Top 100 wines of Bordeaux - Page 6
Discover the top 100 best wines of Bordeaux as well as the best winemakers in the region. Explore the varietals of the wines that are popular of Bordeaux and the best vintages to taste in this region.
Discovering the wine region of Bordeaux
Bordeaux, in southwestern France, is one of the most famous, prestigious and prolific wine regions in the world. The majority of Bordeaux wines (nearly 90% of the production Volume) are the Dry, medium and Full-bodied red Bordeaux blends for which it is famous. The finest (and most expensive) are the wines of the great châteaux of Haut-Médoc and the right bank appellations of Saint-Émilion and Pomerol. The former focuses (at the highest level) on Cabernet Sauvignon, the latter on Merlot.
The legendary reds are complemented by high-quality white wines made from Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc. These range from dry whites that challenge the best of Burgundy (Pessac-Léognan is particularly renowned) to the Sweet, botrytised nectars of Sauternes. Although Bordeaux is most famous for its wines produced in specific districts or communes, many of its wines fall under other, broader appellations. These include AOC Bordeaux, Bordeaux Supérieur and Crémant de Bordeaux.
The Bordeaux Red appellation represents more than a third of the total production. The official Bordeaux wine region extends 130 kilometres inland from the Atlantic coast. 111,000 hectares of vineyards were registered in 2018, a figure that has remained largely constant over the previous decade. However, the number of winegrowers has consolidated; in 2018 there were around 6,000, compared to 9,000 a decade earlier.
Discover the grape variety: Cabernet franc
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.
Food and wine pairing with a wine of Bordeaux
wines from the region of Bordeaux go well with generally quite well with dishes of beef, lamb or game (deer, venison) such as recipes of beef with panang curry (red curry), mouse of lamb with honey and thyme or rabbit with onions and mustard.
Organoleptic analysis of wine of Bordeaux
On the nose in the region of Bordeaux often reveals types of flavors of blackberry, baking spice or mango and sometimes also flavors of dried apricot, apples or orange peel. In the mouth in the region of Bordeaux is a powerful with a nice balance between acidity and tannins.
News from the vineyard of Bordeaux
Bordeaux: Dourthe president Patrick Jestin to retire
Jestin said he has decided to retire after 35 years of helping to develop Maison Dourthe and Bordeaux in general – from exploring new vineyard management and winemaking techniques to promoting wines on the international stage. ‘Although no longer involved in the day-to-day side of the business, rest assured that I will continue to support the company as both stakeholder and trustee,’ he said. Dourthe, founded in 1840, has owned fifth growth estate Château Belgrave since 1979 but also has several ...
Sebastian Payne MW retires from The Wine Society
Having joined The Wine Society’s team in 1973 as promotions manager, Payne became the head buyer in 1985. He stepped down from this position in 2012, when Tim Sykes took over, but has remained on the buying team ever since. As part of his responsibilities, Payne has bought in every region throughout the years but, in recent years, focused mainly on Italy and Bordeaux. He was also instrumental in introducing wines from Eastern Europe and Greece to the portfolio. The Wine Society described Payne’s ...
Château Pédesclaux certified organic in long-term sustainability plan
Speaking exclusively to Decanter, Jacky Lorenzetti, owner of the 52ha estate since 2009, spoke of his conviction to sustainable viticulture and a desire to produce the best wine possible in harmony with nature. Despite organic practices beginning at the estate 10 years ago in 2012, official conversion began in 2019. ‘When we arrived, we had a lot of work to do to bring soil back to life’, says the real estate investor and owner of Bordeaux estates Château Lafon-Rochet and Château Lilian Ladouys ...
Top wines in regions and sub-regions of Bordeaux
The best wines of Bordeaux in other styles
- The best wines natural sweet of Bordeaux in other styles
- The best wines pink of Bordeaux in other styles
- The best wines red of Bordeaux in other styles
- The best wines sparkling of Bordeaux in other styles
- The best wines sweet of Bordeaux in other styles
- The best wines unknow of Bordeaux in other styles
- The best wines white of Bordeaux in other styles