Guide to the Wines of Bordeaux
Wine has been made in France’s Bordeaux region of France since Roman times and in between it has hosted Vandals, Visigoths, Vikings, the English and most recently multinational corporate interests.
Thanks to its strategic location on key trade routes as well as its aristocratic associations, Bordeaux is the original ‘prestige’ wine region, and today still accounts for many of the world's most-sought-after bottles (a small proportion of hundred of millions it makes each year).
Bordeaux – which borders the upper and middle part of the Gironde estuary – originated the classic red blend of cabernet sauvignon, merlot, and cabernet franc. These grapes blended together in varying proportions and arrangements – including small additions like Petit Verdot – have the potential for longevity. Bordeaux is rich and full bodied. It smells of plums, leather and pencil shavings. It tastes of blackberry fruit, wood and spice. As it matures, the earth and smoke flavours come through more as the fruit falls away (though with well made Bordeaux this process takes place over decades).
WHY YOU LIKE BORDEAUX
• Like Francis Mallmann, you like smokiness of a good single malt
• You may have been introduced to Bordeaux - or claret - by your dad or uncle
• You’re comfortable with old school wine, running contrary to hipster crowd
IF YOU LIKE BORDEAUX, YOU SHOULD ALSO TRY
• Cabernet Sauvignon from California, Tuscany or Alto Adige in Italy or Hemel-en-Arde in South Africa
• Rioja
WANT MORE?
Check out our France country guide, or our article on the most common wine varieties.