The marriage of Eleanor of Aquitaine to Henry II of England brought Aquitaine into the Plantagenet Empire. A flourishing wine market developed from the port of Bordeaux. The winegrowers of Bordeaux obtained the Bordeaux privilege from King Henry III of England in 12416: wines from the high country could not enter the port of Bordeaux before Christmas6. By then, navigation was more difficult and many ships had already left loaded.
This privilege allowed the Bordeaux winegrowers to sell their production. The King of France became the suzerain of Bordeaux after the battle of Castillon in 1453. To gain the respect of his New subjects, he renewed the privilege. It was finally Louis XVI who settled the conflict more than five centuries later in 17736, by setting up a mediation between the wine growers.
Ribs have travelled a long way! In the Middle Ages it was indeed cultivated in the Yonne region. In Bordeaux, it was used in the production of vins clairets and was present in the Loire Valley where today it is only used in the AOC Touraine and Rosé d'Anjou. It goes by different names: Malbec in Bordeaux or Auxerrois in Cahors, in the Quercy vineyards, where it flourishes.it is a very old red grape variety with medium-sized bunches and berries with melting, juicy and sweet flesh. Very sensitive to frost, disease and temperature changes, it is very productive if preserved and if it reaches a good maturity.côt is used in the vineyards of several major appellations such as the AOC Médoc, Graves, Saint-Emilion, Pomerol, Bergerac, Pécharmant, Buzet, Malepère, Marcillac... Wines made from this grape variety are fruity, tannic, deep in colour and have good ageing potential Cultivated on a surface of 5.000 hectares in France, the côt is also very present in Argentina and Chile.
red wines from the region of Haut-Pays go well with generally quite well with dishes of beef, lamb or poultry such as recipes of beef with balsamic sauce, giouvetsi (greek dish) or spinach and goat cheese quiche.
On the nose in the region of Haut-Pays often reveals types of flavors of black fruit, strawberries or raisin and sometimes also flavors of cheese, microbio or vegetal. In the mouth in the region of Haut-Pays is a powerful with a nice balance between acidity and tannins.
The Decanter World Wine Awards is the world’s largest and most influential wine competition, and is arguably the most comprehensive and authoritative source of recommendations for wine lovers worldwide. It is the trusted relationship that Decanter – the world’s leading wine media brand – has with an international audience of both consumers and trade that sets DWWA apart from other competitions, alongside world-class judging panels and a rigorous judging process. Wines are judge ...
Getting the wines right over the holidays is arguably just as important as the feast. You want the right bottles to elevate the festivities and impress your guests, which is why this month’s Wine Club offering took some careful consideration. In the Decanter Wine Club holiday special, we, together with Wine Access, have curated a selection of appropriate wines that will take centre stage on your dining table. Both Everyday Excellence and Rare Luxuries have six impressive bottles that would make ...
When I first visited Bordeaux, the sleepy landscape of turreted stone châteaux and vineyards seemed timeless, with traditions so well established you felt they would go on forever. But new energy in this famous wine region is visible and audible: bees buzz and sheep graze in organic vineyards; brand-new cellars brim with sustainable features and wine fermenting in trendy amphorae; unusual grapes are gaining attention; and the number of women in key roles keeps growing. Yoga among the vines is s ...
