Within the French market, Glengarry are very successful with our Bordeaux offering. We lead the market in terms of cases shipped and dollar turnover, mainly through our loyal customers and our respected relationships with the best Négociants, enabling us to offer a comprehensive range of wines from the region.

With our longstanding relationships and our experience honed over 30-odd years, we are old hands at this, and once again we made the commitment this year to ensure you the best service and advice. I travelled to Bordeaux to taste the 2016 vintage, as well as a broad range of wines from recent vintages.

We have just landed in store the 2014 classified wines; alongside this, we have an extensive range of Petit Châteaux and Second Wines. This month we are celebrating all things French, including Bordeaux, and to assist you I’ve prepared a quick summary to help with starting to explore this gorgeous region.

To start the journey of exploring Bordeaux, you need to first start with the Classification System. In 1855, being lovers of red tape, the French ‘authorities’ created what became known as ‘The Classified Growths of the Médoc ’. A five-class classification of 61 of the leading Médoc  Châteaux (as well as two from Graves). This formalised lists that were already in place, based on each Châteaux relative quality as expressed by the prices of each individual estate. These growths, or ‘Crus’ range from first (Premier) through to fifth (Cinquièmes). Over the years that have since passed, there has been very little change to the 1855 Classification other than Château Mouton Rothschild moving from second growth to first in 1973 - Baron Philippe de Rothschild reportedly saying - ‘Mouton I am, Second I am not”.  Château Cantemerle added as a fifth growth in 1856 and Château Dubignon, a third growth, was absorbed into Château Malescot St Exupéry.

Saint-Émilion added its own classification system in 1955, which has subsequently been frequently amended. Pomerol has never been classified, although the greatest wine from this region, Château Pétrus, is generally spoken of in the same hushed tones as the five first growths of the Médoc . 

The Médoc  First Growths are;

Château Lafite-Rothschild (Pauillac)

Château Margaux (Margaux)

Château Latour (Pauillac) - not sold En Primeur

Château Haut-Brion (Graves)

Château Mouton-Rothschild (Pauillac)

Whilst much of the classification system holds true today, the inherent problem with a system is that some of the Châteaux have improved out of sight since it was first introduced, while others are considered to have rested on their laurels, smug in the knowledge that their wines will always fetch high prices, as this was what the classification was based on in the first place. Like anything, it is a good guide as long as one keeps in mind the fact that some of the wines outside its boundaries can still be superb.

Bordeaux is located in the South West of France, and is the wine region that produces more top quality wine than any other. Bordeaux is renowned for its reds, which are often referred to as claret. The reason these wines attract so much interest, and generate such high prices, is largely their ability to age, with a lot of them not showing their true potential for decades. The main red grapes grown are: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc. The most famous white region is that of Sauternes, where the world’s most luscious dessert wines come from. The White wines from Bordeaux are made with Sauvignon Blanc, Sémillon and in some cases Muscadelle; the very best white wines, like red wines from Bordeaux, are extremely age worthy.

Bordeaux is neatly divided into two groupings of appellations - those on the left bank of the Gironde and those on the right, with the Dordogne running through them. In general terms, the left bank is home to Cabernet driven wines and the right bank Merlot dominant expressions. The appellations on the left bank include Margaux, Pauillac, St.-Julien and St.-Estèphe.  The appellations on the right bank include Fronsac, Lalande de Pomerol and the two great appellations of Saint-Émilion and Pomerol.

The city of Bordeaux is a UNESCO World Heritage site and the heart of this unique region.  At the centre of all trade here is the Négociant system, an historic route to market that remains strong today; the châteaux sell their wines to négociants, who in turn offer them to their partners around the world, essentially an open trading market - with a few exceptions - we are, after all, in France.

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