How to Compare Bordeaux Wines - Grapes, Age and Style

Wed, 09 Jun 2010 04:20:00 GMT

Bordeaux wines are produced in the Bordeaux region, near the Southeast coast of France. Bordeaux is considered to have some of the best vineyard areas in the world, with productions including table wine to the most prestigious wine. Some of the most well-known wine from Bordeaux includes red wine from Medoc and Saint-Emilion, white wine from Graves, and dessert wines from Sauternes. With average vintage production reaching seven hundred million bottles of Bordeaux wines, you would need wine guides to make sure you have a good wine in your hands.

Comparing Bordeaux wines requires that you understand some things about Bordeaux, its history and also the region, so that you can make full use of the knowledge in wine trading.

Origin

You already learned a bit of Bordeaux in the previous paragraphs, and you know that it is in France. There are many other vineyards in France and in other regions of the world, and there was an issue when other vineyards and wine makers outside of Bordeaux began labeling their own wine "Bordeaux" after seeing how lucrative the business is. This resulted in the imposition of a law that only wines produced from Bordeaux could carry the name and, consequently, each wine were labeled based on their origin.

Grapes

Although any wine from the region is classified as Bordeaux, collectible quality wines are usually red blends of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Cabernet Franc, and 15% Merlot grapes. Almost all wines are blends, although the percentages and grapes can of course vary.

Wine Age

One thing to consider when comparing wine is the vintage, a fancy name for the year that the wine was produced. It is said that the older the wine is, the better it is. While that may be true, it does not necessarily tell everything. There are years when the weather, harvest and process were all good, and there are times when it is not so. Do not grab a wine just because you noticed it is the oldest in the market. It may well be one that was produced during a bad year.

Chemicals and Fertilizer

You should also take note if a particular region is known to use chemicals herbicides and fungicides and fertilizers. These particular areas usually produced wine with decreased value.

Six Main Styles of Wines

There are six main classifications of wine that will be outlined here, including four red that is based on the region, and four white, which is based on sweetness:
1) Red Bordeaux and Bordeaux Superieur - these are the cheapest among the wines, and are allowed to be produced all over the region, more often sold with commercial brand names rather than as classic wines.
2) Red Cotes de Bordeaux - these wines are somewhere between the red Bordeaux and other more popular wines.
3) Red Libourne - these wines are known to have more fruit concentration and more tannin.
4) Red Graves and Medoc - these are classic wines that should be cellared before it is drunk.
5) Dry white wines - these wines are allowed to be produced throughout the region, but the most popular ones are from Graves.
6) Sweet white wines - these wines are made from grapes from Semillon, Sauvignon Blanc and Muscadelle, although the best known appellation is Sauternes.

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How to Compare Bordeaux Wines - Grapes, Age and Style