Bordeaux from the Bridge

Bordeaux La Riviere, Fronsac Vineyard

To many, Bordeaux provides allure and mystery that often seems daunting. Those working within the luxury hospitality industry remain mainly focused on what are categorized as First and Second Growth Bordeaux, yet what does that mean and why is that the main focus? When I started working on yachts what seems like eons ago, I didn't pay much attention to the then seemingly longwinded names of the French wines that passed by me. Only when speaking with Chief Stewardesses or Pursers struggling to find the vintages they were looking for and after visiting high-end restaurants to peruse their dreamy wine lists, did I start to question what was going on. Considering how much they cost and how they were revered by those requesting them, I assumed that the wines must be extremely hard to get, small in production and life changing.

What makes them so incredible and worthy of such high praise? Why does it seem that most serious wine collectors consider it their duty to acquire wine from certain Chateau and from certain vintages.

Bordeaux's Rise to Wine “Super Power”

Port of Libourne

If you study the rise of Bordeaux as a wine “Super Power” you see that the wines of Bordeaux embody her history. Bordeaux seems, from the very start, to be a wine region for investment and thus branding. According to Stephen Brook, author of the Complete Bordeaux, the finest wines of Bordeaux were made for export. From the 1150s until the mid-fourteenth century, the British were given special export treatment in the Bordeaux Port of Libourne through the marriage of King Henry II to Eleanor of Aquitane. Bordeaux wines were thus among the first to hit the shores of England as imports and Haut Brion was sought out by name in London as early as the 1600s. Consequentially, export market conditions have historically motivated prices, rather than the quality, quantity or cost to produce. Having said that, the investment prospects from such an early stage in Bordeaux has also surely assisted those top Chateau find the necessary resources to acquire the best parcels of land and implement best practices to get the most out of the grapes that they can. 

Whereas in most other regions, the producer of the wine sets the prices and then does everything he or she can to sell the wine, in Bordeaux the wholesalers have played a much bigger role in the final pricing. Thus, good vintages historically led to massive spikes in price and poor vintages led to rock bottom pricing. This fluctuation of price led to the speculations market. There is virtually no direct-to-consumer sales from the Chateau themselves and thus the branding and promotion of Bordeaux wine by the wholesalers, importers and select retailers has greatly influenced the public’s view of Bordeaux reds. Centuries of great prestige marketing, coupled with the fact that when the vintage is good, the top Chateau create wines fit for one’s desert island, has led to her near dominance of the high-end wine market.

Anatomy of a Bordeaux Wine Label

- Name of Chateau
- Vintage (Listed on top of bottle neck)
- Winery Name
- Appellation Title
- Alcohol Content

Choosing Bordeaux Based on Classification

It is important when purchasing Bordeaux for a yacht owner, or charter guest, to ensure that you are purchasing exactly what is requested. Inspire confidence by understanding the basics of the Bordeaux label. Each piece is crucial. First of all, understand what the classifications such as First Growths and Second Growths mean, because sometimes when preferences are listed, guests simply state that they love them. 

Chateau Haut Brion

In 1855 Emperor Napolean III required a classification be made of the absolute best wine producing Chateau of Bordeaux in order for visitors to better understand their value. Yes, back in 1855 wine brokers (Negociants) ranked the Chateau based on quality and price. For the most part that classification has stuck. Although, as you can see from my highlighted Second Growths, there are quite a few wineries in the second tier that rival if not surpass the first in both quality and price. 

First Growths and their Region	Second Growths and their Region *
Chateau LAFITE-ROTHSCHILD -  Paulliac Chateau LATOUR - Paulliac Chateau MARGAUX - Margaux Chateau HAUT BRION – Pessac Chateau MOUTON-ROTHSCHILD – Paulliac (Only added in 1973)	Château RAUZAN-SEGLA - Margaux  Château BRANE-CANTENAC - Margaux Château RAUZAN-GASSIES - Margaux Château PICHON-LONGUEVILLE - Pauillac Château LEOVILLE LAS CASES - Saint-Julien Château LEOVILLE-POYFERRE - Saint-Julien COMTESSE DE LALANDE = Pauillac Château LEOVILLE BARTON - Saint-Julien Château DUCRU-BEAUCAILLOU - Saint-Julien Château DURFORT-VIVENS - Margaux Château COS D'ESTOURNEL - Saint-Estèphe Château GRUAUD LAROSE - Saint-Julien Château MONTROSE - Saint-Estèphe Château LASCOMBES – Margaux
Highlighted are the Chateau that many professional raters these days view as worthy of First Growth praise, often fetching higher scores

Create a Vintage Cheat Sheet

Once you understand which Chateau you are looking for, you must ensure you choose wisely. For, although thousands of cases of each are produced each year, the challenges of the Bordeaux climate produce varying results from year to year. You must have a basic idea of the area the wine comes from and how that vintage faired.

Safe Bets, Vintages Considered  Outstanding to Extraordinary
Region	Vintage
Margaux	2010, 2009, 2005, 2000, 1983
Pauillac, St Julien, St Estephe	2010, 2009, 2005, 2000, 1996, 1995, 1990, 1989, 1986, 1982

What Can The Appellation Tell You?

Many a book and article has been written about the important influence of terroir; thought of as the unique geographical characteristics of the vineyard site such as sun, soil and climate. In other regions such as Burgundy, the label indicates terroir with the name of the vineyard site and producer. 

In

Pauillac Vines

fact, their quality designation depends on it.  However, in Bordeaux the classifications are not specific to vineyard sites. Rather, the Chateau are designated and able to buy vineyard rows where they choose. Often the winemaker has as much to do with the final product as terroir. So, although you can get an indication of terroir from the Appellation Name on the label, it doesn’t necessarily indicate quality. However, you can get an idea of where to experiment based on the appellations you see ranked most often in the First and Second Growth (even the Third, Fourth and Fifth Growth) list coupled with the vintage.

Where to Go From Here

The wines of Bordeaux need not be intimidating. Instead, arm yourself with the basic knowledge of the First and Second Growths and work your way down. Understand that the winery name in and of itself is not enough. The year it was produced, aka vintage in Bordeaux is extremely important, especially when paying such a high premium. Finally, remember that there are certain appellations, highlighted so often amongst the top Growths, when able, branch out and try other wines based on the appellation, rather than just the winery name. This will open your eyes to the Bordeaux available at more of an approachable price. Stay tuned for the Bridge Over Bordeaux, where I will highlight some of the New World renditions of Bordeaux varietals that work to emulate and even rival their French counterparts.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Catherine Harbour is a former yacht and estate chef with over 50,000 nautical miles under her sea legs. Now Wine Advisor for the Wine Spectrum in the heart of Northern California Wine Country, Catherine can be reached at (707) 525-8466 or charbour@winespectrum.com for any and all wine questions. She sells limited production and rare wines to all 50 States, St. Thomas, St. Maarten, Hong Kong and beyond, as well as will assist with cellar stocking, offsite storage and cellar management.