March 7, 2025 | bordeaux, who is she? a brief primer

Bordeaux: Who is she? A Brief Primer

When you order a glass of Bordeaux, you are ordering a glass of wine made from grapes that come from the Bordeaux region of France. Likely, it is a red blend, as over 90% of wines from this region are made with merlot and cabernet sauvignon, but not always! With 53 appellations and 65 wine styles permitted, there's a lot to explore and discover within this temperate maritime climate. It is believed that the history of winemaking in Bordeaux dates back to the Romans but it wasn't until the marriage of Henry Plantagenet (future King of England) and Duchess Eleanor of Aquitaine that we see Bordeaux explode on the international market thanks to British consumption. Fast forward past a few transfers of powers, and in the 1650s, Dutch merchants drained the Left Bank, which is now mostly vineyards. The late 1700s were an exciting time in Bordeaux - cabernet sauvignon, a spontaneous crossing of sauvignon blanc and cabernet franc, is introduced to the area and the region is visited by Thomas Jefferson, who fell in love with their sweet wines which were more favorable at the time than the red blends that are now renown.  We won't get too deep into classification systems (that's a whole class worth of content) but we can thank Napoleon III for establishing one that is still in use today. While Bordeaux can be responsible for some of the most sought after and expensive wines of the world, it is important to know that there is Bordeaux out there that won't break the bank and won't need to be cellared for 10 years to enjoy. We're hyped to pour you some examples of our current favorites.

For your consideration, we will begin with Château Jarr Bordeaux AOC Blanc 2023 (see, we told you not all Bordeaux is red!), followed by Château la Peyruche '1603' Cadillac Côtes de Bordeaux AOC 2022, and finishing with Closerie du Chêne 'Christiana' Saint-Émilion Grand Cru AOC 2018.
There also may be a surprise pour - we're feeling frisky this Friday. 

Read on to learn more about what we're sampling, then stop by from 4-7 to try them yourself!

:)

Château Jarr Bordeaux AOC Blanc 2023

Château la Peyruche '1603' Cadillac Côtes de Bordeaux AOC 2022

Closerie du Chêne 'Christiana' Saint-Émilion Grand Cru AOC 2018