How to choose and drink French Bordeaux. Bordeaux (Bordeaux) - the region of the most famous red and white wines. What celebrities live in Bordeaux from winemakers
Almost all Bordeaux wines are made by blending two or three varieties of grapes, balancing the weaknesses of one variety with the strengths of another.
RED GRAPES
« Cabernet Sauvignon” is one of the most famous grape varieties. It is grown in all countries where there is enough sun for its ripening. Its fruits are small, dark, thick-skinned and ripen late, so this variety is ideal for the soils of the Medoc and Graves. Cabernet makes a dark, tannin-rich wine with a strong acid attack. However, after aging in oak barrels, it acquires a stunningly bright, clean blackcurrant aroma, mixed with the smell of cedar and tobacco (the oak barrel enhances the tannins of the wine, and at the same time it absorbs the delicious, spicy vanilla and pleasant butter softness of the tree). "Cabernet Sauvignon" is the main variety in Hauts-Medoc, but it is often blended with other varieties to soften its harsh character.
« Cabernet Franc". This variety of Cabernet produces a lighter and softer wine than Cabernet Sauvignon. Sometimes it has a slightly earthy aftertaste, but a hint of blackcurrant is also noticeable. In Saint-Emilion, Pomerol, Grave and Medoc, this variety is used for blending. And only in the cool Loire Valley is Cabernet Franc grown for its own sake.
« Merlot". This variety is predominant in Saint-Emilion and Pomerol. In the Medoc and Graves it is used to soften Cabernet Sauvignon. Merlot ripens early and needs to be pruned frequently. These grapes produce a showy, juicy wine with hints of mint, sweet blackcurrant or plum, which explains why St-Emilion and Pomerol wines are easier to drink than Medoc wines.
« petit verdot". Tough, sour grapes with licorice and plum flavors, with a heavenly aroma. But this variety ripens late and gives an unpredictable harvest, so it is rarely planted.
« Malbec". This rather large, juicy grape is quite rare, although it is highly valued in the Cahors wine region, where it is known under the name "oxerrois".
WHITE GRAPE
« Semillon". This is the most famous Bordeaux white grape variety, a mainstay of the Sauternes and Barsac regions. Its fruits under the influence of "noble mold" give a luxurious, sweet, honeyed wine. If dry wine is made from it, then the fresh taste of apple peel and cream prevails in the drink, which acquires a waxy taste with age. Often this wine is aged in oak barrels.
« Sauvignon blanc". It is usually blended with "semillon" because of its pronounced acidity, although it is sometimes made into a very dry, clean wine with a sharp greenish-fresh hint of nettle. Aging in oak barrels adds sharpness and richness to this wine.
« Muscadelle". This musky, exotic grape is commonly used to create a false sense of "noble mold" in poor harvest years, and sometimes a small amount of this variety adds depth to sweet wines.
Bordeaux produces a huge amount of fine wine, but most production is at the base level. Among white wines, only a small part of the annual harvest meets the minimum requirements of the Sauternes, Barsac or Pessac-Leognan/Graves appellations.
As for red wines, Medoc, St-Emilion, Pomerol and Pessac-Leognan/Graves vineyards - in a word, the best areas - supply only a third of Bordeaux's total production. All appellations Bordeaux and Bordeaux Superieur (Superieur means only that the wine contains half a degree more alcohol) represent a third, sometimes half of the annual harvest. In addition, the higher the quality of the wine, the smaller the appellation size and the clearer its boundaries. For example, in the area of the town of Margaux, the least suitable locality would be classified as AC Bordeaux, the outskirts as AC Haut-Medoc, and the best vineyards as AC Margaux, even if the postal address of all these wineries is the same.
With the exception of Saint-Emilion, in Bordeaux the appellation system only identifies the best wine-growing communities and is limited to that. Therefore, from a legal point of view, Chateau Lafite-Rothschild, one of the most expensive wines in the world, is assigned the same appellation - Pauillac - as the wine produced by some peasant from grapes growing on a nearby hillock. Of course, there is little sense in such a classification. It is necessary to develop a kind of “table of ranks”, where it will be clearly stated that this wine is luxurious, otherwise it is so-so, even if the grapes grow nearby, on the same soil.
