Bordeaux Wine and the Region Defined

If your tastebuds lean towards Cabernet Sauvignon and red blend from California, then Bordeaux should be your first stop on your journey. It so happens that many worldwide renowned grape varietals originated from this region: Sauvignon Blanc, Malbec (Cots from its original name), Petit-Verdot, Cabernet Franc (indigenous of the Pyrenees Mountains, in Basque country), Merlot, Carmenere, Semillon, Muscadelle, and the most important of all, born from the crossed genes of Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc, the Cabernet Sauvignon. The fantastic botanic patrimony aside, the history of wine making found traces back in Roman time, being the Region “avant-garde” that would strive to create process and technique to enhance wines: one excellent example, the Bordeaux mixture (copper sulfate and lime), created in late 1880’s at the University of Bordeaux to prevent Mildew fungus to appear, is the unique treatment allowed for organic certified winery nowadays. Their style, whether red or white, tends towards blends and attracted the attention of many royalties throughout history. The duchy of Aquitaine, with Bordeaux at its heart, even belonged to the United Kingdom during the one hundred Year War. The wines were highly praised, shipped from Saint Emilion by boat and its market reached new heights. Bordeaux was the first region to export their products. While exports were booming, for the French, it remained a former territory of the United Kingdom, which, let us be honest, were never French Royalties’ besties. Even after France reclaimed the Duchy of Aquitaine (Bordeaux region), it took few centuries for the nephew of Napoleon Bonaparte, Napoleon the 3^rd, to reposition Bordeaux wines center stage in 1855 at the World Convention of Paris. At this historical fair, the famous ranking of the left bank, Medoc, and Graves sub-region, was inaugurated with four first Growth Chateau at its peak (later five). If you come across a designated first to fifth growth, Cru bourgeois or Cru Artisan, you picked a left bank and there is a good chance to experience a red blend with Cabernet Sauvignon as its guest star. On the other side of the Gironde estuary, the right bank defined their own ranking system in 1955, reviewed and updated every 10 years. Designations decline into Saint-Emilion Grand Cru Classified A, B and Grand Cru classified. In the presence of such a remarkable beverage, you will experience the best of what Merlot blend will have to offer. And if you shiver at the sight of the word “Merlot” as a collateral effect of the movie “Sideways”, there is actually a massive inner joke that nobody could pick up on besides wine enthusiast: Miles, Paul Giamatti’s character, curses after Merlot from California while, later on the movie, declares that his favorite wine is Chateau Cheval Blanc, a Saint Emilion Grand Cru classified A (one of the four). This Chateau utilizes 80% Merlot average. Even better, the script originally featured Chateau Petrus instead, from Pomerol (still Right bank but not part of the classification), that produces wine with only 100% Merlot. This fantastic jest, that little to no audience deciphered, lies in the fact that the majority of California Merlot were unbalanced while the ones from Bordeaux are magnificent.

Buying Guide Bordeaux Left Bank: Best Cabernet Sauvignon?

When you step in the city of Bordeaux, you can choose two path to discover the regional left bank wines: the northern “route des vins” that leads you through the Médoc and Haut Médoc villages, and the southern route des Graves that starts with Pessac-Leognan, suburban city of Bordeaux.

When you are looking for the most concentrated Cabernet Sauvignon blend, Pauillac, village in the middle of Haut Medoc, incarnates the rightful core of this style (along with Saint-Julien). It boasts three of the five first growth wineries from the 1855 classification: Chateau La Tour, Chateau Lafitte-Rotschild, and Chateau Mouton-Rotschild. Their robust style displays Cabernet Sauvignon tannins and body structure. Acquiring wines from these prestigious wineries may not be easy though. You will be facing three problems. The first one lies in how the market is set. You will not be able to buy wines in most of the famous classified wineries as they sell exclusively to negociants (wine broker/merchant). You are left with the only option of finding them in a retail store. The next problem: all first labels from said wineries need at least a decade or two to start being enjoyable. The last big issue is the price: hard to find even a fifth growth under $60-$80 nowadays and forget about the hundreds or even thousands of dollars that would cost a first growth. You can go for their second or third label (which means their lesser quality and even more mass-produced ones), but it would be sad: we found first-labels that bested classified ones at blind tastings for under $45. From the glorious village of Saint-Julien, renowned for regrouping the largest number of second growth, The Chateau Moulin de la Rose is a jewel family owned and farm by Jean-Francois Delon, one of the only true farmer and winemaker left in these prestigious designations.

If you seek new territories, venturing away from the classifications, ratings and whatnot, the best option is to go look for value driven wineries further north (in the Medoc) or south (in the Graves), but it will be challenging to find a full-on Cab. Why is there less Cabernet Sauvignon on the outskirt of the Region? The northern part of Medoc and the southern part of Graves tend to have increased Merlot planted. This happens for two reasons. First, the terroir is less keen to breed Cabernet Sauvignon. Then, its cost of maintenance is high, and its survivability low (less than 20 years average if you do not have the human resources nor the money). Why? Because it is all about size! The trunk of the Cabernet Sauvignon vine is thinner and the accumulation of scars from multiple pruning over the years prevents the sap from reaching the branch. Because of that, many wineries have stopped replanting Cabernet Sauvignon and focus more on Merlot and other red Bordeaux varietals. It is challenging to find a Medoc Cabernet Sauvignon dominant that is made by small vintner. But lucky you, we got you covered with our classified Cru Artisan Chateau la Hourcade, or our bold premium cuvee from Chateau l’Ecrin de Couleys, Cuvee JDR.

