Some people don’t like wine blends, claiming that winemakers use the junkiest wine for such blends. But in the Bordeaux region of France, blends are just about all there is. When you think of red Bordeaux, think of blends made up of a combination of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot Petite Verdot, Malbec and, on rare occasions, Carmenère. When you think of white Bordeaux, think of blends made up of Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc. Today, we’re going to explore the magic of Bordeaux blends.
Why Is Bordeaux Known for Blended Wines?
Believe it or not, before global warming, Bordeaux used to be known as a marginal grape-growing region. According to The Buyer, “in cool vintages Cabernet Sauvignon would struggle to ripen, in warmer ones Merlot could become far too heavy. So the ability to blend different parcels and varieties meant that winemakers could attain a certain level of consistent quality year on year. Even with more consistent ripening in recent vintages, the threat to yields of spring frosts on the early ripening varieties means that ‘spreading your bets’ still makes sense.”
A Few Details on Bordeaux Blends
According to Decanter.com, the term Bordeaux blend is not a legal or technical term. It just represents wine made in the Bordeaux region of France. If similar wines are made outside of France, say in the United States, they’re called Meritage (a combo of merit and heritage), and many of the wineries making these blends are members of the Meritage Association.
Wine Enthusiast provides a great chart highlighting the typical characteristics of these blends.
Tannin and body are front and center with these wines.
What Makes These Wines Magical?
ABC Fine Wine & Spirits says “The word Bordeaux is synonymous with luxury, elegance and complexity…Bordeaux identifies the most extensive fine wine region in the world producing some of the most sought-after, age-worthy wines…A red Bordeaux blend is going to boast complexity and be the characteristic that creates lifelong admirers and collectors…Most notably, Bordeaux is celebrated and prized as a wine of terroir.”
I think this last point is probably what makes Bordeaux blends so important. Bordeaux.com goes into great detail about the importance of terroir in Bordeaux. “If these same grape varieties are planted all over the world, what makes Bordeaux so unique? Isn’t a ‘Bordeaux blend’ basically the same, regardless of where it comes from? Not so fast… We said above that the art of the blend starts in the vineyard. Varietal character is important, of course, but this is affected by the vine’s soil and climate as well. Soil-types can vary greatly between, and even within, properties; and climate is an essential factor when deciding on the blend each vintage, as questions of ripeness and acidity are essential to the balance of a wine…Once you’ve gotten your grapes into the winery, the task of the winemaker is to provide the expression of what the terroir has produced.”
This is kind of an old-world (Europe) vs. new-world (US and others) argument. In the US, we believe the grape is the most important factor in winemaking. In Europe, they believe that terroir is the most important factor in winemaking.
My Experience Last Night
I was at Jazz Alley in Seattle last night for a wonderful jazz concert. We ate dinner at the show, and I had a wonderful red Bordeaux. I asked the waitperson about it, and she said it was her best red on the menu 🙂 It was truly wonderful.
Please share your Bordeaux experiences here. Cheers!
