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Bordeaux Red Wine Vinification

On February 17, 2008, in Bordeaux, wine geeks, Winemaking, by ngorevic

As I've said before about France, its systems have been copied around the world. This is particularly true for red wine in Bordeaux. Not all red wine in Bordeaux is high quality, which is reflective of the different choices available to winemakers, many of which will affect the final price.

Grape Selection

If you don't take into account the yearly changes in weather and its effect on different grape varieties, there are some standards of grape selection that Bordeaux wine makers deal with. The basic choice is between a wine that will mature early, and be ready to drink quickly, and one that will take much longer to become drinkable. If you're after the early maturing wine, more Merlot will be used, and if you want the longer maturing wine, you will use more Cabernet Sauvignon. Beyond that, the wine maker also has a choice of how to select the individual grapes at harvest time. One option is called a green harvest (vendange verte) in which grapes are picked before harvest, to lower yields and increase the sugar level in the final grapes. Additionally, grapes can be hand selected by people after the grapes are harvested. Each of these stages will of course add to the final cost of the wine.

Fermentation

Historically, if the wine were to be age-worthy, some of the stalks would be added to the fermentation vessel to increase the amount of tannins in the wine. This practice has become less common, and depends on the nature of the vintage. The traditional fermentation vessel was made of oak, but nowadays, stainless steel is used almost exclusively. Individual grape varieties to be used in blends are fermented seperately.

Aging and Blending

The highest quality red wine in Bordeaux is aged in new oak barrels, for as long as 24 months. Lower quality vineyards may use second-hand barrels, which do not impart as much flavor and body to the wine. Some vineyard may not use oak at all. At some point in the midst of the aging process, the different varietals will be blended together, according to what happened with the weather that year, and the type of wine being produced. Many Châteaux have a second or even third wine that they produce from wines that are rejected while tested during the aging process. Sometimes these wines are also sold in bulk to be sold by other producers.

Bordeaux Viticulture

On February 17, 2008, in Bordeaux, Viticulture, wine geeks, by ngorevic

Bordeaux vineyards are usually densely planted with vines trained low to the ground to benefit from reflected heat off the gravel soil below. The elite Chateaux keep their vines at a high age by carefully planning their planting cycles. Machine harvesting is widely used now in Bordeaux. The exception to this is the botrytized sweet wines, which must be hand-harvested to select the grapes most effected by the noble rot.

Bordeaux Grape Varieties

On February 17, 2008, in Bordeaux, Grape varieties, wine geeks, by ngorevic

Almost every single red wine produced in Bordeaux is a blend of several grape varieties. This is in part because of the varying climate. Different grapes react differently to changes in weather: some may have thick skins that are more resistant to rot, while some others might ripen earlier or later in the season. The wine maker's job in Bordeaux is to mix these different varieties based on the weather in that given year, so as to produce the best wine possible. This method has been perfected over many generations of Bordeaux wine makers. While there are technically 14 grape varieties permitted under the AC regulations, in reality only 5 black grapes and 3 whites are ever used:

Cabernet Sauvignon

Cabernet is the classic black grape variety of Bordeaux. In the Médoc, it makes up 75% of the blend in wines. Throughout Bordeaux however, Cabernet Sauvignon makes up only 29% of the planting, because it produces relatively lower yields. The wines made from Cabernet Sauvignon in Bordeaux are quality wines high in tannin. The classic aroma is of blackcurrants, but if the grapes do not ripen fully, it will have more of a vegetal quality, too tough to drink unless softened by blending with Merlot. It grows best on drained, warm, gravel soils.

Cabernet Franc

This grape is grown mainly in Saint-Emilion, and somewhat in the Médoc and Graves. It has larger yields that Cabernet Sauvignon, but less body. The typical flavors are herbaceous and stalky, and the wine matures more rapidly than Cabernet Sauvignon. It prefers the same type of soil as Cabernet Sauvignon.

