WINES OF THE WORLD I Week Eight Burgundy & Bordeaux
WINES OF THE WORLD I
Week Eight
Burgundy & Bordeaux
AC WINE REGIONSOF FRANCE
N
0 100 200 km
0 100 Miles
CHAMPAGNE
ALSACELOIRE VALLEY
BURGUNDYJURA
SAVOIE
BORDEAUX
RHONE
PROVENCELANGUEDOC
ROUSSILLON
MEDITERRANEANSEA
ATLANTICOCEAN
©WSET®2003 Other AC Regions
46N
48N
50N 50N
48N
46N
44N 44N
42N 42N
R. G
aron
ne
R. Dord
ogne
R. Tarn
R. CharenteR
. Allier R
. Lo
ire
R. R
hô
ne
R. Loire
R. Doubs
R. Saône
R. Seine
R. Seine
R. Marne
R. R
hin
e
R. M
ose
lle
FRANCE OLD World!
Has produced more wine than even Italy, but going through some major changes
World-wide influence
Perfected many viticultural and vinicultural practices
Set up classification and laws that other countries “copied” in their own way
Many different grapes that have traveled to many countries
Location, location, location and the laws – AOC – Appellation d’origine contrôlée; “my name is the region where my grapes were planted”; grape name rarely appears on the label
N
0 20 40 Km
0 20 Miles
46N
47N
48N 48N
47N
46N
Auxerre
Dijon
Beaune
Chalon-sur-Sâone
Mâcon
Villefranche- sur-Sâone
LYON
CHABLIS
Côte de Nuits
Côte de Beaune
CÔTE D’O
R
CÔTECHALONNAISE
MACONNAIS
BEAUJOLAIS
BURGUNDYDISTRICTS
©WSET®2003
A6
A6
A7
R. Rhône
R. S
âon
e
R. S
âone
R. Doubs
BURGUNDY Bourgogne
Varied soils
Cool, Continental climate – frost, hail, summer rain
The Catholic Church documented terroir, perfected techniques and had sophisticated distribution channels
French Revolution led to Napoleonic Code
Today there are multiple AOCs and vineyards with many owners; complicated and confusing
BURGUNDY Co-ops and negociants and
domaines
Demand exceeds supply, so pricy for higher quality
Classifications - Generic, District, Commune, Premier Cru (11%) and Grand Cru (1%)
Food – Dijon! Regional dishes that can be very rich and fatty, but acidity balances it out
BURGUNDYGrapes – mono-varietal
Red Pinot noir
Gamay – only in Beaujolais; maceration carbonique (whole berry)
White
Chardonnay
BURGUNDY Regions – Terroir; Hokey Pokey
Chablis – only white wine and made only from chardonnay, crisp, usually unoaked or no obvious oak; distinctive climate and soil
Côte d’Or – “Coast” or “Slopes of Gold” Cote de Nuits – top reds
Cote de Beaune – top whites
Beaujolais – different soil and grape, gamay
45´30N
45N
44´30N
45N
45´30N
Bordeaux AC
N
0 10 20 Km
0 10 Miles
BOURG
BLAYE
FRONSACPOMEROL
ST. EMILION
Libourne
C O G N A C
MONTRAVEL
PECHARMANTROSETTE
Bergerac
MONBAZILLAC
BERGERAC
BERGERAC
MEDOC
ST. ESTEPHE
PAUILLAC
ST. JULIEN
LISTRAC
HAUT-MEDOC
MOULISMARGAUX
COTESDE DURAS
COTES DU MARMANDAIS
BORDEAUX
PESSAC-LEOGNAN
SAUTERNES
CERONS
BARSAC
GRAVES
PREMIERES-COTES- DE-BORDEAUX
CADILLAC
LOUPIAC
STE-CROIX- DU-MONT
ENTRE- DEUX- MERS
Gironde
A T
L A
N T
I C
O
C E
A N
R. Dordogne
R. Garonne
BORDEAUX Moderate, maritime climate
Vintage variation
Extremes in pricing Great values from large
producers
Pricy, collectible, age-worthy wines that are in limited supply
Chateau, not Domaine
BORDEAUX Blends
Red and less white wines
Classifications – Generic, District, Commune, Premier Cru is highest
Dry white Bordeaux is a great aperitif, with fish or seafood and reds are traditionally served with lamb
BORDEAUXWhite or Blanc
Primarily blends of Sauvignon blanc, Sémillon and Muscadelle
Inexpensive to more expensive estate bottlings
Entre-Deux-Mers and Graves
Sauternes – famous late-harvest dessert white made from botrytis-affected sémillon
BORDEAUXRed or Rouge
Primarily blends Merlot, cabernet sauvignon, cabernet
franc, malbec and petit verdot are the main five
Left bank – generally more structure, ageability 1855 Classification – five Chateaux are
Premier Cru properties, but only four originally
Main red grape is cabernet sauvignon Most popular are Haut-Medoc communes
(St. Estephe, Pauillac, St. Julien, Margaux)
BORDEAUXRed or Rouge
Right Bank – generally softer, earlier maturing Main red grape is merlot
Most popular are St. Emilion and Pomerol
DECANTINGWhy decant?1. To aerate a young wine that may be opened
before it has aged to its full potential
Use decanter with wider bottom
May decant a couple of times to really mix air in
2. To separate the clear wine from the sediment in an older wine
Stand bottle up ahead of time (advance time depends on how long it has been on its side and how thick the sediment is)
Use a taller decanter with narrow opening so there is less air contact after the clear wine is poured out
Use light source to look through neck of bottle