Discovering the appellations of Bordeaux wine. Regional denominations and the so-called Left Bank. With five tasting notes of notable examples.
In the first part of the Bordeaux series, I introduced the region’s history, geography, and outlined the grape varieties used in the Bordeaux wine blends. In this part (and in the next article), I will talk about appellations.
In Europe, the use of place names on wine labels is tightly regulated. Appellation Controlee (AC) is a French certification which ensures a wine actually comes from the place stated on the label. This certification also controls other winemaking practices, for example the composition of a blend, minimum ageing requirements etc. The AC is meant to preserve the terroir of wine. As a result, the AC can also be used to predict what a wine coming from a particular designation is going to be like.
Bordeaux regions and appellations
Bordeaux hosts around sixty different ACs. For general appellations, the grapes can be sourced from anywhere in the Bordeaux area. These general ACs are as follows:
Bordeaux Rouge AC and Bordeaux Supérieur Rouge AC
- the most generic appellations for reds
- however, the “Supérieur” AC has slightly more stringent criteria
- merlot-led blends, intended for early consumption
- dry, soft and medium in body
- aromas of ripe red and black fruit, sometimes with a hint of cedar or oak
- perfect to pair with pasta, paella, roasted chicken
Bordeaux Blanc AC (dry) and Bordeaux Supérieur Blanc AC (sweet)
- sauvignon blanc dominated blends
- vibrant grassy character and lively citrus
Bordeaux Rose AC
- fresh, fruity
- dry, light bodied rose wine
Bordeaux Clairet AC
- another type of rose wine, popular in the local market
- fuller in body and darker in color (due to a longer maceration period)
- not to be confused with “claret”, a generic British term for red Bordeaux wines
Berry Bros. & Rudd - Good Ordinary Claret, 2015
Berry Bros. & Rudd is an institution in the wine trade, claiming to be Britain’s oldest wine and spirit merchant. Apart from selling wines from all over the world, Berry Bros. & Rudd also source grapes from France to produce their own selection of Bordeaux. This wine is their entry-level.
Deep ruby hue. Classic claret nose, with notes of cassis, blackberry and dark plums combined with a slight toastiness and smoke aroma. Hints of roasted coffee. On the palate, medium in body, with mainly black fruit and a touch of pleasant spiciness (toast, smoke, oak). High acidity, medium to full in tannins. Medium intensity overall. A solid wine, though not particularly complex.
For more specific (prestigious and expensive!) appellations, we have to explore the geography of the area.
The two main rivers of the region – Dordogne and Garonne – merge into the Gironde Estuary and divide Bordeaux into three main districts:
- Left Bank: the area west and south of the Garonne
- Entre-Deux-Mers: literally meaning “between two seas”, is the land between the Garonne and Dordogne
- Right Bank: the territory north and east of the Dordogne
Left Bank
This area consists of two zones surrounding the city of Bordeaux. North of the city is Medoc; in the south, Graves.
Medoc
Medoc protrudes like a narrow tongue on the western bank of the Gironde Estuary and is made up of two sub-areas: Bas-Medoc and Haut-Medoc.
Bas-Medoc
The northernmost part of the Left Bank, has soil that is predominantly clay. This is the least interesting part of Medoc. Wines from here are for early drinking. Merlot-based and of average value. “Medoc” is the reference appellation found on these wine labels.
Haut-Medoc
When you see this appellation name, things generally start to become more interesting. There is a step up in quality. The soil in Haut-Medoc is gravel dominated, meaning a higher percentage of cabernet sauvignon is planted. Within the Haut-Medoc, a number of highly regarded communes are allowed to put their name on the label. In practice, there is a separate AC for each of these communes. From north to south, these are as follows:
- Saint-Estephe
- the most north of these acclaimed communes
- the soil has more clay and less gravel than other parts of the Haut-Medoc
- as a consequence, more merlot is present
- the wines are full and structured and generally have fleshy flavours
- Pauillac
- the archetypical Left Bank Bordeaux
- the soil here is deep and poor, abundant in gravel
- the blends, cabernet sauvignon dominated
- great structure and density
- wines are darker in color with a piercing and concentrated fruitiness perfectly integrated with notes of cedar and cigar box
- these reds are full of vigour and take longer to mature – but when they are ready, reward the drinker with the essence of Bordeaux
- Saint Julien
- great balance between fruit and tannins; perfume and acidity
- stylistically somewhere between the structured Pauillac and the refined Margaux
- Margaux
- the most south of the prestigious village appellations, so slightly warmer in temperature
- wines are perfumed, rarely massive, with a haunting scent of violets, blackcurrant and black cherry
- the classical Margaux style is often described as an “iron fist in a velvet glove”
Chateau Cantemerle - Grand Cru Classe, 2010
Chateau Cantemerle is one of the oldest properties in Bordeaux. This chateau dates back to the 12th century and is said to be one of the most beautiful in all Medoc. Cantemerle is listed as Cinquième Cru Classé, with approximately 400,000 bottles produced each year.
