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Bordeaux - the AOCs  
 Bordeaux - The AOCsBordeaux red wine has been enjoyed in the UK for centuries, initially as the Bordeaux Clairets that Eleanor of Aquitaine brought here as a dowry upon her marriage to Henry Plantagenet of England in the 13th century. (This is where our word for claret originates from.) Later as wine making techniques improved Bordeaux's wines became richer and more red, evolving into the Bordeaux red wines that we love today. Incidentally Queen Eleanor of Aquitaine (1122-1204) was the wife of two kings, King Louis VII of France and King Henry II of England, and the mother of two kings, Richard the Lion Heart and John who is remembered in history for having been forced to sign the Magna Carta. Eleanor, who excelled in horsemanship and archery, was probably the first truly political woman, interested in both politics and the military – and of course had excellent taste in wine! Bordeaux is a vast area and, like Heinz, Bordeaux has 57 appellations (or wine regions). You have probably heard about or seen wines from appellations that are specific regions such as the Médoc, Margaux, Saint Emilion and the Côtes de Castillon but the appellations Bordeaux AOC and the Bordeaux Supérieur AOC are those that are more generic. AOC stands for Appellation Origine Controlée and this means that these wines originate from a specific region or area, that meets strict production norms and is officially recognized only after tasting and analysis. The Bordeaux AOC is a guarantee of typicity and quality for the consumer. They represent perfect examples of the Bordeaux style and account for half of the planted surfaces in Bordeaux. All of the winemaking districts in the Gironde "département” (administrative area) can produce these AOC wines. They are designed to be consumed young.  Bordeaux Supérieur AOC covers the same geographic area as Bordeaux AOC but the wine is produced by older vines. The grapes are picked on selected plots of older vines. Bordeaux Supérieur wines are sometimes also aged in oak barrels to increase their power and aromatic complexity. Moreover, Bordeaux Supérieur wines must be aged at least for 12 months before they can be sold. You can find some good bargains amongst these AOC appellations but most of the wines are available as commercial brands. The Bordeaux region of France is the second largest wine-growing area in the world, only the Languedoc wine region is larger. Bordeaux lies halfway between the North pole and the Equator and its geological foundation of the region is limestone, leading to a soil structure that is heavy in calcium. The Gironde Estuary dominates the regions along with its tributaries, the River Garonne and the River Dordogne which irrigate the land and provide with an oceanic climate. The rivers define the  main geographical subdivisions of the region: the Right Bank, situated on the right bank of Dordogne, in the northern parts of the region, around the city of Libourne and the Left Bank situated on the left bank of Garonne, in the west and south of the region, around the city of Bordeaux itself. The Left Bank is subdivided into the regions of Graves, upstream of the city of Bordeaux and the Médoc, downstream of Bordeaux on a peninsula between the Gironde and the Atlantic. Between the two rivers lies the Entre Deux Mers (Between Two Waters). An old saying in Bordeaux is that the best estates can "see the river" from their vineyard.In Bordeaux terroir takes precedence over grape varieties – terroir is the concept that the wine embodies the unique aspects of a place that influence its being. Terroir is therefore a combination of the soil the vines are grown in, the geography of the place and the micro climate that nourishes the vines. Therefore the vast vineyard that is Bordeaux creates very different and distinct wines due myriad combinations of terroir which is why appellations are so important as they are the flagships for the wines they represent. The Appellations Barsac – Sweet White Wine Blaye – Dry White Wine Blaye – Red Wine Bordeaux and Bordeaux Sec – Dry White Wine Bordeaux – Red Wine Bordeaux Clairet – Clairet Bordeaux Haut Benauge – Sweet White Wine Bordeaux Rosé – Rosé Bordeaux Supérieur – Red Wine Bordeaux Supérieur – Sweet White Wine Cadillac – Sweet White Wine Canon Fronsac – Red Wine Cérons – Sweet White Wine Côtes de Bordeaux Saint Macaire – Sweet White Wine Côtes de Francs – Dry White Wine Côtes de Francs – Red Wine Côtes de Bourg – Dry White Wine Côtes de Bourg – Red Wine Côtes de Castillon – Red Wine Crémant de Bordeaux – Sparkling White Wine Entre deux Mers – Dry White Wine Entre Deux Mers Haut Benauge – Dry White Wine Fronsac – Red Wine Graves – Dry White Wine Graves – Red Wine Graves de Vayres – Dry White Wine Graves de Vayres – Red Wine Graves Supérieures – Sweet White Wine Haut Médoc – Red Wine Lalande de Pomerol – Red Wine Listrac Médoc – Red Wine Loupiac – Sweet White Wine Lussac Saint Emilion – Red Wine Margaux – Red Wine Médoc – Red Wine Montagne Saint Emilion – Red wine Moulis en Médoc – Red Wine Pauillac – Red Wine Pessac Léognan – Red Wine Pessac Léognan – Dry White Wine Pomerol – Red Wine Prémieres Côtes de Blayes – Red Wine Prémieres Côtes de Blayes – Dry White Wine Prémieres Côtes de Bordeaux – Red Wine Prémieres Côtes de Bordeaux – Sweet White Wine Puisseguin Saint Emilion – Red Wine Sainte Croix du Mont – Sweet White Wine Sainte Foy Bordeaux – Red Wine Sainte Foy Bordeaux – Sweet White Wine Saint Emilion – Red Wine Saint Emilion Grand Cru – Red Wine Saint Estèphe – Red Wine Saint Georges Saint Emilion – Red Wine Saint Julien – Red Wine Sauternes – Sweet White Wine |
