Appellations (57): Barsac, Cadillac,
Cotes de Blaye, Cotes de Bourg, Cotes de Castillon, Cotes de Francs,
Entre-Deux-Mers, Fronsac and Canon-Fronsac,
Graves, Haut-Medoc, Lalande-de-Pomerol,
Listrac-Medoc, Loupiac, Margaux,
Medoc, Moulis, Pauillac,
Pessac-Leognan, Pomerol, Premieres Cotes de Bordeaux, St. Emilion,
St. Estephe, St. Julien, Ste. Croix-du-Mont, Sauternes (*** many
other small appellations are in the Bordeaux).
Production: 280,000 acres (113,000
ha); 860 million bottles.
The Bordeaux region in southwest France, considered
one of the best wine-producing areas of the world, produces the most
famous, expensive and sought after wine in the world. Bordeaux takes
its name after the seaport city; there are more than 7,000 châteaux
in the Bordeaux region.
The region is divided into three pricipal areas around
three rivers that appear to be an upside down "Y" on a map.
The Garonne River and Dardogne River meet north of the city of Bordeaux
and form the Gironde River that flows into the Atlantic. The three
areas are (1) The Left Bank, (2) Entre-Deux-Mers and (3) The Right
Bank. These areas produce markedly different wines.
Cabernet Sauvignon is the acclaimed red grape of
Bordeaux, however, the cold spring seasons may delay flowering and
the rains in the fall may delay ripening. The cool climate of Bordeaux
produces grapes with high acidity that is one characteristic quality
leading to the long life of the wines. It is common in Bordeaux to
blend Cabernet Sauvignon with other red grapes that age quicker, such
as Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot.
Merlot is the predominantly planted red grape in
Bordeaux and is the major varietal in the great wines of Saint-Émilion
and Pomerol. Merlot grapes are fat and full of juice and bud, flower
and ripen earlier than Cabernet Sauvignon giving growers some insurance
of success in a marginal climate. The grape thrives well in Bordeaux
along the right band of the Gironde River in the cool damp soil.
Bordeaux has a reputation for producing quality white
wines, especially on the Left Bank and Entre-Duex-Mers. On the Left
Bank are the famous whites of Graves; these are very dry and are made
from Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon grapes. Also on the Left
Bank are the Sauternes and Barsac regions that produce sweet wines
also from Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon grapes. This is due
to botrytis cinerea, known as "noble rot", a fungus
that dehydrates and shrivels the grapes.
Sauternes is located on the Left Bank next to the
Garonne River and its tributary, Ciron. The environment here leads
itself to the development of botrytis cinerea. In the autumn evening,
mist covers the vineyards, but as the sun rises in the morning the
moisture is burned off, slowly and ideally developing "noble
rot".
