What is a Bordeaux Wine?

Nothing about French wine seems to be straightforward or simple. But once you get to know the various wine regions of France it becomes a bit clearer.

In the past couple of postings I've touched on the French wine region of Burgundy.  I discussed that there are Bourgogne Rouge (red) and Bourgogne Blanc (white) wines.  The reds of Burgundy are primarily Pinot Noir with the exception that the sub-region of Beaujolais produces red wines from the Gamay grape.  The Chardonnay grape dominates the white wines of Burgundy, with all wines from the Chablis sub-region being produced from Chardonnay.

So now let's take a look at the wines from another famous wine region in France, Bordeaux.  Here, more than 90% of the wines produced are reds. The primary grapes used in red Bordeaux wines are Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Cabernet Franc. But, Petite Verdot, Malbec and Carmenere are also permitted to be used.

The white wines, again comprising less than 10% of Bordeaux's production, are made from the Sémillon and Sauvignon Blanc grapes.  This is quite a contrast to the not so distant past. Prior to the 1960's, Bordeaux's vineyards were dominated by white wine producing grapes.  Consumer tastes changed and red wine production methods improved and now we see the reds dominating Bordeaux wines.

Within Bordeaux, the geography is such that it is divided into the Left Bank and the Right Bank. The banks refer to which side of the Gironde River, or its two smaller rivers, they are located. And each of the Left and Right banks have multiple sub-regions that all produce great wines based on different grapes.

And, there is one other key sub-region in Bordeaux. It is called Sauternes and it is famous for its sweet dessert wines made mostly of Semillon grape, with some Sauvignon Blanc.

There's a lot to cover in Bordeaux. So next time we'll start exploring the sub-regions of Bordeaux in a bit more detail. For now, cheers!

Behind the Cork™ Wine of the Week - Château de Belcier ($10)

This Bordeaux is a blend of 69% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Franc and 6% Malbec.  This is very typical of the Bordeaux blends of the Right Bank with its focus on Merlot. It is from the sub-region of Bordeaux called "Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux."

As you can see from the label, it is "Mis en Bouteille au Château" meaning it was bottled at the estate or on the property of the winery. But, the "Grand Vin de Bordeaux" is an unregulated term.  It is most often used as a way for a château to indicate that this is their best wine, a step up from the second bottling.

What is Red Burgundy?

Previously I covered the most widely known white Burgundy (Bourgogne Blanc) from Chablis. We learned that wines from Chablis are produced from the Chardonnay grape.

The other most notable wines from Burgundy are red wines (Bourgogne Rouge). And, the most widely produced red wine in France's Burgundy region is Pinot Noir.  French wine labels generally only identify the region where the wine is produced and not the grape varietal used to produce it. So you just have to remember that if you are looking for a French Pinot Noir, a Burgundy is what you are looking for.

Burgundy is the original home of Pinot Noir with records of its existence dating back to the 1300's.  And like most French wines, they are highly regulated. There are several levels of classification in Burgundy:

  • Grand Cru
    • These account for just over 1% of Burgundy's production from just 33 vineyards. And because of this, they go for top dollar. These wines are described as being bold, complex and worthy of aging.
  • Premier Cru (or 1er Cru)
    • These 635 vineyards, representing approximately 10% of Burgundy's production, may be located directly adjacent to Grand Cru vineyards, but are certainly more affordable.
  • Villages Wines
    • These wines are named for the town where are grapes are grown and represent 44 AOCs, or a bit over a third of Burgundy's production. These wines are fresh and fruity.
  • Regional Wines
    • These wines are made from grapes grown anywhere in Burgundy and may be labeled as "Burgogne Rouge" which is literally red Burgundy.  These regional wines, from 23 AOCs, account for approximately 50% of Burgundy's production.

Red Burgundy from France has been compared more with the Pinot Noir from Oregon's Willamette Valley due to their bigger and bolder flavor of cranberry with notable earthiness versus Pinot Noir from the Central Coast of California (e.g., Sonoma and Russian River) that tends to have more strawberry, raspberry and cola flavors. 

While Pinot Noir is the most notable red wine produced in Burgundy, there is another red wine produced in Burgundy. You may have heard of it. It comes from the region of Beaujolais. It's produced from the Gamay grape and is usually known as Gamay Beaujolais.

While the Beaujolais Nouveau is widely popular, it is bottled immediately after harvest, is complete and arrives on store shelves within about two months of being picked.  The more sophisticated and aged Gamay Beaujolais will also offer a juicy, fruity scent, but they deliver a smooth texture with a bit of “earthiness” in the taste.  Because Gamay Beaujolais wine is produced at a much higher volume than the Pinot Noir, it is much less expensive, making it a great value for a nice French wine.

So if you are looking for a red wine with medium body, check out a Burgundy. Both the Burgundy (Pinot Noir) and Beaujolais (Gamay) are unlike any other wines produced in the world. Cheers!

Behind the Cork™ Wine of the Week - Louis Jadot Burgundy ($17)

This Red Burgundy (Pinot Noir) is widely available and moderately priced. A great medium bodied wine with flavors of raspberries and a bit of earthiness. This wine goes great with most foods.  Louis Jadot is one of the few French winemakers that, for American's benefit, also identify on the label that this Bourgogne is a Pinot Noir.

What is Chablis?

There was a time when ordering a glass of Chablis meant that you wanted a glass of white wine. No specific wine, just a white wine. But there is so much more to Chablis than just a white wine.

Chablis is a region located in the northwest corner of the province of Burgundy in France.  It produces light, dry white wines known for their minerality and crisp acidity. And all white wines produced in Chablis are made exclusively from the Chardonnay grape.  They tend to be dry and fresh in flavor with distinct minerality. Chablis is usually un-oaked to retain its bright, crisp flavors. A few Chablis producers do use oak barrels in their wine making but these are restricted to the higher-quality wines and does not lead to overpowering oak flavors.

