Wines
The majority of Bordeaux wines are red wines made with six grapes: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Malbec, and Carménère. That being said, if you're looking to really taste Bordeaux's diversity seek out these 4 major wine styles:
Cabernet-Based Blends – Age-worthy wines, deeply colored with lots of tannin, snappy acidity and flavors of blackberry and cassis, leather, smoke, toast, and herbal notes.
Merlot-Based Blends – Silkier wines with age-ability, these have softer and smoother tannins with ripe fruit flavors, hints of chocolate, and meatiness.
Sweet White Wines – Blends of Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon, tasting of vanilla, walnuts, and baking spices. A delicious dessert in a glass.
Dry White Wines – Made with Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon, these wines offer creamy, smoky flavors along with yellow peach, grass, pineapple, and refreshing mineral notes.
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Bordeaux Wine Facts
- Almost 85% of all wines produced in Bordeaux are red.
- Merlot is the most planted grape variety in Bordeaux.
- After Merlot, the most planted grapes, in order, are Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Sauvignon Blanc, and Sémillon.
- In 2020, Bordeaux produced over 649 million bottles of wine – that's 195 olympic-sized swimming pools of wine!