Level 5 · Lesson 2
Bordeaux: Rivers, Blends and Reputation
16:15C34
Glossary
Terms that have earned their place
- Left Bank
- Bordeaux districts on the left side of the Garonne and Gironde looking downstream; Cabernet Sauvignon often leads red blends in the Médoc.
- Right Bank
- Bordeaux districts on the right side of the Dordogne and Gironde; Merlot often leads blends in places such as Saint-Émilion and Pomerol.
- Blend
- A wine assembled from multiple lots, which may include different grapes, sites or vessels.
Keep digging
Sources and further reading
- Haut-Médoc position, mixed soil settings and trade context.
- 1855 scope: Médoc reds plus Haut-Brion, and Sauternes/Barsac sweet whites; absolute never-changed wording not adopted.
- Graves south of Bordeaux, river deposits and varied subsoils.
- Right Bank example: oceanic climate with more continental influence inland.
- Public-domain country/river geometry; town locators and approximate physical-feature markers, not vineyard boundaries.
- Dourthe N°1 Sauvignon Blanc — Producer range reference; match actual vintage and market edition before service
- Château Beaumont 2023 — producer technical sheet; bottle photograph is 2022
- Château Lanessan — Producer range reference; match actual vintage and market edition before service
- Château Grand Barrail Lamarzelle Figeac — Producer range reference; match actual vintage and market edition before service
- Château La Vieille Cure — Producer range reference; match actual vintage and market edition before service
- Principal grape identities, typical expression and regional roles; original tasting prompts.
- Cabernet Sauvignon originated in the Bordeaux region, from a natural crossing of Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc.
- Merlot originated in the Bordeaux vineyards. Cabernet Franc is one of its parents.
- Cabernet Franc is thought to come from southwestern France; its later success in the Loire is another chapter in its story.
- Petit Verdot comes from southwestern France.
- Malbec, also called Côt, comes from southwestern France; its international fame does not make it an Argentine invention.
- Carménère originated in Bordeaux, despite its modern association with Chile.
- Sauvignon Blanc probably originated in central or southwestern France; the precise birthplace remains uncertain.
- Sémillon originated in the Bordeaux vineyards.
- Muscadelle is thought to come from southwestern France.
Sources support the teaching model; they do not make promotional regional descriptions universal bottle guarantees.