Welcome to

Wines of the World

VWT 136

Unit 4

David Stevens, Instructor

Classroom Decorum and Academic Integrity:

All students are expected to act with civility, personal integrity, respect other students’ dignity, rights and

property; and help create and maintain an environment in which all can succeed through the fruits of their

own efforts. An environment of academic integrity is requisite to respect for self and others and a civil

community.

Academic integrity includes a commitment to not engage in, or tolerate acts of, falsification,

misrepresentation or deception. Such acts of dishonesty include cheating or copying, plagiarizing,

submitting another persons’ work as one’s own, taking or having another student take your Quizzes,

tampering with the work of another student, or facilitating other students’ acts of academic dishonesty.

Breaches in academic integrity will result in the most severe disciplinary actions possible.

Personal Technology:

Students may use a laptop, tablet, cell phone or any other device for taking notes or otherwise participating

in class. However, do not use a personal device for any purpose unrelated to this class. All devices must be

silenced.

Food and Drink:

Food or drinks are allowed in class as long as their consumption is not distracting to others. Consumption

during the break is highly encouraged. Food or drinks are not allowed near computer equipment at any

time. The student is responsible for discarding any and all trash and cleaning up any spills.

Unit 4 Guidelines

Changes to This Syllabus:

The Instructor reserves the right to change the Schedule.

Class Schedule:

November 21 Introduction and Bordeaux

November 28 Burgundy

December 5 Alsace and the Rhône Valley

December 12 Champagne, Exam 4 and the Final Examination

Class Website:

http://www.napavalley.edu/people/dstevens/Pages/VWT-136-WotW-Unit-4.aspx

Instructor Contact:

dstevens@napavalley.edu

Introductions:

David Stevens• Academic

– B.A. Williams College (1983)• Economics

– M.S. The University of California, Davis (1991)• Food Science (Enology Emphasis)

• Professional– UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, DAVIS, Davis, California

• Senior Research Assistant to Professor C.S. Ough

– FREEMARK ABBEY WINERY, St. Helena, California• Assistant Winemaker

– DOMAINE CHANDON, Yountville, California• Associate Winemaker

– BOUCHAINE VINEYARDS, Napa, California• Winemaker

– DAVON INTERNATIONAL, Napa, California• Senior Consultant

Introduction to Franceand

Bordeaux – The Center of the Wine World

I can certainly see that

you know your wine. Most

of the guests who stay

here wouldn’t know the

difference between

Bordeaux and Claret.

- Basil Fawlty, Hotelier

Plan of Study

• Why is France Important?

• What is France?

• Bordeaux

– LCBO Video

• Break & Attendance

– Some Thoughts

• Tasting

– Too many wines• Sorry

Why is France Important for Wine?• Five Reasons

– Long history of critical thought about food and wine

• Taillevent, chef to three kings, wrote Le Viandier 14th

Century recipe collection and critique on food

Why is France Important for Wine?• Five Reasons

– Long history of critical thought about food and wine

– Developed the vast majority of “international” grape varieties• Alicante Bouchet, Baco Noir, Beclan, Pinot noir,

Cabernet Sauvignon, Sibel, Chambourcin, Malbec, Merlot, Pinot Meunier, Charbono, Marselan, Cinsaut, Valdiguie, Cabernet Franc, Gamay, Durif/Petite Sirah, Carmenere, Piquepoul noir, Counoise, Peloursin, Petit Verdot, Syrah/Shiraz, Negrette, Tannat, Gamay Beaujolais, Burger, Chardonnay, Chenin blanc, Colombard, Cape Riesling, Folle blanche, Gewurztraminer, Graisse, Gros Manseng, Lauzet, Madelene Angevine, Marsanne, Melon de Bourgone/Muscadet, Merlot blanc, Muscadelle, Petit Manseng, Picpoul blanc, Pinot gris, Roussanne, Sauvignon blanc, Traminer, Semillon, Aligote,

Why is France Important for Wine?

