Posts Tagged ‘bordeaux region’

If you are looking for fine French wine and food, consider the world-famous Bordeaux region of southwestern France. You may find a bargain, and I hope that youll have fun on this fact-filled wine education tour in which we review a red Merlot from a internationally renowned producer.

Among Frances eleven wine-growing regions Bordeaux ranks first in acreage with about 50% more land devoted to vineyards than the second-place Rhne Valley. But its more than just a question of acreage and volume. Bordeaux is widely considered as one of the top wine producing regions of the entire earth and has been for centuries. The wine reviewed below comes from the Pomerol area on the right bank of the Garonne River, which divides Bordeaux in two.

Bordeaux produces over seventy million cases of wine per year, about 85% red, 12 white, and the rest ros. That works out to more than two million cases of ros wine per year. I dont remember ever tasting a Bordeaux ros. I promise to deal with this problem later in the series. There are more than twenty two thousand vineyards in Bordeaux covering about 280 thousand acres, which works out to somewhat less than 13 acres per vineyard. Approximately half of the vineyards produce wine, and altogether about 6000 properties produce and sell their own wine, the rest selling wine through cooperatives. Bordeaux boasts about 60 different wine appellations ranging from fair-to-middling to world class with plenty in between. Some Bordeaux wine classifications date back to 1855 and have barely changed since, except that Baron Rothschild was able to get his best wine promoted from Second Cru (second growth) to Premier Cru (First Growth). Those in the know say that his Chteau Lafitte definitely deserves this honor. Well review some fairly top-notch Bordeaux wines sooner or later, but the wine reviewed below is very affordable. Interestingly enough, its noble cousin, Chateau Petrus, crafted by the same producer with the same grape in the same area holds no prestigious classification. However, Chateau Petrus is definitely world class and comes with a price to match, if the wine merchant will even look at your money.

Believe it or not, Merlot is the major red grape in Bordeaux. Cabernet Sauvignon comes in a distant second. Well talk about the remaining important Bordeaux red grape varieties elsewhere in this series. The major white grapes are Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc. The Pomerol region of Bordeaux is a small, rural area of Bordeaux producing only red wine. Its major grape varieties are Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot.

Pomerols main tourist attractions are the wine chateaux. Perhaps surprisingly the world famous Chateau Petrus is not all that special to look at. The most attractive Chateaux are Chateau Nenin and Vieux Chateau Certan but even they are far from spectacular. As the famous phrase goes, you cant judge a book by its cover. Of course the Bordeaux region is brimming with sights to see which will be described in the appropriate articles.

Before reviewing the Bordeaux wine and imported cheeses that we were lucky enough to purchase at a local wine store and a local Italian food store, here are a few suggestions of what to eat with indigenous wines when touring this beautiful region.
Start with Gravette Huitres (Oysters from the Arcachon Bay).
For your second course savor Lamproie au Pomerol (Eels cooked in Red Wine and Chocolate).
And as dessert indulge yourself with Cannelles de Bordeaux (Portable Crme Brule).

OUR WINE REVIEW POLICY All wines that we taste and review are purchased at the full retail price.

Wine Reviewed

Moueix Merlot 2003 12.3% about $13.00

Lets start by quoting the marketing materials. No one knows Merlot better than Christian Moueix, owner of the world famous Chteau Ptrus. Year after year, his wines define Merlot. Soft and round with aromas of raspberry, cedar and blueberry, this wine delivers ripe fruit, great balance and a medium long finish. Its magic with veal medallions and sauted mushrooms, or baked pasta.

My first pairing was with turkey meatballs, potatoes, and sauted vegetables in a moderately spicy tomato sauce. This wine was round and full-bodied. It was quite long with pleasant acidity but overpowered the meat. The Merlot tasted better after eating the potatoes. When I finished the glass after the meal, the wine was quite rich and I started tasting blackberries.

My next meal consisted of slow-cooked beef stew and potatoes with a somewhat spicy sauce and two rather spicy side salads. The wine was full-bodied and agreeably acidic, tasting of plums and black cherries. Once again I enjoyed finishing the glass after the meal. The spices were intensified. I can only imagine what its famous cousin, Chateau Petrus, would taste like but at forty times the cost (or more), I can only imagine.

The final meal included hamburgers, rice, cauliflower and red peppers in a tomato sauce, once again with Harissa, a Moroccan hot pepper spice that was fairly weak. The Merlot tasted of dark fruits and tobacco with a bit of black pepper. The only downside was that the wine was not long.

As always, the cheese tastings came last. I started with a Palet de Chevre, which is a goats milk cheese from the Poitou Charentes region of central-western France. Honestly, if I didnt know that it was a goats milk cheese I never would have guessed. It simply looked and tasted like a slightly runny Camembert. The combination was almost OK, but deadened the wines flavor somewhat. The other cheese was a Swiss Gruyere. The wine bounced back in the Gruyeres presence, but frankly was too good for the cheese.

Final verdict. No doubt about it; I want this wine again. And should the day come that Ill buy its noble cousin, Chateau Petrus, Ill still be buying this wine.

Author: Levi Reiss
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: Digital Camera Information

If you are looking for fine French wine and food, consider the world-famous Bordeaux region of southwestern France. You may find a bargain, and I hope that youll have fun on this fact-filled wine education tour in which we review a Bordeaux ros from an internationally renowned producer.

Among Frances eleven wine-growing regions Bordeaux ranks first in acreage with about 50% more land devoted to vineyards than the second-place Rhne Valley. But its more than just a question of acreage and volume. Bordeaux is widely considered as one of the top wine producing regions of the entire earth and has been for centuries. The wine reviewed below comes from somewhere in Bordeaux.

