Bordeaux region, wines: classification and description. The best brands of "Bordeaux"

2024 Author: Isabella Gilson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:14

The Romans imposed the culture of winemaking on the French back in the 6th century. BC e. They forced the Gauls to plant vines with fire and sword. After 500 years, the Romans destroyed all the vineyards of Gaul, as they became a threat to all imperial trade. Only the love of the inhabitants for this noble drink was already impossible to eradicate, they started all over again. At the moment, the wines of France are a model, experts from all other countries are equal to it. In this article we will give a description of Bordeaux wines, learn more about their history, consider classification and other issues.

Let's talk about the most famous French wine regions.

Bordeaux

Bordeaux is the oldest region. It is located in a temperate climate on the Atlantic coast. Red wine from Bordeaux is a world standard of high quality. For the manufacture of wines, mainly 4 grape varieties are used: Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Malbec. The cost depends on how prestigiousmanufacturer, what year of harvest and aging, because in this area favorable conditions for ripening and growing grapes are not always formed.

The region is subdivided into several appellations, the most famous of which are Graves, Medoc, Sauternes and Saint-Emilion. Historically, red wine from Bordeaux is sold mainly from small private estates called Château. They follow the traditions of their ancestors and carefully monitor the quality of their products.

Stamps:

• Chateau Briot;
• Chateau Bellevue la Mongie;
• Chateau Marjosse;
• Chateau Cavale Blanche;
• Chateau Memoire.

Burgundy

Burgundy is a wine region in the eastern part of France, with a total length of about 200 km. It consists of almost a hundred appellations. It cultivates mainly Aligote and Chardonnay grape varieties. Due to the variable climate and heterogeneous soil, white Burgundy wines are known for their huge range of flavors. The most prestigious wine-growing areas: Haute-Cote, Côte and Chablis, Chalonnay and Maconnay.

Champagne

Champagne is the birthplace of sparkling wines. This region is located in southern France near the border with Luxembourg and Belgium. The inventor of the drink is Pierre Perignon (a Benedictine monk), who was the first to double-ferment wine.

Champagne produces rosé and white sparkling wines. It uses 2 red varieties of Pinot Meunier and Pinot Noir, as well as white Chardonnay grapes.

Beaujolais

Beaujolaisis a small region near Lyon, located in a continental cold climate. Winemakers use only 1 grape variety called Gamay. Due to natural conditions, Beaujolais wine cannot be stored for a long time. It opens on the 3rd Thursday of November in the same year of harvest, after which it is drunk until spring. At the same time, the French created and then skillfully popularized "Beaujolais Nouveau" - a celebration of young wine. Now it is celebrated all over the planet.

Bordeaux Terroir

Surprisingly well located in the southwestern part of France, or rather, on the edge of the Atlantic, Bordeaux covers the entire Gironde department. Rivers flow through Bordeaux. Dordogne, Garonne and various small streams. This naturally satisfies the constant moisture needs of numerous regional vineyards.

Climate

Bordeaux temperate climate give:

• the mouth of the Gironde and the presence of waterways;
• the influence of the warm ocean current of the Gulf Stream, which regulates the weather and warms the air in the region;
• Landish forest, which serves as an excellent protection from the winds from the West.

Soil diversity

At the mouth of the Gironde and on the left coast of the Garonne, the soil is mainly stony sands deposited by the Garonne. Such stony soils (gravel, pebbles, sand) accumulate heat well and filter water, which helps the best ripening of grapes. Between the Dordogne and the Garonne, the soils are mostly clayey-calcareous. At the same time, on the right coast of the Dordogne you can find verya large palette of soils of various compositions: calcareous, clay, stony sands, sandy - they all have the ability to retain rainwater. Consequently, the vineyard constantly receives plenty of moisture.

Bordeaux: statistics in numbers

In general, local vineyards occupy about 120 thousand hectares. Bordeaux is the largest wine region in the entire country. 11% of the vineyards are white grapes, 89% - red varieties.

Approximately 6 million hectoliters of wine are produced in Bordeaux every year. Dry, white, red, rosé wines "Bordeaux", sparkling, sweet whites are drunk all over the world. In 2007, sales of local wines amounted to 760 million bottles worth 3.4 billion euros. At the same time, 67% of wines are consumed directly in France and the remaining 33% are exported.

Wine growing areas

Main wine-producing areas of the region:

1. Barsac and Sauternes - produced wine "Bordeaux" white dry, sweet.
2. Graves and Medoc. The vineyards are located on the left bank of the Garonne.
3. Libourne (Libournais) - Pomerol, Saint-Emilion, Fronsac, as well as their satellites. The vineyards are located on the right bank of the Dordogne.
4. Entre-de-Mer - vineyards are located between the rivers Dordogne and Garonne. They make white wine "Bordeaux".
5. Cote de Bordeaux. The vineyards are located on the banks of the Garonne, Dordogne and Gironde.
6. Bordeaux and Bordeaux Superior (Bordeaux Superior, Bordeaux). These vineyards are located throughoutregion.

