All you need to know about Bordeaux wine is in this article.
When River Garonne and River Dordogne meet in the south-west of France, a little north of the city of Bordeaux, they form River Gironde. Narrow at first, it then widens as it gets closer to the estuary of the Atlantic Ocean. The intersection of these three rivers is the world-famous Bordeaux wine region.
The area south-west of River Gironde and River Garonne is the so-called “Left Bank”; the area north-east of River Gironde and River Dordogne is the “Right Bank”.
While the rainy maritime climate here often puts the vineyards at risk of fungal diseases, the maritime coolness prevents the grapes from ripening too rapidly and allows each berry to take the time accumulating sugar and flavour at its own pace, this way also retaining a good level of acidity. Slowly-ripened grapes with high acidity are the key to fine wine creation.
Since Bordeaux is famous for its red wines, most grapes grown here are black. On the Left Bank, Cabernet Sauvignon is the most grown variety (usually blended with Merlot); on the Right Bank Merlot dominates (usually blended with Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon).
The Left Bank appellations from the estuary upstream are:
- Médoc
- Saint Estèphe
- Pauillac
- Saint Julien
- Listrac-Médoc
- Moulis
- Margaux
- Pessac Léognan
- Graves
- Barsac
- Sauternes
Of which the most known are:
- Pauillac: high acidity, high tannin, structured
- Saint Julien: high acidity, high tannin, a little more delicate than Pauillac
- Margaux: silky tannin, very delicate
- Pessac Léognan: reds account for 80% of the production, but its whites (a blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon) are the most praised, known as the best Bordeaux whites
- Sauternes: known for noble rot sweet wine production
There are three Premier Cru châteaux in Pauillac (Château Lafite, Château Latour, Château Mouton) and one in Margaux (Château Margaux). The grapes from the Premier Cru châteaux produce the best and most expensive wines. But Bordeaux isn’t just about eye-watering prices. These appellations also produce mid-price to affordable wines. A bottle of Bordeaux red wine labelled Château Margaux Premier Grand Cru Classé can fetch hundreds or even thousands of euros, whereas a bottle labelled Margaux 5ème Grand Cru Classé can be had as your day-to-day pal.
*The Left Bank “Grand Cru Classé” classification system originated in 1855, when the Bordeaux Chamber of Commerce asked the Left Bank wine estates to classify their wines for that year’s Exposition Unicerselle in Paris. The five-tier classification put together based on price back then is still in use today. There are five Premier Cru (Château Lafite, Château Latour, Château Mouton, Château Margaux, and Château Haut-Brion in the Graves appellation), and it is worth noting that Château Mouton had not been an original Premier Cru but was upgraded to the status in 1973. Premier Cru is followed by Deuxièmes Cru, Troisièmes Cru, Quatrièmes Cru and Cinquièmes Cru, in a price descending order.
As for the Right Bank, Pomerol and Saint-Émilion are two most important appellations. Petrus is the most famous winery in Pomerol. If you ever receive a bottle of Petrus, take your time savouring it, never gulp it.
Beyond the left and right banks, the land between River Garonne and River Dordogne has a lovely name, Entre-deux-Mers, meaning “between two seas”. This area makes white wines, but unlike the top whites of Pessac Léognan mentioned above, the white wines here are simple and friendly to your wallet.
