Detailed look at Bordeaux Terroir
Terroir
Terroir is the set of all environmental factors that affect a crop's epigenetic qualities, when the crop is grown in a specific habitat. Collectively, these environmental characteristics are said to have a character; terroir also refers to this character.
Bordeaux wine
A Bordeaux wine is any wine produced in the Bordeaux region of southwest France. Bordeaux is centered on the city of Bordeaux, on the Garonne River. To the north of the city the Dordogne River joins the Garonne forming the broad estuary called the Gironde and covering the whole area of the G…
How many wineries are there in Bordeaux?
Those 6,000 wineries and vineyards make more than 9,000 different Bordeaux wines every vintage. Vineyards and the size of the chateaux holdings have always changed in Bordeaux since the region was first cultivated.
What is Bordeaux Chateau wine?
With the majority of châteaux located on the Right Bank in the Entre-Deux-Mers area, wines are typically Merlot-dominant, often blended with the other classic Bordeaux varieties. There are many small, family-run châteaux, as well as wines blended and sold by wine merchants under commercial brand names.
Which country consumes the most Bordeaux wine?
Even though the French continue to consume the largest percentage of Bordeaux wine in the world, it’s important to note, a large portion of that is lesser priced wine. Much of the wine produced by the famous chateaux of Bordeaux is exported outside of France.
How many chateaux are there in France?
There are around 200 Chateaux producers in the appellation including Chateau Bujan, Chateau Roc de Cambes, Chateau Nodoz, Chateau Fougas Maldoror, Chateau Falfas, Chateau Civrac, Chateau Tayac, Macay, Chateau Rousette, Chateau Haut Maco, Chateau Guiraud.
What is château Bordeaux wine?
Typical top-quality Châteaux blends are 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Cabernet Franc and 15% Merlot. This is typically referred to as the "Bordeaux blend". Merlot tends to predominate in Saint-Émilion, Pomerol and the other right bank appellations.
What are the 6 Bordeaux wines?
The six Bordeaux Varietals include Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Malbec, and occasionally Carménère. Bordeaux blends are made up of differing combinations of these grapes, all of which bring unique characteristics to their wines.
What are the 5 grand cru Bordeaux?
Bordeaux: The five first growths There are five châteaux in Bordeaux that truly need no introduction. Known as the first growths, or the premier cru classés, they are Haut-Brion, Lafite Rothschild, Mouton Rothschild, Latour and Margaux.
How much wine is in a Bordeaux?
There are 57 appellations across Bordeaux, making it the biggest producer of appellation wines in France.
What are the five noble grapes of Bordeaux?
When speaking to Bordeaux or Bordeaux-style wines, the Noble Grapes are: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, and Petit Verdot. These 5 grapes make the world's most coveted red blend wine the world over; Red Bordeaux.
What are the five regions of Bordeaux?
Overview of Bordeaux Subregions Within the Left Bank itself are different winemaking regions and sub-regions. Here are some of the most important: Barsac, Graves, Pessac-Léognan, Médoc (including Haut-Médoc), Margaux, St. Julien, Pauillac, Cérons.
Which is better Grand Cru or premier cru?
Grand Cru is the top dog, while the tier just below it is named Premier Cru. A cru in Burgundy designates a high-quality vineyard. Often, they're split into parcels owned by different wineries or estates.
What is the most expensive Bordeaux wine?
According to a survey by wine-searcher.com, the most expensive Bordeaux wines in the world are currently Petrus (Pomerol) for an average of 4,077 US dollars, Le Pin (Pomerol) for 3,966 US dollars and Liber Pater, (Graves) for 3,866 US dollars.
What does Cru mean in wine?
“growthSome of the most incredible wines are produced in Burgundy, France. Red Burgundy wines are classified based on their cru. Cru simply means “growth” and the wine classification indicates that the wine has been legally verified as a product of Burgundy.
What is the best Bordeaux region?
The great red wine areas are the Médoc, north of the city of Bordeaux, and in the south the best of the Graves, Pessac-Léognan, on the west bank of the Garonne. These are the so-called “left-bank” wines.
How many bottles of wine do Bordeaux produce each year?
The rise and fall 1985–2020Five-year periodAverage annual production (million litres)2001–20056042006–20105572011–20155022016–20204703 more rows•Feb 22, 2021
What makes a wine a Bordeaux?
What Is Bordeaux Wine? Simply put, Bordeaux wine is wine produced in Bordeaux, France. Bordeaux red wines are a blend of classically French grape varieties, which include Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, and Petit Verdot. Carménère was once added to the mix, but it's rarely used these days.
What wines come from the Bordeaux region?
The Bordeaux Blend One of the most important things to know about Bordeaux wines is that they are a blend of grape varieties. The red Bordeaux Blend is one of the most copied around the world and it includes Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Malbec (with tiny amount of Carménère).
What is the most famous classification in Bordeaux?
the MédocDifferent quality classifications apply in various districts of Bordeaux. The most famous is the 1855 classification of the wines of the Médoc. Also applying to the Médoc is the Cru Bourgeois classification, introduced in 1932.
Is Cabernet Sauvignon a Bordeaux?
A Bordeaux can be a Cabernet Sauvignon but a Cabernet is often not a Bordeaux. Welcome to the complex world of wine names. One of the most common mistakes wine consumers make when order or purchasing wine is not understanding the difference between these two types of popular wines.
How many Bordeaux appellations are there?
