by Tom Settino
Bordeaux means different things to different people. Bordeaux is a beautiful port city in Western France, filled with wonderful culture, shopping and entertainment. It is the largest city in Southwest France, with a metropolitan population of over 600,000, located near the Atlantic coast, about 300 miles from Paris. Bordeaux is a region dominated by its rivers, The Garonne and The Dordogne, which meet to become the broad Gironde. The city of Bordeaux is a wonderful blend of the old and the new, with its beautiful 18th century architecture and rich history immersed in a bustling, modern city.
Bordeaux is one of the most famous and prestigious wine regions in the world, as well as one of the most important winemaking regions in France, producing about 30% of all fine
French wine. In fact, Bordeaux's reputation is legendary as home to some of France's most famous red wines, crafted at historic châteaux, or wine estates. Bordeaux is also home to plenty of great, affordable wine, as well. In addition, the region produces a good amount of crisp, dry white wines, and famous sweet white wines.
Bordeaux has over 250,000 acres of vineyards, and 10,000 wine chateaux, which produce a wide range of red, white and rose wine styles. The Red wines fit a range of palate preferences, from a medium-bodied, fruit forward style to one that is very complex and challenging with all of its components. The Roses are both richly flavored and wonderfully refreshing wines, and the Whites range from bone dry to lusciously sweet.
For the production of
Red Bordeaux wines, there are five legal grape varieties;
Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and
Cabernet Franc are the most important, and Malbec and Petite Verdot round out the grapes with the latter adding their aromas and weight to the wine.
The whites are produced from three grape varieties, with Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon being the backbone of the wines, along with the possibility of Muscadelle, known for its wonderful aromatics.
Consumers are, at times, intimidated by Bordeaux wines, principally because, with so many flavor options, they are unsure of how the wines will taste. Rely on the opinions of your wine merchant. Let them know what kind of flavors you are looking for - many times Bordeaux will fit the bill. Most importantly, let your merchant know what you are planning to eat with your wine, if that is the case - hopefully they will direct you to the a great wine to match your meal. There are so many great values in Bordeaux it's a shame if you overlook the region when looking for a wine. You may just find a great everyday wine that you can't live without. Variety is the spice of life - try
Bordeaux wines today. For more information please visit my website at
www.freewinetip.com or give us call at the Vino 100 wine shop located on the Newburgh Waterfront (845) 725-7680. I'd love to speak with you. See you next time.
Tom Settino