Bordeaux Blend Red Wine
Each Bordeaux wine has its own personality, intimately related to the special touch of the master winemaker or estate owner. Blending permits the specific elements from each variety to mix and bind together to create new elements. The alchemy of blending is a... wager on the future, complete with its share of risk since the only way to judge the quality of a blend is to taste it years after its creation. Using intuition and creativity, blending enables the creation of a wide variety of wines to satisfy different consumer tastes.
After sampling each variety, the blending process beguins, a creative, alchemist, almost intuitive undertaking. This practice was invented in Bordeaux long before any other region and has been perpetuated from generation to generation and refined over the centuries. The in-depth knowledge of how each variety will behave is key to creating blends and predicting how they will evolve.
In red Bordeaux wines, blending is always a subtle combination of Merlot, which imparts round, generous and complex aromas, of Cabernet Sauvignon, which imparts structure, bouquet and ageing potential to wines and sometimes of Cabernet Franc, to add a touch of suppleness and elegance. Petit Verdot is also sometimes added, notably in the Médoc, to impart structure, as well as colour and aromatic richness. Of course, these proportions vary according to each appellation’s dominant varieties, to the year, and to the sensitivity of each winemaker.
RED GRAPES
MALBEC
Malbec grapes mature early and produce red wines that have rich colour, solid tannins and good potential for ageing. Rosés are also produced from Malbec grapes, with good results.
Other names for this variety include: Grifforin, Vesparol, Gros Noir, Pressac (in Saint-Emilion) and Prolongeau. There are only 6 000 hectares of this variety in France today, largely inferior to the amount planted in the 1950’s. Argentina is the Malbec world leader with a little more than 10 000 hectares planted, followed by France and then Chile, with 1 000 hectares.
Some appellations using this grape variety:
Bordeaux Cotex de Frances, Cotes de Bourg, Haut-Medoc, Montagne-Saint-Emilion y Margaux.
MERLOT
The undeniable global reference for velvety and fragrant red wines, Bordeaux offers Merlot ideal climatic and soil conditions resulting in an unmatched richness of expression. With an impressive potential for longevity, and intense colour, Merlot develops aromas marked by red fruits, with strawberries and raspberries dominant, somewhat jammy according to the vintage with notes of prune and violet, soft spices, leather or truffle when slowly aged in the bottle.
In Bordeaux, Merlot achieves the feat of hiding powerful yet elegant tannins behind a charming and subtle silhouette, which gives it a femenine and sensual character.
It is often blended with Cabernet Sauvignon to soften its strength and tannic power in young wines.
Some appellations using this grape variety:Bordeaux, Bordeaux Rosé, Premieres Cotes de Blaye, Graves, Fronsac.
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
In just a few years, Cabernet Sauvignon has become one of the best-known grape varieties in the world, thanks to its nobility and power. But in Bordeaux, it expresses itself most beautifully.
Genetic analysis of Cabernet Sauvignon tends to show that it is an accidental crossbreeding of Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc from which it has retained a number of aromatic characteristics.
Less intensely coloured than Merlot, it has undeniably strong tannins and an aromatic frankness appreciated by consumers. Sometimes firm when young, it has without a doubt one of the best potentials for ageing, which allows it to offer impressive and complex sensations to amateurs of mature wines. In blends with Merlot, it is less austere and more charming and complex.
Its strong tannins make it masculine and well built; its aromatic potential is based on green pepper and liquorice sticks. Black fruit such as blackcurrant often appear in the background, which fits perfectly with the oak notes from the barrels in which it is often aged. These are combined with cedar, spices and leather aromas, not to mention the notes of minerals, pencil shavings or tobacco. Strength, complexity and stature make Cabernet Sauvignon the king of the Bordeaux varieties.
Some appellations where they use this grape variety: Saint Julien, Haut-Médoc, Premiéres Cotes de Bordeaux y Sainte-Foy-Bodeaux y Bordeaux Supérieur.
CABERNET FRANC
An ancestor of the famous Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc is known for its mellowness, the refinement of its aromas and its vivacity, which is why it plays an important role in the blending of Bordeaux wine varieties.