57 appellationsThe proportion of grapes in a Bordeaux fluctuates depending on the weather, climate, harvest, and the preferences of the winemakers. There are 57 appellations of Bordeaux wine. A wine's appellation certifies that it has originated from its designated terroir and signifies some level of its quality.
Why did Christian Delpeuch quit Plan Bordeaux?
Christian Delpeuch, president emeritus of Plan Bordeaux hoped to reduce production, improve quality, and sell more wine in the United States. However, two years after the beginning of the program, Mr Delpeuch resigned, "citing the failure of the French government to address properly the wine crisis in Bordeaux." Delpeuch told journalists assembled at the Bordeaux Press Club "I refuse to countenance this continual putting off of decisions which can only end in failure." "Delpeuch said he was shocked and disappointed by the failure of his efforts—and by the lack of co-operation from winemakers and négociants themselves—to achieve anything concrete in terms of reforms to the Bordeaux wine industry over the last 24 months." The future of Plan Bordeaux is uncertain.
How many bottles of wine are produced in Bordeaux?
Average vintages produce over 700 million bottles of wine, ranging from large quantities of everyday table wine, to some of the most expensive and prestigious wines in the world. The vast majority of wine produced in Bordeaux is red (sometimes called "claret" in Britain), with sweet white wines (most notably Sauternes ), dry whites, and (in much smaller quantities) rosé and sparkling wines ( Crémant de Bordeaux) collectively making up the remainder. Bordeaux wine is made by more than 8,500 producers or châteaux. There are 54 appellations of Bordeaux wine.
What is the principal wine of Bordeaux?
At this time, Graves was the principal wine region of Bordeaux, and the principal style was clairet. This accounts for the ubiquity of claret in England, though this is now used to refer to all red wine rather than the clairet style specifically.
How many appellations are there in Bordeaux?
The Bordeaux wine region is divided into subregions including Saint-Émilion, Pomerol, Médoc, and Graves. The 60 Bordeaux appellations and the wine styles they represent are usually categorized into six main families, four red based on the subregions and two white based on sweetness:
What rivers are in Bordeaux?
Map of the Bordeaux regions with most of its appellations shown. The rivers Garonne and Dordogne, and the Gironde estuary are important in defining the various parts of the region
How much did the Bordeaux market increase in 2009?
Market reports released in February 2009 showed that the market had increased in buying power by 128% while the prices had been lowered for the very best Bordeaux wines.
Why is Bordeaux so famous?
The major reason for the success of winemaking in the Bordeaux region is an excellent environment for growing vines. The geological foundation of the region is limestone, leading to a soil structure that is heavy in calcium. The Gironde estuary dominates the regions along with its tributaries, the Garonne and the Dordogne rivers, and together irrigate the land and provide an Atlantic Climate, also known as an oceanic climate, for the region. Bordeaux lies at the center of the confluence of the Dordogne and Garonne Rivers, which flow into the Gironde.
Overview
Bordeaux wine (Occitan: vin de Bordèu, French: vin de Bordeaux) is produced in the Bordeaux region of southwest France, around the city of Bordeaux, on the Garonne River. To the north of the city the Dordogne River joins the Garonne forming the broad estuary called the Gironde; the Gironde department, with a total vineyard area of over 120,000 hectares, is the largest wine growing area i…
History
The wine was introduced to the Bordeaux region by the Romans, probably in the mid-1st century, to provide wine for local consumption, and wine production has been continuous in the region since then.
In the 12th century, the popularity of Bordeaux wines in England increased dramatically following the marriage of Henry Plantagenet and Eleanor of Aquitai…
Climate and geography
The major reason for the success of winemaking in the Bordeaux region is an excellent environment for growing vines. The geological foundation of the region is limestone, leading to a soil structure that is heavy in calcium. The Gironde estuary dominates the regions along with its tributaries, the Garonne and the Dordogne rivers, and together irrigate the land and provide an Atlantic Climat…
Grapes
Red Bordeaux is generally made from a blend of grapes. Permitted grapes are Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Malbec and rarely Carménère. Today Carménère is rarely used, with Château Clerc Milon, a fifth growth Bordeaux, being one of the few to still retain Carménère vines. As of July 2019, Bordeaux wineries authorized the use of four new red grapes to combat …
Viticulture and winemaking
The red grapes in the Bordeaux vineyard are Merlot (62% by area), Cabernet Sauvignon (25%), Cabernet Franc (12%) and a small amount of Petit Verdot, Malbec and Carménère (1% in total). The white grapes are Sémillon (54% by area), Sauvignon blanc (36%), Muscadelle (7%) and a small amount of Ugni blanc, Colombard and Folle blanche (3% in total). Because of the generally hu…
Wine styles
The Bordeaux wine region is divided into subregions including Saint-Émilion, Pomerol, Médoc, and Graves. The 60 Bordeaux appellations and the wine styles they represent are usually categorized into six main families, four red based on the subregions and two white based on sweetness:
• Red Bordeaux and Red Bordeaux Supérieur. Bordeaux winemakers may use t…
Wine classification
There are four different classifications of Bordeaux, covering different parts of the region:
• The Bordeaux Wine Official Classification of 1855, covering (with one exception) red wines of Médoc, and sweet wines of Sauternes-Barsac.
• The 1955 Official Classification of St.-Émilion, which is updated approximately once ever…
Wine label
Bordeaux wine labels generally include:
1. The name of the estate (Image example: Château L'Angelus)
2. The estate's classification (Image example: Grand Cru Classé) This can be in reference to the 1855 Bordeaux classification or one of the Cru Bourgeois.