• Five Reasons–Long history of critical thought about

food and wine

–Developed the vast majority of “international” grape varieties

–The “Language” of wine is French• Appellation controlee, Blanc de blancs, Blanc de noirs, Brut,

Cave, Chateau, Clos, Cote, Cremant, Cru, Cuvee, Degorgement, Demi-sec, Domaine, Doux, Gout, Grand Cru, Imperiale, Jeroboam, Melange, Methode Tradionnelle, Millesime, Mousseux, Negociant, Proprietaire, Rose, Rouge Sec, Tete de Cuvee, Vigneron, Vin

Why is France Important for Wine?• Five Reasons

– Long history of critical thought about food and wine

– Developed the majority of “international” grape varieties

– The “Language” of wine is French

– Defined the concept that wine has a sense of place: Terroir• Bordeaux, Saint-Emilion, Margaux, Medoc,

Pauillac, Sauternes, Entre-Deux-Mers, Graves, Haut-Medoc, Saint-Julien, Saint-Estephe, Cotes de Bordeaux, Fronsac, Cadillac, Loupiac, Barsac, Bordeaux Superieur, Moulis, Blaye, Cotes de Bourg

Why is France Important for Wine?• Five Reasons

–Long history of critical thought about food and wine

–Developed the majority of “international” grape varieties

–The “Language” of wine is French

–Defined the concept that wine has a sense of place: Terroir

–Invented the concept of “AOC”• Appellation d'Origine Controlee are the laws that govern

Viticulture and Enology and guarantee that a wine is from where it says it is from

AOC - Stairway to Quality?Old System

• Appellation d'origine

contrôlée (AoC)

• Vin Délimité de Qualité

Supérieure (VDQS)

• Vin de Pays (VdP)

• Vin de Table (VdT)

New System

• Appellation d'Origine

Protégée (AoP)

• Vin Délimité de Qualité

Supérieure (VDQS)

• Indication Geographique

Protegée (IGP)

• Vin de Table (VdT)

France in Numbers

• Area: 640,679 km2 (247,368 mi2) 163,696 mi2

• Population: 67,158,000 39,250,000

• Density: 104/km2 (270/mi2) 240/mi2

• Average Salary: $42,300 $51,900

• GDP: $2.421 Trillion $2.424 Trillion

• Value of Ag Production: $83 Billion $46 Billion

France in Size

France in Pieces

• Country – France USA

– Region – Nouvelle Aquitaine The West

• Department – Gironde California

– Arrondissement – Bordeaux Napa County

» Commune - Saint-Émilion Yountville City Limits

Bordeaux

The Center of the Wine World

But Bordeaux is like a

friend who in time of

trouble and misfortune

stands by us always,

anywhere, ready to give us

help, or just to share our

quiet leisure. So raise your

glasses - to our friend

Bordeaux!Alexander Pushkin (1799-1837)

And Now a Word from our Friends at the

France

Nouvelle AquitaineRegion

Eleanor of Aquitane (1122 - 1204)

• Duchess of Aquitane

• Queen consort of France (1137–1152)– Louis VII

• Queen of England (1154–1189)– Henry II (11 years younger 3rd Cousin)

– Imprisoned by him from 1173 to 1189

• Leader of the Second Crusade

• Mother of 3 Kings– Henry the Young King, Richard the

Lionheart, John

GirondeDepartment

GirondeLocation of AOC

Bordeaux Wine RegionRight Bank, Left Bank, Entre-Deux-Mers

Bordeaux in Numbers

• Area of Vineyards: 284,000 acres 602,000

• Production: ~850 million bottles 2,856 million

• Number of AoC: 48 107+

• Number of Growers: 12,000+ 5,900

• Number of Producers: 10,000+ 4,700

• Red Wine: 88%

• White Wine: 12%

• Wine Made Into Fuel in 2006: 9.7 million gallons

Bordeaux Wine RegionRivers and Estuary

• The River DORDOGNE in the North

• The River GARONNE in the South

• Meet to form the GIRONDE Estuary that flows into the Atlantic

Bordeaux Wine RegionLatitude

• Roughly the same Latitude as Portland, Oregon

Weather of BordeauxCity of Bordeaux

Temperature Rainfall and Rain Days

25°C = 77°F 100 mm = 4.0 inches

22 days

Weather of BordeauxCity of Bordeaux

Wind Speed Sun Hours and Sun Days

8 days

Red Grapes of Bordeaux

• Cabernet Sauvignon

• Merlot

• Cabernet Franc

• Petit Verdot

• Malbec

• Carmenere

Red Grape Varieties by Vineyard Area

Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot

Cabernet Franc Other

White Grapes of Bordeaux

• Semillon

• Sauvignon Blanc

• Muscadelle

• Sauvignon Gris

• Uni Blanc

• Colombard

White Grape Varieties by Vineyard Area

Sauvignon Blanc Semillon

Muscadelle Other

BordeauxLeft Bank

Bordeaux

Northern Left Bank = Medoc

1855 Classification of the Medoc• Commissioned by Napoleon III

• 61 properties were “ranked” by price and categorized into “growths”

