Argentina Wine
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Posted On :
Sep-19-2011
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Article Word Count :
478
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Bordeaux is without doubt the most noteworthy, if not the most often imitated, wine region found anywhere in the world. These famous wines range from some of the most exclusive, most prominent wines of the world to workmanlike everyday wines that retail in the $10 range.
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An introduction to Bordeaux Wine
Bordeaux is without doubt the most noteworthy, if not the most often imitated, wine region found anywhere in the world. These famous wines range from some of the most exclusive, most prominent wines of the world to workmanlike everyday wines that retail in the $10 range.
Red Bordeaux is produced from 5 accepte kinds and these are among the foremost planted grapes found anywhere in the world. The 3 foremost grapes are Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Malbec, a blending variety in Bordeaux, is most well known as “the grape” of Argentina.
White Bordeaux, though not nearly as popular as the red, is made out of three permitted varieties: Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon and Muscadelle. Commonly, the blend is 2/3 Sauvignon Blanc and 1/3 Semillon, with some sporadic use of Muscadelle.
Bordeaux is split into three main subregions - Graves, the Médoc, and also the “Right Bank”.
The Gironde estuary, formed through the meeting of the Garonne and Dordogne Rivers, divides the Médoc peninsula from the mainland of France. The Médoc holds the appellations of Pauillac, St. Estephe, St. Julien and Margaux. Those appellations are part of the Haut-Médoc, known as the most prominent part of the Médoc. The Médoc consists of Cabernet Sauvignon, with Merlot and the rest of the grapes usually playing a supporting role.
South of the Gironde, west of the Garonne, lies Graves, home of the Pessac-Leognan appellation and Chateau Haut-Brion. Like the Médoc, the wines of the Graves commonly include Cabernet Sauvignon.
To the east of the Gironde and the Dordogne are the “Right Bank” appellations, most notably St. Emilion and Pomerol. This comprises the biggest section Bordeaux, and the wines commonly include Merlot, with Cabernet Franc being the most important support grape.
In 1855, the wines of the Médoc and the Graves were rated by the major wine merchants of the time. 61 modern Chateaux are featured in the so-called “1855 Classification,” the Grandes Crus, the premium wines of their day and still at times, ours. The 61 Chateaux were divided into 5 groups, known in English as “Growths”.
The First Growths, the best of the best, were firstly restricted to 4 wines - Chateau Latour, Chateau Lafite-Rothschild, Chateau Margaux, and Chateau Haut-Brion. In the only alteration to the classification indirectly the result of mergers or by properties being divided, Chateau Mouton-Rothschild was elevated from 2nd Growth to 1st Growth status in 1973. Amongst these First Growths, 3 are from Pauillac (Lafite, Latour and Mouton), one is from Margaux (fittingly, Chateau Margaux) and one is from Pessac-Leognan (Haut Brion).
Belonging to the Right Bank, Chateau Ausone and Chateau Cheval-Blanc (St. Emilion) and Chateau Petrus (Pomerol) are attributed with grade equal to the First Growths, although the wines of the Right Bank weren't included into the 1855 Classification.
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Article Source :
http://www.articleseen.com/Article_Argentina Wine_83074.aspx
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Author Resource :
Argentina Wine, New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc
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Keywords :
Argentina Wine, New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc,
Category :
Food and Beverage
:
Wine
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