2. Donât Miss out on our upcoming
Wine Events âŚ.
November â Celebrate with Sparkling and Champagne
Nothing says âfestiveâ more than a bottle of bubbly! This tasting and
seminar is perfect for those looking to discover a sparkling wine that best
suits their budget and palate. Eight sparkling wines will be tasted, including
CrĂŠmant de Bourgogne and four stunning selections from Champagne
including Grand Cru selections!
January 2014 â You be the judge! An Introduction to Wine.
Invite a friend! This seminar and tasting is ideal for learning the basics of
wine tastings. Attendees will learn how to identify the key components of a
wine, how to score a wine like the experts and how to identify the style of a
wine.
3. Announcing a
once in a lifetime
event featuring
Angelo Gaja and
Georg Riedel
Hosted in
Scottsdale, Arizona
on 10/23
$199 per person
4. Objectives: To explore and discover the wines from the
most famous winegrowing area in the world.
Bordeaux ⌠how do I love thee?
6. 291,000 acres, 1.5% of the entire worldâs vineyards, but
represents 10% of the dollar value of all wine exports in
the world.
Over twice the acres of all the vineyards in Napa,
Sonoma, Mendocino, Monterey and Santa Barbara
counties combined.
55,000,000 cases produced every year within Bordeaux,
of which 20 million cases are exported
Over 13,000 growers which include 10,000 estates
60 different appellations
Bordeaux
Vineyard Land and Production
7. Bordeaux is deemed the most
prestigious wine-growing region
in the world, and is considered
the birthplace of the wine culture
as we know it today
While steeped in tradition,
Bordeaux has continually updated
vineyard and wine making
practices in order to improve
quality. The importance of
Bordeaux in the world of wine
should not be underestimated.
Bordeaux
Prestige and Background
8. Bordeaux is currently the leading
producer of high quality red wines
in the world and has been for the
last 200 years.
While wineries in other areas
produce great wines, at times equal
to the great wines of Bordeaux, no
other area in the world has nearly
as many high quality wineries
producing incredible amounts of
high quality wines.
Bordeaux
Prestige and Background
9. ⢠Ideal climate and soil
conditions
⢠Has centuries of experience
in making fine wine
⢠Size and scale - the vineyards
total around 291,000 acres â
bigger than the whole of
Germany.
⢠Bordeaux has some of the
best wine making techniques
in the world.
Bordeaux
Advantages
10. Châteaux were placed in five
classes, from one (the highest) to
five. The commission that
compiled the list used the prices
of each chateauâs wines as a
benchmark.
Some wines have risen in status
since 1855; some have fallen,
but the classification is still in use
today. It shows that by the mid-
19th Century, the landowners of
the MĂŠdoc had singled out and
planted the best land.
Bordeaux
1855 Classification
11. Bordeaux in general and the MĂŠdoc in
particular, is the land of hierarchies.
These widely traded wines have
depended on giving customers clear
signals of quality and price, and the
1855 Classification was one of several
19th century lists drawn up by the
wine trade.
The 1855 Classification (as amended
by the 1973 promotion of Château
Mouton Rothschild to premier Cru
status) is still in force. It covers the red
wine chateaux of the MĂŠdoc with one
Graves property, Château Haut Brion.
Bordeaux
1855 Classification
Initiated by Napoleon III
19. Sauvignon Blanc - An aromatic, acidic
grape variety for white wine. This grape
produces wines that are dry, refreshing,
and full of character.
SĂŠmillon - An early ripener, this grape if
full flavored, with low acidity.
Muscadelle - A minor grape in
Bordeaux, it provides a rich âgrapeyâ
flavor and floral aroma.
The white wines of Bordeaux are
primarily grown within Graves, the most
prestigious coming from Pessac-LĂŠognan.
Bordeaux
White Grapes
20. In contrast to red wines, the grape
juice for dry white wines is fermented
without the skins. Immediately after
the grapes are harvested, the skins
are separated from the "must"
(unfermented grape juice).
The wine is bottled within twelve
months of the grapes being picked.
Bordeaux oenologists have improved
white winemaking techniques. This
has lead to much higher quality dry
white Bordeaux wines.
There are fantastic Sauvignon Blanc-
based whites produced within the
Entre-Deux-Mers, which translates
into âBetween Two Riversâ.
