Perhaps the most famous wine region in
the world, France's Bordeaux region is renowned for its intense
red wines -- and its perplexing wine laws. We attempt to
demystify Bordeaux here. Part 1 of 3
Nearly
all Bordeaux wines, including the greatest, are blends of
different grape varieties.
Sauternes and Barsac (Sweet) (eg: Sémillon, Sauvignon
Blanc, and Muscadelle).
The three different quality levels of Bordeaux wine.
1.Bordeaux
This is the first level of A.O.C. wine in Bordeaux, and
usually the least expensive. These wines are easy drinking,
inexpensive, and consistent "drinking" wines. These
are sometimes known as "proprietary" wines-wines
known by what you could almost call a brand name, such as
Mouton-Cadet, rather than by the particular region or vineyard.
2.Bordeaux + Region
Regional wines come from a defined area. Only grapes and
wines made in that certain area can be called by its regional
name. For example, Médoc and St-Èmilion. These
wines are more distinguished than those labelled simply as
Bordeaux.
3.Bordeaux + Region + Château
Château wines are the products of individual vineyards.
There are more than 9,000 châteaux in Bordeaux. Hundreds
have been officially recognized for their quality. In the
Médoc, for example, the 61 highest-level châteaux
were officially classified in 1855 and are called Grand Cru
Classé. There are more than 240 châteaux in
the Médoc that are entitled to be called Cru Bourgeois,
a step below Grand Cru Classé. Other areas, such as
St-Èmilion and Graves, have their own classification
systems. Château wines are usually considered the best
quality wines from Bordeaux. They are the most expensive
wines, with some examples of the best known of the Grand
Cru Classé commanding the highest wine prices in the
world.
Nearly
all Bordeaux wines, including the greatest, are blends of
different grape varieties.
