All About Bordeaux

Pronounced as Bore-doe

Bordeaux is a wine that originates from the Bordeaux region of France. A large majority of Bordeaux wines are red wines comprising Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. It should be noted that a Bordeaux can be a Cabernet Sauvignon but a Cabernet is often not a Bordeaux. 

A few white varietals also exist such as Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon. However, over 85% of wines from this old-world wine region are red. Bordeaux is one of the largest, most important French wine regions and it is well known for its high-end wines and also for good bargains that are more mass-produced.

Bordeaux Tasting Notes

Red wines from Bordeaux are medium-full-bodied with a strong nose of dark fruits like black currant, and plum, as well as earthy notes of tar, leather, or mud. Bordeaux red wines burst with strong flavors of minerality and robust fruit notes that are strong on tannins allowing this wine to age well over several decades.

Bordeaux Styles 

Bordeaux comprises almost 6,800 producers in the region and makes up about 25% of France’s AOC wine production. While Bordeaux is best known for its red blend, there are 50 distinct appellations in the region and the old-world styles of wines from this region include several popular varietals, including, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Malbec, and Carménère.

Bordeaux Blends

A popular red Bordeaux blend comprises Merlot (66%), Cabernet Sauvignon (22%), and Cabernet Franc (9%). The Merlot adds dark cherry, and plum notes, whereas Cabernet Sauvignon is full-bodied and tannic, offering blackcurrant, licorice, and mint flavors.

Bordeaux Classifications

AOC is the highest level of quality, known as Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée, where many regulations apply to all aspects of wine production.

To qualify as an AOC, strict regulations must be followed and verified. These regulations include where the grape is grown, where the wine is produced, the grape variety, the production methods, the minimum alcohol by volume, the max levels of grape yields per acre, the vine age, and the minimum planting densities for vines. Additional rules also apply for harvesting, vinification techniques, and cellar location.

The wines from Bordeaux are classified into 7 Regional AOCs:

1. Bordeaux Rouge for red wine
2. Bordeaux Supérieur Rouge with higher quality standards for red wine
3. Bordeaux Clairet for light red wine, between red and rosé
4. Bordeaux Rosé for pale pink to cranberry colored wine
5. Bordeaux Blanc for dry white wine
6. Bordeaux Supérieur Blanc for higher quality white wine
7. Crémant de Bordeaux for sparkling wine made in the méthode traditionnelle. 

When To Drink Bordeaux

A classic and vintage Bordeaux would go well with red meats and is best had to celebrate landmark occasions or milestones. A well-aged Bordeaux would be great to celebrate birthdays, anniversaries, a wedding, or over holidays like Thanksgiving. The tannins from a Bordeaux red go well with and enhance the flavors of the meats.

Best Years To Drink Bordeaux

Depending on the quality of the Bordeaux, it should be aged for at least 10 years if it is of premium quality as many of the fine wines reach their peak in years 15-20. For the more bulk-produced red wines from this region, you can opt to drink them sooner, even within 5 years.

Bordeaux Average Prices

Bordeaux wines can be found at a bargain of $70 a bottle for mass-produced Cabernets on average but you could consider the premium bottles priced more steeply at $290. According to a recent study, the most expensive Bordeaux wines in the world are Petrus (Pomerol) for an average of $4,077, Le Pin (Pomerol) for $3,966, and Liber Pater (Graves) for $3,866.

Fun Facts About Bordeaux

• Bordeaux is the world capital of wine.
• Bordeaux used to be known for its white wine with over 80% of the region producing white grapes like Sauternes, Barsac, Bordeaux Blanc, and Graves. In the 1970s, the transition to red occurred when Bordeaux’s signature red blend became popular.
• The vines that make Argentina and Chile famous are originally from Bordeaux cuttings.