For the whole world, Bordeaux is the epitome of wine. The famous Chateau Margaux in our country is also located here.
Today, traces of winemaking are disappearing from the streets of the city: barriques no longer line up in orderly rows in the port, and large merchant warehouses have moved to industrial suburbs. The small cellar bars where you could go in the morning to drink a glass of liqueur wine have almost disappeared. Other times, other customs.
Learning to understand wine |
History of winemaking in Bordeaux
Needless to say, this is not the first paradox in Bordeaux's long history of winemaking. Recall that here the wine became famous even before the appearance of vineyards, when in the first half of the 1st century. BC. (even before the arrival of the Roman legions in Aquitaine), merchants from Campania began to sell wine to local residents. In a sense, it was through wine that the people of Aquitaine became acquainted with Roman civilization.
Vineyards appeared here in the 1st century BC. AD But it seems that they only became widespread in the 12th century: after the wedding of Eleanor of Aquitaine and the future king of England, Henry Plantagenet, a favorable situation was created for the export of "clarets" (red wines of Bordeaux) to Britain. Deliveries of young wines took place by sea before the Christmas holidays. A method of storing wine has not yet been found, so wines that have lived for a year were valued less - their properties partially changed.
At the end of the XVII century. clarets have new competitors - new drinks (tea, coffee, chocolate) and wines of the Iberian Peninsula with a more generous taste. In addition, the wars waged by Louis XIV led to the introduction of economic sanctions against French wines. Nevertheless, English high society retained an attachment to the "clarets". So, at the beginning of the XVIII century. several London merchants tried to create new, more refined wines, new French Clarets, which they bought young and then aged. In order to increase their income, merchants began to bottle them.
Corked and sealed with sealing wax bottles guaranteed a good origin of wines. The connection between terroir-château-great wines was imperceptibly established, which meant the beginning of an era of quality control. From that moment on, the price of wine began to depend on its quality, properties and how much it was valued.
This situation prompted viticulturists to select terroirs carefully, limit yields, and age the wines in barrels. At the same time, they began to use sulfur dioxide to improve the storage and ageing of wine, as well as the technology of clarification by fining and pouring.
At the end of the XVIII century. the hierarchy of Bordeaux cru was established. In the 19th century, despite the revolution and the imperial wars, due to which the English market was temporarily closed, the prestige of Bordeaux wines continued to grow, and in 1855 the famous cru Medoc classification of 1855 was created, which is valid to this day, despite criticisms of her.
This favorable period for French wines was replaced by difficult times. The vineyard was affected by diseases (phylloxera and mildew), economic crises and world wars left their mark on winemaking. The era of prosperity of Bordeaux wines returned from 1960 to the end of the 80s. The quality of the wines has improved markedly, and there has been a worldwide interest in great wines. The hierarchy of terroirs and cru has regained its true value, but it has proven to be more beneficial for reds than for whites. Later, in the early 90s, the structure of the vineyard was affected by the economic crisis.
Vineyards of Bordeaux located around three main rivers: the Garonne, the Dordogne and their common mouth - the Gironde.
These rivers create favorable conditions for growing grapes - wonderfully located hills and temperature conditions. In addition, they play an important economic role, ensuring the delivery of wine to the final consumer.
The Bordeaux region has a relatively mild climate (average annual temperatures range from 7.5 ° C minimum to 17 ° C maximum), from the ocean the vineyard is protected by a pine forest. Winter frosts are very rare here (1956, 1958, 1985). But temperatures below -2°C during the appearance of young buds (April-May) can lead to their death. If the weather is cold and wet during the flowering period in June, then there is a risk of empty flowers, which means that the berries will be inferior.
In both cases, partial yield loss is possible. Warm and dry weather from July to October and especially during the last four weeks before harvest (2008 hours of sunshine per year in total) is required for a quality harvest.
