Bordeaux

The Bordeaux appellation is well known to most of us, but very few people can pinpoint its exact location. And yet it's easy to do! The Bordeaux appellation is a regional appellation that applies to all wines from vine-growing land (excluding forested areas bordering the Atlantic Ocean and alluvial land known as "palus") in the Gironde department.

Production areas are either exclusively devoted to AOC Bordeaux, or shared with other specific appellations. A parcel delimitation has been studied within each communal territory, in order to define all the parcels or parts of them, according to the nature, soil and natural environment, enabling a quality product to be obtained.

The AOC Bordeaux Supérieur is complementary to the other appellations that can be claimed in the Bordeaux vineyards, and either takes a back seat to the "hierarchically superior" appellations, or replaces the AOC Bordeaux when the quality criteria, which are more rigorous than for the latter appellation, are met, notably a mandatory minimum ageing period of 9 months before marketing.

AOC Bordeaux Sec also covers the entire wine-growing area of the Gironde department, but only applies to white wines. To qualify for the appellation, wines must be perfectly dry, with a residual sugar content not exceeding 4 grams per liter.

The diversity of Bordeaux wines depends not only on the variety of terroirs, since they may come from regions with different soils and climates, but also on the cultivation and winemaking techniques employed in the various wineries. These wines are mainly made from Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, the former providing tannic structure, the latter fruit and velvety texture. Cabernet Franc is sometimes included in the blend. It adds roundness and spicy aromas. Petit Verdot and Malbec can also be added. Almost 60% of Bordeaux wines are vinified on the estate. AOC Bordeaux and Bordeaux Sec white wines combine the fruitiness of Sauvignon with the roundness of Sémillon in a well-balanced blend.

Over the past thirty years, the Bordeaux, Bordeaux Supérieur and Bordeaux Sec appellations have steadily improved their overall quality, notably by eliminating low-quality soils, limiting yields and setting more restrictive criteria for obtaining the appellation d'origine contrôlée. At the moment, estates such as Château Belle Garde, Maison Dourthe and Établissements Thunevin stand out for the quality of their Bordeaux appellations. Château Malromé and, above all, Château Reignac are also honoring the Bordeaux Supérieur appellation.