The New Sotheby's Wine Encyclopedia

THE

SOTHEBY’S

WINE
ENCYCLOPEDIA
TOM STEVENSON

LONDON, NEW YORK, MELBOURNE,
MUNICH, DELHI

CONTENTS

Fourth edition (2005)

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Fourth edition published 2005
by Dorling Kindersley Limited,
80 Strand, London WC2R 0RL
First published in 1988 as Sotheby’s World Wine Encyclopedia
Published in 1997 as The New Sotheby’s Wine Encyclopedia
6 8 10 9 7 5
Copyright © 1988, 1991, 1997, 2001, 2005 Dorling Kindersley Limited, London
Text copyright © 1988, 1991, 1997, 2001, 2005 Tom Stevenson
All rights reserved. No part of this publication
may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in
any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying; , recording, or
otherwise, without the prior written permission of the copyright owner.

Introduction 7–47

Introduction 7
Using this book 8
The Taste of Wine 10
How to Assess a Wine 12
Terroir 14
Guide to Vineyard Soils 17
Viticulture 19
Annual Life cycle of the Vine 23
Vinification 25
The Choice of Oak 32
Grape Varieties 35
Glossary of Grape Varieties 36
Grape Variety Synonyms 43
Storing Wine 46
Serving Wine 47
The WINES of

the world 48–51
A World of Wine 50
The WINES of

FRANCE 52–259
France Introduction 54
Bordeaux 62
The Médoc 70
St.-Estèphe 81
Pauillac 84
St.-Julien 89
Margaux 92
Graves, Cérons,
Sauternes, and Barsac 97

A CIP catalog record of this book is available from the British Library

ISBN: 0-7566-1324-8
Color reproduction by Colorscan, Singapore
Printed and bound by SMP Leefung, Hong Kong

See our complete catalog at

 

Château Gruaud-Larose, St-Julien, France

The WINES of

ITALY 260–299
Italy Introduction 262
Northwestern Italy 266
Northeastern Italy 275
West-Central Italy 282
East-Central Italy 289
Southern Italy and
the Islands 292
The WINES of

SPAIN 300–325
Spain Introduction 302
Rioja and Navarra 312
Penedés: Cava Country 318
Sherry Country 321
Conca d’Oro estate, Vulture, Basilicata, Italy

The WINES of

The Libournais and Fronsadais 108
St.-Émilion 111
Pomerol 120
The Fronsadais and
St.-Émilion and Pomerol satellites 124
Bourg and Blaye 126
Entre-Deux-Mers 130

PORTUGAL 326–341

Burgundy 135

The WINES of

The Chablis District 140
Côte de Nuits and
Hautes-Côtes de Nuits 145
Côte de Beaune and
Hautes-Côtes de Beaune 151
The Côte Chalonnaise 159
The Mâconnais 161
The Beaujolais 165

Champagne 169
Alsace 184
The Loire Valley 196
Pays Nantais 200
Anjou-Saumur 202
Touraine 207
Central Vineyards 211

Portugal Introduction 328
Port: The Douro Valley 334
Madeira 340

GERMANY, AUSTRIA, AND
SWITZERLAND 342–395
Germany Introduction 344
The Ahr 354
The Mittelrhein 356
Mosel 358
The Nahe 362
The Rheingau 364
Rheinhessen 368
The Pfalz 371
The Hessische-Bergstrasse 374
Franken 376

The Rhône Valley 213
The Northern Rhône 215
The Southern Rhône 218

The Jura and Savoie 224
Southwestern France 228
Languedoc-Roussillon 235
Provence and Corsica 243
Vins de Pays 248
Rieschen Vineyard, Meersburg, Germany

Württemberg 379
Baden 381
Saale-Unstrut and Sachsen 385

Austria 387
Switzerland 392
The WINES of

NorthWestern
Europe 396–409
The British Isles 398
Luxembourg 404
Other Winemaking Countries of
Northwestern Europe 409
The WINES of

Southeastern
Europe 410–429
Bulgaria 412
Hungary 415
Romania 420
Slovakia and the Czech Republic 423
The Western Balkans 426
The Black and Caspian Seas 428
The WINES of

the eastern
Mediterranean 430–439
Greece 432
The Levant 437
The WINES of

THE AFRICAS 440–459
South Africa 442
North Africa 456
Other Winemaking Countries of Africa 458
The WINES of

THE AMERICAs 460–549
North America Introduction 462

Cabernet Sauvignon grapes, Chile

California 469
Mendocino County 479
Sonoma County 481
Napa County 487
The Central Coast (North) 495
The Central Coast (South) 498
The Central Valley 502
Other Appellations of California 504
The Pacific Northwest 507
The Atlantic Northeast 517
Other Winemaking Areas of the United States 527
Canada 532
Mexico 538

South America Introduction 540
Chile and Argentina 543
The WINES of

AUSTRALIA,
NEW ZEALAND
& ASIA 550–618
Australia Introduction 552
New South Wales 560
Victoria and Tasmania 567
South Australia 578
Western Australia 589
Queensland and Northern Territory 595

New Zealand 598
Asia 616

Spring mustard flowers and vines, Napa Valley, California

Wine and Food 619
Taste Chart 623
Guide to Good Vintages 626
Troubleshooter’s Guide 628
Glossary 629
Index 641
Acknowledgments 664

INTRODUCTION

GOOD NEWS AND BAD NEWS
THE GOOD NEWS IS THE NUMBER OF
top-performing wine producers throughout the
world, which has swollen out of all proportion
when compared with earlier editions of this
encyclopedia. Despite deleting hundreds of
previously recommended producers, there are
now in excess of 6,000 wineries recommended
over the following pages. I have never upgraded
the star ratings of so many producers in any
revision than I have for the California chapter
in this edition. And, proportionately, the number
of increased ratings for wineries in Australia and, my selfconfessed favorite, New Zealand, was not far behind.
The bad news is the low number of top-performing organic
wine producers. To be frank, I had no idea just how bad the
situation was when I first decided to use O and B symbols to
identify recommended organic and biodynamic wine producers,
but the relative rarity of these symbols throughout the book
rang alarm bells. It is one thing if someone gifted like Olivier
Humbrecht of Domaine Zind-Humbrecht in Alsace or Lalou BizeLeroy of Domaine Leroy in Burgundy go organic or biodynamic.
When great winemakers with exceptional terroirs “go green” they
produce great organic or biodynamic wines. However, it is quite
another matter when others less passionate about the quality of
wine are organic. While they may well have a true passion for
the environment, the majority of the world’s organic producers
clearly have no idea how to make a superior quality wine.
And considering that many of them have been churning out
their green gunge for years, they obviously could not care less.
Just as worrying are the organizations that certify organic and
biodynamic production, because it seems as if they could
not care less either. It is not good enough to
certify the method of production alone.
They should acknowledge the importance of
quality by introducing some sort of superior
award on the label. Either that or the likes
of Humbrecht and Bize-Leroy should set up
international schools of organic and biodynamic
excellence. Both ideas would be nice.

