TonghamTaster’s French Wine Tasting Course – week 4 - Bordeaux Dry Whites

The 12 month on-line course to help you learn about French wines - Top tips on how to get value when buying them - Reasonably priced up-to-date recommendations of what to buy and try in the UK - Bringing you the best of Tongham Village Hall wine tastings.


INTRODUCTION
Nearly 90% of wine produced in Bordeaux is red but as Bordeaux is such a large producing region we cannot ignore the whites. Next week we will cover the famous sweet white wines such as Sauternes, and this week we will learn about the dry whites.

LOCALITY

Vineyard in the Graves area with Sauternes in the distance

Bordeaux is near the Atlantic Coast and thus the Bordelais  need a dry white wine to go with the seafood and abundant river fish of the area, even if they don’t normally fetch the same prices as other Bordeaux wines. If you ever go to Bordeaux do try the eel which is a local delicacy – it was something I really enjoyed when I went there, although as it is often cooked in red wine it can go with a red wine pairing as well.

VARIETALS

 White Grapes growing in the Graves AOC

The main white grapes grown in Bordeaux are Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon and most Bordeaux dry whites are a blend of the two. Sauvignon Blanc can bring the classic gooseberry or citrus flavours but also grass and cats' pee. Semillon also brings grassy tastes, honey and a heavier oily texture which cuts the acidity of the Sauvignon Blanc. The third main white grape in Bordeaux is Muscadelle which normally is a smaller portion of the blend. Muscadelle brings a grapey taste to wine.

THE WINES

The two main dry white producing areas are Entre-Deux-Mers and Graves/Pessac Leognan. You will also find white wines under the generic AOC Bordeaux label. The wines of the generic appellation and Entre-Deux-Mers tend to be relatively cheap and unexceptional, but they are improving. The whites of Pessac Leognan and sometimes Graves can be gems. However, some of these gems can be quite pricey. There are other lesser known dry white Bordeaux appellations including Premieres Cotes de Blaye which contains the bland Ugni Blanc grape as well, but you will rarely see these wines in the UK or in French supermarkets. Most white Bordeaux are for drinking young but the finer Pessac Leognan can age well.

THE TASTE

The taste of dry white Bordeaux varies from a basic dry wine, through to something fresh and full of flavour, and on to some interesting complex wines. It depends on the price you are willing to pay. Due to the blend with Semillon the white Bordeaux are different to the Loire Sauvignon Blancs and depending on your taste you may find this a good or bad thing. For foodies this adds some interesting complexity for wine and food pairings.

TOP TIPS

• You can tell dry from sweet white Bordeaux as normally the dry is sold in green bottles and the sweet wines in clear bottles. Otherwise the dryness or sweetness may not be obvious to someone who is not familiar with French AOCs.
• The white wines from the Graves and Pessac-Leognan appellations tend to be more consistently good than those from the Entre-Deux-Mers and generic AOC Bordeaux appellations.

HOMEWORK
For your homework this week you need to buy and try any dry white Bordeaux which might include one of my recommendations below:

Waitrose – Chateau Saint Jean des Graves 2008 –Graves – about £9
or if feeling flush, Waitrose – Chateau Tour-Leognan 2008, Pessac Leognan – about £14 (link)
or if you want something cheaper, Waitrose –Dourthe Grands Terroirs 2009 – about £6 (link)
or look out for AOC Bordeaux or Entre Deux Mers in your favourite supermarket or wine shop.

FOOD PAIRINGS

 
Have these dry white Bordeaux wines with fish or seafood. Why not try with trout baked in the oven?

COMING SOON
Next week we discover the sweet wines of Bordeaux with a particular emphasis on adventurous food pairings.
If you missed the early weeks of this course, it is not too late to catch up
Week One – Bordeaux Basics
Week Two – Right Bank Bordeaux Reds
Week Three – Left Bank Bordeaux Reds