Bordeaux Wine
When Bordeaux is mentioned in wine-drinking circles, you
inevitably think of the great wines of the Medoc, Graves,
St Emilion and Pomerol districts; but the Bordeaux appellation
itself, with over 4,000 Chateaux, contains far more than these.
The Bordeaux region is dominated by the rivers Garonne and
Dordogne which merge to form the Gironde, appearing on the
map as an inverted ‘Y’. The major part of the
districts mentioned above are situated on the south banks
of the Garonne and Gironde, with St Emilion and Pomerol on
the north bank of the Dordogne.
However, surrounding these districts there are a large number
of Appellations which can produce excellent , modestly priced,
drinking wines, and it is a selection of these Appellations
we propose to discuss here.
COTES DE BLAYE - Takes its name
from the medieval town of Blaye and is situated on the north
bank of the Gironde, opposite the Haut-Medoc. Vines have been
cultivated here since Roman times and the main varieties are
the classic Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and some Colombard.
The soil is limestone and clay and the appellation produces
wines which, although lacking the longevity of their neighbours,
are nevertheless eminently drinkable within 3-10 years of
their vintage.
COTES DE BOURG - Situated nextdoor
to Blaye at the confluence of the Garonne and Dordogne, lies
opposite to the Margaux district. The grape varieties are
Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec, and the soil ranges
from clay and limestone to sand and alluvial deposits. The
wines of Bourg are similar to those of Blaye.
COTES DE CASTILLON - Named from
the town of Castillon la Bataille which marks the site of
the last battle of the Hundred Years War in 1453, is situated
to the north of the Dordogne above St Emilion. The main grape
variety is Merlot and the soil is clay and limestone, with
some gravel along the bank of the Dordogne. The wines at their
best are rich and fruity, with some depth.
Burgundy |
Bordeaux |
Chablis | Rhone
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