A legendary wine, the great Sweet or syrupy white wines of Bordeaux are known throughout the world. It is in this category that we find the famous Sauternes and the famous Château d'Yquem considered as one of the best white wines in the world. Why such a reputation? It is partly due to the development of a microscopic fungus, Botrytis cinerea, which causes, when conditions are favourable, the famous noble rot. But in this region, it is not enough for the Grapes to be ripe to be harvested.
Over-ripening and the development of botrytis cinerea are sought after. This fungus attacks both the interior and the skin of the grape, which wrinkles and takes on a brownish-purple colour. This leads to a concentration of sugars, an evaporation of water, as well as numerous modifications that will transform the grape Juice into a real "liqueur" whose richness can exceed 400 g of sugar per litre. However, the Sauternes region does not have a monopoly on botrytis cinerea, which is also found in the regions: Dordogne, Loire Valley, the sweet wines of Alsace, etc.
Cabernet Franc is one of the oldest red grape varieties in Bordeaux. The Libourne region is its terroir where it develops best. The terroirs of Saint-Emilion and Fronsac allow it to mature and develop its best range of aromas. It is also the majority in many blends. The very famous Château Cheval Blanc, for example, uses 60% Cabernet Franc. The wines produced with Cabernet Franc are medium in colour with fine tannins and subtle aromas of small red fruits and spices. When blended with Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, it brings complexity and a bouquet of aromas to the wine. It produces fruity wines that can be drunk quite quickly, but whose great vintages can be kept for a long time. It is an earlier grape variety than Cabernet Sauvignon, which means that it is planted as far north as the Loire Valley. In Anjou, it is also used to make sweet rosé wines. Cabernet Franc is now used in some twenty countries in Europe and throughout the world.
wines from the region of Bordeaux Moelleux go well with generally quite well with dishes of beef, lamb or pork such as recipes of thai beef skewers, marinated lamb chops or rabbit with prunes.
In the mouth in the region of Bordeaux Moelleux is a powerful with a nice freshness.
Jon Wyand has been crowned Errazuriz Wine Photographer of the Year after impressing the judges with his beautiful shot of a Burgundian vineyard worker gathering prunings. The photograph was taken on a crisp winter’s day at Montagne de Corton Hill in the Côte de Beaune. ‘The winning image evokes with stark beauty the reality of wine growing – you are always at the mercy of nature,’ said wine writer Joanna Simon, one of the judges. ‘But there’s an extra element here: is he scruti ...
This 17 April marks the 12th anniversary of Malbec World Day, a global initiative created by Wines of Argentina to celebrate the success of Argentina’s wine industry. Argentina is the main producing country of Malbec with more than 44,000 hectares planted across the country. Mendoza, Argentina’s most famous wine region, has become synonymous with Malbec and leads local production with 37,754 hectares cultivated (85% of the total vineyards). Now the 12th edition, Malbec World Day cele ...
California Wines launched the two-day event, which ran from 31 October, in order to pave the way for new export opportunities and give buyers and importers ‘unprecedented access’ to the state’s wines. The event featured masterclasses led by two prominent wine educators, Elaine Chukan Brown and Kelli A. White, as well as walk-around wine tastings and networking sessions. Buyers and importers from 26 countries were among a hand-selected group chosen for this first event. Those at ...