The climate in Bordeaux is quite humid (900 mm of precipitation per year), especially in spring when the weather is not always good. However, autumn is great here. Many millesimes have been saved in extremis by the arrival of an unusually warm autumn. The great wines of Bordeaux might not exist without this fortunate circumstance.
Throughout the year, the vineyard is carefully looked after. It was in Bordeaux in 1885 that university scientists invented "Bordeaux liquid" (a mixture of copper sulfate and lime) to combat mildew. It is known all over the world and is still used today, although today winegrowers have a large number of more "environmentally friendly" substances.
Varieties in Bordeaux (Bordeaux AOC)
Wine in Bordeaux has always been made from several varieties with complementary qualities.
Red Bordeaux
Red wines are born mainly from Merlot and Cabernet varieties (90% of plantings of red varieties): Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc.
The presence of Cabernet gives the wine a tannic structure, but it takes several years of aging for the quality of this variety to reach its optimum level. In addition, Cabernet Sauvignon is a late variety that resists gray mold well, but sometimes there are difficulties with its ripening.
Merlot gives the wine flexibility and allows the wine to develop more quickly. This is an earlier variety, it ripens well, but is frost-sensitive and prone to gray mold and barrenness. For a long time, the combination of these two varieties, the proportions of which vary depending on the soils and types of wine, gives the best results.
White Bordeaux
White wines are produced mainly from semillons (52% of plantings of white varieties). In some places it is supplemented with Colombard (11%), but it is more common to use Sauvignon Blanc, and this trend is increasing. Muscadelle (15%) is also used, which has special very subtle aromas. The uni blanc variety is used less and less.
good years
Bordeaux winemakers can't complain about the lack of great vintages. Suffice it to mention 2010, 2009, 2000, 1995, 1990, 1982, 1975, 1961, 1959. for red wines, also 1989, 1988, 1985, 1983, 1981, 1979, 1978, 1976, 1970, 1966 Do not forget the most famous millesims of earlier years - 1955, 1949, 1947, 1945, 1929 and 1928.
In recent years, there has been an increase in the number of quality millezims, and, accordingly, a decrease in the number of mediocre ones. Perhaps this was influenced by favorable climatic conditions, but to a greater extent this is due to the efforts of winegrowers, using scientific advances to improve growing conditions and vinification. The winegrowers of Bordeaux have exceptional terroirs, while they skillfully emphasize their merits, using the most advanced technologies that currently exist.
In most Grand Crus, bottling has long been done on the farms. However, other farms introduced this practice only 10-15 years ago. As for the rest of the wines of regional appellations, traditionally the winemaker only grew grapes and vinified them; then a merchant entered the arena.
The situation is gradually changing, and today the wines in most AOCs are matured, aged and stored directly at the producer. The progress of modern oenology allows, in most cases, to carry out vinification in such a way that the result is ready-to-drink wines, so winegrowers want to handle the bottling themselves in order to increase their value.
Cooperative cellars have played their part in this process by creating associations for bottling and selling wines. The merchants still play an important role at the level of sales, in particular the export of wines, thanks to their long-established connections. It is possible, however, that in the future the sale of wines under the brands of merchants will develop again thanks to large retail chains.
Bordeaux wine market, the volume of production of which is very significant, of course, is influenced by the economic situation and depends on the volume and quality of the crop. In the recent past, the Interprofessional Council for Wines of Bordeaux played the role of a market regulator, which controlled the process of creating stabilization reserves, stocks of quality wine and took measures of financial impact.
Viticulture unions, for their part, protect the various AOCs by defining quality criteria. They conduct tastings of all the wines produced during the year, under the supervision of the INAO, and if the wine is not of sufficient quality, they can deprive it of the appellation status.
Wine associations (Jurade in the Saint-Emilion region, Commanderie Bontans in the Medoc and Graves regions, Connetables in the Guyenne region, etc.) regularly organize folkloric events to increase the popularity of Bordeaux wines. Their activities are coordinated by the Grand Council of Bordeaux Wines.
