Bordeaux

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.

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.