Bordeaux is a magical name.  Of all the wine regions in the world, it is without a doubt the most famous.  It is a city, a region and a source of fine wines all at the same time and also an influential, incontestable brand.  A millionaire chateau owner in Margaux and a tiny debt-ridden winemaker from another part of the area can both boast, “The wine I produce is Bordeaux.”

Among the wine cognoscenti, Bordeaux has the reputation for producing the most age-worthy wines on the planet.  Wine cellars around the world are filled with different chateaus of the region and certain vintages have been known to age for decades, if not centuries. 

Situated in the southwest corner of France on the banks of the Garonne River, the area takes its name from the largest city in the region.  It is a large district with around 250,000 acres under vine.  Compare this to BC with just less than 10,000 acres.  And although there are perhaps one hundred producers who have achieved worldwide fame, there are about 20,000 producers making wine in Bordeaux and approximately 850 million bottles are produced each year.

The Bordelais have been at it for over 2000 years, when the Romans brought viticulture and wine making to the ancient Gaullic tribes around 56 BC.  Called Burdigala after an ancient Celtic tribe, the Bituriges Vivisci, the Romans were quite happy to leave the Bituriges alone.  However, any wine that was drunk was shipped from Rome, which the Bituriges Vivisci paid dearly for.  So, the wealthy and notable of the Bituriges Vivisci decided to plant vineyards and produce their own wine.  The prevailing theory is that the first vine cuttings that were brought to Bordeaux originated in the Cantabrian region of north-western Spain.

The history of Bordeaux is one that is woven through the tapestries of time.  There have been so many political influences in the region over the past two millennia that space would require a small book to chronicle everything.  From the ancient tribes of Bordeaux to the marriage of Eleanor of Aquitaine to Henry Plantagenet (Henry II) in 1152 up to the present day, the landscape of Bordeaux is ever-changing.  Possibly at a later date, a treatise on the history of Bordeaux might be in order. 

As with most wine regions, the selection of grape varieties is crucial to its success.  However, unlike other wine regions that state the grape variety on their labels, the Bordelais do not, preferring instead for the consumer to understand which grapes are used.  Here in North America, the style of wine would be called Meritage, a combination of Merit and Heritage, giving homage to the mix of grapes used in Bordeaux.  These can be an amalgamation of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot.

Deciding on where grapes grow best will determine what varieties are planted.  As with BC, only certain varieties will mature properly in specific areas.  There are basically two specific regions in Bordeaux, the Right Bank and Left Bank.  These areas are related to the geography of the region and are divided by the Garonne and Dordogne rivers; the “right bank” is situated on the right bank of Dordogne and the “left bank”, situated on the left bank of Garonne. 

The left bank is dominated by Cabernet Sauvignon and is where the top five wines of Bordeaux are produced; Château Lafite Rothschild in Pauillac, Château Margaux in the Margaux, Château Latour in Pauillac, Chateau Haut-Brion in Péssac-Legonan and Chateau Mouton Rothschild in Pauillac (promoted from second to first growth in 1973).  These wines were classified or given their status in 1855 by the Emperor Napoleon III for the Exposition Universelle de Paris or World’s Fair (much like our Expo ’86).

The right bank is dominated by Merlot and was not classified in 1855 but in 1955.  Here the wineries of renown are Chateau Petrus, Chateau Cheval Blanc, Chateau Ausone and Chateau Figeac.

In 1855, a group of Bordeaux wine brokers created a five-class ranking of 60 châteaux  in the Médoc, north of Bordeaux (and one from Graves, Haut-Brion), that has determined how much those châteaux could charge for their wines, and, more important, how much the public was willing to pay.  This has not changed very much in over 150 years (talk about being mired in tradition.

In some ways, the wines of Bordeaux are a victim of its own success.  While most of the famous wines like Margaux, Latour, Haut-Brion, Lafite-Rothschild, and Mouton are selling for over $1,000 a bottle, most consumers are amazed when they find drinkable Bordeaux  priced at $20 or $30 a bottle. 

Neophytes, be not concerned; there are lots of great tasting wines from Bordeaux at really good prices.  The most famous wines are invariably excellent, but prices reflect status and availability as much as quality.  Buyers of these wines are often wealthy collectors who either have no intention of drinking them for decades, speculators who plan to sell them later for a profit or just want them to impress their friends.  That is one advantage to buying top end Bordeaux.  They appreciate incredibly. 

In Vino Veritas

Weekend Wine Picks:

Here in BC, Bordeaux-style wines are abundant and are usually labelled as Meritage.

Produced on the right bank of Bordeaux in the Côtes de Castillon region by Chateau Petit Fombrauge, the 2008 Chateau Fourquet ($18 PWS) is a value-priced blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc.  A tasty Bordeaux from one of the best vintages, the wine offers a deep, rich colour, aromas of spicy blackberry, raspberry, cassis, menthol, forest floor, leather and spice.  The palate is medium-bodied and spicy with black fruit, tobacco, leather, roasted coffee, soft acidity and firm tannins that do not dominate allowing the juicy black fruit to come through on the mid palate and the finish. 

The 2009 Lake Breeze Meritage ($25 PWS) is a fabulous wine displaying ripe aromas of cherry, black berry and raspberry with hints of roasted tomato, black olive, mocha, leather, and Asian spice.  Soft and round on the palate, the texture is fairly elegant with its smoke, tobacco leaf and cranberry flavours.  A fabulous price for a Meritage.

Sourced from low cropped vines at the Summa Quies Vineyard on the Naramata Bench, the 2008 Howling Bluff Sin Cera ($35 PWS) is a Meritage blend of Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Malbec.  This outstanding BC red offers a full bodied structure with buckets of juicy ripe black plum, cassis, black cherry, licorice, vanilla, black olive, tobacco and roasted coffee aromas and flavours with a hint of toasty vanilla oak on the intense finish.  A thick, concentrated yet velvety texture with soft acidity and full, firm tannins, it is the perfect partner with a grilled steak or mixed grill.  In fact, it needs food. Ready to drink now but will reward with 5-8 years of patience.

The 2008 Mission Hill Five Vineyards Cabernet-Merlot ($17 PWS) is a delicious surprise.  A blend of 47% Merlot, 28% Cabernet Franc, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Petit Verdot, this wine continues as one of the top-selling VQA reds in BC.  Sourced from selected vineyards, it is full of fresh raspberries, black cherries, toast, chocolate pudding and vanilla.   A classic mid-week wine, the palate is delicious with its soft raspberry, cherry-like aromas with hints of dried herbs, pepper, chocolate and vanilla.  A soft easy drinking style, this is a perfect wine for everyday enjoyment when friends come over.