Welcome to the second part of our series The Great Wine Regions. In the first part we looked at Bourgogne and the cultivation of single grapes. Now we turn to the other great French classic, where the art is not about a single grape but about bringing several grapes together into a balanced whole.
Bordeaux lies on France's west coast, between Cognac and Armagnac, and is in many ways the very school of how a blend can become something greater than the sum of its parts. Let us take a closer look at the grapes, the two banks and what you can expect in the glass.
What you will learn
- Which grapes carry Bordeaux, and how they play together in a blend
- The difference between the Left and Right Banks, and what it means for the style
- The most important types of wine from the region
- What the wines are typically characterised by in aroma, taste and structure
Bordeaux in brief
Bordeaux is one of the world's largest classic wine regions, located on the French west coast in the Gironde department. The area holds a large number of appellations and a well-known château system, where the wines are tied to a particular estate. From the end of the 1600s that system replaced older forms of shared cultivation, and it is still at the core of how Bordeaux is thought of today.
By far the greatest part of production is red wine. Dry and sweet white wine is also made, along with a smaller share of rosé, but it is the red blends that have made the region famous. Part of the structure was established in a classification from 1855, which divides the best known estates into levels. You do not need to know it by heart. The important thing is to know that Bordeaux is built around appellations (AOC), which set out, among other things, the permitted grapes and cultivation methods.
Grapes and blends
The central idea in Bordeaux is that the wines are usually blends of several grapes. The thought is that each grape contributes something specific, and that the winemaker can put them together into a whole that is more complete than the individual parts.
On the red side, the two carrying grapes are Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. Merlot takes up the most space in the region and makes up the larger part of most blends. It gives softness, round fruit and accessibility. Cabernet Sauvignon plays a smaller role measured in area, but contributes structure, tannin and freshness. Tannin is the substance from skins, pips and barrels that gives the slightly astringent feeling on the tongue and helps a wine to keep for many years.
Alongside the two main players, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Malbec are used as classic supporting grapes that can add spice, colour and aromatic depth.
On the white side, Sémillon is the most important grape, especially for the sweet wines, where it can develop the noble mould botrytis, which concentrates sugar and flavour. Sauvignon Blanc appears as a supporting grape in both dry and sweet white wine and contributes freshness and an aromatic lift.
Left and Right Bank
One of the most useful things to understand about Bordeaux is the division into Left and Right Bank. The Gironde river and its tributaries divide the region, and the soil is different on the two sides. This shapes which grape thrives best, and thereby how the blends are put together.
Left Bank
On the Left Bank there is more gravel and stone in the soil. It warms up well and suits the late-ripening Cabernet Sauvignon. Here Cabernet Sauvignon is therefore often the dominant or leading grape in the blend, supplemented by Merlot and a little of the other grapes. The result is typically wines with firm structure, distinct tannin and good keeping ability.
Right Bank
On the Right Bank there is more clay and limestone in the subsoil, which suits Merlot better. Here Merlot is usually the main ingredient, often together with Cabernet Franc. The wines tend to seem softer, rounder and more accessible at a younger age, without losing the ability to age.
It is worth remembering that these are broad lines and not fixed rules. The individual estate's location, soil and choices matter just as much as the bank itself.
How the wines taste
The red Bordeaux are known for being dry, structured and built to keep. In the aroma you often find dark berries, plum and blackcurrant, ideally with notes of cedar wood, spice and pencil lead that emerge with age. Many of the wines are matured for some months up to a year and a half on oak barrels, and the most ambitious ones spend longer on the barrel. The barrel can add notes of vanilla, toasted bread and spice as well as give the wine extra structure.
On the palate the red wines are characterised by a distinct but often well-integrated tannin, fresh acidity and a tautness that makes them well suited to food. Young wines from the Left Bank can seem firm and closed, while wines with more Merlot often offer themselves up earlier. With a few years of ageing the tannins soften, and the fruit develops towards more ripe, spicy and earthy notes.
The dry white wines from Sémillon and Sauvignon Blanc range from fresh and citrus-driven to fuller versions that have had time on the barrel. The sweet wines, for their part, are rich and concentrated with notes of honey, apricot and candied fruit, carried by a fresh acidity that keeps the sweetness in balance.
In brief
- Bordeaux lies on France's west coast and is built around appellations and a château system.
- The wines are classic blends, where Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon are the carrying red grapes, supplemented by Cabernet Franc among others.
- The Left Bank has more Cabernet Sauvignon and firm structure. The Right Bank has more Merlot and a softer style.
- Sémillon and Sauvignon Blanc are behind the dry and sweet white wines.
- The red wines are dry, tannin-rich and often suitable for ageing, ideally with time on oak.
Frequently asked questions
Is a Bordeaux always a blend?
Almost always, yes. It is the very idea of the region that several grapes are put together into a balanced whole. The ratio between the grapes varies a great deal, though, depending among other things on whether the wine comes from the Left or Right Bank.
Does a Bordeaux need to be aged before it is drunk?
It depends on the style. Many wines with a large share of Merlot can be enjoyed at a relatively young age, while more tannin-firm wines often benefit from a few years of ageing, where the tannins soften and the flavour develops.
Ready for the next step?
Now you have a solid grasp of the homeland of the blend and the difference between the two banks. In the next part of the series we travel north to the classic of the bubbles and take a closer look at the traditional method in Champagne: The Classic of the Bubbles.
The best way to get to know Bordeaux is to taste. Do try your way through both Left and Right Bank, and notice the difference in structure and fruit. And remember that the best pairing is always the wine you like yourself with the food you are fond of. Do drop by our selection if you feel like finding a bottle to begin with.