What makes Bordeaux special?

Red wines from Bordeaux are medium- to full-bodied with aromas of black currant, plums, and earthy notes of wet gravel or pencil lead. When you taste the wines, they burst with mineral and fruit notes that lead into prickly, savory, mouth-drying tannins.

What is a Bordeaux style?

The term “Bordeaux style” is typically used to refer to a wine, not directly to grapes, but it implies something about the grapes used to make the wine. In the actual Bordeaux region of France, red wines are blended from the Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petite Verdot grapes.

What do Bordeaux wines taste like?

The taste of Bordeaux wine from the Left Bank delivers fruit scents and flavors of cassis, blackberry, dark cherry, vanilla, black cherry, coffee bean, spice and licorice. The wines are often concentrated, powerful, firm and tannic. Depending on the specific wine, it can appear to be austere in character in its youth.

What kind of wine is Bordeaux known for?

Bordeaux wines are world-renowned blends made with a predominant proportion of Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot. Vintage variance is particularly important in Bordeaux. Cellar-worthy vintages can surge in value over generations.

Is Bordeaux wine like Pinot Noir?

Bordeaux also tends to be big and bold in flavor, unlike Burgundy, which is made from the thin-skinned, finicky pinot noir grape. The stylistic differences in the wines are mirrored in the very different vibes of the two regions. Bordeaux abounds in vast estates fronted by big, showcase châteaux.

What makes a Bordeaux blend?

Quick Answer. A red Bordeaux blend is primarily composed of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc, with smaller portions of Malbec and Petit Verdot (and very occasionally, Carménère).

Is Bordeaux always a blend?

Let’s say that nearly all Bordeaux wines are blended, and for the most part, you can be certain that if you’re drinking a red Bordeaux or Bordeaux-style wine, the implication is that it is blended from a selection of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec and/or Petit Verdot grapes (while Bordeaux whites …

What makes up a Bordeaux wine?

What makes up a Bordeaux blend?

The six Bordeaux Varietals include Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Malbec, and occasionally Carménère. Bordeaux blends are made up of differing combinations of these grapes, all of which bring unique characteristics to their wines.

Is Bordeaux lighter than Burgundy?

Generally, red Bordeauxs will be bigger, heavier and more tannic or drying than wines from Burgundy. I’d expect purple fruit, tobacco and anise flavors in Bordeaux, while Burgundies should show off red fruit flavors, spice and fresh earth notes.

Is Bordeaux like shiraz?

Like the Rhône Valley, Burgundy and Bordeaux are both wine regions in France, but Shiraz/Syrah grapes are not grown in either of those two regions. Check out our ABCs of Bordeaux and Burgundy videos for more on those two regions!

How would you describe Bordeaux wine?

Bordeaux reds are medium- to full-bodied with bold aromas of black currant, plums and an earthiness like smelling wet soil or pencil lead. Depending on the quality, vintage and what region within Bordeaux the wine is from, fruit flavors range from more tart fruit to sweeter ripe fruit.

What makes a wine a Bordeaux wine?

What Is Bordeaux Wine? Simply put, Bordeaux wine is wine produced in Bordeaux, France. Bordeaux red wines are a blend of classically French grape varieties, which include Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, and Petit Verdot. Carménère was once added to the mix, but it’s rarely used these days.

Is Bordeaux like pinot noir?

What is a typical Bordeaux blend?

What is the Bordeaux region known for?

The region runs from the western shore inland, with the city of Bordeaux at the center. The Gironde estuary divides the area into the Left Bank and Right Bank. The Left is known for its gravelly soils and the Right has largely red clay soils—producing different characteristics in the grapes.

What does a Bordeaux wine taste like?

In fact, it is the most widely-grown grape varietal around the world. In Bordeaux it has aromas of plums, raspberries, fruit cake, spices and smokiness from oak and cigar box, chocolate and leather with age.

What is a Bordeaux blend?

Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon are instead the dominant players and are both necessary to be considered a Bordeaux blend. The proportion of each depends on which bank of the Gironde estuary the winery sits on. If the winery is on the left bank, the blend created will have more Cabernet Sauvignon than Merlot.

Are Bordeaux wines better as they age?

Even though Bordeaux wines are produced to be enjoyed earlier in life these days, all the top Left Bank wines are better as they age. The amount of time required to age each wine varies from estate to estate and from vintage to vintage. In a lighter, early drinking year, the wines can be enjoyed on release or with only a few years in the bottle.