Quite inky with a pleasant dark ruby hue. To the nose it opens up with deep and ripe black fruit (black cherry, cassis, blackberry) combined with a pleasant green note of liquorice and blackcurrant leaves. Nuances of clove, chocolate and smoke, all wrapped by a nutty character and a touch of gravel minerality. On the palate, it’s medium to full in body, with fragrant juice and ripe black fruit. As well as a touch of leather, smoked wood and clove. Tannins are ripe and succulent. A trace of liquorice, mint and smoked wood in the finish. Intensity and finish are somewhere in between medium+ and pronounced. Very good wine, with a satisfying ripeness of fruit. It lacks a bit of definition to be truly great, but a really interesting wine at this price point.
Chateau Pichon-Longueville au Baron de Pichon-Longueville - Pauillac, 2009
Chateau Pichon-Longueville, listed as Deuxièmes Crus (Second Growths) in the original 1855 Classification, is one of the most famous producers in Pauillac. Its wines are notoriously powerful and muscular, requiring a long period of cellaring before really shining in all their splendour. In 1987 Chateau Pichon-Longueville was bought by the AXA Insurance Group, who built a state-of-the-art winery there.
Dark ruby and a deep color in the glass, this splendid Bordeaux starts slightly austere to the nose. But it’s grand, majestic and complex. Ripe notes of black fruit (cassis compote, black plums, blackberry) mix with loads of different nuances: dense liquorice, cedar box, graphite, old wood, earth, black tea, tobacco and even hints of dark chocolate and clove. So concentrated and intense, a splendid bouquet!
On the palate, the wine is full in body, with a perfect high acidity to balance the explosion of ripe (but not jammy!) black fruit. The tannins are high in level, but so ripe and velvety. A wine of massive structure, powerful, multi-layered and succulent. Very complex, the flavours of black fruit, earth, tobacco, leather, toast, cedar wood and graphite perfectly mingle together.
An opulent wine, splendidly put together, with a rich and lush mouthfeel and a very long satisfying finish enhanced by a touch of iron minerality.
Every facet of this Bordeaux is beautifully crafted, achieving huge concentration, definition and balance. An excellent example in a great vintage. An outstanding Pauillac.
The 1855 Classification
Medoc is home to the most famous appellation in Bordeaux and one of the most peculiar in the wine world: the 1855 Classification. As the name suggests, it was created in 1855 by the French Chamber of Commerce at the request of Napoleon III. The classification ranked the red wines of the Medoc (with the exceptional inclusion of Chateau Haut-Brion from Graves) into five Crus, and the white wines from Sauternes into three Crus. The term Cru can be translated as “growth” or “rank”. With Premier Cru being the “first growth” and the most prestigious, Deuxiemes Crus, being the “second growth”, and so on.
The criteria underlying the classification were very simple. How much the wines sold over an extended period of time.
In spite of the great esteem the 1855 Classification still enjoys, its detractors highlight a number of downsides. This appellation is assigned to the chateaux, not (as it happens in Burgundy and in most wine regions) to the land. The plot owned by a particular grower may change over time but the rank of their wine doesn’t, regardless of where the grapes are actually planted.
Most importantly, the 1855 Classification has remained unaltered since its creation (with one famous exception: Chateau Mouton Rothschild – it was elevated to the “first growth” in 1973). Over time, the quality of wine from some growers deteriorated. While others improved considerably yet their rank doesn’t give them justice.
The immutable nature of the 1855 Classification also means that wine producers founded after that year are not ranked. To mitigate this issue, a complementary Cru Bourgeois classification was created. At present (after being revisited several times) this appellation has two levels of quality: Cru Bourgeois and Cru Bourgeois Supérieur. If a wine producer wants the honour of using that wording on their label, they need to submit their wine to a tasting panel – on a yearly basis.
The Graves
The Graves district sits just south of the city of Bordeaux and stretches to the west bank of the Garonne by approximately 50 kilometers. As its name suggests, the soil here is very gravelly – hence suitable for cabernet sauvignon.