September 2005

7

8

INTRODUCTION

USING THIS BOOK
Where appropriate—in Bordeaux, for example—a listing of generic
appellations provides an overview before the author deals with the
more specific appellations. Various levels of information may be
included in the Taste Guides, depending on the importance of a
wine and/or its producer. Look for red, white, rosé, and sparkling
tasting notes, with symbols denoting other information as detailed
below right. When consulting the encylopedia for a comment on a
particular wine, look up the wine producer in the index. If you find
that the producer is not listed, then look up the wine’s appellation
or style (by country or region).

Each chapter of the Encyclopedia is arranged on a country-bycountry basis, within which each wine region is dealt with;
any districts within regions are examined, as are any smaller
winemaking areas in each district. Within each chapter, there are
two basic types of page: general introductory text and taste guides.
Introductory text has three regular features, “Label Language,”
“Recent Vintages,” and “Factors Affecting Taste and Quality,”
which may be given at either the national or regional level (see
below). Taste guides are variously entitled: “The Appellations
of...”; “The Wine Styles of...”; and “The Wine Producers of....”

COUNTRY AND REGION INTRODUCTION PAGES

The WINE S of

FRANCE

C H A P T E R I N T RO D U C T I O N

Full-spread chapter openers give
readers a brief introduction to
the region in question and a
taste of what is to come.

FRENCH WINES ARE REGARDED AS THE BEST
in the world, and a thread of this belief is
even shared by France’s fiercest New-World
competitors. Although the winemakers of
Australia and California, for instance, no longer
try to copy famous French wine styles, they
still consider them benchmarks. The great
French wine regions are a fortunate accident
of geography, climate, and terroir. No other
winemaking country in the world has such a
wide range of cool climates; this factor has
enabled France to produce the entire spectrum
of classic wine styles – from the crisp sparkling
wines of Champagne through the smooth
reds of Burgundy to the rich sweet wines of
Sauternes. Over many centuries of trial and
error, the French have discovered that specific
grapes are suited to certain soils and, through
this, distinctive regional wine styles have
evolved, so that every wine drinker knows
what to expect from a bottle of Bordeaux,
Burgundy, Champagne, or Rhône. This has
been the key to success for French wines.

FRANCE

FRANCE

FRANCE

A2
A2
8

A34

A16

Oi
se

A26

A6

A20

e

Loi
r

HAUTESALPES
N75

Nimes

ALPES-DEHAUTEPROVENCE

VAUCLUSE

NICE

Duran
ce

A54

BOUCHESDU-RHÔNE

Montpellier
HÉRAULT

ALPESMARITIMES

Verdon

A9

1912

GARD

1266

A51

A6
4

A3
5

N85

DRÔME

1702

rn
Ta

TARN

TOULOUSE

Rhi
n

SAVOIE

GRENOBLE
Valence 2086

ARDÈCHE

AVEYRON
GARONNE

GERS
A6

PYRÉNÉES- 4
HAUTEATLANTIQUES
A61
GARONNE
Tarbes
Carcassonne
HAUTES- Ga r o n n e
AUDE
2504
PYRÉNÉES
ARIÈGE

N8
3

A31

A39

A43

A43

ISÈRE

HAUTE-LOIRE

LOZÈRE

A75

VAR

A8

MARSEILLE
A57

Narbonne

A9

• Merlot is the most planted
grape variety of any colour in
France.

A48

St.-Etienne

CANTAL

LOT

Adour

Bayonne

HAUTE-SAVOIE

A42

TARN-ET-

LANDES

• 45 per cent of all French wine
is processed by 840 cave
coopératives.

1718

AIN

Rhône

Vienne

N10

9
A8

260

Dordogne

LOTETGARONNE

Lac Léman

A40

LYON

A75

• 1.6 per cent of all French
vineyards are farmed
biologically.

Mâcon

CLERMONTDÔME FERRAND

A89

Gar
o
A62

TERR.-DEBELFORT

A38

DOUBS

JURA

SAÔNE-ET-LOIRE

RHÔNE
LOIRE

DE-

CORRÈZE

DORDOGNE
Perigueux

BORDEAUX

e

s
ub
Do
224

PUY-

Angoulême

GIRONDE

• 62 per cent of all French
vineyards are machine
harvested.

A34

636

ALLIER

r ente CHARENTE

DIJON

A38

902

e
ôn
Rh

• There are over 147,000
vineyard owners in France,
almost 110,000 of whom make
and sell wine, of which more
than 58,000 are producers of
AOC wines.

HAUTE-SAÔNE
CÔTE-D'OR

NIÈVRE

r
Allie

Ch a

Auxerre

e

Bourges
CHER

INDRE

HAUTECREUSE
VIENNE
Limoges

CHARENTEMARITIME

ATLANTIC OCEAN

A1
0

N137

A8
7

N137

DEUXSÈVRES

A83

La Rochelle

DID YOU KNOW?

Lo
ir

220

HAUT-

RHIN
Mulhouse

CHER

INDRE-ETLOIRE

VIENNE
Poitiers

VOSGES

selle
Mo

Tours

N14
9

Country maps show a country’s
main wine-producing regions,
which are color-coded
and cross-referenced, where
appropriate, to regional maps.

MOSELLESTRASBOURG
RHIN

HAUTEMARNE

YONNE

LOIRET

ET-

Angers
MAINE-ETLOIRE

287

the vast majority simply feel so safe with their traditions that they
don’t want to rock the boat.
Initially there was good news and bad news. The good news
being that the burgundians were for it, the bad being that the
bordelais were not. However, the good news turned out to be
bad, as evidenced by the supposedly pro-Renou Jean-François
Delorme, who as president of the Bureau Interprofessionnel des
Vins de Bourgogne (BIVB), commented “Of course, all of
Burgundy’s AOCs would be super-AOCs”. If all Burgundy were of
the quality of Romanée Conti, Leroy or Leflaive, no one would
argue, but much too much is no better than vin ordinaire, while
– as with every wine region - some wines can be almost
undrinkable. So no, a pan-Burgundian application super-AOCs
would not be very super at all.
Being no fool, Renou allowed his historic proposal “slip out” in
London, where he could count on its radical aims receiving
widespread objective approval, before presenting the plan in
detail to INAO’s 80-member National Committee. He later
provided more details about his super-appellation, which he now
called Appellation d’Origine Contrôléed’Excellence (AOCE), and
threw another spanner in the traditionalist works by introducing
the novel concept in the form of his proposed new Site et Terroir
d’Excellence (STE) appellation.
On past experience, the odds always were that a compromise
would be sought. That the aims would become so fudged, and
the regulations so watered-down that they will not simply be
ineffective, but will probably be detrimental to the future of
French wine. And that is precisely what has happened, but these
new appellations and the reasons why they were rejected need
exploring in more detail so that French wine lovers can at least
know what Renou’s good intentions were. Readers will then be
able to appreciate how the French blew this big time, and why
the growers and government minister involved deserve to reap
whatever ill winds they have sown.
The BIVB was first to support Renou’s initiative, but Delorme’s
daydreaming position was disowned by its members, who turned

1230

• Ugni Blanc is the widest
planted white grape variety in
France.

