An In-Depth Guide to the Wines of Bordeaux

• History of the Region • Geology, Climate and Terroir • Appellations and Classifications • Vintages • Tasting!

History: How Bordeaux Got to Where It is Today • 1st century: Romans plant vines in St.-Émilion • 1152: Port of Bordeaux under English rule, facilitating international trade (particularly to Britain) of wines • 1530: Jean de Pontac plants at Haut-Brion, a precursor to the château system • 1600s: Dutch create drainage system in Médoc; nobility arrive and grand châteaux establish on gravel soils

All class outlines are copyright of Corkbuzz Wine Studio. Materials may be used for personal and non-commercial use only. Please do not reproduce or redistribute for any commercial purposes without express written consent.

• 1700s: Merchant class, négociants and courtiers take control of the market • 1855: Classification of Bordeaux • 1869: Phylloxera arrives • Early 1900s: War, disease, depression • 1982: The vintage that changed everything…

The Grapes • Red blends • Merlot • Cabernet Sauvigon • Cabernet Franc • Malbec • Petit Verdot • Carmenère

• White blends • Sémillon • Sauvignon Blanc • Muscadelle

Organization: General Appellations • Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée à Laws enacted in 1935 • Where you can plant • Variety • Yield • Ripeness/Alcohol levels • Vineyard management • Winemaking techniques • Labeling requirements

• Bordeaux & Bordeaux Supérieur AOP • Left Bank • Médoc & Haut-Médoc • Graves & Pessac-Léognan • Sauternes & Barsac • Right Bank • St.-Émilion • Pomerol • Bourg, Côtes de Bordeaux, Entre-Deux-Mers

1855 Classification 1st Growths: Château Lafite Rothschild, Pauillac Château Latour, Pauillac Château Margaux, Margaux Château Haut-Brion, Pessac-Léognan Château Mouton Rothschild, Pauillac (reclassified from 2nd Growth in 1973)

2nd Growths: 4th Growths: Château Cos d'Estournel, St.-Estèphe Château Lafon-Rochet, St.-Estèphe Château Montrose, St.-Estèphe Château Duhart-Milon-Rothschild, Pauillac Château Pichon Longueville Baron, Pauillac Château Saint-Pierre, St.-Julien Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande, Pauillac Château Talbot, St.-Julien Château Léoville-Las Cases, St.-Julien Château Branaire-Ducru, St.-Julien Château Léoville-Poyferré, St.-Julien Château Beychevelle, St.-Julien Château Léoville Barton, St.-Julien Château Marquis de Terme, Margaux Château Gruaud-Larose, St.-Julien Château Pouget, Cantenac-Margaux (Margaux) Château Ducru-Beaucaillou, St.-Julien Château Prieuré-Lichine, Cantenac-Margaux (Margaux) Château Rauzan-Ségla, Margaux Château La Tour Carnet, St. Laurent (Haut-Médoc) Château Rauzan-Gassies, Margaux Château Durfort-Vivens, Margaux 5th Growths: Château Lascombes, Margaux Château Cos Labory, St.-Estèphe Château Brane-Cantenac, Cantenac-Margaux (Margaux) Château Pontet-Canet, Pauillac Château Batailley, Pauillac 3rd Growths: Château Haut-Batailley, Pauillac Château Calon-Ségur, St.-Estèphe Château Haut-Bages-Libéral, Pauillac Château Lagrange, St.-Julien Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste, Pauillac Château Langoa Barton, St.-Julien Château Grand-Puy-Ducasse, Pauillac Château Malescot St. Exupéry, Margaux Château Lynch-Bages, Pauillac Château Desmirail, Margaux Château Lynch-Moussas, Pauillac Château Ferrière, Margaux Château d'Armailhac, Pauillac (Previously Mouton- Château Marquis d'Alesme Becker, Margaux Baronne-Philippe until 1989) Château Kirwan, Cantenac-Margaux (Margaux) Château Pédesclaux, Pauillac Château d'Issan, Cantenac-Margaux (Margaux) Château Clerc-Milon, Pauillac Château Boyd-Cantenac, Cantenac-Margaux (Margaux) Château Croizet Bages, Pauillac Château Cantenac-Brown, Cantenac-Margaux (Margaux) Château Dauzac, Labarde (Margaux) Château Palmer, Cantenac-Margaux (Margaux) Château du Tertre, Arsac (Margaux) Château Giscours, Labarde-Margaux (Margaux) Château Belgrave, St.-Laurent (Haut-Médoc) Château La Lagune, Ludon (Haut-Medoc) Château de Camensac, St.-Laurent (Haut-Médoc) Château Cantemerle, Macau (Haut-Médoc) (added in 1856)