All this advertising, commercial and production activity testifies to the fact that today Bordeaux wines are an economic product subject to strict control. The production of this region (in 2002 its volume was equal to 5,743,291 hl, which is more than a quarter of the production of AOC wines in France) is estimated in billions of euros, while 1.265 billion are exported.
Wine is of great importance for the region, as it is believed that every sixth inhabitant of the Gironde department is directly or indirectly associated with viticulture and winemaking. However, wine, be it red, dry white or liqueur, is not only an economic product in this Gascony region. It is also, and most importantly, part of the culture, because behind each label sometimes castles of fabulous architecture are hidden, sometimes simple peasant houses, but in any case, these are vineyards and wine cellars where people work using their skills, traditions and memory. .
Based on materials from the Hachette guide
Luxurious castles, great wines - mostly red, occasionally white, unique dessert wines ... This is how most people imagine the French province of Bordeaux, the most famous wine region in the world. Winemaking has flourished here since Roman times, which is why wines bearing the Bordeaux label remain unsurpassed.
A bit of geography
Bordeaux wine region is located in the south-west of France, in the valley of the Gironde River, and is divided into two parts - the Left Bank and the Right Bank, the Gironde River serves as a dividing line. However, experts identify at least two more large sub-regions of Bordeaux - Graves and Entre-de-Mer, located between the Garonne and the Dordogne. On the so-called Left Bank, on a peninsula between the Atlantic Ocean and the mouth of the Gironde, are the famous appellations of St-Estephe, Pauillac, Moulis, Listrac, St-Julien, Margaux, Haut-Medoc and Medoc.
The territory of the Medoc subregion is divided into two appellations: Haut-Medoc (Upper Medoc) and simply Medoc (in the recent past - Bas Medoc, Lower Medoc). All famous Bordeaux wines are born in the Haute-Medoc, in the communes of Saint-Estèphe, Pauillac, Saint-Julien, Listrac, Moulis and Margaux. The lower Medoc cannot boast of any outstanding, famous wines.
grape varieties
Bordeaux is famous for its dry red wines. For the production of these wines, Cabernet Sauvignon (Medoc and Graves), Cabernet Franc (Saint-Emilion), Merlot (Pomerol, Saint-Emilion) are used, carmenère, malbec and petit verdot are grown in small quantities. The white wines of Bordeaux are either dry from Sauvignon Blanc and Muscadel grapes, or sweet desserts - the famous Sauternes and Barsac wines from Semillon grapes.
Bordeaux appellations
Mulis and Listrak- two appellations, located at some distance from the Gironde. The wines produced here are characterized as simpler and stronger than those of the famous neighbors. From the wines of Muli and Listrak, one can pay attention to the products of Ch. Poujeaux, Ch. Maucaillou, Ch. Chasse-Spleen.
Grave, Pessac-Leognan, Sauternes and Barsac
The name of the Grave region is associated with rocky soil containing a large amount of sand and gravel (graves). The best vineyards on an area of 1005 hectares are located in the north of the region, in the region Pessac-Leognan. This is where one of the great Bordeaux wines Chateau Haut-Brion is born. In general, Pessac-Léognan wines have good aging potential, good structure and pleasant fruitiness. The red wines of Grava are softer compared to wines from other provinces, as there is a greater proportion of merlot in the blends.
Grave- the only area of Bordeaux, which pays great attention to white wines. A third of the vineyard area is planted with Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon. These vineyards are located along the Garonne and Dordogne rivers, high humidity and morning fogs provide a good environment for the development of the noble fungus botrytis. The famous dessert wines of Sauternes and Barsac are prepared from raisined berries - deliciously thick, sweet, incredibly rich in flavor and aroma. Speaking of dessert wines, one cannot fail to mention the legendary estate
Bordeaux is the largest wine region in France and the most famous wine region in the world with a long history. Today we offer to plunge into its atmosphere and understand why local drinks are considered reference.
Where did it all begin?
First, a little historical background:
- Wines in this area began to be produced by the Romans in the 1st century AD.
