🇫🇷BORDEAUX–Graves

GRAVE IS–   AOC.– 6      @Portets

  • BLANC=    |    ROUGE= **Refer to “AOC.’s” For Grape Information.

GEOGRAPHY– France, South-West, REGION-Bordeaux(South-West), DEPARTMENT-Gironde

  • BORDERS-Entre-Deux-Mers(North-East)
  • AOC.’s– Barsac AOC., Cerons AOC., Graves AOC., Graves Superieur AOC., Pessac Leognan AOC., Sauternes AOC.

TOPOGRAPHY–  FEATURES- “Flat/ Rolling/ Hilly”

  • On~Garonne~River~“Left Bank”~Tributary~Gironde~Atlantic~Ocean~

VITICULTURE– 2,296ha. Planted

  • CHALLENGES– Cool Ciron River Water Converges With Warm Tidal Waters of Garonne River.
    • This Create Fog In the Vineyards In Its Proximity Causing Humidity That Leads to the Development and Spread of the Fungus Botrytis.
  • BOTRYTIS CINEREA– Naturally Occurring Fungus That Grow or In Induced to Attack and Grow On the Grapes and Bunches. Boyrytized Refers to Wine Produced From Grapes Effected With Botrytis.
    • Botrytis Compromises the Grape, Dehydrates the Skin Leaving Shrivels Grapes With Increased Suger and Acid Levels, Concentration of Minerals, Increasing Flavors Compounds, Increasing Glycerol. Effected Bunches Look Withered, Dark, Moldy, Fuzzy, Golden In Color. Botrytized Grapes Have Higher Esterase Activity and Possess More Unique Scents Then Healthy Grapes, This is Due to the Contribution of Enzymes of Fungal Origin.
    • Years With No or Not Sufficient Botrytis Growth In the Grave Region.
      • 1910, 1915, 1930, 1951, 1952,  1972,  1974, 2010, 2012
    • Some Producers Make 10+ Tries Through the Vineyard In Order to Harvest All the Grapes at Their Maximum Condition.
  • **Refer to “MAKING WINE SWEET/ Botrytis” For Detailed Information.

SOILS– “Metamorphic”, “Sedimentary”,  Boulbenes(Mix of Sand, Gravel, Light Clay)

  • Limestone Covered With Layers of Gravel, Sand

CLIMATE– “Maritime/ Atlantic”

  • For Botrytis to Develop a Hot Summer is Needed Followed by a Humid Fall With a Rain Event to Begin or Start the Botrytis.

CULTURE– “Grave”…+Pronounced…“Grahv”

  • WINE-TRAILS~ ~The Graves Route~

CLASSIFICATION Of GRAVES– 1953/ 1959

  • Cru Classe-13 Reds & 8 Whites
    • 3 Chateaux Were Classified For Only White Wines, 5 Chateaux Were Classified For Only Red Wines and the Remaining Chateaux Were Classified For Both Their Red and White Wines. Refer to Pessac Leognan AOC. For List of Chateaux.

**Refer to “BORDEAUX/ Home” For Detailed Information On Bordeaux as a Region.

GRAVES AOC.      @Bordeaux

  • BLANC= Muscadelle, Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon
  • ROUGE= Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Carmenere, Malbec, Petit Verdot
  • GEOGRAPHY- France, South-West, REGION-Bordeaux(South-West), DEPARTMENT-Gironde
    • In Grave, “Multi-Appellation”, (50km. Long)
    • COMMUNES-(52)-Arbanats, Cerons, Mazeres, Podensac, Portets, Pujols-sur-Ciron, St. Pierrre-de-Mons
  • TOPOGRAPHY- “Flat/ Rolling”
  • SOILS-  “Metamorphic”, “Sedimentary”
    • Gravel of Various Sizes Over Sub-Soils of Sand, Clay, Limestone, Shell Marl
  • VITICULTURE- 749ha. Planted
  • VINICULTURE- Blanc(Dry),  Rouge
    • Estate/ Producers- De Chantegrive, Clos Bourgelat, Clos Dady, Clos Floridene, De Cerons, Crabitey, Du Cros, Graville-Lacoste, Haut Selve, Lagrange, Martignac, , Pont de Brion, De Portets, La Rose Sarron, Roquetaillde La Grange
  • CULTURE- 1937- AOC. Officially Established.
  • GRAVES SUPERIEUR AOC.     @Bordeaux
    • BLANC= Muscadelle, Sauvignon Blanc, Sauvignon Gris, Semillon
    • GEOGRAPHY- France, South-West, REGION-Bordeaux, DEPARTMENT– Gironde
    • SOILS-  “Metamorphic”, “Sedimentary”, Gravel/ Sand With Clay/ Limestone Veins
    • VITICULTURE- 153ha. Planted
      • Estate/ Producers- Brondelle, Cherchy-Desquyroux Moelleux, De Courbon Blanc, Lehoul, Mathalin du Hayot, Menota, Schroder & Schyler, Videau
    • VINICULTURE- White-Sweet
    • CULTURE- 1937- AOC. Officially Established