The vineyards of Chablis are classified into four tiers of quality, all precisely regulated by the Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée (AOC), and noted on the bottles' label:

  • Chablis Grand Cru AOC- Highest quality wines from seven vineyards on one slope
    • Only region where some oak aging is done. These wines have flavors of passion fruit, apricot, apple and orange rind.
  • Chablis Premier Cru AOC - Seventy vineyards in some of the better locations
    • The limestone soils produce richer fruit with flavors of lemon, starfruit and flint minerality
  • Chablis AOC - Comprised of the vineyards mostly closer in to the town of Chablis
    • These wines have nice flavors of citrus, pear and minerals
  • Petit Chablis AOC - Vineyard areas in the outer areas from the town of Chablis
    • These tend to have higher acidity, tart citrus flavors, and are best enjoyed young

So when shopping for white wines from France, remember that a white Burgundy from Chablis is a Chardonnay. And, don't just order a glass of white wine, order a French Chablis and enjoy some of the finest white wine the world has to offer.

Next time I'll discuss the other famous wine from Burgundy, the red one. Cheers!

Behind the Cork™ Wine of the Week - Jacques Bourguignon Chablis ($13)

It's Chardonnay, but if you've become accustomed to California Chardonnays, this is a different wine.  It's a lot more subtle in its flavors, a bit tart and has definite hints of minerality.  Give a French Burgundy from Chablis a try!

More On the Amazing Sauvignon Blanc Grape

The Sauvignon Blanc grape is one of the most widely planted wine grapes in the world.  While the Sauvignon Blanc grape is most famously associated with the France's Loire Valley regions of Sancerre and Pouilly-Fumé, it most likely originated in Bordeaux. Today, this versatile grape is successfully producing great wines throughout the world including Italy, Spain, Ukraine, Romania, New Zealand, Australia, South Africa, Chile, Argentina, and the United States.

Like many other grapes with "Blanc" in their name, it is a light-skinned grape that produces white wine. The literal translation of "Blanc" is white while "Sauvignon" is derived from the French word sauvage, which means wild, because the grape grew like a weed throughout the region. So, Sauvignon Blanc is a wild white grape.

Sauvignon Blanc, like many other wines, can take on different flavors depending on where it is grown. In France's Loire Valley it tends to have the distinctive flavors of freshly cut grass, green apples, lime, kiwi, green melon, gooseberry and earthy minerals associated with the regions limestone soil.  In France's Bordeaux region, Sauvignon Blanc can have flavors of white peach, lemon curd, and nectarine. But when grown in cooler climates like New Zealand, the Sauvignon Blanc grape produces wines with flavors of pink grapefruit, lemon, lime and passion fruit. Regardless of the region, Sauvignon Blanc is a highly acidic wine, but considered light-bodied.

In somewhat of a twist, the Sauvignon Blanc grape, that produces white wine, naturally crossbred with the Cabernet Franc grape, that produces red wine, during the 18th century in Bordeaux to create what we now call Cabernet Sauvignon. Both the parent and the offspring have become two of the most widely planted wine-producing grapes in the world.

So, there you go. Sauvignon Blanc is a nice, tangy, "zingy" wine that can be enjoyed on its own or with a variety of meals. And, by the way, it's a great beginner's wine. Give it a try! Cheers!

Behind the Cork™ Wine of the Week - Simi Sauvignon Blanc ($13)

This Sonoma County Sauvignon Blanc has zesty notes of tangerine, lime and grapefruit.  It is produced in stainless steel tanks that retain the refreshing, full and vibrant fruity flavors of the wine.

 

 

What is Fumé Blanc?

I was recently asked about Fumé Blanc. And, as you might guess, it's made from the Fumé Blanc grape.  Except, you'd be wrong. Just like I was.  Fumé Blanc wine is produced from the Sauvignon Blanc grape.

It was back in 1966 that wine maker Robert Mondavi decided to grow Sauvignon Blanc grapes in Napa Valley, California. But Sauvignon Blanc had developed a bit of a negative reputation for being poorly made, too grassy and too sweet. So, in what turned out to be a great marketing ploy, he decided to call his Sauvignon Blanc wine by another name. And the name he chose had a lot to do with fine Sauvignon Blanc wines from France.

In the Loire Valley of central France (South of Paris) is the wine region of Pouilly-Fumé.  This region, along with the region of Sancerre, which lies just across the Loire River to the west, is best known for its Sauvignon Blanc wines. And these wines were a strong influence on Robert Mondavi. So, in honor of the wonderful Sauvignon Blanc wines of Pouilly-Fumé, Mondavi named his wine made from the Sauvignon Blanc grape Fumé Blanc.

One of the primary differences between the Sauvignon Blanc wines of France and Fumé Blanc is that Fumé Blanc spends some time aging in oak barrels. The French Sauvignon Blanc wines are generally not aged in oak.  This oak aging can give Fumé Blanc a bit more of a rich, creamy taste to go along with the green flavors of pear, melon and mineral notes (think chalk, slate and wet stone).

Next time I'll give you a bit more about Sauvignon Blanc. It has a famous child. Can you guess? So in the meantime, raise a glass of Fumé Blanc to the late, great, Robert Mondavi. Cheers!

Behind the Cork™ Wine of the Week - Robert Mondavi Fumé Blanc ($15)

Originated by Robert Mondavi in 1966, this Sauvignon Blanc spends time aging in oak to give it a bit more of a rich, creamy taste along with the green flavors of pear, melon and mineral notes. If you are a Chardonnay drinker and not so sure about Sauvignon Blanc, then you need to try this Fumé Blanc.