- In the XII century, Bordeaux wines became popular throughout the Old World, thanks to the marriage of Henry Plantagenet (King of England) to Ailenor of Aquitaine (Queen of France). It was this marriage that was later considered one of the reasons for the start of the Hundred Years War.
- Until the 19th century, Malbec grapes were grown in Bordeaux.
What is the wine region of Bordeaux today? Firstly, it is 113,000 hectares of vineyards, 59 appellations, more than 8,500 producers and over 700 million bottles of wine per year. Secondly, these are the very recognizable tastes that are so appreciated by gourmets and sommeliers all over the world.
What wines are produced in the Bordeaux region?
There are four main groups of red wines, which are produced in various appellations, and two groups of whites, which differ in taste:
- Red Bordeaux and Bordeaux Superieur. Wines of this style are valued for their unique taste, the highest quality, light minerality and playful fruity notes. They are produced in only four appellations - Bordeaux and Bordeaux Superieur, Bordeaux Clariet and Bordeaux Rose.
- Varieties Red Cotes de Bordeaux. More affordable, but excellent quality wines based on the Merlot variety are produced in eight appellations, including Premieres Cotes de Bordeaux, Premieres Cotes de Blaye, Bordeaux Cotes de Francs, Blaye, Cotes de Bourg, Cotes de Castillon, Sainte-Foy-Bordeaux Graves de Vayres.
- "Right Bank" wines or Red Libourne. From the regions on the right bank of the Gironde and its tributary Dordogne. These are ten appellations, including Saint-Emilion, Lussac-Saint-Emilion, Puisseguin-Saint-Emilion, Saint-Emilion Grand Cru, Montagne-Saint-Emilion, Saint-Georges-Saint-Emilion, Lalande-de-Pomerol, Pomerol, Canon Fronsac, Fronsac. Due to their lightness, velvety, softness and disinclination to long exposure, they are conditionally considered feminine. The assemblage of these wines is created on the basis of Merlot wine material, which gives fruity notes to the flavor and aromatic bouquet.
- "Left Bank" wines or Red Graves and Medoc, on the contrary, are called male. The fact is that the high tannins and excessive saturation inherent in them at a young age only in adulthood transform into a harmonious rounded taste. They produce drinks based on Cabernet Sauvignon grapes, which, due to the peculiarities of the French climate, have time to ripen only in this area - on the left bank of the Gironde River and its tributary of the Garonne. There are nine appellations here: Haut-Medoc, Moulis-en-Médoc, Listrac-Medoc, Pessac-Leognan, Saint-Julien, Pauillac, Margaux, Saint-Estephe, Graves.
- White dry wines. Made throughout the region from the "white Bordeaux mixture", which may include Sauvignon Blanc, Sémillon, Muscatel in various proportions. Less commonly, Sauvignon Gris, Merlot Blanc, Ugni Blanc (Trebbiano), Mozac, Colomban can be added to them. But the best in terms of price-quality ratio are wines from the "mesopotamia" or the area of Entre-Deux-Mers (Entre-De-Mer).
- White sweet wines Bordeaux region is, first of all, Sauternes from the region of the same name (Sauternes).
Bordeaux cremantes or Cremant de Bordeaux (sparkling wines), created according to the traditional champagne method, also deserve attention.
But why are all these drinks so special?
Raisins of Bordeaux wines
Of course, all wines in the Bordeaux region are made mainly from freshly harvested grapes, which acquire their unique taste due to the peculiarities of the soil, as well as the climate:
- Clay-lime and calcareous soils predominate in the interfluve, so white varieties grow well here.
- On the right bank, clay soils are covered with a small layer of pebbles brought here from the Pyrenees, and for this reason, despite the not the hottest climate, thin-skinned Merlot ripens well here.
- More heat-loving and thick-skinned Cabernet Sauvignon ripens to optimal ripeness only on the left bank of Bordeaux, largely due to the thick layer of pebbles, which easily heats up from the sun itself and willingly shares this warmth with the vine.
The Gironde River and its tributaries the Garonne and Dordogne are responsible for the excellent drainage of the entire area.
The region does not produce mono-separated wines (from berries of the same variety), which gives the masters of blending scope to create drinks with a unique taste and aroma.