PESSAC LEOGNAN AOC.     @Pessac

  • BLANC= Semillon, Sauvignon Blanc, Sauvignon Gris, Muscadelle
  • ROUGE= Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Petit Verdot
  • GEOGRAPHY- France, South-West, REGION-Bordeaux, DEPARTMENT-Gironde
    • In Grave(North), Half of Pessac Leognan AOC., (Laps)Into the City of Bordeaux.
    • COMMUNES-Cadaujac, Gradignan, Leognan, Martillac, Merignac, Pessac, Talence, Villenave d’Ornon
  • TOPOGRAPHY- “Flat/ Rolling”, SLOPES/ ?, +Alt. 3mt.- 60mt., On~Garonne~River~
  • SOILS- “Metamorphic”, “Sedimentary”, Sand/ Clay On Gravel and Stone, Limestone
  • CLIMATE- “Maritime”, Micro-Climate From Wind Shadow Effect From Pine Forest.
  • VITICULTURE- 1,150ha. Planted
  • VINICULTURE- Blanc(Dry),  Rouge(Dry)
    • Estate/ Producers- 1st.-Haut-Brions(53ha.)
    • Cru Classe:Bouscaut(47ha.),  Cru Classe:Carbonnieux(46ha.),  Cru Classe:Chevalier(120ha.), Cru Classe:Couhins(25ha.),  Cru Classe:Couhins Lurton(18ha.),  Cru Classe:Fieuzal((39ha.), Cru Classe:Haut Bailly(33ha.),  Cru Classe:Laville Haut Brion(4ha.), Cru Classe:Latour-Martillac, Cru Classe: Malartic Lagraviere(Kosher)(53ha.),  Cru Classe:La Mission Haut-Brion(26ha.),  Cru Classe:Olivier(60ha.),  Cru Classe:Pape Clement(50ha.),  Cru Classe:Smith Haut Lafitte(78ha.),  Cru Classe:Tour Haut Brion(5ha.),  Cru Classe:Tour Martillac(45ha.)
    • Others- Baret, Brown(5ha.), Le Bruilleau, Cantelys(20ha.), Les Carmes Haut-Brion, Clos Marsalette, Couhins-Lurton, Ferran,  De France, La Garde(54ha.), De Grandmaison, Haut-Bergey, Lafargue, Lafont, Larrivet Haut-Brion, Lamothe-Bouscaut, Leognan, La Louviere, Luchey-Halde, Malartic-Laraviere, Mancedre, Picque Caillou, De Rouillac, Le Thil
  • CULTURE-
    • 1663 @Bordeaux– Haut-Brion 
      • First Wine Estate to Be Referenced, Rather Than a General Region.
    • 1987- AOC. Officially Established.

CERONS AOC.     @Cerons

  • BLANC= Semillon 60%, Sauvignon Blanc, Sauvignon Gris, Muscadelle
  • ROUGE= Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Merlot, Petit Verdot
  • GEOGRAPHY- France, South-West, REGION-Bordeaux, DEPARTMENT-Gironde
    • In Grave(South), BORDERS-Barsac AOC.(South-East)
    • COMMUNES-Cerons, Illats, Podensac
  • TOPOGRAPHY- “Rolling/ Hilly”, Alt. ?
    • On~Ciron~River~Tributary~Garonne~River~“Left-Bank”
  • SOILS- “Metamorphic”, “Sedimentary”, Limestone Covered With Layers of Gravel, Sand
  • CLIMATE- “Maritime/ Atlantic”, Misty, Humid Mornings, Hot Afternoons.
  • VITICULTURE- 32ha. Planted
    • Estate/ Producers- L’Avocat, De Chantegrive, Chateau de Cerons, Le Hauret du Piada, De Madere, L’Oree de Bel Air, Du Seuil(25ha.)
  • VINICULTURE- Blanc(Dry),  Blanc(Sweet/Botrytis)
    • Red Wines Produced In Cerons Are Labeled Under the Graves AOC.
  • CULTURE- 1936- AOC. Officially Established.
    • ~Etymology~ Named After the Ciron River Which Used to Flow Next to the Region.

