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34 Cards in this Set

  • Front
  • Back
LOCATION/GEOGRAPHY/TOPOGRAPHY
›› including altitude and slopes
›› Southwest France
›› French Atlantic Coast
›› Gironde Estuary (Dordogne and Garonne Rivers)
›› Left and Right Banks
›› 44°LN
›› 47m Alt
›› Gironde Estuary and coastal pine forests (Landes) protect from harsh west and northwesterly winds
CLIMATE
›› in general terms
›› Moderate maritime (decreases influence further inland, becoming continental)
›› long-ripening season
›› high humidity (grey rot)
›› rainfall fairly even
›› strong Atlantic winds can cause problems
WEATHER
›› factors which create variation, e.g. frost, hail
›› Avg growing season temp 17.7°
›› Annual rainfall 944 mm
›› September harvest
›› Hazards: wet spring season, autumn rain
›› Hazards bring grey rot, coulure, millerandange, reduce yield; Bordeaux mixture used to counter effects (lime, copper sulfate, water)
SOIL
›› all types in the area in question
Three types:
›› Alluvial soil (riverbanks)
›› Limestone subsoil with broken stone and sand (hillsides and St Emilion)
›› Gravel over flint and marl (free-draining, Haut Medoc and Pessac Leognan)
GRAPE VARIETIES
›› colour, characteristics, ability to age
RED
›› Merlot (most planted, right bank)
›› Cabernet Sauvignon (dominant left bank - 75%)
›› Malbec (decreasing)
›› Cabernet Franc (higher yield)
›› Petit Verdot (adds spice)
WHITE
›› Semillon - dry or sweet
›› Sauvignon Blanc - in blend or increasingly as varietal
›› Muscadelle - minor (sweet wines)
VITICULTURE
›› including applicable legislation and current issues
›› High density planting
›› Trained on low wires
›› Careful replanting gives high avg vine age
›› Machine harvested (majority)
›› Hand-picking for sweet wines
›› Double-guyot pruning
›› Cos D’Estournel all by hand
VINIFICATION
›› including applicable legislation and current issues
›› RED WINE
RED WINE
›› Many choices reflect quality
›› Green harvest can be used to concentrate sugars
›› Fruit selection at harvest and again at winery before crushing
›› Stalks can be added to ferment to add tannin
›› Fermentation and maceration up to 3 wks
›› Chaptalisation was used, now better chateaux use Reverse Osmosis in lighter years
›› Ferment in oak, s/steel or epoxy-lined concrete
›› Different grapes fermented separately
›› Ageing in 225L oak casks or tank, 0 to 24 mths, use varies
›› MLF used to occur in spring, now forced in barrel by top chateaux to help integrate effects before en primeur tastings
›› Different batches assembled
VINIFICATION
›› including applicable legislation and current issues
›› WHITE WINE (DRY AND SWEET)
WHITE WINE - DRY
›› Ferment in traditional oak or s/steel
›› Long, cool fermentation to retain varietal flavours
›› Ageing can occur in oak
WHITE WINE - SWEET
›› Thin-skinned, botrytis susceptible Semillon dominates
›› Sauvignon adds acidity and floral aromas
›› Muscadelle adds perfume
›› Humid conditions facilitate noble rot on fully ripe grapes
›› Passillerage also a factor (esp in drier years)
›› Best wines, several harvest dates, hand-picking, low yield, high production costs
›› Top quality Sauternes fermented in oak
WINE STYLES
›› including spectrum of quality and ability to age
›› BORDEAUX REGION AS A WHOLE
›› Divided into sub-regions including St Emilion, Pomerol, Medoc, Graves
›› 60 appellations and their wine styles usually categorised into six main families
›› Four red, two white
GENERIC
RED WINE ›› medium bodied with blackberry, cedar flavours, sometimes astringent tannins and unripe flavours
WHITE WINE ›› Light, plain wine with some herbaceousness if SB in the blend
CLASSIFIED
Range from soft, early drinking red and whites to full-bodied and tannin, with spicy blackberry flavour, with rich tannin, red berry fruit developing to tobacco and cedar with age
WINE STYLES
›› including spectrum of quality and ability to age
›› RED BORDEAUX AND BORDEAUX SUPERIEUR
›› Approx half of Bordeaux vineyard specifically designated under Bordeaux and Bordeaux Superieur
›› Majority of these located in Right Bank in Entre-Deux-Mers area
›› Wines typically Merlot dominant, often blended with other classic Bordeaux varieties
›› Many small, family-run Chateaux, as well as wines blended by merchants under brands
›› Bordeaux AOC wines tend to be fruit, with minimal oak influence (due to cost); produced in a style meant to be drunk young
›› Bordeaux Superieur AOC are produced in the same area, but follow stricter controls, such as lower yields, and are often aged in oak
›› 55% of all Bordeaux production (67% domestic consumption)
WINE STYLES
›› including spectrum of quality and ability to age
›› RED COTES DE BORDEAUX
›› Eight appellations in the hilly outskirts of the region
›› Merlot dominant
›› Intermediate between basic Red Bordeaux and the famous appellations in both style and quality
›› Prices moderate
›› No official classification for Cotes de Bordeaux, other than AOC
›› 15% of all Bordeaux production
WINE STYLES
›› including spectrum of quality and ability to age
›› RED LIBOURNE OR RIGHT BANK WINES
›› 10 appellations around city of Libourne
›› Merlot dominant wines, very little Cabernet
›› Great, full concentration, softer tannins and long-lived
›› St Emilion has an official classification

