Appelations: Wine Law & Regulations - Left Bank Red Wine Appellations - Communal AOCs (Haut-Médoc sub regions)
8 important questions on Appelations: Wine Law & Regulations - Left Bank Red Wine Appellations - Communal AOCs (Haut-Médoc sub regions)
Haut Médoc in Bordeaux has several communal AOCs, which are these, what quality and prices are produced?
Pauillac
Saint-Julien
Margaux
Listrac-Médoc and Moulis
very good to outstanding quality
premium to super premium priced
All 57 hl/ha
Where is Saint-Estéphe AOC in Bordeaux located? Describe the growing environment.
- Left bank of Médoc.
- Most northerly located
- Closest to Atlantic > coolest and more clay
- > more Merlot than other communes (40%)
- CS 50% best on gravel banks close to Gironde
- Rustic wines that need time to ripen
The soil of Saint Estéphe has an advantage in dry hot summers, why?
Where is Pauillac AOC in Bordeaux located? Describe its growing environment.
- Left bank of Haut Médoc
- High proportion of CS (62%), on gravel banks close to Gironde
- In blends often 70-80% CS > concentration - longevity
- The Most structured wine, high tannins and acidity
- 3 of the 5 first growths
- 85% of production is cru classé = highest proportion.
Pauillac AOC has three of the five First Growths, which are these?
- Ch. Lafite Rotschild
- Ch. Mouton Rotschild
- Ch. Latour
Other two:
Ch. Margaux, Margaux
Ch. Haut Brion, Graves/Pessac Leognan
Where is Saint Julien AOC located? Describe its growing environment.
- As Pauillac high proportion of CS and cru classé's
- Homogenous gravel soils
- Structure of Pauillac and finesse of Margaux
- No first growth, five 2nd growths
Where is Margaux AOC located? Describe its growing environment.
- Left bank
- High proportion cru classé and one first growth (Ch. Margaux).
- Slightly more M and less CS
- Stony gravelly soils
- slightly further south > few days earlier ripening than Pauillac and 7-10 than North of Médoc
- Perfumed wines with silky tannins
Where are Listrac-Médoc AOC and Moulis AOC located? Describe their growing environment. Where do they not benefit from?
- Only red
- No Benefit: further from river
- they benefit from less of the moderating influence
- less gravel in the soils
- Good - very good
- mid-priced - premium priced
- release slightly earlier
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