History

French wine "Bordeaux" has a rather interesting history. The history of winemaking here has about 2 millennia. The Biturigi tribe, who lived in Aquitaine, in the southwestern part of Gaul, cultivated a moisture-resistant grape variety called Biturica here. It is considered the ancestor of the famous Bordeaux Cabernet Sauvignon. The main city of the Biturigs was Burdigala - today's Bordeaux. Later, the conquest of the Bituriges by the Romans brought new knowledge in winemaking, and Gallic wine very soon began to compete with the best products of Italian vineyards.

In 1152, the Duchess of Aquitaine and Henry II Plantagenet got married, and this territory became an English province for the next three hundred years, which predetermined its fate as the main supplier of wines for all of England. Due to the Hundred Years' War, flourishing trade relations were interrupted, and in 1453, after the battle of Castillon, Aquitaine returned to France.

The 19th century is famous for the active economic development of Bordeaux. Wines of the region began to be evaluated according to new quality standards. They were in great demand, which brought tangible material advantages to their producers. The famous classification of wines was adopted in 1855 in Bordeaux. Wines are still judged by it today.

In Bordeaux, wines began to be classified on the basis of many years of evaluation, and only stable quality guaranteed the drink its place in the general hierarchy. So, the only criterion for getting a farm into this list was the high quality of its products, as well as itsproven by many years of experience the constant ability to produce a high-quality product.

Bordeaux wines: classification

The 1st official classification was published in April 1855 by decree of Napoleon III. This was done to represent the wines at the World Exhibition held in Paris. In Bordeaux, the Chamber of Commerce entrusted the compilation of the Classification to the "Syndicate of Commercial Intermediaries", which was at the Bourse of Bordeaux. Then there was a task to create a classification of wines, which would be based on many years of experience. It reflected the quality of the terroir, as well as the well-deserved fame. The classification includes 60 types of red wines.

It has received huge distribution. At the same time, the hierarchy established by her, including the five classes of Grand Cru, was recognized far beyond exclusively professional circles. In more than 150 years of its existence, this classification has undergone only one change: Chateau Mouton Rothschild was among the best Grand Crus in 1973.

Wine "Bordeaux" dry red, included in the first classification, came only from the left coast of the Garonne, since it was then that it dominated the market. In addition, on the right coast of the Dordogne, in Libourne, there was no regional Chamber of Commerce - it was created only in 1910.

First and second wines

The first are prestigious drinks made from the oldest vines. They have great aging potential and powerful tannin structure. They produce wines in Bordeaux and the second - theymade from grapes from young vineyards, while having a lighter and more fruity character. They can be consumed at a young age.

Grape varieties

Wines "Bordeaux" are born from the assemblage of several types of grapes. White varieties: 11% of the total vineyard area. Red varieties: 89% of the total vineyard area.

Merlot

Occupies the largest area, which is 62% of the entire territory that is occupied by the red vineyards of the region. This early maturing variety loves moist soils with lots of clay and does well in Pomerol and Saint Emilion. It brings fullness, sophistication and color to the wine. Wines from this variety are softer, reach fullness of taste faster than wines from the Cabernet variety, and also acquire woody and “wild” tastes.

Cabernet Sauvignon

It is a later variety that is best adapted to the warm and dry soils common in Graves and Medoc, which contain sand. Wines born from it are marked by aromas of pepper and red fruits, soften after long storage and have a tart, powerful taste.

Cabernet Franc

Mainly cultivated in Saint Emilion. The inhabitants of the region call him Bush here. It produces wines with the finest blackberry aroma, denser, stronger.

Other red grape varieties: Côte (or Malbec), Carménère and Petit Verdot.

Semillon

Mainly found in regions that produce sweet white wines: Barsak,Sauternes, Sainte-Croix-du-Mont, where there are conditions for the life of a noble mold (or the fungus Botrytis cinerea). These sweet wines are golden, sweet, juicy and refined.

Sauvignon Blanc

This variety has amazing aromatic potential. Dry white wines made from it are tangy and fresh, with an amazing aroma of blackcurrant buds and boxwood.

Muskadel

This grape variety chooses clay soils where it is resistant to decay. White wines made from this variety are characterized by floral aromas, roundness and low acidity.

Other common white grape varieties are Ugni Blanc, Merlot Blanc and Colombard.

Vintages in Bordeaux

The favorable geographical position of the region determines the high variability of climate in different periods, when compared with other wine-growing regions of the planet. This is the best incentive for producers to carefully consider the impact of factors that can affect the quality of the resulting crop, as well as to work accordingly in the winery and vineyards in order to minimize the possible consequences of a difficult year.

The winemaker needs to be in control by making the right decision at the right time. Every vintage is unique by definition. Therefore, every year the wines have aging potential and different characteristics.

Wine "Bordeaux": reviews

Of courseyou can not find negative reviews about wine from the Bordeaux region. Unless they can relate to the high cost of the product. But, as we found out, there are reasons for this. Lovers of quality wines note the exquisite, tart tastes of local drinks, their rich aromas and chic bouquets. Some have already fallen in love with the festival of young wine, which takes place everywhere, and also enjoys the amazing tastes of a fresh, only fermented drink made from quality varieties of the best grapes.