With more than 7,000 chateaux, France’s Bordeaux region is the most important wine producing region in the world. As well as being the basis for Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot-based wines everywhere, Bordeaux wines are acknowledged to be among the world’s best reds—according to experts and amateurs alike.
The wine region of Bordeaux is comprised of many smaller areas and encompasses both banks of the Gironde estuary in southwest France, as well as the land bordering the Garonne and Dordogne Rivers, which split off from the Gironde in the southern Medoc area. Generally, Bordeaux's best red wines are from seven major (and well-known) appellations: Pauillac, Saint-Estephe, Saint-Julien, and Margaux in the greater Medoc region, Graves to the south of the city of Bordeaux—in the region’s center, and Saint-Emilion and Pomerol toward the east. The large Graves region, as well as being the birthplace of claret, is home to many of the best dry whites. Premium sweet wines are made in Sauternes and Barsac, which are also within the Graves appellation but toward the south.
In understanding the multitude of Bordeaux wines, experts tend to talk about the right and left banks of the Gironde River. Generally, red wines from the river’s left bank, especially from Bordeaux’s Medoc region, are based on Cabernet Sauvignon, mixed with varying amounts of Merlot and Cabernet Franc and, occasionally, a spot of Petit Verdot and Malbec. These reds are known to be firm and dry, with a substantial tannic spine, and are frequently austere in their youth. They are also among the world’s longest-lived. The Graves’ gravel and sand soil content contribute to more texture early and roasted accents of hot stones, smoke and tobacco.
The softer Merlot grape is the foundation for right bank wines, mostly to the town of Libourne’s eastern side. These wines are fleshier in general than wines from the left bank and are more pliant. They are also accessible at an earlier age—though the best of them can improve in bottle for decades.
Jancis Robinson's Purple Pages, 93 points: Luminous copper. Full and round and very opulent. Round and full and clean and open on the nose. Though not desperately subtle. More almonds on the nose. Very round, not especially complex but clean and bumptious and...
Wine Spectator, 96 points: Extremely rich and bright with lots of green fig honey and apricot. Very lush and round with some serious weight and power in reserve. Remarkably fresh now. Tasted non-blind. -J.M.
Wine Spectator, 92 points: Exotically perfumed violet and rose petals burst on your palate, accompanied by dried apricot, lemon and honey flavors. Gorgeous and subtle, glowing on the finish.
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, 100 points: 2009 Vintage: Served from an ex-chateau bottle. The 2009 Chateau d’Yquem is one showstopper of a wine and perhaps it is only in a vertical that you realize this is up there among the legendary wines of the past – the 2001...
jamessuckling.com, 99 points: A very classic Yquem. Breathtakingly wide spectrum of floral honey, exotic fruit (passion fruit, mango and pineapple), caramel and marzipan aromas. But none of this is a jot too much. In fact, the wine is extremely...
jamessuckling.com, 98 points: Lots of caramel and Seville orange. Apricots, vanilla and sultanas. Intensely sweet on the palate with a deep texture and and good complexity. This Sauternes is wonderfully long and dense with superb purity and precision...
Wine Spectator, 96 points: This leans toward the tropical side, with mango and guava notes out front, while maple, date, blood orange and citrus oil flavors fill in behind. The finish kicks into another gear, taking off with honeysuckle, orange...
Wine Enthusiast, 94 points: For a 2004, this is big and rich, but that is to be expected from Guiraud. The fruit is magnificently ripe, with flavors of peach and tangerine syrup along with the core of botrytis and dark honey. The aftertaste is...
TheWineCellarInsider.com, 98 points: Served double blind, I was shocked by how rich, fat and concentrated the wine is today. This has really filled out. The fruit is incredibly sweet, luscious and potent, yet, there is ample acidity and vibrancy to make this...
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, 92 points: (RP90-92 points) Rated, no tasting note given. - Robert Parker
Wine Enthusiast, 95 points: (WE93-95 points) A rich, complete wine, this has beautiful acidity as well as the most intense botrytis character. It's a wine with long-term aging potential, ripe and already full in the mouth.
jamessuckling.com, 95 points: Elegant nose with sweet white peach, strawberry and vanilla. Medium sweet on the palate with a lovely pure fruit and fine texture. This Barsac is super charming and well balanced. Very spicy on the finish showing...
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