How and with what to drink Bordeaux wines?
Glasses for red Bordeaux wines are called Bordeaux. They are tall with a tulip-shaped bowl. Its volume should be at least 300 ml and filled no more than a third. This allows a rich aromatic bouquet not to “hit the nose” of the taster, but to open up to the fullest.
White wines are drunk from glasses of the same shape, but slightly smaller in volume. Bordeaux cremants are made from Flute glasses, this form allows you to enjoy both the perlage of the drink and its refined aroma.
When choosing a gastronomic pair, you can be guided by both the classic scheme (red wine with meat, white wine with fish, seafood and grilled vegetables, sweet wine with desserts, sparkling wine as an aperitif), and more daring advice.
Don't be afraid to experiment and try new things!
Always yours, Fragrant World
Bordeaux wines are produced in the province of the same name in southwestern France. This is the largest wine-growing region in the country, with a total vineyard area of 120,000 hectares. Every year, Bordeaux supplies the local and international market with more than 700 million bottles of wine, ranging from inexpensive table brands to high-end brands. Most of the production is red wine, called in England "claret" (claret), from the French clairet - "light", white sweet wines, dry whites. Pink and sparkling varieties are presented in much more modest quantities. There are 60 appellations and more than 8500 producers in the region.
History reference. Archaeological evidence suggests that the first wines were produced on the territory of Bordeaux by the Romans as early as the middle of the 1st century AD. In the XII century, the marriage of Heinrich Plantagenet and Eleanor of Aquitaine contributed to the popularity of Bordeaux wines, as a result, the lands of the two monarchs were partially united, and French alcoholic products began to be exported to the shores of Foggy Albion. The Hundred Years' War, which broke out in 1337, temporarily stopped the "wine flow", but already in 1453, France regained control over the once lost lands and resumed the production of claret.
Initially, the main wine-growing region of the province was Graves (Graves), but in the XVII century came to the fore appellation Medoc (Medoc). Until the beginning of the 19th century, the Malbec variety was mainly grown here, now local production specializes in Cabernet Sauvignon. At the end of the 19th century, the vineyards of Bordeaux suffered an epidemic of phylloxera, but the vines were saved by grafting them with resistant American varieties.
In Bordeaux, wines are usually sealed with traditional corks, other types of corks are not popular here.
Historically, the name of most wineries in Bordeaux has the prefix chateau (“chateau”), which translates as “castle”. The fact is that earlier wineries were located in noble estates, and sometimes finished wines were stored directly in castles. Many of these businesses are still in operation today.
Climate and geography of the region
Wines of Bordeaux have become so popular in the world, not least due to the unique climatic conditions of the region. Local limestone soils are rich in calcium, the Garonne and Dordogne rivers are "responsible" for irrigation, providing the province with a mild oceanic climate.
Terroir plays a huge role in determining the quality of wine, its taste and other characteristics. Gravel, sandy, limestone soils are found in different vineyards, and the proximity of rivers also affects the taste of berries.
grape varieties
Red wine is mainly made from a blend of varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Malbec, Carmenère. Classic combinations:
- 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Cabernet Franc, 15% Merlot;
- 70% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon.
Cabernet Sauvignon is the most popular grape variety in Bordeaux.
White Bordeaux is made mainly from Semillon, Sauvignon Blanc and Muscadelle. Classic proportion: 80% Sémillon and 20% Sauvignon Blanc. Also allowed are Sauvignon Gris, Ugni Blanc (Trebbiano), Colombard, Merlot Blanc, Ondenc and Mozac.
Production features
Ripe berries are harvested, cleaned of twigs and stalks, then crushed. Sometimes the must undergoes the process of chaptalization, that is, it is slightly sugared and artificially reduced acidity. Fermentation of the must takes place in stainless steel vats, after which the pulp is pressed under pressure, and the resulting young wine is kept in oak barrels for a period prescribed by the recipe of the variety and the traditions of a particular production.
