White Bordeaux: Grapes and Styles Explained
White Bordeaux wine is a fascinating mix of different grapes and styles that has been a favorite of wine lovers for hundreds of years. The different soils, climates, and ways of taking care of vineyards in Bordeaux add to the complexity and uniqueness of the wine.
We'll talk about white Bordeaux wine's history, grapes, styles, and ways of making wine. We will also talk about some of the important sub-regions of Bordeaux for white wine and show off some of the famous producers who have helped make white Bordeaux wine a household name.
This blog post aims to provide an in-depth exploration of the grapes and styles of white Bordeaux wine. By the end of this post, you will better understand the unique characteristics of white Bordeaux wine and appreciate its place in the world of wine.
Introduction
The Bordeaux wine region is in the southwest of France, close to the Atlantic Ocean. The Rivers Garonne and Dordogne divide the region into two parts. The vineyards on the west side are "Left Bank," and the vineyards on the east side are on the "Right Bank." Entre-Deux-Mers is the name for the area between the two rivers. Bordeaux has almost 90% black grape vines, and 85% of the wine is red, 10% dry white, 1% sweet white, and 4% rosé.
Percentage
White Bordeaux wine is a very important part of winemaking in France, especially in the Bordeaux region. Even though Bordeaux is best known for its red wines, its white wines are highly regarded for their unique and complex flavors.
Terroir of Bordeaux
Bordeaux has a moderate maritime climate influenced by the cool Atlantic Ocean. Rainfall is variable and excessive rain at key moments can lead to poor fruit set, increased disease pressure, unripe fruit, and diluted flavors. Soil plays a major part in wine quality, with the Left Bank benefiting from deposits of gravel and stony soils that drain well and allow for ripening but can also put some vines at risk of drought stress in extremely hot years.
Vineyard management techniques for white grapes involve promoting healthy vine growth and optimal grape fruit cultivation. These methods include managing the vine's canopy, pests, and disease control and deciding when to harvest. Also, some of Bordeaux vineyards use sustainable and organic farming methods to reduce their environmental impact and grow high-quality grapes.
White Grapes
Sémillon
Sémillon is a white grape that has been a part of the Bordeaux wine region for hundreds of years and can be used in many ways. Even though it's not as well-known as Sauvignon Blanc, it's an important part of some of the world's best sweet and dry white wines. It is so popular because it is prone to botrytis bunch rot, which can lead to some of the world's best and most sought-after sweet wines.
Château d'Yquem is a great example of a sweet white Bordeaux blend with many Sémillon. It is widely considered one of the best sweet wines in the world. This legendary estate in Sauternes produces a rich, complex, and incredibly age-worthy wine with intense honey, dried apricots, and marmalade aromas.
Another outstanding example of a Sémillon-based sweet wine is Château Climens, renowned for its delicate balance between sweetness and acidity and its remarkable aging potential.
Sémillon is an important part of many dry white Bordeaux blends, often paired with Sauvignon Blanc. It is also used to make sweet wines. In these blends, Sémillon gives the wine weight, body, and subtle complexity while taming the Sauvignon Blanc's intense acidity and fruitiness.
Chateau Carbonnieux is a great example of a dry white Bordeaux wine with many Sémillon. It has a rich, creamy texture and elegant smells of lemon curd, honey, and vanilla.
Overall, Sémillon is a grape variety that deserves more attention and recognition for its significant contribution to the world of wine. Sémillon is a grape that always makes complex, flavorful, and highly sought-after wines, whether sweet, dry, young, or old.
Sauvignon Blanc
People have often wondered where Sauvignon Blanc originated because it is an interesting grape. However, recent DNA tests have shown that it might be the crossing of the Savagnin Blanc and Traminer grape varieties. Before this discovery, people thought they knew who the parents of Savagnin Blanc x Chenin Blanc were. But, surprisingly, Savagnin Blanc, which is often mistaken for Sauvignon Blanc and has many words in common with it, is probably the parent of Sauvignon Blanc.
The Sauvignon Blanc vine is a type that ripens early to medium and is very vulnerable to botrytis, powdery mildew, and vine diseases. Most of the time, the wine from this process is acidic and has moderate to powerful aromas like grass, herbs, gooseberries, green fruits, grapefruit, and passion fruit. The strong aroma comes from the high amount of methoxypyrazines in Sauvignon Blanc.
