Bordeaux

Wine has been an important commodity in Bordeaux in Southwest France since 1152. To this day, the best Bordeaux wines remains the most sought after and expensive wines in the world.

Approximately 87% of the area is planted in red grape varieties. Bordeaux, the wine region, is surrounded by the city of Bordeaux. The region is divided up into five main districts: Pomerol, Saint-Emillion, Graves, Sauternes, and Medoc. The two rivers (the Garonne and Dordogne) meet to form the Gironde, and divide the area into the Right and Left Bank. There are other districts within Bordeaux but the above named are the main ones.

The Medoc and Graves areas are on the Left Bank. The soil here is predominately gravely, so the more common grape variety is Cabernet Sauvignon. Within the Medoc there are communes with specific appellations like Marguax, Pauillac, Saint Estephe, and Saint Julien, and Listrac, which are predominately Cabernet blends. These wines are more intense, tannic and long lived. One of my favorites from St. Estephe is Chateau Cos D’Estournel (60% Cabernet and 40% Merlot).

Saint-Emillion, Fronsac, and Pomerol are on the Right Bank, where the soil is more clay, chalk and sand, so Merlot would be the primary grape variety. These wines will be more supple and less tannic. Pomerol is a small but distinctive wine region in Bordeaux producing opulent red wines mainly from the Merlot grape. Pomerol's most successful wines (Chateau Petrus) are highly sought after and command a high price.

Bordeaux wine makers tend to blend their wines, as opposed to the United States where we tend to make more single varietal wines. The Red wines of Bordeaux are usually blends of five different grapes: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, and Malbec. To the surprise of most of us in the United States, Merlot is the most widely planted variety in Bordeaux.

Bordeaux white wines are also blends of Semillion and Sauvignon Blanc. Almost all the white grapes are grown on the Left Bank south of the city of Bordeaux. The sweet wines (Sauternes) would be an example of something from this area. Chateau d’ Yquem is the most famous Sauternes.

So when you are looking to purchase wines from Bordeaux, think about the wines from the Right or Left Bank. Do you want more of a Cabernet based wine, or Merlot based wines? That will help your decision.
Until next time, cheers!