Soil, Climate, Exposure: the notion of Terroir • Western central France • Largest wine region in France; second largest in terms of production • Rivers Dordogne and Garonne join to create Gironde estuary, which meets Atlantic Ocean in far west of region • Maritime climate; mild and damp (coulure and millerandage are problems) • Flat! • Two primary soil types: gravel (left bank); clay (right bank) • Proximity to ocean enables trade • Châteaux own large swaths of often non-contiguous vines • Produce a single “grand vin” regardless of location of vineyard plots within appellation • Second wine often produced from inferior grapes

Left Bank: Pessac-Léognan – Bordeaux Blanc Sec • Pessac-Léognan is a sub-appellation of Graves, created in 1987 • Source of high quality reds and dry whites • Soil is gravelly sand with some clay • Six communes of production • Sec = dry; whites here are blends of Sauvignon Blanc, Sémillon and Muscadelle • Bordeaux blanc often oaked Château Olivier Blanc ’06 – Pessac-Léognan, Bordeaux

Left Bank: Haut-Médoc – St. Estèphe • Médoc is a larger, more general appellation within which Haut-Médoc sits • Specific commune appellations lie within the Haut-Médoc • Best vineyards of Haut-Médoc are on gravel mounds • Cabernet Sauvignon dominates, followed by Merlot and Cabernet Franc • Châteaux hold classification and status rather than the vineyards • St. Estèphe is northernmost communal appellation of the Haut-Médoc • St. Estèphe has no 1st growths; 5 total classified growths • St. Estèphe known for being full, robust in style Marquis de Calon ’03 – St. Estèphe, Bordeaux

Left Bank: Haut-Médoc: Margaux • Margaux is southernmost communal appellation of the Haut-Médoc • Margaux appellation covers five villages • 21 classified growths; one 1st growth: Château Margaux • Margaux soils are thinner, more shallow gravel over limestone with bands of clay • Margaux general style is elegant, finessed and very floral Château Baron de Brane ’07 – Margaux, Bordeaux

Right Bank: St.-Émilion • St.-Émilion is one of the two main communes of the right bank • Clay soils with limestone on the côtes and gravel on the graves plateau • Merlot usually dominates, then Cabernet Franc • Style of St.-Émilion is generous and fleshy yet fresh • St.-Émilion created its own classification in 1954; regular [controversial] revisions including one in 2012 • Premier Cru Classé A – 4 estates • Premier Cru Classé B – 14 estates • Grand Cru Classé – 64 estates • St.-Émilion Grand Cru AOP requires higher ABV, longer aging before release Château Roc de Candale ’06 – St.-Émilion, Bordeaux

Right Bank: Pomerol • Pomerol is a much smaller appellation than St.-Émilion • Merlot-dominant blends with Cabernet Franc • Clay with sand, gravel and some iron deposits • Style of Pomerol is known for being rich, opulent, plush • Right bank also known for the garagiste movement • No formal classification Château La Croix du Casse ’04 – Pomerol, Bordeaux

Left Bank: Graves – Sauternes • Sweet wines can be produced anywhere in Graves, but Sauternes sub- appellation is exclusively for sweet wines • Sauternes covers five villages • Gravel, clay and sand soils • Cérons and Barsac are also sweet wine appellations • Meeting of Ciron and Garonne rivers creates botrytis, aka “noble rot” • 1855 Classification for Sauternes Château Les Justices ’85 – Sauternes, Bordeaux

Recent Vintages • 2012: Tricky, varied vintage with low yields; wines for earlier drinking • 2011: “Back to reality” with dry weather and low yields; fresher red-fruited reds; sweet whites excel • 2010: Great year with warm, dry days and cool nights; classic structure with ripe fruit • 2009: Warm; great ripeness, very open and opulent yet should also age well • 2008: Long growing season; wines are fresh and complex • 2007: Cool and wet year; pure yet edgy reds; great, bright and aromatic dry whites • 2006: Rainy harvest; reds are broad-shouldered, tannic; good whites • 2005: Warm year; great for powerful reds that will age • 2004: Uneven growing season and variable reds, typically with firm structures • 2003: Extremely hot; richly fruited reds that are mature now • 2002: Fair weather; classically styled wines at good prices

What are you looking for: Value? Ready to drink? Collecting and aging? • Know what you like/what you want and know how to ask for it • Find a salesperson you trust • Learn the village characteristics and producers you regularly like • Be mindful of provenance • Remember vintages: “off” for value, “acclaimed” for collecting • Don’t overlook non-classified houses and appellations