In Bordeaux, Sauvignon Blanc is an important part of both dry white blends and sweet wines with botrytis, where it is mixed with Sémillon. For example, Chateau Olivier makes a great white wine that mixes Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon. Sauvignon Blanc is also used more and more in dry single-variety white wines, which are popular all over the world.
Overall, Sauvignon Blanc is a type of grape that makes unique, fragrant wines that are often very acidic and have a wide range of fruity and herbal scents. It is an important part of Bordeaux blends and is becoming more popular as a single-variety wine. This makes it an interesting grape variety to watch in the coming years.
Muscadelle
Muscadelle is a type of white grape that is mostly grown in France's Bordeaux region. It is a grape that ripens in the middle to late part of the season, is vulnerable to botrytis, and can make a lot of wine. The grape is commonly used in sweet wines, such as Sauternes, due to its ability to develop noble rot, which concentrates the sugars in the grapes.
Muscadelle is often blended with Sémillon and Sauvignon Blanc to produce Bordeaux Blanc blends. It is known for its aromas of orange blossom, grapefruit, and musk and its floral and spicy notes. The wine produced from Muscadelle is typically medium-bodied with medium to high acidity.
Colombard, a white grape variety primarily grown in southwestern France, is used to produce fresh and fruity white wines.
Merlot Blanc is a white grape that is a mutation of the red Merlot grape. It is used to make white wines that are crisp and refreshing.
Sauvignon Gris This white wine is made from a mutation of the Sauvignon Blanc grape that gives it grey skin.
Ugni Blanc is a type of white grape grown in France and used to make white wines and brandy.
Dry White Wine Style And Pairing
Sauvignon Blanc, Sémillon, and Muscadelle grapes are all used to make dry white Bordeaux wine. These wines are known for their depth, balance, and acidity, which makes them very refreshing.
Dry white Bordeaux wines are usually light and have a greenish tint. They have a body between medium and full, and they have a crisp, refreshing acidity that balances the sweetness and fruitiness of the wine. These wines usually have aromas like citrus, green apple, pear, or melon. However, they might taste like lemon, grapefruit, peach, honey, and a few minerals on the nose.
Flavors: Sauvignon Blanc adds grassy and herbaceous aromas on the nose and palate, while Sémillon adds body, texture, and hints of vanilla and spice. Muscadelle adds floral scents as well as a honeyed flavor. When these grapes are blended, they make a wine that is better than the sum of its parts. It has a unique balance of tastes and textures.
Food Pairings: Because of their refreshing acidity and versatility, dry white Bordeaux wines go well with a wide range of foods. They go well with oysters, shellfish, other seafood, goat cheese, and other soft cheeses. They also go well with salads, vegetables, and white meats, which are lighter foods. Instead, try a dry white Bordeaux with fish, chicken, or pork grilled for a more substantial meal. It also goes well with risotto and creamy pasta dishes.
Overall, dry white Bordeaux wines are a great choice for people who like a complex, well-balanced wine that goes well with a wide range of foods.
Sweet Wines Style and Pairing
Noble Rot Grape
Some of the world's most famous and popular sweet wines are sweet white Bordeaux wines like Sauternes and Barsac. These wines are made from grapes with noble rot, a fungus that causes them to dry out and concentrate their sugars, flavors, and aromas. As a result, the wines from this are rich, complex, and sweet, with just enough acidity to keep the sweetness.
Usually, Semillon, Sauvignon Blanc, and Muscadelle grapes are usually blended to make unique and sweet white Bordeaux wines. Semillon is the main grape of the blend, giving it richness, weight, and complexity. However, it has low acidity and is prone to noble rot. Sauvignon Blanc adds freshness, acidity, and notes of herbs and citrus, while Muscadelle adds aromas of flowers and spices.
Sweet white Bordeaux wines are known for their honeyed, dried fruit, candied citrus notes, and complex nuances of nutty, toasty, and spicy flavors that develop with age. These wines have a full body, a rich, creamy texture, and a long, lingering finish.