If you do not want heavy tannic structure from Pauillac/Saint Julien and are still curious about finding an elegant representation of the left bank, it is time for you to look for a village such as Saint-Estephe and Pessac-Leognan. We were able to find a winery in Saint-Estephe, close neighbor of Chateau Cos-d’Estournel, Chateau Montrose and Chateau Calon Segur (all classified growth cru Medoc since 1855), that transcend the goal of this region by producing sustainable, HVE certified (Haute Valeur Environmental) and family operated: the Chateau Segur de Cabanac. These wines tend to be easier to drink younger thanks to a more sizable portion of Merlot (45-50%). Going further South, Graves produces fantastic whites with Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc, but also, the most famous dessert wine of all: Sauternes. Graves produces primarily Semillon and small quantities of Sauvignon Blanc. If you desire to find heavier Sauvignon Blanc while keeping it affordable, you just need to cross the river to the North and land in the Village of Blaye. Chateau des Matards represents one of the few wineries there that produces white wines with great craftmanship (certified organic by France standards), providing both a traditional modernized experience, along with their best cuvee, Cuvee M: their finest Sauvignon Blanc, micro produced and aged for 24 months in French oak barrel. This wine will let you experience what expensive Bordeaux white tastes like, for a very reasonable budget.

Buying Guide Bordeaux Right Bank: The Favorite Wine from “Sideways”, a French Merlot!

As depicted in previously, “Sideways” jests about Merlot from California being bad while the character’s favorite wine is a Merlot from Saint Emilion (Bordeaux, France). Therefore, we now have an even better reason to investigate the fantastic Red Blend produced on the Right bank.

In this case, Saint-Emilion village represents the heart of the fantastic Merlot blend right bank. Its classification ranking was created in 1955 (Chateau Cheval Blanc, Grand Cru Classified A, “Sideways” favorite wine) and is updated every 10 years. Although the village is directly connected within the Saint-Emilion Grand Cru terroirs, Pomerol wineries are not included in this ranking system while it hosts two of the most famous wineries, Chateau Le Pin and Chateau Pétrus (the latter is the most expensive wine of Bordeaux). Unfortunately, like its sister left bank, these classified wineries tend to be extremely expensive, and it is an incredible challenge to find value wine. But do not fret, challenge accepted! We discovered Chateau Vieux Faurie, Saint Emilion Grand Cru, produced by Sandrine Giraud, who works all by herself on a small parcel, producing 350 cases a year, 1,000 feet away from Chateau Cheval Blanc itself!

In your hunt for value driven wine, the right bank hosts many villages that can go toe to toe with many mid-ranges priced Saint Emilion Grand cru. Looking back in history, you can even discover that many of the vines planted after the Phylloxera pandemic in late 1860’s originated from: these small villages (Bourg, Castillon, Fronsac, Blaye) and California. The two villages that caught our attention are Castillon and Fronsac. 

In Castillon, if you look on the border of Saint Emilion, you may find parcels that are identical to those from the legendary neighbor, yet a fifth of the price. This is one of our favorite places to find our everyday wine as they can be crafted with an elevated level of quality and elegance, such as Domaine de la Caresse. On the other hand, the regional designation of Bordeaux and Bordeaux Superieur can be very tricky. The primary difference between the two appellations takes root in the density of vines plantation and yield. Bordeaux Superieur has a much higher density that stresses the vines, growing deeper roots, and lower yields by concentrated less nutriments in a larger number of plants. You can find extremely well crafted at the best value for the region along terrible representation of mass-produced ones. Lucky for you, we found you a fantastic winery, one of few that only does natural fermentations in Bordeaux, Chateau Font Merlet. That historical estate started as a stagecoach in the medieval and renaissance age and hosted famous characters such as D’Artagnan! The terroir’s high concentration of limestone builds a fantastic structure that can rival the expensive wines of Saint-Emilion in terms of body and aging. Chateau Font Merlet won multiple national prizes in France and only produces a first label. With their lofty standards, if the wine does not meet their criteria of quality, Pierre sells it to the Negoces (brokers). Another noticeable unique item from this winery, their Crémant Rose, made with Merlot, aged in the catacombs of Saint Emilion, delivers an exquisite experience of Champagne style wine from Bordeaux. Other interesting villages known for their excellent value (Cotes de Bourg, Cotes de Franc and Blaye) deserve your investigation as their territory resembles the left bank. The only flaw some may argue would be related to the small offer in terms of white Sauvignon Blanc. We can resolve this issue thanks to Chateau des Matards, in Blaye. They benefit from ideal conditions to grow complex, intense, and elegant Sauvignon Blanc since they are located on the border of Cognac.