Wines from different grape varieties are aged separately, then mixed
Before bottling, the wine is blended, as Bordeaux does not produce "mono-sorts". The finished blend can undergo additional aging in barrels.
Types and varieties of wines
All Bordeaux wines are divided into 6 groups: 4 for red wines (by appellations) and 2 for whites (by taste).
1. Red Bordeaux and Red Bordeaux Superieur. Four appellations exclusively dedicated to these brands. Local wines are distinguished by fruity and mineral notes in the bouquet, the highest quality and excellent taste. This is the most famous and widespread wine style of Bordeaux.
Appellations:
- Bordeaux;
- Bordeaux Superieur;
- Bordeaux Clariet;
- Bordeaux rose.
2. Red Cotes de Bordeaux. This group includes 8 appellations, Merlot prevails in the blend. Good and affordable wines are produced here.
Appellations:
- Premieres Côtes de Bordeaux;
- Blaye;
- Premieres Côtes de Blaye;
- Côtes de Bourg;
- Sainte-Foy-Bordeaux;
- Bordeaux Côtes de Francs;
- Côtes de Castillon;
- Graves de Vayres.
3. Red Libourne (“right-bank” wines). This category includes 10 appellations in the vicinity of the city of Libourne. The main raw material is Merlot with a small amount of Cabernet Sauvignon. Local varieties have a rich fruity taste.
Appellations:
- Saint-Emilion;
- Saint-Emilion Grand Cru;
- Lussac-Saint-Emilion;
- Montagne-Saint-Emilion;
- Puisseguin-Saint-Emilion;
- Saint-Georges-Saint-Emilion;
- Pomerol;
- Lalande-de-Pomerol;
- Fronsac;
- Canon Fronsac.
4. Red Graves and Medoc (“left bank” wines). Appellations in the south and north of the city of Bordeaux. Drinks are concentrated, tannic, they are not recommended to drink young, as long-term storage in a wine cellar evens out and smoothes their taste.
Appellations:
- Haut-Médoc;
- Listrac-Medoc;
- Moulis-en-Medoc;
- Margaux;
- Pauillac;
- Saint-Estèphe;
- Saint Julien;
- graves;
- Pessac-Leognan.
5. White dry wine. Produced throughout the region from Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon.
6. White sweet wine. Less common than dry, production is concentrated in the Sauternes appellation, but is also found in other sub-regions.
Bordeaux wine classification
In total, there are 4 recognized classifications of Bordeaux wines:
- The official classification of Bordeaux wines in 1855. Includes red wines of the Medoc and sweet wines of Sauternes-Barsac.
- Classification of wines of the Saint-Emilion region (St.-Emilion) in 1955, updated about once every 10 years.
- Classification of wines of the region Graves (Graves) 1959.
- Classification Cru Bourgeois (Cru Bourgeois), since 2010, existing in the status of an unofficial rating.
It is not easy even for experienced sommeliers and the French themselves to understand them, but for consumers it is enough to remember that you can safely buy any Bordeaux wine marked AOC (Appellation d'origine controlee, origin control), and even if the label has the inscription Grand Cru ("great plot", the best vineyards with excellent geographical and climatic conditions) - the wine is considered elite.
The most famous brands include Chateau Margaux, Lafite Rothschild, Haut-Brion, Latour, Mouton Rothschild.
Chateau Margot is one of the most famous wineries in the world, the prices correspond to the status
How to drink Bordeaux wines
Bordeaux wines are served in tulip glasses with a volume of 300 ml or more. Of course, the vessel is not filled completely, the wine should fill about a third of the container - only in this way can its delicate bouquet open up. The serving temperature depends on the particular brand, but complex wines can be left uncooled and served at 15-18 °C, light floral brands will sound good at 8-12 °C, rich white wines can be slightly cooled to 13-15 °C .
The same applies to snacks - gastronomic pairs are selected individually for a particular drink. You can focus on the general rules: meat, game, poultry, spicy soft cheeses are suitable for red wine. White wines are combined with fish, grilled vegetables, seafood, herbs, white meat.
Bordeaux type glass - traditional for the region, suitable for red wines