Bordeaux wine: classification, taste review, how to drink + famous brands
Bordeaux wines are produced in the wine region of the same name in southwestern France. It ranks second in the world in terms of vineyard area, about 1.15 thousand hectares. km² (the first place is occupied by the French wine region of Languedoc).
There are 60 in the region {banner_adsensetext} and more than 8500 producers. Thanks to the combination of unique climatic, geographical and geological conditions in tandem with the skill of talented winemakers, Bordeaux wines have gained tremendous success.
About the drink
Among the wines of Bordeaux there are both inexpensive table brands and elite brands. Borosky drinks can be divided into first and second wines.
The former are prestigious drinks produced from the oldest vines. They have a huge potential for aging and a powerful tannin structure.
The latter are made from berries from young vineyards, have a lighter and more fruity character. Most of the products are still red, white sweet and white dry wines.
Pink and sparkling drinks are presented in much more modest quantities.
Red wines are made mainly from a blend of varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Malbec, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Carmenere.
Classic combinations:
70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Cabernet Franc, 15% Merlot.
70% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon.
White Bordeaux is made mainly from Semillon, Sauvignon Blanc and Muscadelle varieties. Classic proportion: 80% Semillon and 20% Sauvignon Blanc. Sauvignon Gris, Colombard, Merlot Blanc, Uni Blanc (Trebbiano), Ondenk and Mosac grapes are also allowed to be used.
Speaking of Bordeaux wines, one cannot but mention the technology and peculiarities of their production.
The first stage is the direct collection of ripened berries, which are cleaned of twigs and stalks, then crushed. Sometimes the must is subjected to the process of chaptalization - light sugaring and artificial reduction of acidity.
Fermentation takes place in stainless steel vats, after which the pulp is pressed out under a press, and the resulting young wine is aged in oak barrels for a certain period of time, determined by the recipe of the variety and the traditions of a particular production.
Bordeaux does not produce "mono-varieties", so the wine is blended before bottling.
The finished blend can be further aged in barrels.
Types of Bordeaux
All Bordeaux wines are divided into 6 groups: 4 for red wines (by appellation):
Red Bordeaux and Red Bordeaux Supérieur
Four appellations specializing exclusively in these brands. Local wines are characterized by fruity and mineral notes in the bouquet, high quality and excellent taste. This is the most popular and widespread wine style of Bordeaux.
Red wine Cotes de Bordeaux
The group includes 8 appellations. Good quality and affordable wines are produced here.
Red Libourne ("right bank" wines)
This category includes 10 appellations in the vicinity of Libourne. The main raw material is Merlot with a small amount of Cabernet Sauvignon. The wines of these places are characterized by a rich fruity flavor.
Red Graves and Medoc ("left bank" wines)
Appellations to the south and north of the city of Bordeaux. Drinks are concentrated, tannic. Long-term storage in a wine cellar evens out and smoothes their flavor, so it is not recommended to drink them young.
The last two groups are for white wines (by flavor):
White dry wine. The drinks are produced throughout the region from Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon varieties.
White sweet wine. Unlike the dry less common, production is concentrated in the Sauternes appellation, but is also found in other sub-regions.
Classification of Bordeaux wines
In total, there are 4 recognized classifications of Bordeaux wines:
The official classification of Bordeaux wines in 1855. Includes red wines of Medoc and sweet wines of Sauternes-Barsac.
Classification of wines of the St. Emilion region (St.-Emilion) 1955, updated approximately every 10 years.
Classification of wines of the Graves region in 1959.
The Cru Bourgeois classification, which has existed as an unofficial rating since 2010.
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 be revealed.
The serving temperature depends on the specific brand, but complex wines do not need to be chilled and can be served at 15-18 °C, light floral brands will sound good at 8-12 °C, and rich white wines can be slightly cooled to 13-15 °C.
The same applies to appetizers - gastronomic pairings are selected individually for a particular drink.
You can be guided by general rules: red wine goes well with meat, game, poultry, spicy soft cheeses.
White wines are combined with fish, grilled vegetables, seafood, greens, white meat.
Famous brands
It is simply impossible to memorize all the wines of the region and their categories.
In fact, it is difficult to find a bad Bordeaux wine, consumer reviews about it are almost never negative. This is not surprising.
The highest control over wines by origin and name ensures that the wines are genuine and of high quality.
Therefore, if the bottle is labeled AOC, you will definitely not be disappointed in the taste of the wine.
If the label indicates Grands vins de Bordeaux, GRAND CRU CLASSÉ EN 1855, Crus Bourgeois, Saint-Emilion Grand Cru AOC, these are wines of the highest quality that have an excellent reputation.
The most famous brands include:
Chateau Margaux
Lafite Rothschild
Haut-Brion
Latour
Mouton Rothschild
Update: 09.08.2018
Category: Wine and Vermouth