What Is Bordeaux Famous For? | Moncharm - Fine wine Merchants

What Is Bordeaux Famous For? | Moncharm - Fine wine Merchants

What Is Bordeaux Famous For?

• Bordeaux Wine • Bordeaux Wine Region • Fine Wine Blog • What Is Bordeaux Famous For

What is Bordeaux famous for? A natural question about the most popular wine region today that every newcomer to the world of fine wine asks. And for good reason, given all the talk about it in this online community!
Bordeaux is famous for its red wines – of course – but is known for so much more! The World Heritage designation that this wine region has maintained over the last decade has increased interest in the region, but why? And what exactly is Bordeaux famous for, if not just red wine?

1. The Bordeaux region is famous for its shopping

The Rue Saint Catherine in the Bordeaux wine region boasts over a kilometre of fancy shops, bustling cafes, and beautiful shopping centres. The famous department store Galeries Lafayette – which resembles a royal palace – is known for being the longest shopping strip throughout Europe.
And of course, it goes without saying that the myriad vineyards and shops selling the region’s famous wine and foodstuffs are a main tourist attraction point in this region.

2. The Bordeaux region is famous for its beauty

Bordeaux lovers like to say that parts of Paris were modelled after Bordeaux, long known for its well-worn charm and pretty buildings.
An affectionate nickname for the city is Petit Paris (meaning Little Paris). With three beautiful universities, neat avenues, open squares, and ornate architecture, the city has an international vibe that inspires old school elegance.

3. The Bordeaux region is famous for its history

Wine has been grown in Bordeaux for thousands of years – since even before the Romans arrived. The city of Bordeaux is almost as old, and its wine has always been at the forefront of the economy.
The location of the city (near the port) allowed for easy commerce, and due to the control of the English, a major customer was England – who called the Bordeaux red wine “claret.”

4. Bordeaux wine is famous for amazing grape blends

All Bordeaux wine is made of region-specific grape blends. Red Bordeaux wines are nearly always blends of mainly Cabernet and Merlot – which are the main red varieties of the region. Other grapes (in smaller amounts) are grown and occasionally used as well – such as Cabernet Franc, Malbec, and Petit Verdot.
A white Bordeaux wine is usually a blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon, with the occasional Muscadelle in smaller quantities.
These grape blends resulted in impressive wine aromas that have been highly regarded consistently by wine connoisseurs.

5. Bordeaux wine is famous for consistent excellence

The wine-making process has been perfected in Bordeaux for thousands of years. Additionally, the two main grapes of the Bordeaux blend lend themselves to excellence.
Because the two dominant grapes have different ripening seasons, even if say Cabernet Sauvignon has a bad season, Merlot would not – and vice versa.
This provides consistency and reliability for all Bordeaux vintages, and helped secure the region’s popularity as one of the very best for wine investment and wine collecting.

6. Bordeaux is famous for the sheer amount of wine it produces

Producing four times as much wine as the second most famous region in France (Burgundy), Bordeaux is a production powerhouse.
It has over 250.000 acres of vines and over 20.000 wine producers in the region (though only about 100 are famous worldwide for making the region’s very best). In total, 850 million bottles are produced each year.

7. Bordeaux wine is even famous for its iconic bottles

The wine bottles of Bordeaux are iconic and highly recognizable around the world. With high, right-angled shoulders, you can’t mistake a bottle of Bordeaux for anything lesser.

What Is Bordeaux Famous For?

We hope our 7 reasons why Bordeaux is the most popular wine (and wine region) have helped answer your question! A history-making wine producer, Bordeaux is sure to have a wine in store that will fit neatly with your personal tastes.
Try one of Bordeaux’s world-famous wines from our online wine shop (click here), and have a piece of flavourful history brought right in front of your doorstep by our expert team! You can check out our best Bordeaux recommendations here to get you started.
If you have any wine-related questions or queries, please feel free to write us a quick message or give us a call at any time. Our fine wine experts always respond promptly, and will be happy to help!
Image source: Muhamad


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Burgundian Wine Grapes: Main Regions

Burgundian Wine Grapes: Main Regions

• Burgundy • Burgundy Wine Region • Fine Wine Blog • Wine Grapes

Burgundian Wine Grapes: Main Regions & Famous Varietals

ns, Chablis lies halfway in-between the Cote d’Or region and Paris. The region is known solely for its dry, white wine.
Chablis has some of the world’s best Chardonnays, which are not oaked, and recognizable for their steely, dry palate and light flavors of lemon.

2. The Côte de Nuits

The recognized home to some of the best red Burgundian wine grapes, the region also produces overshadowed white wine. By and far, the majority of Grands and Premiers Crus wines originate in this region.
It is known, along with Cote de Beaune, as the “Golden Slopes” of Burgundy, for its revered villages including Gevery-Chambertin and the ability to produce some of the most valuable wine in the world.
Excellent examples of this wine are this Comte de Vogue Bonnes Mares, 2002 and this Domaine de la Romanee Conti La Tache, 2002.

3. The Côte de Beaune

Along with the Cote de Nuits, the Cote de Beaune makes up the other half of the “Golden Slopes” of Burgundy, though this part is known for the greatest white Burgundies (as the reds are overshadowed).
Other than Chablis, this region creates the best white Burgundies.
Cote de Beaune also has one red Grand Cru, from Corton, and has other less revered (but much cheaper) Pinot Noirs.

4. The Côte Chalonnaise

Compared to the other regions, the Cote Challonnaise is considered a lesser district, though it still produces excellent red and white wines, known for mid-range bottles that keep for about 5 years.

5. The Mâconnais

The southernmost region of Burgundy, the Maconnais produces cheaper wines of excellent value, made to be consumed young and not aged. It is best known for fresh Chardonnay whites, and Pouilly-Fuisse and St-Veran are two of the best vineyards.

Most Popular Burgundian Wine Grapes

All of the great Burgundies, whether red or white, are made from a single grape variety and are therefore un-blended. This sets the region vastly apart from Bordeaux, where most of the great wines are blends.
Famous Burgundian wine grapes include Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Gamay, Aligote, and to a lesser degree – Sauvignon, Cesar, Pinot Beurot, Sacy, and Melon. We explore them below.

Chardonnay

Chardonnay is the most common grape of Burgundy, with over 48% of the region’s land being under this type of wine. Chablis, Macon, and Cote d’Or white wines are produced from 100% Chardonnay.

Pinot Noir

Pinot Noir accounts for 34% of the land under vine in Burgundy. The majority of the Cote d’Or region is focused on this grape, and in the Cote de Nuits region, this grape and other red grapes make up more than 90% of the production.

Other Grapes

Other Burgundian wine grapes worth mentioning are Gamay (a red grape) that makes up 10% of total production in the famous wine region, and Aligote (a white grape) that makes up 6%.
The others (including Sauvignon, Cesar, Pinot Beurot, Sacy, and Melon) make up less than 2% of the production overall.
These grapes are considered “second status,” and are never used in the best wines – however they do contribute toward budget bottles and are increasingly common further south.

Acquiring Fine Burgundy Wine

Whatever your favourite Burgundian grape variety is, we’d like to invite you to bring home a Burgundy fine wine today.
Check out our online wine shop – where a comprehensive collection of France’s best Burgundies (and more) are only a few clicks away from arriving at your doorstep!
For any wine-related questions or queries, please feel free to write us a short message or give us a call at any time. Our wine experts will respond promptly, and will be happy to help!
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