›› 10% of all Bordeaux production
WINE STYLES
›› including spectrum of quality and ability to age
›› RED GRAVES AND MEDOC OR LEFT BANK WINES
›› North and South of city of Bordeaux
›› Cabernet Sauvignon dominant, but still a significant portion of Merlot
›› Concentrated, tannic, long-lived - designed to be cellared before drinking
›› Five first growths situated here
›› Official classifications in both Medoc and Graves
›› 17% of all Bordeaux production
WINE STYLES
›› including spectrum of quality and ability to age
›› DRY WHITE WINES
›› Made throughout the region, with regional appellation of Bordeaux Blanc
›› Often 100% Sauvignon Blanc or blended with Semillon with SB dominating
›› Bordeaux Blanc AOC only used for wines made in appellations that only allow red wines
›› Graves most well-known and the only sub-region with a classification for white wines
›› Better versions have significant oak use
›› 8% of all Bordeaux production
WINE STYLES
›› including spectrum of quality and ability to age
›› DRY WHITE WINES
SWEET WHITE WINES
›› Several locations and appellations throughout the region
›› Semillon, Sauvignon Blanc and Muscadelle grapes affected by noble rot
›› Sauternes best-known appellation, which has an official classification
›› Also Barsac, Loupiac, Cadillac, Sainte Croix du Mont
›› Regional appellation is Bordeaux Superieur Blanc AOC
›› 3% of all Bordeaux production
SCALE OF PRODUCTION AND INDUSTRY SIGNIFICANCE
›› quality, quantity, icon wines
›› Largest fine wine district on earth,
›› 116,000 ha,
›› 10,000 Chateaux,
›› 13,000 Growers,
›› 8.5 million hectolitres per yr,
›› Dwarfs all French regions except Languedoc-Roussillon,
›› Reds outnumber white 9:1
›› Icon wines in 1855 classification (Latour, Lafite, Mouton-Rothschild, Margaux, Haut-Brion)
›› En Primeur sales
LEGISLATION
›› classification systems and QWPSR structure, if relevant
›› BORDEAUX AC
›› largest production of AC in France
›› largest appellation is Bordeaux AC, covers whole region
LEGISLATION
›› classification systems and QWPSR structure, if relevant
›› LEFT BANK
›› West and south of Gironde and Garonne; Cabernet dominated blends
›› Medoc - red grapes only, north of St Estephe; soil predominantly clay with some gravel
›› Haut-Medoc - red grapes only, south of St Estephe; soil types vary from deep gravel to stony clay (Latour, Lafite) and limestone soils (Margaux, Haut-Brion and Lafite); lower permitted yields; includes high reputation communes of St Estephe, St Julien, Margaux and Pauillac as well as Listrac and Moulis (not growth-rated)
›› Graves - red and white grapes permitted; red grown on gravel, white on sandy soils; lighter in body and mature quicker than Haut-Medoc; classed growth Pessac-Leognan; white wines permitted in the appellation, but must be dry
›› Sauternes - only sweet wines permitted; wines from Barsac
LEGISLATION
›› classification systems and QWPSR structure, if relevant
›› BETWEEN RIVERS
›› Entre-deux-Mers - dry white wine only for AC, blend or varietal Semillon or Sauvignon Blanc; however, red grapes dominate
LEGISLATION
›› classification systems and QWPSR structure, if relevant
›› RIGHT BANK - ST EMILION
›› 9 satellite communes with distinct vineyards and soils
›› Plateau north and west, well-drained gravel and limestone, limestone escarpment in south east
›› Grapes: Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc; Saint Emilion Grand Cru Classe grown on these sites
›› Low yields, aged in new oak; rich tannin, red fruit, develop to cedar and tobacco with age, command premium prices; sandy soils below escarpment produce lighter wines
›› Satellites: Lussac, Montagne, Puissegrain, Saint-Georges
LEGISLATION
›› classification systems and QWPSR structure, if relevant
›› RIGHT BANK - POMEROL
›› No formal classification, very small estates, command premium prices (Le Pin, Petrus)
›› Wines richer than St Emilion with spicy, blackberry flavour
LEGISLATION
›› classification systems and QWPSR structure, if relevant
›› RIGHT BANK - FRONSAC and CANON-FRONSAC
›› Hillside vineyards, full-bodied and tannic
LEGISLATION
›› classification systems and QWPSR structure, if relevant
›› COTES DE BORDEAUX
›› Cotes de Bourg - soft, early drinking red and white wines
›› Cotes de Bordeaux - hillside regions on right bank; previously four separate appellations (Blaye, Franc, Cadillac, Castillon); in separate areas on right bank; 97% red wine, 14% Bordeaux wines
HISTORY
›› including factors which are relevant to the question and today’s position
›› MEDOC - 1855
›› First Growth (1er Crus)
Latour, Lafite, Mouton-Rothschild, Margaux (all Haut-Medoc), Haut-Brion (Pessac-Leognan, Graves)
›› Second Growth x 14
›› Third Growth x 14
›› Fourth Growth x 10
›› Fifth Growth x 18
HISTORY
›› including factors which are relevant to the question and today’s position
›› SAUTERNES - 1855
›› 1er Cru Superieur (Yquem)
›› 1er Cru x 11
›› 2eme Cru x 14
HISTORY
›› including factors which are relevant to the question and today’s position
›› CRU BOURGEOIS - 1932
›› Created for Ch in Medoc outside 1855, reviewed 1978, 2003 (annulled - due to corruption),
›› Mark of quality rather than classification,
›› No internal ranking (exceptionnel & supérieur introduced in 2003, but removed)
HISTORY
›› including factors which are relevant to the question and today’s position
›› CRU BOURGEOIS - 2007 onwards
›› Cru Bourgeois designation of quality
›› Right to term determined by site visit and tasting

