Bordeaux
Bordeaux wine, refers to all wine produced in the Bordeaux region of France. Bordeaux is the second largest wine region in the world with over 284,320 acres under vine, 57 appellations, 9,000 wine-producing châteaux, and 13,000 grape growers (The largest being the Languedoc wine region with 617,750 acres under vine.)
With an annual production of over 700 million bottles, Bordeaux produces large quantities of everyday wine as well as expensive wines. Although the reputation of Bordeaux is based on its few prestigious red wines and the sweet white wines from Sauternes, Bordeaux also produces large quantities of ordinary table wines, including white wines, rosé wines, and a sparkling wine, called Crémant de Bordeaux.
Red Bordeaux, which is traditionally known as claret in the United Kingdom, is generally made from a blend of grapes. Permitted grapes are Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Malbec, and Carmenere although the Malbec is very seldom used and Carmenere is now virtually absent in Bordeaux. White Bordeaux is made from Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, and Muscadelle.
The Bordeaux region has an excellent environment for growing vines. The ecological foundation of the region is limestone, meaning that the soil is full of calcium, and the natural paths of the Garonne and the Dordogne irrigate the land. Combined with the oceanic climate, giving humidity to the atmosphere, this creates a desirable environment for grapes to flourish.
The Bordeaux wine region is divided into subregions including Saint-Émilion, Pomerol, Médoc, and Graves. In 1855, a classification system, known as The Bordeaux Wine Official Classification of 1855, ranked the wines into five categories according to price. The first growth red wines (four from Médoc and one, Château Haut-Brion, from Graves), are among the most expensive wines in the world, although in wine competitions they tend to be beaten by less expensive wines from various countries in blind taste tests. See, for example, the St. Catharines Wine Tasting of 2005, the Berlin Wine Tasting of 2004 and The Wine Rematch of the Century.
The first growths are:
* Château Lafite-Rothschild
* Château Margaux
* Château Latour
* Château Haut-Brion
* Château Mouton-Rothschild
In 1955, St. Émilion AOC were classified, adding an additional two Premier Crus (Class A):
* Château Ausone
* Château Cheval Blanc
Pomerol has never been officially classified, but its best estates, such Château Pétrus and Château Le Pin, fetch very high prices that often exceed even the prices of the first growths.
Sauternes is a subregion of Graves known for its intensely sweet, white, dessert wines such as Château d\\\'Yquem. The intense sweetness is the result of the grapes being affected by Botrytis cinerea, a fungus that is commonly known as noble rot.
Many critics, including Robert M. Parker, Jr., believe that the 1855 classification is out of date and that a reclassification would be in the interests of consumers. Apart from being out of date, the 1855 classification was based entirely on wine prices. Since 1855, châteaux have bought and sold vineyards; prestigious winemakers have died; and many other important changes have occurred. In 1961, the French government decided to review the classification and delete 17 châteaux. In the end, the proposed reclassification never happened because the government finally yielded to political pressure applied by owners of the affected châteaux, who feared that a demotion would mean that they would need to reduce their prices. Certainly, there are some wines that are not as good as their classification would lead the average consumer to believe, and there are many producers that make excellent wine despite little or no recognition according to the 1855 classification. Nevertheless, it is generally agreed that all the first growths are among the finest wines available.
This article is based entirely or in part on the
Bordeaux wikipedia article
and is licenced under the terms of the
GNU Free Documentation Licence.
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In this categoryChateau Fort de Roquetaillade 2001
A wine made from 50% Sauvignon Blanc and 50% Semillon, intriguingly complex bouquet-blackcurrants and green almonds-and a full fresh floral flavour. Dry. [read on...]
A B V: 12% Vintage: 2001 Color: Country: France Region: Bordeaux Code: 56378
Chateau Giscours 1999
Coloured a deep ruby, this wine offers intense berry fruit and cedar on the nose and palate with hints of chocolate and bell peppers. Very complex with fine-grained tannins and a memorable long-lasting finish. [read on...]
Vintage: 1999 Color: unspecifie Country: France Region: Bordeaux Code: 57299
Chateau Larrivet Haut-Brion, Blanc Pessac 1996
[read on...]
A B V: 13.5% Vintage: 1996 Color: red Country: France Code: 59184
Chateau Larrivet Haut-Brion,Blanc Pessac 1995
A superb white Graves from a fine vintage which was fermented in cask to give an extra dimension to the flavour. The blend is 60% Sauvignon, 35% Semillon and 5% Muscat. 1996 vintage to follow. [read on...]
A B V: 12.5% Vintage: 1995 Color: white Country: France Region: Bordeaux Code: 45657
Chateau les Arroucats, Saint-Croix-de-Mont 1995
This sweet wine has an elegant fruit and freshness. It is lighter and less rich than Sauternes but it is fruity with maturity. [read on...]
A B V: 13% Vintage: 1995 Color: Country: France Region: Bordeaux Code: 37602
Chateau Maucaillou,Moulis 1994
Smoky nose with truffle aromas. Rich fruit intensity on palate. An excellent wine from an average vintage offering really good value. [read on...]
A B V: 12.5% Vintage: 1994 Color: Country: France Region: Bordeaux Code: 40488
Chateau Montrose, Saint-Estephe 1970
One of the Medocs best situated vineyards and a chateau associated with huge, dense, powerful wines. This vintage remains youthful, even astringent with high levels of concentration and intensity. It has a classy, complex bouquet of scents of cedar, black fruits, minerals and leather. Still full, powerful and rich. It will keep for another 10 years at least. [read on...]
Vintage: non-vintag Color: unspecifie Country: France Region: Bordeaux Code: 10721
Château Croix Beausejour 2004
This splendid château has been in the Laporte family for five generations who have consistanlty won top accolades for thier outstanding quality. The 2004 has turned out to be an ideal vintage. Made from predominantly from Merlot, the wine has delicious soft fruit with a hint of chocolate and now drinking to perfection. [read on...]
A B V: 13% Vintage: 2004 Color: red Country: France Code: 72877
Château Croix Beausejour Eleve en Futs 04
[read on...]
A B V: 13% Vintage: 2004 Color: red Country: France Code: 72885
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