Bordeaux, France

Bordeaux produces mainly red wine with an old world style. The fruit is more muted, you may get some vegetable flavors or it may taste a little chalky. This is the charm of Bordeaux. Here you will also find some of my favorite white wines, a blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon. It makes me think of lemons and tropics. The two make a perfect blend for a fresh, crisp white. The pair of Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon is really a match made in heaven. You can find this blend also in the States and Australia.

Bordeaux is larger than Burgundy in size and is located in the southwestern part of France.There are over 7,000 Chateaux in Bordeaux within 57 different appellations.

Within Bordeaux the wine that is produced is always a blend. The region is dived by right and left bank. The right bank in Bordeaux produces Merlot based wines. There are only two appellations on the right: St Emilion and Pomerol. So if you see a red wine from one of these regions, you know it is a Merlot based wine. The grapes blended here are Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Petite Verdot, and Malbec.

Red wine produced on the left band is always Cabernet based. The main regions being Medoc and Graves. These wines contain the same blended grapes of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot,  Cabernet Franc, Petite Verdot, and Malbec.

Quality Levels:

When buying a Bordeaux, you can determine the level of quality by checking how the wine is labeled. The lower quality wines will just say Bordeaux. A step up from there, you will see wines that have been labeled with the specific region within Bordeaux. The top quality wines will not only show the specific region but also the name of the Chateau. Using the word Chateau on a label means that the wine was made in a house or mansion that sits on the vineyard with full wine making capabilities.

Some of the most expensive wine produced in Bordeaux comes from the First Growths. This classification system was designed to highlight the best of the best. Bordeaux’s First Growths are at the top.

Bordeaux’s First Growths
Château Lafite Rothschild
Château Latour
Château Margaux
Château Haut-Brion
Château Mouton Rothschild

Bordeaux’s Second Growths
Château Rauzan-Ségla
Château Rauzan-Gassies
Château Léoville-Las Cases
Château Léoville-Poyferré
Château Léoville Barton
Château Durfort-Vivens
Château Gruaud-Larose
Château Lascombes
Château Brane-Cantenac
Château Pichon Longueville Baron
Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande
Château Ducru-Beaucaillou
Château Cos d’Estournel
Château Montrose

Bordeaux’s Third Growths
Château Kirwan
Château d’Issan
Château Lagrange
Château Langoa Barton
Château Giscours
Château Malescot St. Exupéry
Château Cantenac-Brown
Château Boyd-Cantenac
Château Palmer
Château La Lagune
Château Desmirail
Château Calon-Ségur
Château Ferrière
Château Marquis d’Alesme Becker