Wine making in Bordeaux

Wine making in Bordeaux

Bordeaux is one of the most important wine producing regions in the world. One third of the good quality wine in France is coming from Bordeaux.

Wine production in Bordeaux:
Bordeaux is 57 appellations, about 7,000 wine-producing châteaux, and 13,000 wine growers. The large diversity of Bordeaux suggests an equal diversity of soil.

Wine Grapes in Bordeaux:
Most of the grapes grown in the Bordeaux region for red wine are Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc which give vigour, tannin and good keeping qualities, and Merlot which brings softness and suppleness. Merlot is the most planted grape in Bordeaux, covering 50% of the wine region (see chart below).

White wines are elaborated mostly from Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon, and sometimes also with Muscadelle.

Bordeaux wine making information:

Size of the vineyards:
120,000 hectares (300,000 acres)

Vineyards:
13,000 wine growers (7,000 chateaux)

Soil:
Gravels coming from the Pyrénées mountains
Clayey-limestone
and clay, sand, limestone
 
Weather:
Oceanic and temperate with short, mild winters, quite hot summers, long autumns and a high degree of humidity generated by the Atlantic Ocean
 
Red Grapesin Bordeaux:
Merlot (50% of Bordeaux vineyards)
Cabernet Sauvignon (26%)
Cabernet Franc (10%)
Other red grapes in Bordeaux, very occasionally: Petit Verdot - Malbec - Carmenère
 
White Grapes in Bordeaux:
Sémillon (8% of Bordeaux wines)
Sauvignon (4%)
Other white grapes in Bordeaux, very occasionally: Muscadelle - Ugni blanc - Colombard - Folle blanche

Production:
7 million hl or 850 million bottles
red: 87% dry white: 11% sweet white: 2%
Bordeaux is 14% of French wine production, 27% of quality wine
 
Type of Wine:
Bordeaux AOC red
Entre-Deux-Mers dry white
Saint Emilion
Margaux
Sauternes sweet white
Other wines of Bordeaux: see list of appellations below