Mediterranean Sea

Perpignan
PYRÉNÉESORIENTALES

Bastia

HAUTECORSE
N1
98

3
N19

CORSE-

Bordeaux
See also p.59

The Rhône Valley
See also p.211

Burgundy
See also p.131

Jura and Savoie
See also p.222

Champagne
See also p.165, 169

Southwest France
See also p.226

Alsace
See also p.182

Languedoc-Rousillon
See also p.233

The Loire Valley
See also p.192

Provence and Corsica
See also p.242

DU-

Ajaccio

Département boundary

SUD

Height above sea level (metres)

0

20

0

40

60

50

80

100 miles

100

150 km

FRANCE

63

BORDEAUX

BORDEAUX

Pointe de Grave

Médoc
See also pp71, 81, 85, 89, 92
Graves
See also p97
Pessac-Léognan
See also p97
Cérons
See also p97
Barsac
See also p97
Sauternes
See also p97
Blaye
See also p126
Bourg
See also p126

le Verdonsur-Mer

SOULACSUR-MER

Chenal d u Guâ

15 miles
20

25 km

R E G I O NA L M A P

D937

52

Berson

N1
37

ST-ANDRÉDE-CUBZAC

Targon

A6
3
N1
0

Pedonsac
Cérons

n ne

72
D6

D3

Ste-Croixdu-Mont
St-Macaire

60

Monsegur

LA RÉOLE

N113

e L è ge

al d
Can

re

E

Ey

N113

LANGON
C i ron

Sauternes
A62

Hostens

N10

re
Hu

D3

Villandraut

St-Symphorien

Bazas
Préchac

119

D65
5

Grignols

Belhade

CASTELJALOUX

D93
2

N13
4

Ste-Bazeille

D932

D3

Etang de Cazaux
et de Sanguinet

Sore

Captieux

Cir
o

n

B O R D E AU X , see also p55

PARIS

Duras

Dropt

Landiras

BELIN-BÉLIET

Lugos

Cadillac
Loupiac

Preignac

A63

CAZAUX

Sauveterrede-Guyenne

Barsac

Villagrains

106

Pellegrue
107

Langoiran
N1
13

D670

D

le Barp

Ste-Foyla-Grande

D936

Pujols

Rauzan

0
D1

A6
2

Saucats

SALLES

Daignac

Engra

nne
Ga r o

CastresGironde
60

St-Magne

Sanguinet

76

70
D6

D10

N

Mios

16

Castillon-laBataillé

D671

Cambes
Leognan

Marcheprime

BIGANOS

LE TEICH
LA
A66
TESTE

CAP
FERRET

61

50
N2

AUDENGE

GUJANMESTRAS

St-Emilion

D67
0

Créon

Cestas

ANDERNOSLES-BAINS
Bassin
d'Arcahon

LIBOURNE

Branne

D936

FarguesSt-Hilaire

Villefranchede-Lonchat

Pomerol

Fronsac

Arveyres

Bordeaux

D106

ARÈS

ne

Vayres

N89

A89

St-Denis- 47
de-Pile

D6
70

Dordo
g

St-Loubès

A630

St-Jean-d'Illac
Lège

Dr
on
ne

N89

Blanquefort

D213

Martignas-sur-Jalle

St-Seurinsur-l'Isle

Isle

Galgon

AMBARÈS-ETLAGRAVE

N125

ST-MÉDARDEN-JALLES

le Temple

COUTRAS

Guîtres

Ambès

D1

Ste-Hélène

34

Saumos

les-Eglisotteset-Chalaurès

D6
74

Cézac

BOURG

Lacanau

le Porge

D910

Cavignac

Macau
Lac de
Lacanau

la RocheChalais

N10

St-Savin

Pugnac

Moulis-en-Médoc Margaux
Castelnaude-Médoc

Brach

D730

L a r it

Carcans

Saugon

BLAYE

uil
Br e
du CussacFort-Médoc
ListracMédoc

le
Jal

72

36.8
10.0
11.0
2.4
3.1
4.2
0.8
2.7
0.7
1.0
1.1
14.4
8.3
3.4

15

A10

St-JulienBeychevelle
St-LaurentMédoc

O

SURFACE AREA
Expressed as a percentage of
Bordeaux vineyards

10
10

Reignac

Etauliers

R

DISTRICTS

5
5

Livenne

23

Hourtin
Lac d'Hourtin
Carcans

VOLUME V. REPUTATION

Bordeaux (red)
Bordeaux Supérieur (red)
Médoc (red, non cru classé)
Médoc (red, cru classé)
Graves (red)
Saint-Émilion (red)
Saint-Émilion (red, grand cru classé)
Saint-Émilion satellites (red)
Pomerol (red)
Lalande de Pomerol (red)
Fronsac (red)
Various côtes (red)
Dry white
Sweet white

Height above sea level (metres)

0

D73
0

N137

27

le Contaut

ARCACHON

Very few Bordeaux wines are produced from great vineyards. As the table
below illustrates, the famous appellations represent a relatively small amount
of the bordelais vignoble, and the classified growths a minuscule proportion of
that. Yet it could be argued that the reputation of Bordeaux has been built
upon a fraction of its cru classé or grand cru classé – the best performers.
Bordeaux is a great wine region, but not all Bordeaux is great wine.