Bordeaux Blanc
21. Bordeaux
Entre-Deux-Mers
Entre-deux-mers is literally translated
into âbetween two seasâ
This appellation is one of the largest in
the Bordeaux region and is situated
between the Garonne and the
Dordogne Rivers
Whites produced her are labeled as
Entre-Deux-Mers but reds crafted
from grapes grown here are labeled
Bordeaux AOC or Bordeaux SupĂŠrieur
23. ⢠Made with love from 50% Sauvignon
Blanc, 50% Semillon
⢠Crafted from estate vineyards within the
Entre-deux-Mers AOC
⢠Crafted by Marie-Christine Renier
Labouille, owner and winemaker
Let's Taste!
Château Haut Guillebot Blanc
Retail: $
24. Bordeaux
Graves
After the Second World War the
omission of wines of Graves from
the official classification was having
a negative effect on the price and
desirability of wines from the region.
To improve marketing the region
announced in 1953 its own
classification of red wines and one
white wine, with more white wines
added in 1959. Sixteen wines were
given special classification.
26. ⢠A 76-acre estate (55 acres are devoted to
white grapes) located on the calcareous
plateau within Graves near Barsac
⢠50% Sauvignon, 47% SÊmillon,
3% Muscadelle â barrel-fermented and
aged in neutral barrel for 8 months
⢠Crafted by Denis Dubourdieu, owner and
renowned winemaker
Let's Taste!
Château Clos Floridene Graves
Retail: $
28. Cabernet Sauvignon - Esteemed by
connoisseurs as the noblest of all grapes,
it provides tannic backbone and structure.
It is very aromatic in young wines with
aromas of blackcurrant and also allows
the wine to gain enormous complexity
with age.
It is especially prominent in MĂŠdoc and
Graves wines and is distinguished by
balanced tannin and medium to high
acidity which together yield a complex,
elegant, and strong-bodied wine that ages
with grace.
Bordeaux
Red Grapes
29. Merlot - The most widely planted grape
variety in Bordeaux. It is especially
prominent in Pomerol and Saint-Ămilion.
With lower tannin and acid levels, it
produces smoother and fruitier wines than
ones blended predominantly with Cabernet
Sauvignon grapes. It exudes aromas of ripe
plums and red fruits.
Cabernet Franc - The primary blending
grape that provides acidity, fragrance and
strawberry-like fruit qualities. Can also be
used a primary grapes
Bordeaux
Red Grapes
30. Petit Verdot- Petit Verdot is a small,
thick skinned grape known for its very
deep purple color, strong tannic
structure and floral aromas.
Malbec- A somewhat rustic, full-
bodied grape variety for red wine. The
juice is mild and low in acidity.
Bordeaux
Red Grapes
31. Raves About Bordeauxâs
2009 & 2010 Vintages
â2010, like 2009 and 2005 may be the
âthree greatest Bordeaux vintages I
have tasted in my career.â âThe wines
will enjoy âastonishing longevityâ on
the back of high alcohol, fresh acids,
lower pHs and huge tannins.ââ Robert
Parker, Wine Advocate
32. A Quick look at the Left
Bank (more later)
This appellation is broken
into two sub-regions. The
northern area is the MĂŠdoc,
with the Haut-MĂŠdoc
located further south.
The red wines produced in
the MĂŠdoc represent great
value. They are produced
for everyday consumption
and do not require long-
term cellaring. These reds
are lighter in style, with fruit
flavors reflecting the soil
from which they spring.
MŃdoc
34. ⢠Cru Bourgeois crafted by Cabernet
Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and
Petite Verdot
⢠The estate is owned by the Salette family
and is near the village of Civrac in the
northern Medoc
⢠The family has 45 acres of vineyards on
chalky-clay soil with vines averaging 30
years in age
Let's Taste!
Château Pierre de Montignac
Medoc
Retail: $
37. RIGHT BANK
The Merlot-based wines of the
Right Bank are generally more
fruit forward and have less
tannins than those of the Left
Bank. The Right Bank consists of
two major regions, Saint-Ămilion
and Pomerol.
Saint-Ămilion contains over 900
individual producers. A blend of
Merlot and Cabernet Franc
produces wines that are less
tannic, softer, and more forward
than those of the Left Bank.
