When you arrive at the airport of Bordeaux, the first thing you see is a huge bottle of wine that is three times the size of a tourist. You can see what the Bordelais residents are mainly concerned about: wine! Whether it is red or white wine. And the recently opened wine city was designed for this purpose: to preserve a cultural heritage to which the inhabitants of New Aquitaine are attached to. But Bordeaux wines have managed to break down their French borders and conquer the world thanks to their fine exclusivity; in the entire world, 21 bottles of Bordeaux are sold per second…! Now isn’t that remarkable?
If Bordeaux wines are a worldwide heritage, it is because they are above all authentic and distinguished (and we are convinced of this at Les Grappes!) Thanks to the diversity of the terroirs and the air of the sea, the old vineyards of Bordeaux blossom and give birth to many appellations such as Médoc, Pessac-Léognan, Lalande-de-Pomerol, Saint-Estèphe, Haut-Médoc, Graves, Saint Julien, Entre-deux-Mers, Côtes de Bourg, Margaux, Blaye, Fronsac, Barsac, Hermitage, Château Haut-Brion or Saint-Emilion Grand Cru. Bordeaux wines are a blend of several grape varieties. Regarding red wines, which are powerful and generous, it is mainly grape varieties such as Cabernet-Franc, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Cabernet sauvignon and Malbec. For white wines that are dry, fruity and fine, you more frequently find Sémillon, Sauvignon-blanc, Ugni blanc, Muscadelle and Colombard. Red wines can be enjoyed with rare and cooked meats, while white wines can be paired with crustaceans and fish.
The Bordeaux vineyard is an international reference. It owes its fame to its diversified production. Red, white, rosé, sweet or sparkling Bordeaux wines have their place on every single table. Since Antiquity, the grape production has held a predominant place in this vineyard. To be discovered.
It is in the south-west of France, in the department of Gironde, that you will find the Bordeaux vineyards. With its 117,200 hectares, it produces between 5 and 6 million hectolitres of wine annually. This area is ranked 3rd among the top French departments producing this type of drink.
The Bordeaux vineyard stands out with its large quantity of red wines (nearly 80% of its production). Its low percentage of production in white wines (20%) also makes its distinction. This variety of production is due to the heterogeneity of the area's subsoil. The latter is moreover divided into 3 parts.
You will thus find the region including the Blayais, the Entre-deux-Mers and the Libourne area benefiting from clay-limestone soils. It is surrounded by the Graves, Médoc and Sauternes. It benefits from a terroir of gravelly soils. Finally, in the south of the wine-growing region are the Landes de Gascogne made of sand.
In addition to the quality of the soil, the climate of the vineyard also contributes to the reputation of Bordeaux wines. Typically oceanic, it is temperate and quite warm. Throughout the year, this part of the Gironde benefits from perfectly spaced rainfalls. During the autumn, however, the rainfalls are quite important.
Red wines represent the largest production part of the Bordeaux vineyard. Powerful and generous, they are made from different grape varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot.
The vineyards of the Médoc are known for their production of Bordeaux red wines. You will find regional AOCs (Médoc and Haut-Médoc) as well as 6 local appellations including Margaux, Pauillac and Saint-Julien.
You will find in the region many estates and wineries to better discover the wines of Bordeaux. For example, visit Château Fleur La Mothe. Located in Saint-Yzans-de-Médoc, 20 km north of Pauillac, this vineyard will immerse you in the grape culture. You can also make a stop at Château Sainte Marie in the commune of Targon.
Bordeaux red wines match many regional specialities. They go perfectly with dishes such as lamprey or entrecote bordelaises. Remember to prepare these dishes after buying Bordeaux red wine.
The Entre-deux-Mers vineyard is known for its white wine production. Its most famous regional appellation is Entre-deux-Mers. The communes of Sainte-Foy-Bordeaux and Graves-de-Vayres are also known for their white Bordeaux wines as well as reds and some sweet wines.
To enjoy local wines, why not visit the Chateau Caminade Haut-Guérin in the village of Génissac? At Château Rousselle, you can also discover local products and buy Bordeaux wines.
And to be served with them, remember to select the right dishes. Dry whites reveal their flavours with the right dishes. The Bordeaux, Côtes-de-Bordeaux or Entre-deux-Mers appellations reveal all their flavour with chicken or seafood.
Do not hesitate to serve them with Arcachon oysters. Served with bread and butter with Bordeaux white wine as an aperitif, this dish will delight the finest gourmets. The white wine also goes perfectly with a plate of various vegetables.
Bordeaux is clearly the capital of wine, not only because of its numerous events on wine tourism or wine such as Vinexpo, but also because of the culture of the region which has one of the best wine schools in the world.