Département boundary
Delimited AOC region of Bordeaux

0

2

St-Estèphe

THE MODERN BORDEAUX WINE TRADE
It was perhaps inevitable that the historically powerful and familyowned négociant-éleveur firms would eventually become a spent
force. They lacked the resources required to adequately finance
the huge increase in demand for Bordeaux in the 1960s, and
those that did not founder during the oil crisis of the early to
mid-1970s fell prey to the economic depressions of the following
two decades.
As proud old firms were either taken over or went bankrupt,
so the power shifted from the négociants to the châteaux, and in
order to cope with a boom in world markets, many Bordeaux
properties expanded their vineyards or added large, shiny new
fermentation facilities. Many of these projects were financed with
bank loans when interest rates were low. When sales slumped

The Libournais District
See also pp108, 111, 120
St-Émilion
See also p111
Pomerol
See also p120
Entre-Deux-Mers
See also p130

MONTENDRE

St-Cierssur-Gironde

St-Seurin-deCadourne

LesparreMédoc

I

THE CHÂTEAU SYSTEM AND MERCHANT POWER
Prior to the concept of château wine estates, the land was worked
on a crop-sharing basis. This feudal system slowly changed from the
late 17th century onwards. As the bordelais brokers developed the
habit of recording and classifying wines according to their cru, or
growth (that is to say their geographical origin), and the prices they
fetched, the reputations of individual properties became established.
The 19th century saw the rise of the négociant, or merchant, in
Bordeaux. Many négociants were of English origin, and some

Mirambeau
St-ChristolyMédoc

VendaysMontalivet

D6

OVERVIEW
The Bordeaux appellation and the Gironde département are
geographically one and the same. Moreover, the Gironde is
the largest département in France, and Bordeaux is the largest
source of quality wines in the world. There are more than 22,000
vineyard proprietors working in excess of 120,000 hectares
(280,000 acres), producing 6.4 million hectolitres (over 71 million
cases) of Bordeaux wine (85 per cent red, 3 per cent rosé, and
12 per cent white) under 57 different appellations every year. Of
these 22,000 properties, no fewer than 10,000 are châteaux and
domaines producing wine. Of these 10,000 wine-producing
properties, some 6,000 make and market wine under their own
name (75 per cent of total production), while the remaining
4,000 wine-producing properties are members of 53 cooperative
wineries in Bordeaux (representing 25 per cent of production,
a little of which is sold under the producing property name).

St-Viviende-Médoc

G

reputation as the last decade of the 20th century turned out to be.
Rain-drenched harvests towards the end of the 1990s challenged
Bordeaux’s claim to be the ultimate viticultural paradise, while
the depressingly poor quality of its generic wines attracted almost
as much bad publicity as the grossly inflated prices of modest
vintages from the top châteaux. The weather might have
improved in the first few years of the 21st century, but the quality
of generic Bordeaux has remained abysmal, prices continue to
rise almost in direct relation to the drop in sales – and then the
unimaginable happened: the renowned US wine critic Robert
Parker failed to appear for the primeur tastings in March 2003.
But all is not lost – Christian Delpeuch, the new head of the
Conseil Interprofessionel des Vins de Bordeaux (CIVB), has
mooted the possibility of declassifying some of the weaker
Bordeaux wines into a wider vin de pays, which could then
be bolstered by stronger wines from outside the region, but
traditional to the southwest, such as the deep, dark Tannat.
Delpeuch is the managing director of Ginestet, the region’s
biggest trader, and seems to have a good understanding of the
more commercial end of Bordeaux’s business. He has suggested
the creation of a Vins de Pays d’Aquitaine category for the
Bordeaux region, under which varietal wines could be marketed.
Far from detracting from the classic wines of Bordeaux, this
would in fact improve their quality through stricter selection. And
at the very top end of the market, the bordelais can once again
sleep easy in their beds, as Robert Parker returned for the
primeur tastings in 2004.

G

Talais

40

Montalivetles-Bains

D1
06

THE NEW MILLENNIUM appears to be just as taxing for Bordeaux’s

firms were established by
Scottish, Irish, Dutch, or German
businessmen. The best château
wines were not consumed by
the French themselves; they were
the preserve of other northern
European countries. Thus foreign
merchants had an obvious
advantage over their French
counterparts. Yearly, in spring,
these négociants took delivery
C H Â T E AU PA L M E R
of young wines in cask from the
This majestic turreted château is
various châteaux and matured
one of the finest in the Médoc.
them in their cellars prior to
shipping. They were therefore responsible for their élevage,
or upbringing, and came to be known as négociants-éleveurs,
eventually becoming the middlemen found in every aspect of
wine trading. Many foreign buyers found it more convenient to
deal through a négociant than directly with the wine producer,
and often they had no alternative, since a number of châteaux
were owned by, or were exclusive to, certain négociants.

e

If a country has major
winemaking regions, each
is given a full introduction.

Bordeaux is an area in an almost-perfect
viticultural situation on the west coast of France
and benefits from the ultimate marketing tool – a
château-based classification system that was
established 150 years ago.

nd
iro

MAIN WINE REGION

l'Is
le

62

LOIR-

A11

NANTES

VENDÉE

AUBE

A5

A5

Orléans
148

Seine

A6

LOIR

Le Mans

LOIREATLANTIQUE

C H Â T E AU F I G E AC

Without doubt in a class of its own within Class B of Premiers Grands Crus
Classés, Château Figeac has long fought to be classified with Ausone and Cheval

SEINE-ETMARNE

ESSONNE

ET-

SARTHE A11

BAS-

N59

A81

102

ne

MAYENNE

V il a i n e

N1
65

MEURTHE-

NANCY ETr
Ma

EURE- A11

ILLE-ETVILAINE

RENNES
MORBIHAN

Metz
MOSELLE

MEUSE

Sa
ôn

CÔTES D’ARMOR

Paris

A4
1

A84

A13

YVELINES

ORNE

FINISTÈRE

C O U N T RY M A P

A4

MARNE

A71

Fortified wine
Just over 0.1% of total French wine
production – 20% exported, 80%
consumed within France

VALD'OISE

N176
391

ARDENNES

AISNE

Reims

EURE

CALVADOS

OISE

N77

Sparkling wine
Just over 5% of total French wine
production – 42% exported, 58%
consumed within France

A13

A77

Rosé wine
Almost 6% of total French wine
production – 30% exported, 70%
consumed within France

ROUEN

Caen

e
nn

Vin de Table
Just over 10% of total French wine
production – 16% exported, 84%
consumed within France

White wine
Just over 18% of total French wine
production – 55% exported, 45%
consumed within France

A29

A1

N13

MANCHE

Brest

N51

A29

SEINE-MARITIME
Le Havre

47
N1

Vin de Pays
Almost 31% of total French wine
production – 10% exported, 90%
consumed within France

NORD
SOMME

A10

A wealth of statistical information
is given in various charts, tables,
and information boxes.

Vin Délimité de Qualité Supérieure
(VDQS)
Less than 1% of total French wine
production – 17% exported, 83%
consumed within France

BY TYPE
Red wine
Just over 55% of total French wine
production – 30% exported, 70%
consumed within France

LILLE

CALAIS

3
A2

Cherbourg

38
N1

TA B L E S , C H A RT S , A N D B O X E S

FRENCH WINE AT A GLANCE
BY CLASSIFICAT I O N
Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée
(AOC or AC)
Exactly 58% of total French wine
production – 25% exported, 75%
consumed within France

PASDE-

A28

This gives a broad picture of the
country in question. Much of the
statistical and technical data is
compartmentalized into boxes to
avoid interrupting the flow of text
while enabling readers seeking such
information to zero-in on it quickly.