Merlot

Merlot produces a medium yield of full-bodies, moderately tannic wine. It can add softness, richness, and body to Cabernet Sauvignon in blends. The most important areas for Merlot are Saint-Emilion and Pomerol, where it is grown on limestone soil. By itself, Merlot doesn't have enough character to make a successful wine, unless it is grow in very low yields. When a Merlot wine like this is produced, it is still always blended with Cabernet Sauvignon or Cabernet Franc to add fruit aromas, color, and tannin.

Malbec

Malbec in Bordeaux is mainly used for basic, easy to drink red wines, in areas like Bourg and Blaye. Its popularity is small and is on the decline.

Petit Verdot

This black grape is used only as a small additive in blends, to add tannin, color, and notes of spice to very fine Bordeaux wines.

Sémillon

Sémillon is the most planted white grape in Bordeaux. Because of its thin skin, it is very prone to rot. This makes it an excellent candidate for botrytized sweet wines. It produces full-bodied wines with a gold color.

Sauvignon Blanc

Sauvignon Blanc is the exception to the rule that all Bordeaux wines are blends. In Bordeaux it does have the classic Vegetal and grassy aromas. It is sometimes blended, usually with Sémillon, where it provided high acidity to contrast with Sémillon's potential flabbiness.

Muscadelle

Muscadelle has a distinctive grape flavor and is used as an important but minor element in sweet wines.

Bordeaux Soil and Topography

On February 17, 2008, in Bordeaux, Soils and Topography, wine geeks, by ngorevic

Close to the rivers of Bordeaux, there is a band of alluvial soil, which is much too rich in nutrients to produce great wine. Only the lowest appellations are grown here. The best wine from bordeaux is grown on gravel, overlying a subsoil of marl, which allows water to drain through, giving the vines that struggle for survival essential for making good wine. Most of this soil is found in the villages of the Haut-Médoc in the north, and in nothern Graves. In Saint-Emilion, the gravel instead covers a base of limestone. In Bordeaux, there are very few hillside vineyards but when they do occur, the soil is usually limestone and clay.

Bordeaux Climate

On February 17, 2008, in Bordeaux, France, wine geeks, by ngorevic

Bordeaux is located at 45° latitude, which is fairly far north for wine growing. During the ripening season, the grapes receive a great deal of sunshine. The relatively cold climate is moderated somewhat by the maritime climate. Because of this, frost is normally not an issue. The area is also prone to high humidity due to proximity to the ocean and the major rivers flowing through the area, which can be a good thing as far as noble rot is concerned, but can also lead to grey rot in red wine grapes. The Atlantic ocean brings strong winds, but these are mostly broken up by pine forests and coastal sand dunes. Because of all these factors, that can vary a great deal from year to year, the wines of Bordeaux also vary in quality. Vintages become particularly important hear. For example, in 1991 a rare frost did develop and the harvest was exceptionally poor, greatly reducing the quality of wine produced.

The Chateau System

On February 17, 2008, in Bordeaux, wine geeks, by ngorevic

In Bordeaux, vineyards are known by estate, or Chateau. The word in this case does not refer to an actual castle, although there are a few famous vineyards that do have an actual castle somewhere on the premises, and there will often be a picture of one on the label. The Chateau name is more like what we would think of as a brand name. Chateau are allowed to expand and contract by buying or selling land to incorporate into their estate, so they are not a fixed thing. There are more than 3000 different Chateaux in Bordeaux.

Bordeaux

On February 15, 2008, in Bordeaux, France, wine geeks, by ngorevic

Bordeaux is one of the oldest wine regions in the world. It was an important town during Roman times, and became known for producing excellent wines in the Middle Ages. In the 18th century, the style of Bordeaux wines as we know them today was shipped as contraband to England, and called "New French Claret."

While the upper echelon of Bordeaux wines still command extremely high prices at auction every year, these wines make up only a very small percentage of Bordeaux's production. For the rest of Bordeaux's producers, the rise in popularity of New World wines has become a problem. It is difficult for these producers to compete on the international market. They are beholden to the same legal standards as the expensive Bordeauxs, so they are forbidden to, for example, use oak chips in white wines like an Australian producer might be. Bordeaux red also require a great deal of age in the bottle before they are drinkable, which doesn't suit the New World taste, and does not compete well with less expensive and easy drinking young red wines from areas like Napa valley in California.