Bordeaux Rouge - Merlot
39. RIGHT BANK
The wines of Saint-Ămilion are
less tannic and generally more
fruit-driven in flavor than those
of the Left Bank. Merlot thrives
on the plateaus high above the
Dordogne River, where the soil
is filled with sand and clay. This
soil composition fosters the
creation of opulent and forward
wines.
Saint-Emilion
40. VALUES
Values of the left bank include
the satellites of Saint-Emilion
including:
Lussac-Saint-Emilion
Montagne-Saint-Emilion
St-Georges-Saint-Emilion
Puissequin-St-Emilion
Also included in the value
categories are:
Fronsac, Canon-Fronsac and
Castillon Cotes de Bordeaux
Saint-Emilion
41. The CĂ´tes de Bordeaux
represents 14% of the total
production of Bordeaux wine.
CĂ´tes de Bordeaux covers
130,800 acres and is home to
1,500 winegrowers. 97% of the
production is red with an
emphasis on Merlot.
It is divided into 4 "terroirs":
Blaye, Cadillac, Castillon and
Francs.
Cotes de Castillon vineyards are
located east of Saint-Emilion
Castillon CĂ´tes de Bordeaux
43. ⢠In 2008, David Curl, owner of Château
Gaby in Fronsac, decided to invest in this
beautiful estate located a few hundred
meters from the Saint-Emilion appellation.
⢠Crafted from 93% Merlot and 7%
Cabernet Sauvignon
⢠2010 received 90 points from the Wine
Advocate and the Wine Spectator
Let's Taste!
Château Moya Castillon Cotes de
Bordeaux
Retail: $
44. Situated on the banks of the
Dordogne and of the Isle,
Fronsac enjoys a soil made of
a mixture of clay and
limestone or clay and sand on
the slopes and the top of the
hills
Merlot is the dominant grape
in Fronsac and is regularly
paired with Cabernet Franc.
Malbec is used to add
complexity to the wines and
Cabernet Sauvignon may also
be included.
Fronsac
46. ⢠50-acre estate running along the River
Isle in Fronsac
⢠Crafted from a blend of 74% Merlot , 22%
Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon 4%
⢠Purchased by two Bordeaux enthusiasts
from the United States in 1986. They hired
Christan Veyry, an associate under Michel
Roland to lead their winemaking team
Let's Taste!
Château La Vieille Cure Fronsac
Retail: $
47. The elegant and
refined wines of
Pomerol fetch some of
the highest prices in all
Bordeaux despite the
fact that the chateaux
are not officially
classified. The
renowned Château
Petrus is located within
this small and highly
regarded region.
Pomerol
48. Values
The Satellite
appelaltion of Pomerol
represents an amazing
value
Lalande-de-Pomerol
These reds are slightly
lighter in body and do
not age as long as
Pomerol. They are a
fraction of the cost.
Pomerol
50. Cabernet Sauvignon
The Left Bank generally produces big and tannic
Cabernet-based wines with pronounced blackcurrant
flavors. There are five major districts on the Left Bank.
Listed from the most northerly, they are Saint-Estèphe,
Pauillac, Saint-Julien, Margaux and Graves, which
includes Pessac-LĂŠognan.
Located within these esteemed communes are the five
First Growth Châteaux: Château Latour, Château Lafite-
Rothschild, Château Mouton-Rothschild, Château
Margaux and Château Haut-Brion
Left Bank
52. Cabernet Sauvignon
From North to South, the
famous communes on the
Left Bank are:
St.Estephe â Big and tannic
Pauillac â most famous
(some consider the greatest)
St. Julien â most consistent
Margaux â most feminine
Graves â Pessac-Leognan â
elegance, refinement
Left Bank
53. Graves
Derives from its intensely
gravelly soil resulting from
the Ice Age. This left white
quartz deposits that can
still be found in soils of top
estates
Considered the birthplace of
Bordeaux, dating back to
14th century
7,700 acres are planted within
the Graves AOC.
The reds of Graves are
considered terroir driven
with loads of elegance
55. ⢠Handcrafted from 50% Merlot and 50%
Cabernet Sauvignon with an average vine
age of 25 years
⢠The estate is run and managed by HÊlène
LĂŠvĂŞque and is considered by many to be
the shining star within Graves
⢠Original estate of 5 acres was Purchased
in 1966 by the LĂŠvĂŞque family. Through
the years it expanded to 240 acres
Let's Taste!
