Bordeaux Wines

Have not blogged in a bit because Mrs. Wine Guy and I do what wine couples do and took a River Cruise in Bordeaux.  The Mrs. went for the sites, the sounds, and the history, while I went for the wine and that is what I am going to discuss. 

The French think that they do all things better than anyone else on earth.  After almost being crushed to death trying to see the Mona Lisa and the chaos at Charles de Gaulle airport I’m not sure I agree but the French may have a point when it comes to their love of wine.  Wine is the centerpiece of most of their meals, and they take maintaining their quality standards very seriously.  Many people thing the best wines in France come from Bordeaux.

The wines in Bordeaux are not named after the grapes used to make them  but after the area where they are grown.   The grapes for wines labeled “Bordeaux” can be grown anywhere in the region while wines made from grapes grown only in a smaller sub-region use the name of that sub region.   The most famous sub regions are Pauillac, St.-Estephe, St.-Jullien , Margaux, Saint-Emillion and Pomerl.   The French focus on the region because they believe that the land and weather conditions have as much if not more to do with the quality of the wine as do the grapes and the skill of the winemaker.  All red and Rose wines in Bordeaux are made from a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, and in rare instances Malbac.   All White wines are a blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon.  No other grapes are allowed.  The Gironde Estuary divides Bordeaux and the red wines are different depending on which side they are produced.  Red  wine those coming from the left side are made from a blend containing mostly Cabernet Sauvignon,  if they are from the Right side Merlot is the dominant grape.  The majority of wine produced is Red but in one region, Sauternes, they only produce a sweet white wine. 

There are about 8500 different wine producers in Bordeaux.  Your wine guy visited several wine shops in the area and found picking a wine from so many producers made my head spin.  I can only imagine the effect it has on civilians. That is why when buying Red Bordeaux is best to focus on the region and if the year the wine was grown (the vintage) had good growing conditions (the last really good year in Bordeaux was 2010).  Try wines from the different sub regions and find the one that best fits your tastes.

With the exception of Sauternes and Roses from the area your wine guy would not consider drinking a Bordeaux wine without food.  The younger reds (Less than 8 years old) simply need the fat in the meat to balance or the char of barbecued meat to complement their deep tannins.  If you insist on drinking a red without food try one from the right side (Saint –Emilion and Pomerol) that is predominately Merlot.  I am not a fan of regular white Bordeaux I find the grapefruit/lemony taste unpleasant to drink alone but perfect when I pair it with sushi, swordfish, or tuna.  If you like a dry rose try one from Bordeaux I found them surprisingly good.  I also found that, in small doses, Sauternes is the perfect way to complement or substitute for desert. 

There you have my short update on Bordeaux wine.  If you have any questions about Bordeaux wine, the river cruise, or anything at all please post your question in the comments section or email me at gasperthewineguy@gmail.com.