– 1er Crus (5)

– 2nd Crus (14)

– 3rd Crus (14)

– 4th Crus (10)

– 5th Crus (18)

• In 1973 Ch. Mouton Rothschild was upgraded to First Growth

• The Bordeaux First Growths

– Château Lafite-Rothschild (Pauillac)

– Château Latour (Pauillac)

– Château Mouton-Rothschild (Pauillac)

– Château Margaux (Margaux)

– Château Haut-Brion (Graves)

Notable Sub Regions of the Medoc• St. Estèphe

– 3,400 acres

– Merlot dominant blends

– 8% of area are Classified Growths

• Pauillac– 2,900 acres

– Cabernet Sauvignon dominant blends

– 30% of area are Classified Growths

• St. Julien

– 2,200 acres

– Cabernet Sauvignon dominant blends

– 22% of area are Classified Growths

• Margaux

– 3,300 acres

– Cabernet Sauvignon dominant blends

– 31% of area are Classified Growths

BordeauxSouthern Left Bank = Graves

Notable Sub Regions of the Graves

• Pessac-Léognan

– 3,900 acres

– Cabernet Sauvignon dominant blends

– 10% of area are Classified Growths

• Sauternes & Barsac

– 2,800 acres

– Semillon dominant blends

– Separate 1855 Classification

• 21 properties were “ranked” by price and categorized into “growths”

• Now 27 Classified Producers

• 1er Crus Superieur (1)

• 1er Crus (9)

• 2nd Crus (16)

Sauternes• Grape Varieties

– Semillon

– Sauvignon blanc

– Muscadelle

• Infected by fungus: Botrytis cinerea– From Latin – “grapes like ashes”

– Grey Rot = bad• Uniformly damp growing environment

– Noble Rot = $$$• Damp THEN dry growing environment

– Dehydrates Grapes• 35 to 50 °Brix at harvest

– Contains an enzyme, laccase, that continues to brown wine with high SO2

• Sauternes– 80 to 120 g/L sugar at bottling

– When George Washington was given some by Thomas Jefferson, he ordered 40 cases

BordeauxBetween the Tides = Entre-Deux-Mers

Notable Sub Regions of the Entre-Deux-Mers

The Entre-Deux-Mers

• Bordeaux’s largest wine district

– 5,000 planted acres

• Many Wine Cooperatives

• Mechanical harvesting common

• Red wines = Bordeaux & Bordeaux Superieur

• White wines = Labeled as Entre-Deux-Mers AOC

– Sauvignon Blanc, Semillion, and Muscadelle

BordeauxRight Bank = The Libournais

Notable Sub Regions of the Right Bank

• St. Emilion

– 13,000 acres

– Merlot dominant blends

– Wine Production dates to Roman Period

– Many small producers• ~1,000 Chateaux within 10 mi of Village of St. Emillion

– Has its own official Classification System, often revised

– More wine produced in St. Emilion than in the Medoc

• Pomerol

– 2,000 acres

– Merlot dominant blends

– Has no Classification System

Wines of the Bordeaux

• Flight 1 * White Bordeaux and Regional Red– Chateau La Gravière, Entre-Deux-Mers AoC, 2016

– Chateau Taussin, Bordeaux AoC, 2016

– Chateau Le Gardera, Bordeaux Supérieur AoC, 2015

– Chateau de Pitray, Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux AoC, 2015

Wines of the Bordeaux

• Flight 2 * Left and Right Bank Red All wines in this flight are from the noted negociant Ginestet (Negociants are merchants

who buy grapes, juice, or finished wine from growers, then bottle and sell them)

– Ginestet Haut-Médoc, Haut-Médoc AoP, 2015

– Ginestet St Estèphe, St Estèphe AoP, 2015

– Ginestet Pauillac, Pauillac AoP, 2015

– Ginestet Margaux, Margaux AoP, 2015

– Ginestet St Èmilion, St Èmilion (GC) AoP, 2015

• Flight 3 * Sauternes– Chateau Suduiraut (PC), Sauternes AoC, 2014

Next Week

• Burgundy – Home of the Heart Break Grapes