Located in the South Western region of France, Bordeaux is a picturesque port city on the Garonne River. With a rural rustic surrounding landscape, fantastic climate and breathtaking French architecture it is no wonder that hundreds of people from across the globe come to visit the city every year. However, many of them do not come to enjoy the parks and gardens nor the stunning surroundings, but rather the regions most important export, red wine.
The history of wine in the Bordeaux area spans almost two millennia with the first existence of vineyards in the area stemming from Roman development and influence on the area. The climate, fertile soil heavy in calcium and tributaries meant that the vineyards became a flourishing success, and the name Bordeaux comes from au bord de l’eau (along the water) which refers to the areas moisture and fertility for wine growing. Following the marriage of Eleanor of Aquitaine and Henry Plantagenet in the twelfth century the region’s red wine was exchanged with international wine buyers and opened up the wine market.
Over the last few hundred years the reputation of Bordeaux red wine has only improved and the quality of the product is so renowned that by law all Bordeaux bottles are stamped by the AOC. Currently the Bordeaux region is the second largest wine growing region in the world and there are 57 appellations of Bordeaux red wine. On average vintages produce over 700 million bottles of Bordeaux wine, although in good vintages this can rise to almost 900 million bottles, ranging from the most top-quality and prestigious wines in the world to every day bottles of table wine. Bordeaux wine is made from approximately 10,000 producers from the grapes of over 13,000 vineyard owners.
Red Bordeaux, known as claret in the United Kingdom, is made from a wide range of grapes blended together. Typically the Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Malbec and Petit Verdot grapes are the varieties permitted with Cabernet Sauvignon dominating the blend. Generally the top quality blends of Bordeaux Châteaux blends are made from 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Cabernet Franc and 15% Merlot. Right bank blends are generally 70% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc and 15% Cabernet Sauvignon.
The term Right Bank refers to one of the four sub-sections of grape growing areas that produce the Bordeaux red wine. Right Bank or Red Libourne wines are located near the city of Libourne. They are produced by 10 appellations and are predominantly created with Merlot grapes with very little Cabernet Sauvignon. Wines from this region are often considered to have a rich fruity texture, soft tannins and are very long lived. The two famous of this kind are Saint Emilion and Pomerol.
Another sub-section includes the Left Bank or Red Graves and Medoc wine region. These wines are produced from regions North and South of the city of Bordeaux and bottles are typically high in Cabernet Sauvignon content but also with a significant amount of Merlot within for a rich full-bodied flavour. Wines from this classification are usually concentrated, long-lived, tannic and require cellaring prior to drinking. Notably, the five First Growths are situated here.
From Red Bordeaux and Bordeaux Superieur are the so-called “basic” red wines which are produced across the Bordeaux region. These are typically the cheapest wines and are sold under commercial brand names as opposed to from specific merchants. They tend to be fruity, very palatable with a marginal influence of oak and are meant to be drunk young and out of cellar. The final region consists of eight appellations in the hilly outskirts and is referred to as the Red Cotes de Bordeaux area. The blend is typically dominated by Merlot in this area, and is considered to be between the Right and Left Bank wines and the more basic Red Bourdeaux wines in terms of quality, esteem and flavour. Prices tend to be fairly moderate for this kind of wine.
When deliberating over the wine you would like to choose, whether for a particular event or simply for enjoyment, the Bordeaux labels provide information – on the wine’s estate, classification, appellation, whether or not the wine is bottled at the chateaux, the vintage and alchohol content – for your consideration. However, one must bear in mind that with Bordeaux the amount of high quality wines is so large that there is a ranking system just for their regions’ wine. Some of the names involved are globally renowned, for instance: Margaux, Haut Brion, Petrus and Yquem. These full-bodied wines are perfect accompaniments for dishes such as oysters, duck and lamb.