A16

A2
6

Boulogne

T HE M OON R ISING OVER C HÂTEAU L ATOUR

The magnificent tower of Château Latour is
b th d i
li ht
kiEnglish
th
j t f
Channel
Dieppe

N158

C O U N T RY I N T RO D U C T I O N

Calais
5
A2

The success of French wine has been built on
deservedly famous regions that have been
enshrined by Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée
(AOC) laws, but the unwillingness to police this
system in any meaningful sense has gradually
debased historic reputations at the precise point
in history when New World producers have been
eager to establish their own wines.
FIFTEEN YEARS AFTER it became blindingly obvious, the French
establishment woke up to the fact that AOC was not AOK, and
started to think the unthinkable: change. When René Renou, the
director of the Institut National des Vins d’Origine or INAO (i.e.
he was the man in charge of running the entire French
appellation system), proposed a super-appellation that would be
bestowed on wines of “demonstrably superior quality”, he shook
the very foundations of French culture - tradition. This country
produces both the best and the worst wines in the world because
of its fixation with tradition, but whereas the French are always
willing to preserve the best traditions, they are loath to banish the
worst. Even when it is staring them in the face. In 1995 Michel
Bettane, one of France’s top wine writers, was quoted as saying
“Today, appellation contrôlée guarantees neither quality nor
authenticity”. At the time, Alain Berger was the director of INAO
at the time, and when pressured he caused uproar by confessing
that “One can find on the market scandalously poor products with
the appellation contrôlée halo”. But was anything done? Of course
not. Thus the fact that Renou not only confirmed the situation,
but also proposed a solution, was so rare that I suspect it must be
unique. However, a fundamental shake-up to the system that gave
birth to wine regimes throughout Europe threatened the moral
authority of French wine, thus Renou’s proposals have been met
with hostility in some quarters, while in others they are viewed as
absolutely necessary, thus he has been dubbed ‘Superman’. Those
who support Renou are, essentially, a quality-conscious minority,
while those who oppose include the worst of the worst, although

55

FRANCE

The coloured areas on this map identify the ten main wine-producing
regions of France, where the areas of Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée,
which cover 490,000 hectares (1.2 million acres), are concentrated.
However, the country has almost one million hectares of vineyards
in total, and many good, everyday-drinking wines are made in
other parts of the country. See also Vin de Pays maps pp.246, 247.

A20

54

Sandwiched between the brandy
regions of Cognac to the north
and Armagnac to the south, the
Gironde département, which
constitutes the AOC area of
Bordeaux, consists of the former
province of Guyenne and a part
of Gascony called Bazedais.

Luxey

Regional maps
show a region’s
main winemaking
areas, which are
color-coded and
cross-referenced,
where appropriate,
to district maps.

9

USING THIS BOOK

DISTRICTS AND TASTE GUIDES

B A R R E L - M A K I N G AT L A F I T E - RO T H S C H I L D

SOULACSUR-MER

7
D11

MESCHERSSUR-GIRONDE

D6

St-Estèphe
See also p81
D7
30

Mortagnesur-Gironde

D2

Listrac-Médoc
Moulis
Valeyrac

Vensac

Queyrac

Bégadan

D102

VendaysMontalivet

3

3E
D10

LESPARREMÉDOC

25

St-Germaind'Esteuil

D3

02
D2

6 miles

6

8 10 km

Livenn

D101E
D205

Ch. Lynch Moussas

Etauliers

3
D25

e

Reignac

PAUILLAC

Ch. Lynch-Bages Ile
Bouchard
Ch. Batailley
Ch. Pichon-Longueville
30
Ch.Talbot St-Julien-Beychevelle
Ch.
Ch. Ducru-Beaucaillou
D206 Lagrange
St-LaurentCh. Beychevelle
Ch.
Médoc
Gruaud
Ile
Larose
Nouvelle
Ch.
28
la Tour Ch. Camensac
BLAYE
Carnet
Cussac18

48

D9
37

Hourtin
Lac d' HourtinCarcans

Fort-Médoc

27

ListracMédoc

Maubuisson

D20
7

Etang de
Cousseau

Brach

55

LacanauOcéan

33

Ch. du Tertre

2

D2

Salaunes

N2
15

St-Aubinde-Médoc

43

40

Ambès

D1
0

75

gn

D5
E

Saumos

D23

BOURG

Macau

B O LudonRDEAUX - THE MÉDOC
Médoc
D113

Lac de
Lacanau

Ch. Giscours
21

47

Pugnac

D or d o

THE APPELLATIONS OF

e

AMBARÈS-

THE WINEETPRODUCERS OF

Parempuyre

LAGRAVE

THE MÉDOC

BLANQUEFORT

BASSENS

Jalle

42

D107

ST-MÉDARDEN-JALLES

D209

THE MÉDOC

92

Ch. Marsac40
Séguineau
D6
69
Ch. Labégorce
Ile
Ch.
Moulis-en-Médoc Paveil-de-Luze
3
Cazeau
Ch. Margaux
Margaux
Avensan
Ch. d'Issan
Ch. Palmer Ch. Prieuré-Lichine
Ch. Cantenac-Brown
Castelnaude-Medoc
33 Ch. Angludet

Lacanau

FRANCE

N1
37

Berson

Ile
Verte

04
D1

Carcans

de
ron
Gi

5
5
18
11
HAUT-MÉDOC AOC
21
This
60 AOC encompasses the Médoc’s four finest

2

Ch. le Boscq
Ch. Calon-Ségur

A10

TOTAL

4
4

St-Seurinde-Cadourne

D1

3
1
12
0
2
18

2

D251

1
1
1
4
3
10

2

0

St-Estèphe
Ch. de Pez
Ch. Phélan-Ségur
Ch. Pomys Ch. Meyney
Vertheuil
Ch. Montrose
Ch. Andon-Blanquet
Ch. Marbuzet
Ch. Lafon-Rochet
Ch. Cos d'Estournel
Cissac-Médoc
11
Ch. Cos Labory
Ch. Duhart-Milon- Ch. Lafite
Rothschild
Ch. Mouton-Rothschild
Ile de Patiras
Ch. Pontet-Canet

22

le Contaut

0

St-Yzansde-Médoc

17

8

Height above
sea level (metres)

