Recently I had dinner with jlastras in Amsterdam and talking around the subject a bit out of choosing wines abroad. In restaurants in Central Europe and the British Isles wines dominate the charts are the French and it is difficult to opt for considering any more than the price if you do not have some basic knowledge of how they work appellations of origin in France .
In Bordeaux's wine country there are 42 names or appellations of origin (AOC). Five are generic wines correspond to not very high quality: BORDEAUX, Bordeaux Supérieur, ROSÉ BORDEAUX, BORDEAUX Clairet and Cremant de BORDEAUX.
The rest of AOC correspond to specific geographical areas (MÉDOC, GRAVES, entre deux-mers, Côtes de Bordeaux and LIBORNAIS). I will now list the DOC belonging to each zone with an asterisk marking those that produce higher quality wines.
MÉDOC
AOC wines of this area are classified as crus. The highest rating is the Grand Cru Classé, which in turn is divided in 1st through 5th Cru. Thus, within the 1er Cru wines have hugely successful as Château Lafite Rothschild and Château Mouton Rothschild. The wines from Cru are affordable and 3rd grades are good until the 5th Cru.
After the Grand Cru Classé Grand Crus Bourgeois exist Exceptionnel, Grand Cru Bourgeois, Cru Bourgeois, Crus Artisans, Cooperatives and Independent Processors not engaged in any cross. I advise not to risk losing Cru Bourgeois.
The AOC included in the Medoc area are: Médoc, Haut-Médoc, Saint-Estèphe *, * Pauillac, Saint-Julien * Margaux * Listrac-en-Médoc, Moulis-en-Médoc.
The AOC included are: Pessac-Léognan *, * Graves, Graves supérieures, Cérons, * Barsac, Sauternes *.
The AOC Barsac and Sauternes classified some of its sweet white wines 1er Cru Supérieur, 1er Cru and 2 Cru. The AOC Pessac-Léognan and Graves further classified some of its red wines and dry whites as Cru Classé.
In Pessac-Léognan, Château Haut-Brion is classified as 1er Cru Classé exceptionally within the categorization that applies to the wines of Médoc.
Entre deux-mers
This area produces dry and sweet white wines distributed in these DOC: Côtes de Bordeaux Saint Macaire *, Sainte-Croix-du-Mont * Loupiac * Cadillac *, Premieres Cotes de Bordeaux, Graves de Vayres, Entre-Deux- mers and Sainte-Foy-Bordeaux.
Côtes de Bordeaux
The AOC included are: Côte de Castillon, Côtes de Frans, Côtes de Bourg, Côtes de Blaye, Côtes de Blaye and Premieres Blaye.
Libournais
The AOC in the area are: Saint-Emilion *, Lussac Saint-Emilion, Montagne Saint-Emilion, Saint-Georges-Saint-Emilion, Pomerol *, Lalande de Pomerol, Fronsac and Canon Fronsac.
Saint Emilion classified some of their wines as Premier Grand Cru Classé A, Premier Grand Cru Classé B and Grand Cru Classé. Within the latter Château Yon Figeac've tried, Clos Saint-Martin and Couvent de Jacobins, and all three are very good wines.
In short, my rules to choose a wine from Bordeaux are:
- Avoid wines that include the word Bordeaux on the label. The wines classified as Bordeaux or Bordeaux Superieur are expensive and bad. Within the AOC, usually equal to those that include Bordeaux in their name are not the best.
- Choose wines that are included in one of the crus of Medoc ratings or Saint Emilion and the higher the better. Whenever the clear pocket allows.
- When in doubt opt for the AOC marked with an asterisk. Pauillac, Margaux and Saint Emilion are the best in red wines.
A Saint Emilion Grand Cru Classé (remember that is the lowest level of the crus in this AOC) or a 3rd Cru Classé Margaux are choices do not disappoint.
I understand that French wine is complicated and difficult to understand in many cases, but not just how expensive is good in France, I liked the article but it seems to me somewhat biased, I know good AOC Bordeaux Superieur Bordeaux and some excellent, everything depends on what kind of wine is sought and as consumed (types of food, company, weather, etc..)
Jugendstil, I can not agree more with Monty, excellent article, please enlighten us!
Levente hand that which does not take a big and expensive disappointment daring with a French wine? Sure that will change with this clear and Meridian article, I certainly am going to implement from now.
Certainly the Peyrelongue Chateau Grand Cru Saint-Emilione us to take our dinner in Amsterdam was rather rich.
Indeed, we still write that I have pending in the tourist experiecia Five Flies Restaurant, to see if I dare.
Thanks again for sharing Jugendstil.
Description clear and timely.
The "Pomerol" is among the best wines I've enjoyed this AOC
The "Cremant" is a sparkling wine as champagne.
Also in France there can only be called Champagne which is produced in the corresponding AOC (region of Reims).
An impressive article by both the content and the easy way to expose it. I suppose I liked it because 95% agree with everything you expound it, even in the tricks to ask :) Really, congratulations!
I acknowledge that I do not usually ask too much French wine in restaurants abroad because I've always found disproportionate price / performance. It is the consequence of being born in a country with very good wines for the money. Soil bet more on Chilean wines (cabernet) or African (syrah) or even more recently by the Portuguese Douro region, although the latter have in few places.
Only Saint Julien I would add to the list of specific recommendations that you described at the end because it is one with the most success when buying Bordeaux wines, especially Cabernet Sauvignon is imposed on the multivarietales. Perhaps not as good as Pauillac but is far more economical and often falls short of Margaux (always in my experience :))
Greetings!