2nd July 2024 | Cork Talk | 4 minute read
There’s a lot to love about “new Bordeaux”. Steeped in centuries of viticultural history, it’s a region that’s evolving before our very eyes and entering an exciting new era of winemaking. Join us as we explore the array of new styles coming out of this iconic region.
Modern Bordeaux is all about diversity. It may have been known historically for its proud sense of tradition, but this is a region that’s quickly redefining itself with innovative production methods, unexpected wine styles and a new focus on organics and sustainability.
A place we’ve always turned to for full-bodied reds and tasty dessert wines, Bordeaux continues to produce its iconic Cabernet Sauvignon-Merlot blends and sensational Sauternes while starting to craft a wider spectrum of other wine colours we haven’t seen from this area before.
From super pale whites to gloriously golden dessert wines, Provence-style rosés to deep pink Clairets, and light, elegant reds to dark, brooding Cabernets, Bordeaux winemakers now do it all! Their ambition is to enrich the Bordeaux wine scene by bringing more refreshing styles to the table, creating a broader range of wines to please every palate. As a result, you’ll find whites as light as 11% ABV through to rich reds sitting at 15% ABV.
A fresh generation of winemakers is disrupting the norm in Bordeaux, experimenting with ageing techniques, organic approaches to viticulture and grape blends and single varietals we wouldn’t ordinarily associate with this part of the world.
Over the last decade we’ve seen an influx of non-traditional grape varieties being grown across the region. Aside from a desire to try something new, this introduction of unfamiliar grapes to Bordeaux’s vineyards is partly due to global warming changing the viticultural landscape, and partly due to wine drinkers opting for lower alcohol wines, cleaner whites and slightly softer reds.
Planting a grape variety that has a different genetic makeup to the fruit usually grown here allows winemakers to craft delicious new drops with intriguing characteristics.
Malbec – up by 152%
Carménère – up by 110%
Petit Verdot – up by 108%
Sauvignon Gris – up by 47%
Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot may still be the jewel in Bordeaux’s crown, but they’ve become a little less dominant across its patchwork of vineyards in the last ten years. The red grapes getting all the attention lately are Malbec and Carménère.
At first glance, it may seem that Bordeaux has taken inspiration from Argentina and Chile by adopting their most famous grape varieties. However, Malbec originated in southwestern France and Carménère was born in Bordeaux, so these beloved varietals are simply returning to their roots.
Petit Verdot and Sauvignon Gris have always been grown here. We’re perhaps seeing more of them now as Petit Verdot has become a popular grape for using in red wine blends, while pink-berried Sauvignon Gris produces really interesting, complex whites with ripe tropical fruit flavours and subtle herbaceous notes.
Of course, this new multicoloured spectrum of Bordeaux wine colours includes some sparkly, golden hues! The arrival of Crémant de Bordeaux in the 1990s was revolutionary for the region at the time, but the party really got started in the last decade.
Bordeaux’s production area of ‘traditional method’ sparkling wine has increased by a whopping 278% in ten years. Available in white and rosé and made from carefully hand-harvested grapes, Crémant de Bordeaux is loved for its impressive quality and impeccable style, proving a big hit with younger wine drinkers.
Unlike other ‘traditional method’ bubbly that tends to be made from Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, Crémant de Bordeaux uses the same grape varieties you’d find in the region’s still wines, such as Sauvignon Blanc, Sauvignon Gris and Sémillon. This means that the aromas and flavours found in a bottle of brut produced here are completely unique to Bordeaux, typically displaying signature notes of citrus, stone fruits and brioche.
Bordeaux may be a region that’s famous for spanning many generations, but it’s certainly not afraid to evolve and move with the times. If the endless possibilities of “new Bordeaux” have whet your appetite you can browse our Bordeaux range below and find some new favourites for your wine rack!
