines produced in the Medoc region & in areas on the Left Bank are dominated by Cabernet Sauvignon & will be firmer in structure whereas those on the Right Bank are dominated by Merlot & are generally fleshier in texture.In both cases whether Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot based the dominant grape will on average make-up at least 55-70% of the final blend.The remaining percentage of a blend may include Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Malbec & Carmenere depending on the style of the Chateau & the vintage conditions.A typical Left Bank Bordeaux blend is 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot & 15% Cabernet Franc.Crisp, refreshing dry white Bordeaux wines are based on Semillon & Sauvignon Blanc although other white grape varieties such as Ugni Blanc, Colombard & Sauvignon Gris may also be included.The glorious & world famous sweet wines of Sauternes & Barsac are a blend of Semillon, Sauvignon Blanc & possibly also Muscadelle.The great Chateaux oversee their wine from grape to bottle, the phrase "mise en bouteille au chateau" means the wine was bottled at the Chateau. Smaller Chateaux also bottle on site when possible & in this way retain total control of the production process.Appellation & Classification
These are perhaps the two most confusing elements of Bordeaux wine & French wine in general, although most European wine producing countries have equally confusing systems in place, so France is not alone here but certainly does win on complexity level!There are 57 Appellations in Bordeaux. An Appellation is a legally defined & specific protected geographical wine growing area.Wines have to be produced from specific grapes varieties & grown within the defined area to be able to display the Appellation name on their wine label.Thus a Pinot Noir wine produced in Bordeaux, no matter how good could never hold the Bordeaux A.O.C. or A.C. (Appellation Controlee or Appellation d,Origine Controlee) Appellation status as Pinot Noir is not a grape native to the Bordeaux region, such a wine would be classed as a Vin de Table, a table wine.Within each Appellation wines are, in the vast majority produced by individual Chateaux vineyards, so if you see a French wine label such as Chateau Fayau, Chateau Latour or Chateau Bernadotte there's a good chance the wine will be a Bordeaux - not always though, Chateau also exist in other Appellations & wine regions such as the Loire! Many of the Bordeaux Chateaux estates date back to the 1855 Bordeaux Wine Classification as explained below. However there are also some more modern producers who do not use "Chateau" as part of their name.The Bordeaux Wine Official Classification was introduced in 1855 and covered the red wines of the Medoc (with one exception from Graves; Chateau Haut Brion) & white wines of Sauternes & Barsac & little has changed to this day. The Classification of a Bordeaux wine originally related to a Chateau's reputation, price & its perceived level of quality.The 1855 Classification system is as follows starting with the highest level of wine:
First Growths (Premier Grand Cru Classe, of which there are 5 Chateaux)Second Growths (Deuxieme Grand Cru Classe, of which there are 14 Chateaux)Third Growths (Troisieme Grand Gru Classe, of which there are 14 Chateaux)Fourth Growths (Quatrieme Grand Cru Classe, of which there are 10 Chateaux)Fifth Growths (Cinquieme Grand Cru Classe, of which there are 18 Chateaux)Wines within these top five Growths can command prices from £20.00 to £2,000 a bottle and more, dependant on the Chateau & vintage!Classification Additions & Exceptions
The Bordeaux wines of St Emilion were classified separately in 1955, the wines of Graves in 1959 & finally a Cru Bourgeois Classification was introduced for those Chateaux not included in the original 1855 Classification but deemed worthy of classification.The Cru Bourgeois Classification was however annulled in 2007 but you may still see Cru Bourgeois on labels as a mark of quality for a wine but not for the Chateau itself.Pomerol, a Merlot dominated right bank Appellation, where the famous Chateau Petrus is produced, has no classification system for its wines yet some of these wines can sell for prices that equal & super cede First Growths. Phew, head hurting yet?!Wines that fall outside of these higher level classifications will simply show A.C or A.O.C (Appellation Controlee or Appellation d'Origine Controlee) on the label, the name of the appellation, for example Medoc & the name of the Chateau or producer.The term Bordeaux Superieur may also be shown on a label to denote a slightly elevated quality level. All of these wines, whether A.O.C or Bordeaux Superieur can be good quality Bordeaux & will typically fall below the £20.00 price point.One of the easiest ways to visualise the Appellation & Classification process is as a Russian Doll;
The first & largest doll is the country; France.Second is the wine region; in this case Bordeaux.Thirdly the Appellation; for example Margaux (one of the Medoc Appellations & situated on the Left Bank).The final Russian doll & generally the most important to consider is the Chateau name & Classification of the wine, the two being invariably linked. For example Chateau Margaux holds the highest classification in the Margaux Appellation as a First Growth. Therefore as a First Growth Bordeaux wine you can expect the wine to be very good & also very expensive!Regardless of all the Bordeaux wine Appellation & Classification complexities the most important thing is to enjoy the wines of Bordeaux!
Try plumping for a rich red Bordeaux next time fillet steak is on the menu to experience a sublime taste combination or a refreshing, crisp white Bordeaux with fish & vegetable dishes, white Bordeaux wines make fantastic aperitif & food wines.There are vast amounts of information available if you want to know more about Bordeaux wine but in general knowing even a little about the grape varieties used & the individual Chateaux of Bordeaux is a good way of guiding you to a style of wine that may suit you better than another.At the end of the day no amount of reading can beat tasting so take the plunge & try a few glasses, you won't regret it!
Sante!
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