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| April 5th 2007 |
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| Bordeaux Blanc Secs: The white Revolution |
by Dr. Rolf Klein
Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon are both indigenous varieties from Bordeaux. What could be more authentic then, than white wines from finest appellations? Apart from the world-famous sweet wines of Sauternes, Barsac and Cadillac, there are a number of dry white wines from other terroirs worth discovering or re-discovering: both fresh, juicy whites and full-bodied, barrel-matured wines with ageing potential.
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With the worldwide boom for red wines coming to an end, consumers – and growers – are turning to white wines with renewed interest. In Bordeaux, which offers some of the finest terroirs for Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon, growers are doubling their efforts to reposition their portfolios of dry white wines.
Every serious wine buff knows Bordeaux. Bordeaux reds, that is, and perhaps some of the noble sweet growths from Sauternes and Barsac; but for Pascal Loridon, marketing director of the Conseil Interprofessionnel du Vin de Bordeaux (CIVB), the picture is not complete without including Bordeaux’s fruitdriven, crispy Blancs secs. ‘We have one of the best terroirs for Sauvignon Blanc in the world - and we are certainly number one when it comes to Sémillon‘, he says.
Sémillon comprises 55% of the area of white varieties under vine, followed by Sauvignon Blanc with 34% and Muscadelle with 7%, leaving Colombard and Ugni Blanc to play only minor roles.
Sémillon has its origin in Sauternes, where it has produced sweet wines since the 18th century; but it is also used for dry wines, often in blends with Sauvignon Blanc, contributing roundness and a smooth, rich mouthfeel.
Sauvignon Blanc is a more demanding variety when it comes to maturation. Its aromatic potential is best illustrated when weather conditions are neither too sunny nor too hot. Recent scientific research conducted at the Bordeaux Faculty of Oenology has improved methods of determining the moment of Sauvignon Blanc’s optimal physiological ripeness, thus enabling growers to harvest the grapes at a point at which they will yield both good acidity and a round, flavourful fruitiness.
While white varieties make up 11% of the 123,000 hectares under vine in Bordeaux, in terms of production the relation of reds to whites is 8:1. But it is not size that matters; it is quality and diversity. Denis Dubourdieu, the noted professor of oenology at the Bordeaux Faculty of Oenology, a consultant and the owner of several châteaux, including the Château Clos Floridène in Graves and Château Reynon in the Premières Côtes de Bordeaux, is considered by many as the father of modern Bordeaux whites.
‘Although whites have only a small share in total Bordeaux wine production, they offer an amazing variety in styles, aromas and prices,’ he says. ‘The dry white Bordeaux and Entre-Deux-Mers should be consumed within three years after harvest. They are fresh, fruit-driven and not too acidic. Wines from Graves and Pessac- Léognan, on the other hand, have a lot more ageing potential – up to 10 years – and are often barrel-aged, offering toasty notes, aromas of citrus fruits and mineral notes. After some years you may even find a hint of truffles.’
According to Dubourdieu, wellbalanced wines invariably result from vineyards featuring moderate climate conditions – |
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and the Bordeaux vineyard is one of them. ‘There the vines do not suffer from stress; it is neither too cold nor too hot nor too dry nor too wet, ’ he explains. Can Sauvignon Blanc offer the same noblesse, or elegance, on foreign soils as it does in its traditional terroirs, the Loire Valley and Bordeaux? If you believe Denis Dubourdieu, there may be some doubt.
Pessac-Léognan and Graves are two of the most notable appellations in Bordeaux. The soil there is composed of gravel and stones on a sandy soil. The pebbles, which were carried by the Garonne down from the Pyrénées, store the heat. In Pessac-Léognan, close to the city of Bordeaux, the gravel layer can be as thick as three metres. Sheltered from Atlantic winds by pine forests, it is here that Sauvignon Blanc produces wonderfully rich and powerful wines with an intense, spicy zest.
After all, Château Haut-Brion Blanc is made here, the only white wine among the first growths of the Premiers Grands Crus Classés of the 1855 classification. But there are others as well, such as Pape-Clément, Domaine de Chevalier, Malarctic-Lagravière, Smith Haut-Lafitte, Carbonnieux and La Louvière, which all show the excellence of Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon. In Graves, Sémillon, though blended with Sauvignon Blanc, determines the wine’s profile. In Pessac- Léognan, blends must contain at least 25% of Sauvignon Blanc.
