 |
|
|
Bordeaux Wine FAQ's16th July 2013
Bordeaux Wine FAQ'SWe know that the wines of Bordeaux are amazing but we also know that they can be somewhat intimidating until you get to know them, we've put together some of the most frequently asked questions about Bordeaux wine to help reomve some of the mystery: What's all the fuss about, why is Bordeaux wine so special?It's fair to say Bordeaux wines are pretty special! Wine making in Bordeaux has a history of around two thousand years dating back to Roman times. The combination of climate, geographic location, soil type, quality & growing conditions, or collectively simply explained as "terroir" in the words of the French, has provided ideal growing conditions for a range of grape varieties including the most well known of the red grape varieties Cabernet Sauvignon & Merlot.The successful cultivation of these vines combined with years of experience & skill in the blending, cellaring, filtration, oak aging & bottling of Bordeaux wine has resulted in the production of wines of supreme quality. From the sensuous Merlot based wines of the Right Bank to the full flavoured, finely structured Cabernet Sauvignon based wines of the Left Bank, with each Chateau developing its own wonderful unique style.Even during periods of war between England & France prized bottles of Bordeaux still made their across the Channel & that love affair continues to this day!Is all Bordeaux wine red?No, as below not all Bordeaux wine is red, white wines are also produced along with rose wine & some sparkling wines but the vast majority, around 89% is red.
When people talk about Bordeaux wine you can generally assume they mean red wine. Bordeaux & Burgundy wine, what's the difference?Bordeaux is located in the South West of France around 40 miles inland from the European Atlantic Coast. Burgundy is landlocked & located in Central Eastern France between Paris & Lyon.Geography apart the main difference for the wine drinker lies in the grapes used to produce the wines;Burgundy wines are single varietal, i.e. use only one variety of grape for the wine.
The red wines of Burgundy are produced from Pinot Noir grapes resulting in an elegant, perfumed & lighter style of wine in comparison to the richer, firmer red wines of Bordeaux.
Beaujolais although a distinct Appellation in its own right is located at the southern tip of Burgundy & uses the Gamay grape.
Burgundian white wine, including Chablis, is produced from the Chardonnay grape & can be oaked or un-oaked depending on the style of the Domaine. Oak-aging allows the wines to age developing body & rich honeyed flavours with notes of vanilla & caramel.Aligote is a white wine grape also used in Burgundy but this is not regarded as capable of producing great wines, often these are wines consumed locally while they are young & fresh.Bordeaux red wines are for the vast majority a blend of grapes based around either Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot with smaller percentages of potentially Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Malbec & Carmenere. The Appellation of Pomerol in Bordeaux produces some wines made purely from Merlot however.Bordeaux white wines (which make up less than 10% of production) have two distinct styles;The famous sweet white wines of Bordeaux produced in Sauternes & Barsac made from Semillon, Sauvignon Blanc & Muscadelle grapes that have been affected by Botrytis, the noble rot which concentrates the sweet flavours of the grape. These often tiny half bottles of wines can command seriously high prices & are highly sought after.The second type are the dry white wines of Bordeaux produced from Semillon, Sauvignon Blanc & potentially other local white grape varieties including Colombard, Ugni Blanc & Sauvignon Gris. These wines are dry, crisp & refreshing.Is Claret the same thing as Bordeaux?Yes, in modern times Claret is used as an anglicised word to describe a red wine from Bordeaux. The origins of the word lie in the French word "clairet" which was a light red wine (clairet meaning clear) but over time the original meaning was lost as the popularity of clairet dwindled & the name Claret came to mean a red wine from Bordeaux.Will all red Bordeaux wine age well?No, some Bordeaux wines are produced to be drunk young, particularly those at the lower end of the price scale. Bordeaux wine at the mid to upper end of the scale & Growth Bordeaux can potentially age for many years but this will be dependent on the producer (Chateau), vintage & the cellaring conditions.It's best to consult your local wine merchant or a wine guide book such as Hugh Johnson's to gain further information & it's also important to know the provenance of any wine you buy, if someone else has not stored the wine correctly before you it may be best to avoid purchasing it in the first place.How important is vintage when choosing a Bordeaux wine?Vintage is a key factor for Bordeaux producers & Bordeaux drinkers as it can make the difference between a good wine & a great wine. However it is important to realise that generalisations are not always correct across the board & that one person's taste is different to another.For example the 2004 Bordeaux vintage was very fruit forward & luscious on the palate, making it extremely approachable for those who prefer a less tannic style of wine & is a wine much more suitable for early drinking, whereas the 2010 Bordeaux vintage was more austere with firmer tannins, making it a wine for classic, dry, rich Bordeaux lovers & one that will benefit from cellaring to allow the tannins to mellow & the flavours to develop.Regardless of vintage the top Chateau will always produce fine wine & even much lower down the scale Bordeaux wines remain generally extremely well crafted wines, although a mediocre Bordeaux