Bordeaux

Bordeaux is one of the most famous wine regions in the world with an incredible story.  Romans brought vines to the area around 30 BC, and found this area in south-west France to be ideal for winemaking.  Bordeaux had the essential combination of good soils to grow the grapes and access to large enough rivers for transporting the wine to Roman territories.  Bordeaux became more international in 1152 when Eleanor of Aquitaine (France) married the future king of England, Henry Plantagenet.  Now the British grew to love the wines of Bordeaux and thus production increased.  In the mid 1600’s, the Dutch brought their skills to the area and drained the Medoc swamplands to what we now call the Left-Bank Bordeaux.  This is where the most famous First Growth wines of Bordeaux, according to the 1855 Classification, are now made.  Cabernet Sauvignon was born here in the late 1700’s, a cross between Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet Franc.  At the time, Malbec was the most planted grape variety, but historically red blends were the norm.  Other grapes like Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Carmenere, and Petit Verdot were members of these blends.  Eventually, Merlot became the most planted red grape of Bordeaux.  Surprisingly, white wine dominated the production up until the 1970’s.  Semillon, Sauvignon Blanc, and Muscadelle are the main grapes that make up amazing and age-worthy white Bordeaux blends.  If producing phenomenal red and white wines wasn’t enough, Bordeaux is also famous for its sweet Sauternes wines.  Having the perfect climate for development of the noble rot, Botrytis cinerea, Sauternes is second to none in age-worthiness and treasured consumption.  Whatever your pleasure, there is something for you from Bordeaux!  Cheers!