On the right bank of the Garonne, Entre-Deux-Mers is the realm of Sauvignon Blanc. The rolling hills and the clay-limestone soils offer ideal conditions for fresh, aromatic wines. Prompted by the cooperatives, careful clonal selection has been carried over the past few years to ensure fragrant and lively wines. From the neighbouring Graves, Sauvignon Gris has also come into the appellation. ‘This is an old variety which had nearly become extinct, due to its very low yields,’ says Stéphane Defraine, président of the Syndicat Viticole de l’Entre-Deux-Mers. Sémillon and, occasionally, Muscadelle can be added to make the wines more powerful and give them more roundness. The small appellation Entre-Deux-Mers-Haut- Benauge in the southern part of the region is named after Château de Benauge, which used to be the seat of a viscount governing the region. This appellation produces wines similar to Entre-Deux-Mers. Another tiny appellation of some 80 hectares, Graves de Veyres, is situated north of Entre-Deux-Mers, on the left bank of the Dordogne. The wines are Sémillon and Sauvignon Blanc blends, and may contain some Muscadelle.
Entre-Deux-Mers is the classic type of juicy, refreshing Sauvignon Blanc that matches wonderfully with seafood and fish. However, most Entre-Deux- Mers wines are blends. ‘This is what distinguishes Entre-Deux-Mers from any other Sauvignon Blanc region, such as Sancerre or Touraine,’ explains Defraine. ‘Our wines have more structure and volume, |
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and they last longer. Often, they are better in June than right after bottling in March.’ This may also be due to skin contact given to the must, a method reintroduced by oenologist Dubourdieu. The so-called macération pelliculaire extracts more aromas, which develop while the wine is ageing. It all contributes to making Entre-Deux-Mers the choice wine for young consumers, says Defraine: ‘More than 50% of our wines are sold at the cellar door directly to consumers, which distinguishes Entre-Deux-Mers from, say, Bordeaux Blanc. There, the négoce plays a bigger role.’
The northernmost appellation, Premières Côtes de Blaye, has clay and limestone soils. The influence of the nearby Cognac region is reflected by the fact that white Première Côtes de Blaye can contain up to 30% of Colombard and Ugni Blanc, the latter of which is also the main variety of Cognac. The slightly acidic wines combine the richness of Sémillon with the freshness and liveliness of Colombard and Ugni Blanc and with the lemon notes of Sauvignon Blanc.
Blaye, on the other hand, is a blend with 60–90% Colombard and either Muscadelle, Sémillon, or Sauvignon Blanc, so it is no wonder that white Blaye and Premier Côtes de Blaye are quite differ from Bordeaux Blanc. In Côtes de Bourg, the dry white wines are composed of Sauvignon Blanc, Sémillon and Colombard.
Most dry whites in Bordeaux are by far Bordeaux Blancs Secs, whose residual sugar is not allowed to exceed 4 grams per litre. This is what brands are made of. They can be either of the Sauvignon type, which is to say fruity, juicy and lively, or the Sémillon type, which might even be barrel-aged blends. ‘We rely on a partnership with our growers, which is defined by our quality standards,’ says Sébastien Chaumet of Ginestet. It is quality that has brought about ‘interesting developments’, even on the German market, observes Chaumet, who has announced the launch of a new brand in 2007. Other brands, such as Dourthe No1, Sichel Grande Réserve (100% Sauvignon Blanc) or Sirius, to name but a few, are already successful on many markets.
The key to success is freshness. According to André Lurton, producer of Château Bonnet in the Entre-Deux- Mers and Château La Louvière in Pessac-Léognan, ‘It is important that the wines we have been working on for over a year arrive on the consumer’s table in flawless condition.’ To ensure this he is ready to break with an old habit, replacing the traditional cork with screwcaps. The decision is a purely technical one, he insists, and the first reactions have been positive.
That is not to that traditional white wines sealed with a cork are any less successful. When a tasting panel selected ‘100 affordable Bordeaux’ from over 450 samples it featured no less than 16 ‘Blancs Secs’. ‘The fresh white wines were remarkably strong,’ the panel stated. ‘Their fruity aromas, reminiscent of peaches and grapefruit, take a stand against many New World
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