In spite of this crisis situation, Bordeaux remains, as do all wine regions in France, enormously influential on wines produced throughout the world, and sets the standard for several wines people drink and buy everywhere.

France

On February 15, 2008, in France, wine geeks, by ngorevic

As you might have noticed so far in this blog, and in general, France gets talked about a lot when it comes to wine. The Italians might have some issues with this, but the basic reason for that is that all of winemaking is mostly based on the French system. Almost every style of wine made in the world is based on a wine that is made in France that has been made there for much longer than anywhere else. People try to imitate French styles with varying success. This might because of different soil types or winemaking skill or any number of factors. Some wines made in other regions of the world can now fool blind tasters, so the rest of the world is certainly catching up. But the fact is that the French have had much longer to figure out their land, and know exactly where the best grapes grow, and how to get the most out of them. This is why we study France in more detail than any other country.

French Table Wines

On February 15, 2008, in French Wine Laws, wine geeks, by ngorevic

In addition to the quality wines, France also has two classes of Table wine,: Vins de Pays, and Vins de Table.

Vins de Pays represents about 20 percent France's wine production. It comes primarily from the areas bordering Belgium, Spain, and Italy. There are 4 important areas:

Vin de Pays d'Oc. This is the most important area, covering the Languedoc and Roussillon.
Vin de Pays des Comtés Rhodaniens. This includes the Rhône valley and the Alps areas.
Vin de Pays du Jardin de la France. The vineyards of the Loire valley and its surroundings.
Vin de Pays du Comté Tolosan, which includes Bordeaux and southwest France.

In addition, there are 54 departmental Vins de Pays, and many regional Vins de Pays. To qualify for Vins de Pays, there are four requirements:

Area of production. The grapes must be grown in one of the areas mentioned above.
Grape varities. Each area has a recommended list of varieties to be grown, and this list is much larger than for quality wines, so a great deal of experimentation is allowed.
Yields. Yields are controlled, but do not have to be as low as in quality wines.
Alcohol level. The usual minimum alcohol level is around 9%-10%.

Vins de Table makes up 30% of French wine production. Vins de Table can be from grapes grown in any area of France, and will not have a region, vintage, or grape variety on the lable. It will only say Vins de Table. Yields are the highest out of all the categories. Chaptalization is not allowed, and the price is usually determined by the strength of the alcohol.

French Quality Wines

On February 15, 2008, in French Wine Laws, wine geeks, by ngorevic

French laws divide wines into two different categories of quality wine: Appelation d'Origine Contrôlée and Vins Délimités de Qualité Supérieure.

Appelation d'Origine Contrôlée:
This designation is abbreviated AC or AOC, and it refers to a specific area within a wine region. Every major wine region in France handles its AC laws a bit differently, which can make the system a bit confusing. But each AC addresses the following points:

The areas of production that are included in each AC. These boundaries are based somehow on soil types, but the AC may include several different soil type areas.
Allowed grape varieties. Each AC has a history of growing certain grapes, and the permitted grapes are now governed by law.
Viticulture. Types of planting and training and pruning methods are all controlled.
Yield. Each AC has a controlled amount of yield that a given acreage is allowed to produce.
Vinification. Fermentation, bottling, and aging are all controlled.
Alcohol levels. A minimum alcohol level is specified, which must be reached without chaptalization.

Each region has its ow hierarchy of appellations, which are based on geography. As the geographic description of the AC gets more specific, the quality increases, and the production is even more heavily regulated. Each individual vineyard may have several different AC wines that it produces. This will become clearer as I cover each individual reason in the near future.

Vins Délimités de Qualité Supérieur:

This designtation was started in 1949, as a stepping stone to the AC designation. This category only represents about 1 percent of total wine production in France, so it doesn't currently play a large role in the French system.