will probably remain a mediocre Bordeaux regardless of vintage.In terms of choosing the best available, for drinking now, investment, cellaring & simply to know the optimum years to open that bottle of wine, vintage is a very important factor. As above consult a vintage guide or ask your local wine merchant for further information.How do I choose a good bottle of Bordeaux?First of all consider your budget, once you know how much you would like to spend you can start to consider the most appropriate style for you or for the lucky recipient.If you prefer fleshier, fruitier less tannic wines then aim for the Merlot based wines from the right bank such as Pomerol, Saint Emilion or the Cotes de Bordeaux. If you prefer the firm, rich characteristics of Cabernet Sauvignon opt for a left bank appellation such as Pauillac, Margaux or Haut Medoc.If the wine is a gift & you are unsure of the taste preference it is generally safer to choose a Merlot dominated Right Bank wine.If you are buying the wine to drink now check up on the vintage background, nothing from 2005 onwards is ready to drink yet (2013) but the later1990's vintages & early 2000 vintages should all be drinking very well now although many would continue to age and improve, for example 2003 wines could certainly benefit from further cellaring.Older vintages from the 1980's & earlier can also be sensational, 1982 being the most prized, but research the Chateau & vintage first.If you are buying an older vintage wine ask for details of the provenance & storage history of the wine. Also check the cork is lying flat under the wax seal rather than appearing to force its way out & although it is normal for the level of wine in an older bottle of wine to decrease make sure the neck level of the wine is still relatively high & not approaching the shoulder of the bottle.What food does red Bordeaux wine pair well with?Perhaps the most well known wine & food combination here is a glass of Bordeaux with a Steak, simple & delicious! Bordeaux certainly pairs well with red meats & above all those with a higher fat content as the fat & proteins in the meat combine wonderfully with the tannins in the wine, softening & mellowing their texture.Beef, lamb, game birds such as partridge or grouse & venison all make stunning partners for Bordeaux as do mushroom based dishes & those made with rich red wine sauces.Red wines, contrary to popular belief are not always the best partners for cheese, white wines are often better here, but some red wines can work well with cheese, for example good Bordeaux matches include; Camembert, Brillat Savarin, Edam, Mimolette & Monterey Jack. Blue cheeses don't generally work very well with Bordeaux, nor do strong cheddars or the more acidic cheeses such as Goat's Cheese.What does buying Bordeaux En Primeur mean?Buying wines En Primeur means buying wines before they have been bottles & released. The larger Chateau will announce their En Primeur prices following harvest & fermentation of the grapes, usually in March or April of the following year.The second advantage of buying early mean that customers can secure wines that otherwise may never reach the open market due to the high level of demand. Buying En Primeur is generally much more cost effective. Customers buy the wine before duty & VAT have been added, the duty & VAT are only added once the wines reach the UK or have been released from bonded storage. However the En Primeur market began to reach such frenzied levels after 2003 & more particularly after the 2005 super vintage that prices leapt to new heights which made buying En Primeur (which is always by the case) prohibitive for some.I have been given an expensive bottle of Bordeaux wine as a present how should it be kept & when is the best time to drink it?Lucky you, that's a far better choice of gift than a pair of slippers or another bath foam & soap arrangement! First things first, don't keep this bottle of wine in the kitchen next to the fridge, this is vital. Ideally wine needs to be stored somewhere cool & dark but if you don't have a cellar or access to a cellar then try to find somewhere that has a stable temperature level of around 10-15 degrees, (20 degrees at most) maybe the coolest cupboard or wardrobe in the house.Wine that has been cooked in the heat of the sun or by a radiator then chilled through the winter in a freezing garage will not age well. Wine also is stored most effectively when kept in the same place rather than moved from room to room.Try to keep the wine lying on it's side or at an angle rather than vertical, this prevents the cork from drying out & shrinking which causes oxidation of the wine as air can get into the bottle. Oxidation ruins the delicate flavours of wine.Wine storage cabinets & refrigeration units are also now readily available from specialist retailers & can be set to maintain a constant temperature.When it comes to drinking the wine ask the opinion of your wine merchant, keep a check on the vintage advice guides & also read reviews of similar wines to get an idea of whether the wine is ready to drink or not. In general a red Bordeaux wine will be ready to drink 7-10 years from the vintage year but it certainly may develop further in the years that follow.
There is no precise science here so once you have a good idea that the wine has matured we think it's better to drink the wine with good food & good company than to leave it in a cupboard for another 10 years!If you would like to know more please read the following article on demystifying Bordeaux for some further background information. If you have any questions on Bordeaux wine or other wine related topics please email us at info@twrightwine.co.uk & we'll do our best to respond. Cheers! |
|
Quick SearchBasket Your basket
is empty
Customer Login |