The reds produced in Graves are generally lighter than those from Medoc, but are more fragrant and approachable. The best wines are found in the Pessac-Leognan area of Graves. The remaining areas produce more humble wines, with more merlot in the blend. These reds are less concentrated and complex.
The Graves appellation also produces white wines, both dry and sweet. Their dry whites range from simple to more complex and concentrated. Simple wines are fresh, unoaked and are generally made entirely from sauvignon blanc. While the complex and concentrated wines (notably from Pessac-Leognan) tend to be blends, medium to full in body, fermented and aged in barrel. They combine ripe lemony fruit with toasty flavours from oak.
Domaine de Chevalier - Grand Cru Classé de Graves, 2012
This estate, dating back to the 17th century, is one of the few in Bordeaux which has retained the original ‘domaine’ name instead of the more common ‘chateau’ – probably a sign of pride for their long history. The name Chevalier comes from ‘chivaley’, the Gascon word for ‘knight’. Domaine de Chevalier is famous both for its reds, refined and mineral, and complex and long-lived whites.
In the glass, it has a pale lemon-straw hue. The nose is really concentrated, defined, complex and rich. In the attack, notes of dried herbs blend pleasantly with toast and smoke. After, the fruit comes through: ripe aromas of grapefruit, nectarine, and also tropical nuances of pineapple and passion fruit. The pungent hint of the latter is beautifully tangled with green notes of nettle and gooseberry. There are also scents of honey and marmalade, candied lemon bits and pine resin. A zippy and pungent character overall. The oak is beautifully integrated.
On the palate, this wine is full in body. A lovely fresh acidity balances the rich flavours. Ripe fruit in the attack, with a great depth and intensity of flavours. Nutty and smoky notes add complexity to the citrus fruit and the ripe herbal component, layered with a candied lemon note in the mid-palate. A dense texture with a long persisting finish. This wine exhibits ripe fruitiness and intense flavours, but at the same time is lean and tight. Overall a great tension comes through. Truly an outstanding white Bordeaux, that with some additional years of ageing will become even more irresistible.
The best sweet white wines of the area (and possibly of the entire planet) come from the banks of the Garonne river and its tributaries. These places have misty mornings and dry warm afternoons, offering the ideal conditions for Noble Rot to develop. This fungus, also known by the less poetic name of botrytis, is the secret of the concentrated and intensely scented sweet nectars of the Graves. Read Everything you need to know about Sweet Wines to find out more about this production technique for sweet wines.
As stated above, the sweet wines from Sauternes are covered by the famous 1855 Classification. Three hierarchical Crus are defined for them. The appellations of Sauternes and Barsac make wine lovers (especially if they have a sweet tooth like me!) get goosebumps. These wines are typically blends dominated by semillon. They exude opulent and exotic flavours such as stone fruit and mango. Combined with crystallized citrus aromas, as well as toast and vanilla notes (from barrel fermentation/ageing). These wines are best paired with foie gras, meat curry dishes, fruit pies – or on their own as a splendid dessert.
Chateau Coutet - Premier Cru Classe, 2006
Another Chateau with an established tradition, its origin traces back to the 13th century. Listed as First Growth in the 1855 Classification, Chateau Coutet lies in Barsac – the most prestigious commune of Sauternes. It boasts the longest cellar in the entire appellation: 110 metres full of barrels and bottles!
Rich and deep gold to the eye. The flavours are intensely pronounced and attractive from the beginning. In the attack, aromas of candied lemon and orange peel perfectly integrate with dried apricot, peach, honey, marmalade and rye bread. Nuances of marzipan, vanilla and ginger complete the complex and rich aromatic profile.
On the palate, this wine features a rich and dense viscosity. It’s sweet, but impressively balanced by a high acidity. There is depth and concentration here. Highly fragranced, with a tinge of smoke and nutty aromas from wood. This wine achieves a perfect balance of all its components. A terrific Sauternes.
On a separate note, another parallel classification exists in the Graves area: Cru Classes. This classification applies to both reds and whites, and no ranks are defined – wines are just labelled as Cru Classes.
That’s it for now…
I hope this article has put you well on your journey to becoming a Bordeaux lover! In the third and last episode of my Bordeaux series, I will explore Entre-Deux-Mers and Right Bank. But that won’t be next week! I will take a little pause from Bordeaux, nonetheless remaining in France. My next post will be about the poet Charles Baudelaire and his insatiable thirst for wine. Au revoir!
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