Bordeaux Deconstructed: A Beginner’s Guide to The Region

07/09/2023 - 16:10

Tags:France,Bordeaux,Cabernet Sauvignon,Chateau,Dessert Wine,French Wine,Grape Varieties,Merlot,Sauvignon Blanc,

Bordeaux: the name is synonymous with red wine and yet so many aspiring wine lovers would tell you they find it just too complicated, unpredictable, and expensive, and that they tend to look elsewhere when it comes to making their wine choices. So, let’s see if we can simplify things:

Bordeaux is the name of a city and a wine region. It could also be considered a wine ‘brand’ with certain rules governing the grape varieties, the origin, and the way the wines are made. The city is situated on the southwest coast of France and has a long history as a port and important trading post with wine its most important export.

Grape Varieties

Bordeaux’s most planted red grape is Merlot. It dominates the vineyards of Saint-Émilion and Pomerol on what is referred to as the ‘Right bank’.

The Médoc is the tongue-shaped region to the west known as the ‘Left bank’. Here Cabernet Sauvignon reigns supreme with Cabernet Franc complementing these two grape varieties on both sides of the Gironde estuary.

So, blending is a key feature of nearly every Bordeaux red. Don’t be afraid to ask a Bordeaux winemaker about the blend or ‘assemblage’ of their wine – it is a very pertinent question and one which will probably produce a different answer with every vintage/year.

The Left & Right Bank

The red wines of the Médoc from places like Pauillac, Saint Julien and Margaux tend to have cassis (blackcurrant) flavours, medium weight, and a firm structure (relatively high acid and tannins). They are nearly always aged in oak which gives them a cedary spice, and they tend to benefit from a few years’ ageing in bottle before being consumed. The reds of the Right Bank, from origins such as Saint-Émilion and Pomerol, are generally fuller in body, softer in mouthfeel and structure (due to relatively lower acid and tannin levels) and are often higher in alcohol. They too benefit from ageing in bottle before consumption but generally don’t need quite as long to come round as their Left Bank cousins.

The reds of the Right Bank, from origins such as Saint-Émilion and Pomerol, are generally fuller in body, softer in mouthfeel and structure (due to relatively lower acid and tannin levels) and are often higher in alcohol. They too benefit from ageing in bottle before consumption but generally don’t need quite as long to come round as their Left Bank cousins.

When will it be ready to drink?

A decent rule of thumb is that the more money you spend on your Bordeaux, the longer you need to wait before enjoying it at its best. However, each year the weather pattern varies; hence, the difference in vintages. 2016 and 2019 were excellent, while 2013 was not so good!

However, every château is individual in their approach, so it is always worth checking online to see the recommended drinking window for your wine.The drinking window is the period within which the wine will taste its best in terms of balance of fruit, acid, tannin, and oak.

Bordeaux Whites

Although more famous for its reds, Bordeaux produces dry and sweet white wines too. Interestingly, the main grape varieties for both dry and sweet white wine production are the same: Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon.

The best dry whites come from the Pessac-Léognan and Entre-Deux-Mers areas to the south of the Médoc, whereas the best sweet wines are from the neighbouring area of Sauternes/Barsac which borders them further south and along the Garonne river.

Sauternes & Barsac

The inexpensive dry whites are usually unoaked and ready to drink when young whereas most of the Chateau-bottled dry whites will spend some time in oak giving them a fuller body and richer mouthfeel than Sauvignons from the Loire Valley or New Zealand, for example.

Sauternes and Barsacs are always sweet (although producers here are experimenting with dry wines under the generic ‘Bordeaux Blanc’ label) and are uniquely rich, luscious styles of wine. Expensive, risk-laden and time consuming to make, they depend on the pre-harvest appearance of ‘Noble Rot’ (Botrytis cinerea fungus) on the late-hanging grapes.

The Bordelais enjoy Sauternes with Foie gras and rich terrines; in the UK and Ireland it tends to be more renowned as an accompaniment to desserts and cheeses: try it with apple tart, crème brulée, or a creamy blue cheese.

Enhance your knowledge by attending our Mini Masterclass - Bordeaux: Behind the Label!