When one thinks of France as one of the major wine producing countries, the region that immediately comes to mind is Bordeaux. Favored by the particular environmental and climatic conditions, it produces wines among the most expensive and renowned in the world. The rossi make up 80% of the production and are elegant wines and intense flavors. We also produce dried and muffled whites (Sauternes and Barsac, in particular, are the areas par excellence of Vin liquoreux) and less expensive reds, but equally of good quality. Cabernet suavignon, Cabernet franc and Merlot are the main grapes from which the Bordeaux reds are produced. The combination is known as the Bordeaux blend; to these, today less used grapes of the past are joined, namely the Malbec and the Petit Verdot.
The Bordeaux region is located on the French west coast, on the Atlantic Ocean: this position gives unique characteristics to the climate. The Gironde estuary and the Dordogne and Garonne rivers contribute to characterizing the environment. Moreover, it was thanks to them that the commercial success of Bordeaux wines was so disruptive even abroad, right from the start.
The climate, therefore, thanks to the Ocean, the rivers, but also to the forests that isolate the region, is temperate and stable. The predominantly gravelly soils guarantee an excellent drainage of the water and this greatly affects the quality of the wine.
The classification of wines is vast and a little confusing. the assumption is that the quality of the wine is inevitably linked to the seriousness of the producer, as well as to the zones. There are, in essence, 4 types of classifications, related to the zones: that of the 1855 for the Médoc, which is based on the quality of the producers and classifies them in scale from 1 to 5, is the oldest. In the 1953 wines of the Grave were classified, with a unique name: Cru Classé, attributed only to superior wines. In 1954 it was the turn of St-Emillion, whose classification, which is reviewed every 10 years, adds to the previous additional categories. However, famous areas, such as that of Pomerol, do not include classifications, but still produce wines of excellent quality.
It is interesting to note how different wines are produced within the same region.
The less well-known white muffates, produced with Sémillon grapes, with small parts of Suavignon Blanc and sometimes Muscadelle deserve to be tasted. Wines very longevi, during the maturation acquire a great wealth of aromas and flavors.