Bordeaux Supérieur is an appellation level applied to wines produced in the Generic area of the Bordeaux PDO. They are produced from the classic Bordeaux Grape varieties. The reds are, as the name suggests, intended to be a slightly "superior" form of the standard Bordeaux AOC wines. They are therefore heavily based on Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, with smaller amounts of Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Malbec.
Some wines may feature the "lost child" of Bordeaux, Carménère. Small quantities of white wine are produced. However, as the wines must be Sweet, this does not represent a level of quality as is the case for the red designation. These wines are generally made from Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon.
Some blends may include Muscadelle, Ugni Blanc and Merlot Blanc. Similarly, the Graves Supérieures appellation is specific to sweet white wines. Only two French wine regions have adopted the concept of having a "superior" level for their appellations. The other is Beaujolais.
Malbec, a high-yielding red grape variety, produces tannic and colourful wines. It is produced in different wine-growing regions and changes its name according to the grape variety. Called Auxerrois in Cahors, Malbec in Bordeaux, it is also known as Côt. 6,000 hectares of the Malbec grape are grown in France (in decline since the 1950s). Malbec is also very successful in Argentina. The country has become the world's leading producer of Malbec and offers wines with great potential.
red wines from the region of Bordeaux Supérieur go well with generally quite well with dishes of beef, veal or game (deer, venison) such as recipes of kamounia : tunisian beef stew, roast veal in the oven or chicken waterzooi à la gantoise.
On the nose in the region of Bordeaux Supérieur often reveals types of flavors of cherry, lavender or sour cherry and sometimes also flavors of forest floor, ash or chalk. In the mouth in the region of Bordeaux Supérieur is a powerful with a nice balance between acidity and tannins.
Château Angélus’ announcement that it is withdrawing from the process to create the 2022 St-Emilion Classification has sent shockwaves through the region and raised questions about the ranking’s future form. With Châteaux Ausone and Cheval Blanc having announced their withdrawal last year, three of the top-ranking ‘Premier Grand Cru Classé A’ estates from the last edition of the St-Emilion Classification in 2012 will not be candidates for the revised ranking, due this ye ...
Christmas, famously, is not about religion any more. But as a Decanter reader, you’ll also know that it’s not about giving, family or food either. No, it’s about drink. The one time of year when we get to open the good stuff without anyone questioning what we’re doing. And of course, there’s no shortage of advice as to what form those bottles should take. Every year, hacks in newspapers, magazines and websites tell us how to make the big day go with a bang. But these don’t correspond with the re ...
There has been buyer and trade enthusiasm for California’s 2018-vintage releases, yet there is still a sense of the region finding its way on the international fine wine market. Releases of top Cabernet Sauvignon and ‘Bordeaux blend’ wines from the 2018 vintage have added some spark to the California sector of the market this year. ‘We’re seeing much stronger demand for blue-chip 2018s than we did for the 2017s,’ said Ryan Woodhouse, domestic wine buyer for K&L Wine Merchants in the US. Scar ...
