Food and Wine Epiphany in the Medoc Region of Bordeaux

When we decided to spend four weeks in Bordeaux our goal wasn’t entirely to taste the wine, as much as to learn about the wine of the region. Of course, we know how wine is made, so we tried not to take any tours and just go for the tasting and talk to the people familiar with the wines and the region.

Bordeaux is divided into many different areas that most wine aficionados will have heard of, but we didn’t really understand their differences. In general, the region is divided according to terroir. Terroir doesn’t just refer to the soil, but also the elevation and weather. If you look at a map, you will see that the Bordeaux wine region is centered around the confluence of the Garonne and Dordogne rivers. That is why the areas are referred to as the left and right banks of the combined river called the Gironde. In this article, we will talk about the wines from the left bank, specifically north of Bordeaux. Watch for the next article about the right bank and another article about wine regions south of Bordeaux.

How We Approached Our Wine Exploration

Using the wonderful application Rue de Vigneron, which I mentioned in a previous article, I was able to book tastings at wineries in the same region. We visited three or four wineries on a given day in a specific region. Our idea was to compare apples to apples and for the most part, I think we succeeded. I booked six total days of wine tasting/touring over our four weeks in town.

The Regions on the Left Bank

The left bank is situated on a peninsula between the Atlantic Ocean and the Gironde River. The area is a bit hilly and is generally referred to as Medoc, containing areas of Haut-Medoc, Saint Estephe, Saint Julian, Pauillac, and Margaux.

Medoc

In the Medoc area proper, we visited Chateau Laffitte Carcasset in Saint Estèphe, Chateau Grand-Puy Ducasse (a Grand Cru Classé in Pauillac), Chateau de Camensac (another Grand Cru), and Chateau du Taillan in Taillan-Medoc. None of the wines was good enough to say we had to get some. The best that day was Chateau de Camensac.

The highlight of the day was a wonderful lunch at Chez Café Lavinal in Pauillac. I learned something life-changing at lunch. I ordered the most wonderful cote de veau or veal chops in a rich sauce. After taking a few bites, I realized that I really needed a glass of white wine with the veal. I have to tell you, the wine improved the taste of the veal dramatically for the better. In addition, the food improved the taste of the wine, which was just described as a dry white wine blend. The veal was already really good but the wine made it one of the best meals I have ever had. My epiphany was so memorable I am hopeful I’ll remember it in the future.

Margaux

We also spent a separate day in Margaux, thinking the wines would be different from the Haut-Medoc, but they weren’t substantially different. In Margaux, we visited Chateau Dauzac in Labarde (Grand Cru), Chateau Haut-Beton Larigaudiere in Soussans, and Chateau Siran in Labarde. Since the Chateau Haut-Beton was a wine bar, we decided to book lunch there. Our favorite by far was the wine at Chateau Dauzac but it was a little pricey.

What’s Special About the Left Bank Terroir

The soil is light and sandy, with thick gravel layers on top of a heavy clay base. The well-drained soil protects the grapes from rain and allows for a smooth harvest. The clay formation can handle higher temperatures and can be removed during fermentation without affecting the wine’s taste.

The warm, well-drained gravel terraces are ideal for growing late-ripening Cabernet Sauvignon grapes. The grapes grown in Haut-Médoc include Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Petit Verdot, and Merlot. You can learn a lot more about the terroir at the Vins de Bordeaux website.

All of the wines we tasted in this region were primarily Cabernet Sauvignon and we couldn’t discern the difference between the wines of the various sub-regions. Nearly every winery we visited also had a magnificent 100+-year-old chateau. Many of the tasting rooms were in these chateaus and allowed us to see a little of these historic buildings.

Also worth noting is that every winery can only include the word “chateaux” in their best wine label. Any other designation may be a second or third-level offering.

Grand Cru Classé

The original wine classifications in Bordeaux, France were established in 1855. The classification system was created by Emperor Napoleon III for the Exposition Universelle de Paris held in 1855. The system ranked the best red Bordeaux wines based on quality and price. This classification is referred to as the Grand Cru Classé from 1855. Only Left Bank wines were included.

• First Growth: Also known as the premier cru classés, these were the best wine producers from the Left Bank. The five first growths are Haut-Brion, Lafite Rothschild, Mouton Rothschild, Latour, and Margaux. (None of these wineries offer tasting, they don’t have to.)
• Second Growth: The second-best class of wine producers.
• Third/Fourth/Fifth growth producer classes were also specified.
• All of the above are designated Grand Cru Classé.

The few Grand Cru Classé wineries we visited didn’t tell us where they placed in the 2nd to 5th growth rating. Of course, that hardly matters at this point some 170 years since the original classification system. But you can assume that most in this group still create very good wines.

AOC Crus Bourgeois du Médoc

The term Cru Bourgeois became established through sheer use, as it dates back to the Middle Ages, when the citizens (bourgeois), residents of the “burgh” (bourg) of Bordeaux, acquired the region’s best lands and were subsequently granted this designation.

In 1932, the designation became more formal. The Crus Bourgeois were grouped in a list established by the Bordeaux wine merchants, under the aegis of the Bordeaux Chamber of Commerce and the Gironde Chamber of Agriculture.

The criteria used for this classification are based on the quality and value of red wines produced in one of the eight Médoc appellations: Médoc, Haut-Médoc, Listrac, Moulis, Margaux, Saint-Julien, Pauillac, and Saint-Estèphe.

These wines are allowed to use the term Cru Bourgeois on their labels. This is an evolving classification. Each year, between 240 and 260 properties, often family-owned, form the Alliance des Crus Bourgeois, accounting for more than 40% of the Médoc’s production.

The main point to Cru Bourgeois vs. Grand Cru Classé is that producers with the Cru Bourgeois mark are subject to continuing evaluation to maintain quality whereas Grand Cru Classé wines were great 170 years ago, but haven’t been subject to evaluation since.

Our Bottom Line

It turned out that we didn’t really like any of the left-bank wines so much that we had to buy some. The cabernets from this region are very tannic and somewhat harsh on the palate. But we understand that these wines are made to be aged for a long time and that would smooth out the tannins but most of us can’t wait that long. We did find that we preferred the first wines from the Grand Cru Classé wineries such as Chateau Dauzac and Chateau de Camensac. Some of the people we talked to told us about the winery’s experimentation with wines that can be drunk right away. But we shall see how that takes off in the coming years.

We are now so much smarter about Bordeaux wines. This should help us when we go to a wine shop or grocery store to buy wine. We also learned that you can’t really go by the label because there is a vast difference between “Bordeaux” wines. We now look for the Chateau label because we know that is the chateau’s first label and likely to be the best.

What food epiphany have you had?