History of Bordeaux Wines

The Bordeaux Wine is a universally popular category of wine manufactured at France’s Southwest territory of Bordeaux.

Where is Bordeaux?

Bordeaux is a power plant of global winery situated on Garonne in the Gironde department, which is a total 120,000 hectares vineyard. In terms of figures, the Bordeaux is France’s largest growing wine arena. 700 Million Bottles of Bordeaux Wines are produced annually, ranging from the ordinary table wines to some of the most esteemed wines shipped worldwide. The major chunk of the wine obtained here is the Red wine-, commonly known as the “claret” in the United Kingdom. Other varieties cultivated in Bordeaux are the Dry Whites, the Rose, the Sweet White Wives, the Sparkling wines and so much more. As per the last record, the Bordeaux wine is manufactured by over 8,500 producers, and approx this wine variety has 54 appellations.

Let’s Unfold Bordeaux Wine’s Rich History

The history of the Bordeaux Wine takes us back to the Roman age when this wine type was known to be invented during the middle of the 1st century. The Bordeaux Wine then was consumed by the locals, and from there on the production capacity of Bordeaux has only soared.

Then, in the 12th century, the Bordeaux Wine gained popularity in Britain, post the Henry Plantagenet & Eleanor of Aquitaine marriage. The marriage saw the Aquitaine province become a segment of the Angevin Empire. Then, the Bordeaux Wine was exported to the United Kingdom region. At that time, Graves was the most renewed wine region of Bordeaux, and clairet was its principle style. Later, the export of this wine was stopped owing to the hundreds of years of England & France war that commenced in 1337. Then 1453, when the war ended France got back the control of the Bordeaux province, thereby taking control of this wine yard. As per the Auld Alliance between Britain and Scotland, the merchants belonging to Scotland were given a special exemption for the trade of clairet, a type of wine which dark pink in style. This treaty remained unfazed post the war of Britain and Scotland when the military alliance has bought to an end. The merchants from Scotland weren’t granted to get into the region of the Gironde; later the navy escorts of France took the Scots trading vessels to the Bordeaux port, giving them complete protection from the privateer of Huguenot.

During the 17th century, the traders from Holland did the job of draining the Medoc’s swampy ground. This was done in order to plant the wine with it, and with time Graves, one of the Bordeaux’s prestigious region was included. Malbec, a rich variety of grape was grown in this area in the 19th century, later Cabernet Sauvignon revamped it. Bordeaux’s châteaux in 1855 were classified, and even now this classification is still in place. The phylloxera infestations during the period 1875 to 1892 completely ruined the entire Bordeaux wine region. However, then the American rootstock rescued this vineyard with their convectional anti-pest techniques and strategies employed then.

How Come Winemaking is so prevalent in the Bordeaux Region?

There are so many reasons winemaking for ages has been the lifeline of population dwelling here, but the worth highlighting one is the climatic & geographical condition. The weather all year long is just perfect to produce wine; therefore, this region is one of the leading producers of wine on the global map. Limestone is the geographic structure of the Bordeaux Region, and the soil in this area is rich in the calcium content. The weather of Bordeaux is somewhat oceanic climate because this area is surrounded by the rivers- Garonne and the Dordogne; they dominate the climate experienced here. The geographical situation of the Bordeaux Region is ideal, as it situated in the confluence’s center the two rivers, the Garonne and Dordogne that flows into the Gironde.

Facts and Figures of the Bordeaux Region-

• Do you know the Bordeaux Region contribute about 15% of the French wine produced each year? And, about 75 million boxes of wines from this region are exported to various parts of Europe.
• Another worth-noting figure is that about 71% of the wine obtained from Bordeaux is in the price range of 3-15 Euros, per bottle.
• Since the 1960s, the wine production capacity of the Bordeaux Region is on a serious surge, and the figures also tell the same story.
• Do you know about 60% of the grapes grown here are used for producing the Bordeaux wines?

The Various Bordeaux Wine Types and how They Vary-

The different Bordeaux Wines are characterized by the attribute of the grape; each type renders a unique character and taste to the Bordeaux Wine. The differing characteristics largely depend upon the primary components of the grapefruit, alcohol, tannin, and acidity. The grapes fall under the category of fruits those are complicated in nature, with different varieties offering a unique flavor, the aromas, and the character. All these aspects combine affecting the final product.

The Tannins found in the Bordeaux Wines are obtained from the skins, the streams, and seeds of the grapes. They behave as a preservative, and once they are ripped, a unique texture is given to the alcohol bottle, thereby giving a special feel of tactile sensations. On the other hand when the grapes are unripe the wine produced has a rich lemon punch feel about it. And, this further leads to the drying of the mouth and a rustic feel of the wine. The Tannins is the crucial component of the French red wines, in contrast, the white wines produced in this region. The tartness of the wine varies on the grape type; further, the ripeness and style contribute to the overall taste of the wine.

The acidity is what defines the personality of the wine bottle; the greater is the acidity, the more refreshing & mood-uplifting the wine is. In addition, the acidity doesn’t make the wine feel dull & flabby. As a matter of the truth, no one like the flabby French wine; it doesn’t strike the right chords with the taste buds. The taste of the acidic wine is somewhat sweated, similar to that of syrup. But, one point of caution here is that several medical studies and research papers published over the years suggest that too much acidic wine isn’t good for health. Moreover, the wine will be too sharp, in simple words, hard to get over. One thing to note, the wines those are produced under warm climatic conditions are less acidic when compared to the wine obtained from areas where the temperature is on the lower side.

Not Just France, there so many countries producing wines from grapes similar to ones found in Bordeaux.

The Final Words

In the end, from the above, you probably got all the information you were in look for when it comes to the Bordeaux Wines. For more, it is best to plan a tour to Bordeaux for a memorable family getaway this summer.