Cabernet Franc has tannins that are fine and round resulting in a lively character that can be appreciated quickly. But what is less known is that Cabernet Franc tannins can also age well, which is the reason why it is often blended with Merlot or Cabernet Sauvignon..
Less tannic, it brings a marked roundness to Cabernet Sauvignon, as well as stimulating fruity notes such as raspberry that perfectly balance the green pepper notes of young Cabernet Sauvignon.
In young Bordeaux wines, Cabernet Franc's refinement is more apparent than its strength.
Cabernet Franc is not very productive but ripens earlier than its relative Cabernet Sauvignon. This is a significant advantage in cold years when it becomes more generous, less vegetal and becomes the ideal blend with Cabernet Sauvignon, which it tempers.
Some appellations where they use this grape variety: Saint-Emilion, Pomerol, Lalande-de-Pomerol, Lussac-Saint-Emilion y Premiéres Cotes de Bordeaux.
PETIT VERDOT
The grand Châteaux use Petit Verdot because it adds its own special touch of flavour and aroma for which great wines are known.
Colourful,robust, tannic, aromatic, its spicy notes sometimes resemble Syrah. It is tasty but requires much work in the vineyard. Conversely, it can impart rich colour, fruit and tannins .
Although Petit Verdot rarely occupies more than 5% of planted surfaces in Bordeaux, many winemakers and oenoloists could not do without its special touch.
Given the strength of its personality, Petit Verdot can profoundly modify the characteristics of a wine. It is used in blends for its intense colour, its structured tannins and its aromatic strength, marked by violet notes.
Some appellations where they use this grape variety: Bordeaux, Litrac-Médoc, Moulist-en-Médoc and Passac-Léognan.
WHITE GRAPES
SAUVIGNON
Definitely one of the most well-known and useful grape varieties in winemaking, Sauvignon reveals multiple facets of its personality in Bordeaux, while remaining consistently elegant and complex.
In Bordeaux, Sauvignon is particularly flavourful, round and lively. It presents an aromatic balance with notes of citrus fruit, exotic fruit or blackcurrant blossom, boxwood, or white flowers.
Low yields result in profound, potent and complex wines, as in Pessac-Leognan, with a rounder aromatic range, with notes of melon, nectarine or peach.
Some appellations where they use this grape variey: Burdeos, Pessac-Leógnan, Cérons, Blaye y Entre-Deux-Mers.
SEMILLON
The most-planted white grape variety, Sémillon is surprising because it gives its best in extreme conditions. A good complement to Sauvignon, they are often blended together.
n Bordeaux, Sémillon embodies the magic of the grand sweet wines, especially on the Graves terroir, favourable to the development of noble rot at the end of the ripening . Complementary to Sauvignon, it is less acidic and is more round in the mouth making it an ideal blending partner. However, its young aromas are not as evident as those of Sauvignon, and are based on notes of almond, hazelnut and prunes.
MUSCADELLE
Unrelated to Muscat, this sensitive variety is very difficult for winegrowers to cultivate. But the results are well worth the effort, since it contributes wonderful aromatic richness to Sauvignon and Sémillon blends.
A minor variety due to its growing requirements and mediocre results, it is much appreciated for its floral notes. Similar to Muscat, though more delicate and less penetrating, Muscadelle has notes of slightly musk orange accompanied by a range of floral notes. The other quality of Muscadelle is its low acidity as compared to Sauvignon, which adds roundness when blended with livelier varieties.
Not very vigorous, Muscadelle ripens relatively slowly. Very sensitive to rot and other diseases, harvesting this variety is a delicate affair, done in several rounds with varying results.
But Muscadelle's aromatic richness, much appreciated by wine lovers, is well worth the effort. Muscadelle is an integral component of the prized blends of sweet white wines from Bordeaux, but it is also used in dry white wines, especially in the Entre-Deux-Mers and Cótes de Bordeaux terroirs.
Some appellations using this grape variety: Bordeaux, Bordeaux Supérieur, Premiéres Cotes de Bordeaux y Cadillac.
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