St-ChristolyMédoc

N215

GROWTHS
4TH
5TH

Haut-Médoc

3

MONTALIVETLES-BAINS

D104

1
1
0
2
10
14

Margaux
See also p92

D14
5

N215

3RD

0
2
2
5
5
14

St-Julien
See also p89

ST-VIVIENDE-MEDOC

12

D204

2ND

0
0
3
0
1
4

Pauillac
See also p85

59

2
D2

D3

1ST

Médoc

D1
45

Gir
on
de

Ste-Hélène

Haut-Médoc
St-Estèphe
Pauillac
St-Julien
Margaux
TOTAL

Château
Intensive vine
growing zone

52

3

55

DISTRIBUTION OF MÉDOC CRUS CLASSÉS
THROUGHOUT THE APPELLATIONS 74
APPELLATION

8% of Médoc AOCs,
100% of crus classés

Gémozac

D2
5

TALAIS

49

The four famous communes of Margaux, St-Julien, Pauillac, and
St-Estèphe, plus the two lesser-known but developing communes
of Listrac and Moulis, are to be found in a region within the Médoc
known as the Haut-Médoc, where the wines are fine, firm, and
fleshy. The Haut-Médoc begins at the southern outskirts of the
city of Blanquefort, along the northern reaches of the Graves district
where the wines are fairly neutral. The greatest wines of the HautMédoc are found in the area beginning at Ludon with Château la
Lagune – the first cru classé encountered moving north from
Blanquefort. Fine crus bourgeois are to be found in this area as well.
The wines at Margaux are soft and velvety and full of charm,
although they are very much vins de garde and will improve well
with age. The wines of St-Julien are elegant with a very pure
flavour. They have the delicate touch of Margaux, yet lean closer
to Pauillac in body. The wines of Pauillac are powerful, often
having a rich blackcurrant flavour with hints of cedar and tobacco.

(6,931)

D73
2

le-Verdonsur-Mer

The best soils for vine-growing
also happen to be the most
suitable for gravel quarrying.
After the war, in the absence of
any legislation, gravel quarrying
started in abandoned vineyards.
Once the gravel was gone, the
opportunity to reclaim the area
as a vineyard was lost. There is
plenty of gravel in the Gironde
estuary itself, but it is more
profitable to take it from an
open pit. Quarrying companies
will continue to plunder the
Médoc’s finite resources until the
government agrees to protect
them, but past administrations
have shown little interest.

2,805

These maps show color-coded
winemaking areas, and, like
some regional maps, also show
intensive wine-producing zones
and indicate the location of the
best wine producers.

A10

Wines are aged in new oak at Château Lafite-Rothschild, although for a shorter
length of time than in the past. The barrels are made with great care in a timehonoured, traditional manner.

15,993 (39,520)

(558)
(2,081)
(1,552)
(2,110)

No crus classés
6% of AOC, 9% of crus classés
No crus classés
No crus classés
18% of AOC, 8% of crus classés
70% of AOC, 30% of crus classés
68% of AOC, 22% of crus classés
61% of AOC, 31% of crus classés

(630)

D2
55

Primary varieties: Cabernet
Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot
Secondary varieties:
Carmenère, Petit Verdot, Malbec

TOTAL

Pointe de Grave

THE FIGHT
FOR GRAVEL

255
–
–
226
842
628
854

N137

G

GRAPE VARIETIES

5,358 (13,240)
4,590 (11,342)
664 (1,641)
607 (1,500)
1,254 (3,099)
1,209 (2,988)
909 (2,246)
1,402 (3,464)

D1
02
E

and gentle slopes are characteristic
of the Médoc. The best vineyards can
“see the river” and virtually all areas
of the Haut-Médoc gradually slope
from the watershed to the Gironde.
Marshy areas, where vines cannot be
grown, punctuate most communes.

Médoc
Haut-Médoc
Listrac
Moulis
St-Estèphe
Pauillac
St-Julien
Margaux

CRUS CLASSÉS
REPRESENTS

D4

E Undulating hillsides with knolls
ASPECT

VITICULTURE AND
J VINIFICATION

Only red wines can use the
Médoc appellation. Mechanical
harvesting is commonplace and
all grapes are destalked prior to
fermentation in tanks, or in vats
increasingly made of stainless steel.
Skin contact lasts for one to two
weeks, although some châteaux
have reverted to the once standard
four weeks.

D102E

either side of the Médoc – the
Atlantic and the Gironde – act as a
heat-regulator and help provide a
microclimate ideal for viticulture.
The Gulf Stream generally gives the
Médoc mild winters, warm
summers, and long, sunny autumns.
The district is protected from
westerly and northwesterly winds by
the continuous coastal strip of pine
forest that runs roughly parallel to
the Médoc.

TOTAL
HA (ACRES)
IN HA (ACRES)

D18

THE MÉDOC STYLE: VARIATIONS ON A THEME

CLIMATE
F Two
large masses of water

different subsoils in the Médoc. Its
topsoils are typically outcrops of
gravel, consisting of sand mixed
with siliceous gravel of varying
particle size. Subsoils may contain
gravel and reach a depth of several
metres, or may consist of sand,
often rich in humus, and some
limestone and clay.

APPELLATION

D101

– “between the waters” – referring to the Gironde estuary and the
Atlantic Ocean. It is a long, thin strip of prized vines, extending
northwest from the city limits of Bordeaux to the Pointe de Grave.
At its centre is the classic area of Bordeaux, where the vast
majority of the most famous châteaux are located, and yet this
was the last major district of Bordeaux to be cultivated. While
winemaking in the Libournais district of St-Émilion began as early
as the Roman occupation, it was another thousand years before
scattered plots of vines spread along the Médoc. Across the large,
brown expanse of water called the Gironde, the Romans viewed
Bourg and considered its hilly area far more suitable for growing
vines. At that time the marshland of the Médoc was difficult to
cross and impossible to cultivate. Today, the Médoc is the envy
of winemakers the world over and Bourg is merely a source of
inexpensive, if good-value, basic Bordeaux.

of the Gironde estuary, stretching
northwest from Bordeaux in the
south to Soulac in the north.

al du Guâ
Chen

THE MÉDOC TAKES its name from the Latin phrase medio aquae

FACTORS AFFECTING TASTE AND QUALITY
SOIL
LOCATION
D Similar
H The
topsoils lie over
Médoc lies on the left bank

DISTRICT MAP

PROPORTION OF AOC AREA UNDER VINE
REPRESENTED BY CRUS CLASSÉS

E
D3

In the introductory text
for countries, regions, or
districts, a tinted panel gives
a quick-reference guide to
the fundamental conditions
that determine the quality
and style of the wines
produced in each area.

The style of wine alters more radically over
short distances in the Médoc than in any other
French red wine district. The wines are mild
and unexceptional immediately northwest of
Bordeaux, but from Ludon onwards they become
progressively more characterful, acquire finesse,
and – after Margaux – gain considerable body.
Beyond St-Estèphe, the firmness of body of the
wines eventually turns to coarseness, and their
finesse fades.

