Regional Blends / Wine Basics

Wine Baby’s Guide to: Red Bordeaux Blends

The Bordeaux wine region in France is world renowned and wines produced here can be some of the most expensive on earth. The best of the best are traded at wine auctions for thousands of dollars! Why? Because of their long-held reputation for producing wines that are elegant yet powerful, and built to last.

But don’t fret – you don’t have to empty your bank account to get a taste. There are plenty of options much more reasonable in price for the average consumer from smaller chateaux.

Both red and white wines are made in Bordeaux, but today we are going to be talking about the reds, which account for 90% of the wine produced there.

TASTING RED BORDEAUX BLENDS

Wines produced in Bordeaux are always a blend of at least two of their regionally grown grapes, which include Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Gros Verdot, Petit Verdot, Malbec, and Carmenere. For more on these individual grapes, check out my other articles.

The specific composition of a Bordeaux blend tends to be related to the location in which it was produced, and there are two key spots you need to know.

The Bordeaux region is split in half by the Gironde estuary. On the “Left Bank” of the river, we have sites like the Medoc, and Graves. On the “Right Bank” we have the Libournais region, including Pomerol and St-Emilion.

Each bank has it’s own distinct style, so depending on your preferences, you will want to check to see where each bottle was produced.

The Left Bank tends to favour Cabernet Sauvignon as it’s main player in the blend, followed by Merlot and Cabernet Franc. The other grapes are used more sparingly.

The Right bank relies much more on Merlot as their base, blended with Cab Franc and Cab Sauv.

Even though the grape varietal makeup is similar, it’s the percentages of each grape that affect the final drinking experience. We will look at these differences in more detail when we get to the Nose section.

I recommend trying at least one from each bank so you can compare and determine where you’re preferences lie.

Colour

These blends are composed of individual varietals that are rich in colour themselves, so expect a big deep red, with variations in hue depending on it’s age.

Nose

In general terms, the most common aromas found in a Bordeaux blend are going to be black fruits like blackcurrant and plums, and mineral notes of graphite, and wet gravel.

The Left Bank’s Cabernet Sauvignon dominance is going to give you more earthy notes, as well as blackberries, anise, charcoal and smoke.

The Merlot in the Right Bank, on the other hand, gives us a fruitier experience of black cherries, chocolate, and tobacco.

Palate

Tannins are the defining characteristic of the mouth-feel for these wines. Although that may sound intimidating at first, it’s actually one of the reasons they are so famous. The tannin structure makes these wines perfect for laying down in well-curated cellars for years (even decades) to come.

And of course, in order to do that, they have to be balanced in their acidity levels as well.

Left bank wines, because of their Cab Sauv leading lady, are going to have even heavier tannins than their Merlot-based counterpart. This makes the wine taste more “angular” while young, but become some of the most prizes bottles as they age.

Right bank blends are still structured, but definitely softer and rounder on the palate. This also means they are easier to drink in their youth.

All of these red blends are dry, with increasingly high alcohol.

These elements add up to a range of medium to full bodied wines, but I’d expect to find more on the full end of the spectrum.

Pairing

This blend is the perfect pairing for a rich and meaty meal to balance out those tannins. I’m thinking steak frites, filet mignon, or brisket.

SHOPPING FOR RED BORDEAUX BLENDS

The tricky thing about shopping for Bordeaux blends is that there are different ranking systems in different areas of Bordeaux, so there’s no one-size-fits-all recommendation.

In general terms, however, wines simply labelled “Bordeaux AOC” are going to be the lowest tier, “Bordeaux Superieur” above that, and anything with a “Cru” designation hits the top of the list.

Often times, if the producer’s site is particularly favourable, they may single out the specific area it’s from. Remember, the more specific the name, typically the better the quality (just do a quick google search to see if that location is right or left bank if you aren’t sure).

For a more in depth look at the regions within Bordeaux, click here.

The other key factor to keep in mind when shopping for Bordeaux wines is vintage variation.

Although Bordeaux’s climate generally has hot and humid summers, it’s flowering season in the spring can be much more variable, which greatly affects the coming crop.

Prime sites are going to be less affected by that variation, but when you are looking to buy an average-cost bottle, it’s important to know your vintages.

Vintage charts are easily accessible online if you forget, but for now, here are some of the most recent years to look out for:

• 2015
• 2010
• 2009
• 2008
• 2005
• 2003
• 2000

Want to mix it up a bit more? Head to the American wine section and look for a “Meritage”. This is the American version of a Bordeaux blend, and must adhere to certain rules in order to use the name.

Insider tip: the name is a blend of “Merit” and “Heritage”, both English words, so don’t make the same mistake that I did by trying to say it with a French accent (I’m blaming it on the Canadian in me; we like to put a French spin on things, hahaha).

So are you a Right Bank or Left Bank fan? French or American? Let me know in the comments!

What to read next??

• Wine Baby’s Guide to: Bordeaux
• Wine Baby’s Guide to: Merlot
• Wine Baby’s Guide to: Cabernet Sauvignon
• Wine Baby’s Guide to: White Bordeaux Blends