›› Annual qualification, awarded by independent org

›› Any Medoc property can apply
HISTORY
›› including factors which are relevant to the question and today’s position
›› SAINT-EMILION 1955
›› Classed as Grand Cru, Premier Grand Cru A, Premier Grand Cru B

›› Reclassified every 10 years

›› 2006 Classification annulled due to invalid tasting, so 1996 ruling still stands

›› Future of classification outside AC reviewed in 2010/2011
HISTORY
›› including factors which are relevant to the question and today’s position
›› 
GRAVES (Pessac-Leognan) 1959
›› Separate lists for red and white

›› No ranking distinctions (1er, 2eme, etc)

›› Includes Haut-Brion, even though it’s in 1855
HISTORY
›› including factors which are relevant to the question and today’s position
›› 
GARAGISTES
›› Unclassified
›› Particularly right bank
›› Tiny quantities, no expense spared
›› Full bodied, concentrated, low yielding, new oak, high price
CURRENT ISSUES INCLUDING MARKETING
›› key producers, hot topics, brands, generic activity
›› KEY PRODUCERS
›› Left Bank - Latour, Lafite, Mouton-Rothschild, Margaux, Haut-Brion, Yquem
›› Right Bank - Petrus, Le Pin
CURRENT ISSUES INCLUDING MARKETING
›› key producers, hot topics, brands, generic activity
›› HOT TOPICS
›› En Primeur sales - relevance for the future
›› Fakes
›› Global warming
CURRENT ISSUES INCLUDING MARKETING
›› key producers, hot topics, brands, generic activity
›› EN PRIMEUR
›› Top Chateaux release small quantities of stock in March after harvest to free up cash tied up in stock
›› Best in times of financial boom because investors have excess money
›› Prices include all costs put to and including bottling and takes the issue of prestige into account
›› Released in tranches
›› Price increases with each tranche
›› Wines are kept at Chateaux and are released to the buyer at about 2 years after harvest
CURRENT ISSUES INCLUDING MARKETING
›› key producers, hot topics, brands, generic activity
›› INFLUENCES ON PRICE
›› Quantity more important than quality for inexpensive Bordeaux
›› Branded Bordeaux AC maintains a minimum standard so can charge a slightly higher price
›› Vintage conditions also affect price, and reviews by influential critics and magazines
›› Petits Chateaux and Cru Bourgeois fall between these two extremes