Château de Chantegrive Graves
Retail: $
56. Saint-Julien
2,100 acres of vineyards
11 classified growths within
Saint-Julien
Cabernet Sauvignon
dominates along with
Merlot and Cabernet
Franc
The highest overall
standard of quality for its
wines. It is the smallest
commune, with almost
all of its superlative
vineyards dominated by
gravel.
57. Saint-Julien, located just South of
Pauillac has perhaps the highest
overall standard of quality for its
wines. It is the smallest commune,
with almost all of its vineyards
dominated by gravel. Its proximity
to the Gironde river provides
exceptional drainage for the soil.
The wines of Saint-Julien are tender
and harmonious, with a profound
richness, depth of color, balance
and elegance.
The Cabernet Sauvignon grape
prevails in this commune, with
Merlot and Cabernet Franc used for
blending.
Saint-Julien
59. Let's Taste!
Château Talbot Saint-Julien
Retail: $
⢠Quite large for Bordeaux, this is a 262-
acre estate located within the
prestigious commune of Saint-Julien
⢠Chateau Talbot was classified a fourth
growth in 1855
⢠Crafted from 68% Cabernet
Sauvignon, 28% Merlot and 4% Petit
Verdot with an average age of 42 years
60. Sauternes is famous for sweet wines made
from SĂŠmillon and Muscadelle. They are
considered the best dessert wines in the
world
Sauternes is made with noble rot (also
called botrytis, a fungus covering the grape),
Because soils are so diverse, and each house
has its own way of making the golden wine,
Sauternes is a very personalized wine.
Acre under vine: 2,175
Sauternes
62. Let's Taste a Sauternes
Château Guiraud Sauternes
Retail: $
⢠Established in 1766 by Pierre Guiraud
and was famous for fine wines by 1793.
⢠In 1855, it became one of 11 Premier
Grand Cru estate in Sauternes (only out
ranked by Chateau D'Yquem)
⢠Handcrafted from Semillon (65%) and
Sauvignon (35%) which has been hand-
harvested through many successive
waves. It is aged in barrels for 24 months.
Editor's Notes
Ideal climate and soil conditionsBordeaux has centuries of experience in making fine wine; the Roman poet Ausonius praised it. Bordeaux is important to the worldâs wine lovers not just because it makes great wine but because it makes a lot of wine. The vineyards total around 319,000 acres â bigger than the whole of Germany. Bordeaux has the best wine making technique in the world, which has been the result of numerous wineries producing a high volume of extremely high quality wines over many years.
1 Minute1) Most of the high quality whites produced in Bordeaux come from Pessac-Leognan, located within Graves and south of the city of Bordeaux2) Semillon and Muscadelle are minor in comparison to Sauvignon Blanc until one reaches Sauternes, where Semillon dominates.
2 Minutes1) Touch on how the white wines are made.2) Mention that only the white wines from Entre-Deux-Mers can use that appellation on the label, the reds produced within the Entre-Deux-Mers appellation can only use the Bordeaux appellation.
1 Minute1) Pessac-Leognan â Famous due to Chateau Haut-Brion and for its white wines as well. 2) The are Grand Cru Classe (Great Classified Growth) White Wines, examples are Chateau Carbionneux and Chateau LaLouviere, both of which are within the Pessac-Leognan appellation.
1) Not as easy as the white Bordeaux Section2) If you see Pomerol or Saint-Emilion along with any of their satellites, it is primarily Merlot
The Bordeaux wine vineyards of Chateau La Vieille Cure are planted on limestone soils which receive a south west exposure. With terroir similar to St. Emilion, perhaps the most important reason for the quality, unique style and the the concentration found in the wine is, the property has numerous old vines. When I say old, they have some of the oldest vines in the appellation. Many of those vines are approaching an amazing 100 years of age!Purchased in 1986 by American owners, Colin Ferenbach and Peter Sachs, their first order of business for this Right Bank estate was to completely renovate the estate from top to bottom. The extensive rebuilding took place in the wine making facilities, the chateau and even a replanting of much of the vineyard. With the help of Michel Rolland as their consultant in the vineyards and in the wine making, Chateau La Vieille Cure was replanted to 75% Merlot, 22% Cabernet Franc 22% and a bit of Cabernet Sauvignon at 3%. While much of the vineyard is still relatively young, they also have vines dating back as far as 75 years. The 20 hectare Bordeaux wine vineyard of La Vieille Cure is unique. The large estate is one single homogeneous plot. The vines reside in limestone, chalk and clay based soils. To produce the wine, following a three to four week cold maceration, alcoholic fermentation takes place in temperature controlled, stainless steel vats. Malolactic fermentation is conducted in French oak barrels. The wine is aged in an average of 70% new French oak barrels. Starting with the 2000 vintage, Chateau La Vieille Cure improved their wines and wine making. From that point on, they became a serious contender for the best Bordeaux wine value produced in the region. 2005 remains the best vintage yet for La Vieille Cure. In July, 2013, La Vieille Cure announced that Jean Luc Thunevin, the well-known consultant and owner of Valandraud would take over as the wine maker for the property because Jean Noel Herve retired. Fans of the estate should rejoice as the wines can only get better!