Many desserts, like fruit tarts, crème brûlée, and cheesecake, go well with sweet white Bordeaux wines. They also go well with foie gras, blue cheese, and spicy Asian dishes.
Dry White Wine Making
When making dry white wine, the grapes are pressed right away or after letting the skins touch the grapes for up to 24 hours. The first method keeps the food fresh, while the second makes the smell more complex. Most wines meant to be drunk right away are fermented in stainless steel tanks at cool temperatures, while wines in the middle price range are left on the fine lees to give them more weight and complexity. Higher-quality wines are fermented and aged in oak barrels, and some winemakers choose to stop malolactic conversion to keep the acidity. Stirring the lees used to be common, but now many winemakers don't do this because it can give the wine too much body in hot years.
Sweet Wine Making
Bordeaux has been making sweet wines for a long time, and a type of mold called botrytis often grows on them. But these wines are made in a complicated way that starts in the vineyard. To ensure the grapes have the most sugar, the growers must keep the yields low by pruning the vines and removing any diseased or damaged fruit. Unfortunately, this kind of fruit tends to get gray mold, making the final product taste bad.
Many estates need to meet the maximum yield requirements set by top appellations like Sauternes and Barsac because they have low yields and less juice because of botrytis. As a result, the costs of making things are high.
Harvesters must be well-trained and able to spot noble rot, which is important for making sweet wine, to pick the best fruit. They also can't pick gray or black rotted grapes, which are bad in every way. For wines with many botrytis, the selectors must go through the vineyards more than once to find the ripe, botrytized bunches or berries. This can take a few months and involves a lot of important decisions that affect how good the wine will be in the end.
Exploring the Sub-Regions of Bordeaux for White Wine
Photo Credit: Château Roques Mauriac
Entre-Deux-Mers is the biggest sub-region, and it is known for making white wines that are light, crisp, and refreshing. Most of the time, Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon grapes are blended to make these wines. Examples of wines from Entre-Deux-Mers include Château Bonnet Entre-Deux-Mers and Château Roques Mauriac.
Graves is a sub-region known for making dry, minerally white wines. Most of the time, these wines are made with a blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon, with Sauvignon Blanc being the main grape. Château Carbonnieux Blanc and Château Smith Haut Lafitte Blanc are two wines from Graves.
Graves has a sub-region called Pessac-Léognan, known for making some of the best white wines in Bordeaux. These wines are mostly made from Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon, but there is more Sauvignon Blanc in these wines than in other sub-regions. Most of the time, they are aged in oak, which gives them a rich and complex flavor. Château Haut-Brion Blanc and Château La Mission Haut-Brion Blanc are two wines from Pessac-Léognan.
A sub-region called Sauternes is known for its sweet dessert wines made from grapes with botrytis. These wines are known for their intense sweetness and complex flavors, with hints of honey, apricot, and dried fruits. Chateau d'Yquem and Chateau Suduiraut are two wines that come from Sauternes.
In this region of Sauternes, Château d'Yquem and other top producers also make high-quality dry white wines. We also wrote about Ygrec, which is one of the best white wines; if you want to read it, click here.
Example Questions
What kind of grape is used most often in Bordeaux white wines?
What is different about how dry and sweet white Bordeaux wines are made?
Name three parts of Bordeaux that are known for making good white wines.
What is noble rot, and why is it important for making sweet white Bordeaux wines?
How does letting white Bordeaux wines age in oak affect their taste and character?
What are some flavors and aromas that dry white Bordeaux wines often have?
What kinds of food go well with sweet white Bordeaux wines?
What is batonnage, and why are some winemakers hesitant to use it when making white Bordeaux wines?
In conclusion, Bordeaux is known for its great wines. Red wine is often the first thing that comes to mind, but its white wines are just as good. The main grapes used to make white Bordeaux wines are Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, and Muscadelle. Each of these grapes gives the wine its own personality and taste. The process of making wine can be different depending on the desired style and quality level. For example, the wine can be fermented at a cool temperature in stainless steel tanks or aged in oak barrels with regular batonnage. Entre-Deux-Mers, Graves, Pessac-Léognan, and Sauternes, are all sub-regions with unique qualities and examples of great wines. Overall, white Bordeaux wines come in various styles and tastes that make them great additions to any wine lover's collection.
