Bordeaux labels are much easier to understand than Burgundies because the areas are larger, they are owned by fewer people, and the designations are simpler. However, Bordeaux is huge! Therefore we will summarize and give you the most important information here. There are 57 AOC regions, four of which you might know: Medoc, Pomerol, Graves/Pessac-Leognan and St-Emilion. Within these regions are the inner appellations; Haut Medoc, St-Estephe, Pauillac, St-Julien, Marguax, etc. The main grapes in Bordeaux are Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. In other regions of France, wines have minimal blending or are a high percentage of one grape variety, Bordeaux wines are generally blends. There are three levels of quality, the basic “Bordeaux” is the lowest AOC, then the Bordeaux plus the region name is the next level, then Bordeaux plus the region plus the chateau name is the highest level. At this highest level, there are Crus Bourgeois and Grand Crus Classes designations, but only for five of the main regions (Medoc, Graves, Pomerol and St-Emilion). In general chateau wines are the highest quality wines, they are also the most expensive. There are literally thousands of chateaus which most of us will never memorize. However, in 1855 a classification system was introduced by brokers at the Paris World Exhibition. They rated the wines according to the price commanded over a long period of time, each wine’s reputation and its present day (in 1855) situation in the vineyard. It was hoped that this list would not stick, but it did, and it still does. Basically, chateaus were rated from one to five, these are called “growths” , so you have first growth chateaus through fifth growth chateaus, the first being the highest quality. Most wine lovers have at least heard of the five first growths: Chateau Lafite-Rothschild, Chateau Latour, Chateau Margaux, Chateau Haut-Brion and Chateau Mouton-Rothschild. However, not many of us have indulged in these precious wines due to the prohibitively high cost (never mind that they are next to impossible to find). Since the first growths are difficult for most of us to attain, what should we be looking for? First of all, not all Bordeaux is expensive. When purchasing Bordeaux, decide if you are looking for something to age in your cellar, or something to drink now. If you want to age it, be sure to use a good source to reference your purchase, as you will want a good vintage from a good chateau. If you want to drink it now, you can choose from the thousands of AOC Bordeaux available in your market. One other consideration is the blend. The more approachable, younger drinking Merlot style wines are from St-Emilion or Pomerol while the bigger Cabernet style wines are from Medoc, and Graves. Kevin Zraly of “Windows on The World” says he likes to look on the retailer’s shelf, find a Chateau he’s never heard of, check to see that it is in the region he likes (such as Pauillac), then if it is from a good vintage and about $15.00, he’ll buy it. Chances are good that it will be a great wine! Now, on to the white wines of Bordeaux. Don’t be mislead, Bordeaux offers more than red wine, two of the areas are world famous for their white wines; Graves (meaning gravel) and Sauterns. (Graves produces both red and white wines). The white wines of the Graves must be at least 25% Sauvignon Blanc, but are usually majority Sauvignon Blanc. These wines are dry and naturally high in acidity, adding Semillon to the blend gives the resulting wines richness and complexity. There are two levels of quality here, Graves and Pessac-Leognan, the later being of higher quality. Sauterns are sweet wines, meaning that not all of the sugar has turned to alcohol. The growing conditions and process of production differ for Sauterns. Grapes are left on the vines to “raisinate”, the fungus Botrytis attacks the grapes, removing the moisture, and concentrates the sugar. The grapes are harvested late in the season, then made into wine. Because there is minimal juice, quantities produced are low, contributing to the high prices of these items. There are only three classifications of Sauternes: Grand Premier Cru (First Great Growth), Premiers Crus (First Growth), and Duexiemes Crus (Second Growth). The only Grand Premier Cru is Chateau d’Yquem, and it is quite expensive! However there are 11 first growths, 14 second growths, and many unclassified chateaus. If a bottle is labeled Barsac rather then Sauterns this means that it is produced in Barsac, an appellation in Sauterns. The wines in this region can be labeled with either Sauterns or Barsac. Sauternes is a white wine you can age. Although they are ready to drink at about two years, bottles from good years can be aged for ten to thirty years! These wines are golden in color and rich on the palate. They are referred to as dessert wines. If you enjoy the wine you can serve it with anything, but serving it as a dessert all by itself is always a crowd pleaser. The dry white wines of Bordeaux are increasing in quality as new methods are used, and vine yields are reduced, while the sweet wines of the region continue to show their best.

Jean Pierre is part owner and manager of many of the properties in the famous Pomerol, St-Emilion region. Many of his wines are considered to be the best of the best from Bordeaux. They are Merlot blends of the highest quality. This wine is an AOC or regional wine from St-Emilion. It is barrel aged at the cellar resulting in exceptional regional wine characteristics of the Merlot grape; warm, round and earthy with a spicy bouquet well-suited to accompany red meats, game and pungent cheeses. It is reasonably priced at about $14.00.

Chateau d’Issan ~ Margaux ’96

The Chateau d’Issan is one of the few real castles of the Medoc, with moat and everything! “Regum Mensis Arisque Deorum” (For the table of kings and the altars of the gods) is engraved above its main entrance. Issan grows 75 percent Cabernet Sauvignon, 20 percent Merlot and 5 percent Cabernet Franc. Issan is known for its full, rich refined wines, and as an estate has come into its own. It is a Third Growth Grand Cru that could easily be a Second Growth. The ’96 Issan sells for about $50.00.

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