71

BORDEAUX - THE MÉDOC

These are wines of great finesse, and Pauillac can be considered
the greatest appellation of the Médoc. St-Estèphe includes many
minor growths of rustic charm and a few classic wines, and
technology is changing the robustness of its spicy wines to
richness.
Beyond St-Estèphe lies the commune of St-Seurin-de-Cadourne,
whose wines are entitled to use the Haut-Médoc appellation, after
which the appellation becomes simply AOC Médoc. This area,
formerly known as the Bas-Médoc, has a lesser reputation than
the Haut-Médoc. However, many exceptional wines are made
here: the triangle formed by St-Yzans, Lesparre, and Valeyrac
contains such outstanding minor growths as Loudenne, Potensac,
la Cardonne, Blaignan, les Ormes-Sorbet, la Tour-St-Bonnet, la
Tour-de-By, and Patache d’Aux. In general the style is more
simplistic than in the Haut-Médoc.

5
N21

FAC T O R S A F F E C T I N G
TA S T E A N D Q U A L I T Y

FRANCE

THE MÉDOC

D1
04
E

In France and
California, each region’s
individual wineproducing districts are
examined separately.

70

D3

WINE DISTRICTS

brings power and style together to produce
CHÂTEAU
CHÂTEAU BELwines of incomparable finesse for their size.
T H E M É D O C , see also p63
D’AGASSAC
AIR LAGRAVE
Gironde estuary and the Atlantic
Ocean,
stretches
northwards from the
gCabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, The Médoc, a narrow strip of land between
AOCthe
Haut-Médoc
AOC
Moulis
Cru Bourgeois
The climateSupérieur
is Bordeaux’s mildest, moderated by bV
both the estuary and the ocean.
Carmenère, Merlot, Malbec, Petit Verdotcity of Bordeaux to the Pointe de Grave.
Cru Bourgeois
cbV
This growth was classified cru
k9–25 years (crus classés);
bourgeois in 1932, but not included
5–12 years (others)
in the syndicat’s 1978 list. The wine
is matured in wood for 18 to 20
ST-ESTÈPHE AOC
months, with 70 per cent new oak.
RED These vividly coloured wines
have a fine bouquet and firm tannic
structure.
MÉDOC AOC
gCabernet Sauvignon 60%,
Technically, this appellation covers the entire
Merlot 35%, Petit Verdot 5%
Médoc, but most wines actually come from
k8–20 years
north of the Haut-Médoc in the area which was
Second wine: Château Peyvigneau
formerly called the Bas-Médoc. Its vineyards
This is one of the best unclassified
have undergone a rapid and extensive
wines
in
the
Haut-Médoc.
The
wine
CHÂTEAU BELGRAVE
expansion since the mid-1970s.
is matured in wood for 15 months,
AOC Haut-Médoc 5ème Cru Classé
RED The best of these dry, medium-bodied
with one-third new oak.
cbV
wines are similar in style to good Haut-Médocs,
RED Dark-coloured, plummy wine,
Situated on a good gravel bank
although the style is less sophisticated.
with a lot of soft, ripe fruit.
behind Château Lagrange, the wine,
LISTRAC-MÉDOC AOC
gCabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc,
gCabernet Sauvignon 47%,
which is matured in wood for 24
Significant funds have been invested in a
Carmenère, Merlot, Malbec, Petit Verdot
Merlot 50%, Petit Verdot 3%
months with up to 50 per cent new
number of high-performance châteaux in
The potential of St-Estèphe is exemplified by
k4–8 years
oak, has improved consistently
k4–10 years
this commune, although its heavy clay soil
Cos d’Estournel, which is one of the best
throughout the 1990s.
Second wine: Château Pomièsdoes not have anything like as much potential
months, with 30 per cent new oak.
deuxièmes crus in the Médoc, but the strength
MOULIS AOC
RED A good balance of
Agassac
as the gravel ridges found in the most famous
of this appellation lies in its range of crus
RED These wines are very stylish,
blackcurrant fruit and ripe acidity,
OR MOULIS-ENMédoc appellations.
with lush Cabernet fruit backed up
bourgeois. The area under vine is slightly less
with much more supple tannin
MÉDOC AOC
by the creamy richness of new oak.
RED These dry, medium- to full-bodied
than that of Margaux, which has the largest
structure than used to be the case,
CHÂTEAU
One of the two communal appellations located
wines have the fruit and finesse of St-Julien
area, but St-Estèphe has far more unclassified
gCabernet Sauvignon 62%,
and vanilla overtones of new oak.
D’AURILHAC
on the Atlantic side of the Médoc, Moulis-encombined with the firmness of St-Estèphe.
châteaux, and even the best wines are
Merlot 36%, Cabernet Franc
gCabernet Sauvignon 55%,
AOC Haut-Médoc Cru Bourgeois
Médoc is smaller and potentially more
The most successful wines tend to have a
wonderfully cheap.
and Petit Verdot 2%
Merlot 32%, Cabernet Franc
c
interesting than its neighbour Listrac. Like
large proportion of Merlot, which enjoys
RED If Pauillac is the stallion of the four
k6–12 years
12%, Petit Verdot 1%
A relative newcomer that has
Listrac, it has no cru classé châteaux,
the Haut-Médoc’s clay soil.
famous appellations, St-Estèphe must be the
Second wine: Château Le Fournas
k8–16 years
quickly developed a cult following.
despite
adjoining
Margaux,
the
appellation
gCabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc,
shire-horse. These dry, full-bodied wines are big
Bernadotte
The grapes are machine harvested,
Second wine: Diane de Belgrave
that has the highest number of such properties
Carmenère, Merlot, Malbec, Petit Verdot
and strong, yet not without dignity. St-Estèphe
and the wine is matured in wood
in the Médoc.
demands affection and, with the rich fruit of a
k5–10 years
for 12 months, with 35 per cent
CHÂTEAU
CHÂTEAU BEL-ORMERED These dry, medium-bodied, sometimes
sunny year, deserves it. These most enjoyable,
new oak.
BISTON-BRILLETTE
TRONQUOY-DE-LALANDE
full-bodied, wines have more power than those
sweet-spice and cedary wines can have lots of
MARGAUX AOC
RED A flashy, huge, dark, and
AOC Moulis
AOC Haut-Médoc Cru Bourgeois
of Margaux, but far less finesse.
honest, chunky fruit. Cos d’Estournel is the
dense wine with masses of fruit to
Cru Bourgeois Supérieur
c
thoroughbred of the commune.
gCabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc,
balance the ripe tannins and
cbV
This property has a confusingly
Carmenère, Merlot, Malbec, Petit Verdot
gCabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc,
extrovert oak.
This top-quality Moulis property
similar name to Château TronquoyCarmenère, Merlot, Malbec, Petit Verdot
k5–12 years
gCabernet Sauvignon 56%,
ages its wines in wood for 12 to
Lalande, St-Estèphe. Steady