30 secondsAll of the appellations on the Right Bank, including Medoc, Haut-Medoc, St. Estephe, Pauillac, Margaux, and Pessac-Leognan are made primarily with Cabernet Sauvignon.
1 MinuteLeft bank communes generally produce big tannic Cabernet based red wines.The communes from North to South are Saint-Estephe, Pauillac, Saint-Julian, Margaux and Graves, which includes Pessac-Leognan.All Five First Growth Chateaux are located within these communes.
Style: Highly concentrated, consistent and well-structured with ripe to firm tanninsLocation: In many ways the center point of the MÊdoc, lying to the north of Margaux, bordered on the south by the village of Cussac-Fort-MÊdoc and on the north by Pauillac, it is approximately 22 miles north of the city of Bordeaux.Acres under Vine: 2,175Average Annual Production: 490,000 casesClassified Growths: Total of Eleven Grand Cru ClassÊKey Properties: Château Ducru-Beaucaillou, Château Gruaud-Larose, Château Sarget de GruaudLarose, Château LÊoville-Barton -RÊservÊ de LÊoville-Barton, Château LÊoville-Las Cases, Château LÊoville-Poyferre, Château Langoa-Barton, ChâteauBeychevelle, Château TalbotPrincipal Grape Varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon dominates, followed by Merlot and Cabernet FrancPrincipal Soil Types: Consists of extremely fine gravel, especially for the great vineyards adjacent to the river. Farther inland, there is considerable gravel mixed with clay.
Sauternes is a French dessert wine from the Sauternais region of the Graves section in Bordeaux. Sauternes is made from SĂŠmillon, Sauvignon Blanc, and Muscadelle grapes that have been affected by Botrytis cinerea, also known as noble rot. This causes the grapes to become partially raisined, resulting in concentrated and distinctively flavored wines. Sauternes is one of the few wine regions where infection with noble rot is a frequent occurrence, due to its climate. Even so, production is a hit-or-miss proposition, with widely varying harvests from vintage to vintage. Wines from Sauternes, especially the Premier Cru SupĂŠrieur estate Château d'Yquem, can be very expensive, due largely to the very high cost of production. Barsac lies within Sauternes, and is entitled to use either name. Somewhat similar but less expensive and typically less-distinguished wines are produced in the neighboring regions of Monbazillac, CĂŠrons, Loupiac and Cadillac. In the United States, there is a semi-generic label for sweet white dessert wines known as sauterne without the "s" at the end and uncapitalized.ClassificationSee also: Bordeaux Wine Official Classification of 1855n 1855, Napoleon III commissioned the producers of Bordeaux to develop a ranking of the Bordeaux wine regions' wineries for the Exposition Universelle. The châteaux of Sauternes and Barsac were considered separately from the wineries of the MĂŠdoc with the producers from Saint-Ămilion and Pomerol excluded and only Château Haut-Brion being considered from the Graves. The rankings were based on reputation and the current prices of the wines from the various estates. There are three levels-Premier Cru SupĂŠrieur, Premiers Crus and DeuxièmesCrus. Château d'Yquem is the only Sauternes winery classified as a Premier Cru SupĂŠrieur. There are eleven Premiers Crus and fifteen DeuxièmesCrus. The Barsac commune has the most classified estates with ten, followed by Bommes and Sauternes with six each, Fargues with three and Preignac with two.[6]