BARSAC AOC.     @Barsac

  • BLANC= Muscadelle, Sauvignon Blanc, Sauvignon Gris, Semillon
  • GEOGRAPHY- France, South-West, REGION-Bordeaux, DEPARTMENT-Gironde
    • In Grave(South), In Sauternes AOC.
  • TOPOGRAPHY- “Rolling/ Hilly”, Alt. ?, On~Ciron~River~Tributary~Garonne~River~
  • SOILS- “Metamorphic”, “Sedimentary”, Limestone
  • CLIMATE- “Maritime/ Atlantic”, Misty, Humid Mornings, Hot Afternoons.
  • VITICULTURE- 380ha. Planted
    • Estate/ Producers- 1st.-Coutet,  1st.-Climens,  2nd.-Myrat, Broustet, Doisy-Daene, Doisy-Dubroca, Doisy-Vedrines, La Clotte-Cazalis, De Myrat, Nairac, Caillou, Suau, Malle
  • VINICULTURE- Blanc(Dry),  Blanc(Sweet/Botrytis)
    • Barsac is 1 of 5 Communes Permitted to Use Sauternes On Their Bottles of Botrytis Wine.

SAUTERNES AOC.     @Sauternes

  • BLANC= Semillon 80% Muscadelle, Sauvignon Blanc, Sauvignon Gris
  • GEOGRAPHY- France, South-West, REGION-Bordeaux, DEPARTMENT-Gironde
    • In Grave(South), BORDERS-Cerons AOC.
    • COMMUNES-Barsac, Bommes, Fargues, Preignac, Sauternes
      • These 5 Communes Are Permitted to Label Their Boytrytis Wine Sauternes.
  • TOPOGRAPHY- “Flat/ Rolling”, On~Ciron/ Garonne~Rivers~(Confluence)
  • SOILS- “Metamorphic”, “Sedimentary”, Gravel/ Pebbles On Limestone With Clay Veins, Alluvial Deposits
  • CLIMATE- “Maritime/ Atlantic”
    • Misty, Humid Mornings, Hot Afternoons. Humid, Hot Meso-Climates
    • Botrytis Appears Late Summer or Early In Fall Morning, High Humidity/ Moist/ Hot Afternoon, Proximity to Water.
  • VITICULTURE- 2,290ha. Planted
    • Estate/ Producers- 1st.-Chateau d’ Yquem, De l’Alliance, D’Arche, Bastor-Lamontagne(50ha.), Climens, Clos Haut-Peyraguey, Clos des Lunes, Coutet, De Fargues, Filhot, Guiraud, Haut-Peyraguey, Lafaurie-Peyraguey, Lamothe, De Malle, Perle d’Arche, Rayne-Vigneau, Rabaud-Promis, Rieussec, Romer du Hayot, Roumieu, Sigalas-Rabaud, Suduiraut, La Tour Blanche
    • Vineyards- Clos des Lunes
  • VINICULTURE- Blanc(Dry)Dry Sauternes is Sold as “Bordeaux Blanc”),  Blanc(Sweet/Botrytis)+ABV.- +13%)
    • **Refer to “MAKING WINE SWEET/ Botrytis” For Detailed Information.
  • CULTURE- “Sauternes”…+Pronounced…“Soh-tehrn”
  • SAUTERNES/ BOTRYTIS WINE EVALUATION
    • Sight: Hazy/ Golden
    • Aroma: Saffron, Ginger, Honey, Roses, Boiled Cabbage
    • Palate: Sweet/ +BODY, Apricot, Beeswax, Vanilla, Carmel
    • Structure: Medi Tannins, –ABV., Medi+Acid
      • FOOD PAIRING… Foie Gras, Roasted Duck, Cheese Cake
      • CHEESE PAIRING… Blue, Parmigiano, Soft Cheeses
      • SERVING… “Chilled”

**Refer to “BIBLIOGRAPHY/ Sources” For Details On Scholarly Works Referenced.