k8–25 years (crus classés);
Merlot 38%, Cabernet Franc
15 months, with up to 35 per cent
improvement since the mid-1990s
PAUILLAC AOC
5–12 years (others)
3%, Petit Verdot 3%
new oak.
has turned the once four-square
character of these wines into a more
k5–15 years
RED Wines that are very rich in
classically structured style. This
ST-JULIEN AOC
colour and fruit with a full, spicySecond wine: Château La Fagotte
wine
is
matured
in
wood
for
12
to
cassis character and a supple tannin
St-Julien is the smallest of the four famous
14 months, with 10 per cent new
structure.
appellations and the most intensively
oak.
CHÂTEAU
gCabernet Sauvignon 55%,
cultivated, with almost 50 per cent of the
RED These are firm, fruity,
BEAUMONT
Merlot 40%, Malbec 2%, Petit
commune under vine. There are no first
classically structured wines.
AOC Haut-Médoc
Verdot 3%
growths, but there are as many as five
The best Margaux are potentially the greatest
gCabernet Sauvignon 35%,
Cru Bourgeois Supérieur
seconds, and the standard and consistency
k5–15 years
wines in the whole of Bordeaux, but this is an
bV
Merlot 605
55%, Cabernet Franc
of style is very high. This AOC overlaps
NEW ZEALAND
NEW ZEALAND
Second wine: Château Biston
appellation that covers five communes
10%
part of the commune of Pauillac, and,
A large property that consistently
Other wine: Château Graveyron
encompassing a great diversity of soil and some
produces wines of good quality.
historically, châteaux Latour and Pichonk7–15 years
of its wines not unnaturally have a tendency to
This wine is matured in wood for
Longueville-Comtesse-de-Lalande
could
is
judged
more
useful
for
its
ability
to
add
some
THE WINE STYLES OF
RIESLING
disappoint. Margaux benefits enormously from
CHÂTEAU BOUQUEYRAN
12 months, with 30 per cent
as easily
St-Julien AOC as
CHÂTEAU BERNADOTTE
mid-palate smoothness to a classic
red have
wine become Truly
having a namesake château, which is unique in
dry Riesling is still a minority product in new oak.
AOC Moulis
Pauillacand
AOC.
AOC Haut-Médoc
blends.
The
pure
Malbecs
of
Fromm
Mills
Bordeaux, and the fact that this property sets
New Zealand, where most renditions of this
bV
RED These are aromatically
cbV
are dry, medium-bodied,
are exceptions.
Hawke’s RED
Bay isThese
the best
This commune vies withReef
Margaux
as the most
the most extraordinarily high standards has
variety have some residual sugar, even if the attractive wines with elegant fruit
A big improvement in quality and
full-bodied, wines that have
Consistently performing above its
and doubt
Gimblett
best sub-district.
famous appellation, butregion,
is without
the Road thesometimes
result is not a distinctive sweetness. New
done no harm to the reputation and price of
and supple tannin.
value since this 13-hectare (32-acre)
purity of style, varietal flavour, and can be
class, this château is situated on
Bordeaux
increased from 350 hectares (865 acres) in thethese wines
Australian
Chardonnay-Sémillon
is not amost rock solid and consistent
k2–8 of
years
Zealand Riesling seems to be generally crisper gCabernet Sauvignon 60%,
generally.
The phenomenalblend
success
property was leased by Philippe
fine, gravelly ground that once had
long-lived. Well balanced and elegant, these
Latour,
Lafite,
late 1980s to more than 3,700 hectares (9,143 of Château
common
combination
in New
Zealand, where AOCs, while its premiersIcrus
than its Australian counterpart, with more
Margaux
has, however,
unfairly
EskofValley
(The
Terraces) • Fromm
Porcheron of nearby Château Rose
Merlot 35%, Cabernet Franc
the right to the Pauillac appellation
wines fall somewhere between the lushness
important.
acres) today. It is generally less predictable, raised expectations
Chardonnay does
not lesser-quality
need to be crisped up, and Mouton make it the most
citrous finesse. It does not have the same
of many
(Reserve)
• Mills Reef (Elspeth)
Saint-Croix. Wines are matured in
and formed part of a cru classé. The
2%,
Petit
Verdot
3%
that
is
typical
of
Margaux
and
the
firmer
more expressive, and capable of a slower, more
butinChardonnay
and
Chenin
Blanc
simplistic lime fruit, and is not inclined to go
châteaux
the area, but
those
critics
whohave proved
RED Dark and virtually opaque, great Pauillac
wood for 18 months with up to 50
quality has improved since the
structure of Pauillac. petrolly very quickly either. In structure and k4–8 years
classic rate of maturation than its Australian widely to
be surprisingly
bed-mates.
accuse
proprietorsgood
of sacrificing
quality
per cent new oak. La Fleur de
is a dry, powerfully constructed wine, typically
property was purchased in 1996 by
gCabernet Sauvignon,
Cabernet
equivalent. This is due not only to cooler
Second wine: Château
style
it leansFranc,
closer to northern Europe,
Bouqueyran is a superior cuvée.
for quantity
could
not be further from the truth.
k1–3
years
redolent of blackcurrants and new oak. ItMERLOT
might
the redoubtable Mme Lencquesaing,
Malbec, Petit
climatic conditions, but also to hand-picking, There are individual châteaux that overproduce
d’Arvigny
not asVerdot
close as the Riesling produced
always
RED Lovely deep-coloured, deepwho also owns Pichon-Longuevilleand Blended Carmenère, Merlot,although
I Pegasus Bay (Sauvignon-Sémillon) • Villa be unapproachable when young, but isPure
whole-bunch pressing, a wider use of natural and therefore fail to achieve their full potential,
in Michigan or the Finger Lakes of the USA.
Although
it does
Other wine: Tours de
flavoured wines of not
Comtesse-de-Lalande. This wine is
Maria (Private Bin Chardonnay-Chenin) rich with fruit when mature.
Ten years
ago there
was twicek6–20
as muchyears (crus classés);
(local) yeast fermentation, and less obvious oak,
5–12Zealand
years (others)k1–5 years
but excessive volume is not typically the
inconsiderable style and finesse.
not have the grace of great
Margaux,
Pauillac
now matured in wood for 12
Beaumont
Cabernet
Sauvignon
growing in New
although some producers can spoil the natural
I Kim Crawford • Dry River (Craighall)
as there was Merlot. Now the position has
CHENIN BLANC
elegance of these wines by various
• Felton Road • Framingham • Grove Mill
reversed, even though the area planted with
New Zealanders should be able to show South
permutations of malolactic fermentation and
• Hunter’s (Stoneburn) • Montana
Cabernet Sauvignon has increased eight-