Bordeaux produces over seventy million cases of wine per year, about 85% red, 12% white, and the rest ros. That means a total of more than two million cases of ros wine per year. When I wrote the first Bordeaux article in this series, I Love French Wine and Food A Bordeaux Merlot I stated that I didnt remember ever tasting a Bordeaux ros. I also promised to deal with this problem and Ill review Bordeaux ros in this article.

There are over twenty two thousand vineyards in Bordeaux englobing about 280 thousand acres. This means the average Bordeaux vineyard is less than 13 acres or somewhat more than 5 hectares, which is not a big area. About half of the vineyards produce their own wine, and about six thousand produce and sell their own wine, the rest selling wine through cooperatives. Bordeaux boasts about 60 different wine appellations ranging from fair-to-middling to world class with plenty in between. Some Bordeaux wine classifications date back to 1855 and have barely changed since, except that Baron Rothschild was able to get his best wine promoted from Second Cru (Second Growth) to Premier Cru (First Growth). Those in the know say that his Chteau Lafitte definitely deserves this honor. Well review some fairly top-notch Bordeaux wines sooner or later, but the wine reviewed below is quite inexpensive. Interestingly Chateau Petrus, crafted by another internationally known Bordeaux wine producer holds no prestigious classification. However, Chateau Petrus is definitely world class and comes with a price to match, if the wine merchant will even look at your money.

Believe it or not, Merlot is the major red grape in Bordeaux. Cabernet Sauvignon comes in a distant second. Well talk about the remaining important Bordeaux red grape varieties elsewhere in this series. The major white grapes are Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc.

Both the village of St. Emillion, population about twenty-four hundred, and its surrounding vineyards are UNESCO World Heritage sites. St. Emillion has its own wine classification dating back to 1878 and revised about every ten years. If you want to test your memory or become an old-fashioned sommelier then you can learn the gory details of this wine classification. Interestingly enough several St. Emillion wines were declassified in 2006, the most recent moment that the judges wielded their feared ax. One such unlucky wine was the Chteau La Tour du Pin Figeac, produced by Jean-Pierre Moueix, the guy who makes the famous Chateau Petrus and who produced an inexpensive Merlot reviewed in the article cited above.

If youre going to tour this area you should come during the week. The Office du Tourisme (Tourist Office) organizes tours of local vineyards including Chateau Petrus and Cheval Blanc another top of the line producer. Just south of town is Chateau Ausone, rounding out the best producers in the region.

In addition to vineyard tours and wine tasting, there are a few sights to see. St. Emillion itself is lovely with ancient stone buildings and the ruins of the city walls. The Eglise Monolithe (Monolithic Church) was hewn out of rock between the Ninth and the Twelfth Centuries. It is one of Frances largest underground churches. Its Clocher (Bell Tower) dominates the town center. Youll also want to see the Thirteenth Century Chateau du Roi (Kings Castle) built by the English; remember that Bordeaux was once in the hands of the English. Enjoy the Place du March (Market Square.)

Before reviewing the Bordeaux wine and imported cheeses that we were lucky enough to purchase at a local wine store and a local Italian food store, here are a few suggestions of what to eat with indigenous wines when touring this beautiful region.
Start with Andouillette (Chitterling Sausage).
For your second course savor Esturgeon la Libournaise (Sturgeon cooked with White Wine).
And as dessert indulge yourself with Fanchonette Bordelaise (Puff Pastry with Custard and Meringue).

OUR WINE REVIEW POLICY All wines that we taste and review are purchased at the full retail price.

Wine Reviewed
Mouton Cadet Rose 2006 12.7% about $11.00

Lets start by quoting the marketing materials. Vinified using the traditional saigne method and blended by the family company, Baron Philippe de Rothschild, le Rose de Mouton Cadet is made from carefully selected wine from chosen vineyards in the Bordeaux region. It should be drunk young at a temperature of 8 C, which will enhance its subtle and refreshing fruit, sustained in a full finish. And now for the review.

My first pairing was with home made barbecued chicken accompanied by rice, grilled Portabello mushrooms, and grilled red peppers. It was quite substantial for a ros. However, I tasted bubble gum. The acidity was nice but the wine was a bit sour.

My next meal consisted of an omelet with local Havarti cheese, Turkish salad, and sliced avocado. The wine was not very present and this combination was not a success. I felt that I was drinking alcoholic fruit juice. This mild tasting meal overpowered the ros. Interestingly enough the wine went well with the avocado, but I still tasted bubble gum with the Turkish salad. I had the feeling that this wine was almost worth drinking with fruit-juice candy.

My final meal was whole-wheat spaghetti with a homemade tuna, red onion, garlic, and Greek Olive sauce that had a commercial tomato spaghetti sauce as its base. I doused on a lot of grated Parmesan Cheese. I was moderately proud of this meal, but the wine pairing was no success. This ros tasted like a fruit juice and didnt react differently to the sauces different components.

The first cheese pairing was with a Dutch Edam that was nutty, a bit fatty, and somewhat sour. The wine was not so bad; I tasted fruit in the background. The next cheese was a mild-tasting Italian Fruilano. It was OK, an acceptable combination of fruit and acidity.

Final verdict. No doubt about it; even if I didnt expect much at this price I was disappointed. I have tasted red Mouton Cadet and this ros was in a different league. There was some left in the bottle and I couldnt bring myself to finish it. Perhaps I missed a great pairing. I dont think so.

Author: Levi Reiss
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: Benefits of electric pressure cooker