Keep sending your questions to Jeremy on http://www.tellmewinetv.com

Keep sending your questions to Jeremy on http://www.tellmewinetv.com

Video sum up: What is the difference between a Chablis and a Sauvignon Blanc?

• Chablis is actually a town (click here to locate it in Burgundy, France). The wine called Chablis, which is produced in Chablis, is made from the Chardonnay grape. Chablis is grown in soil that is made of sea beds which gave it a mineraly taste.
• Sauvignon Blanc is a grape.

So Chablis and Sauvignon Blanc have nothing in common, one is a town the other one is a grape. Only exception, as far as the taste is concerned, Sauvignon Blanc has sometimes (not always) a mineraly taste like Chablis.

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Video sum up: How many grapes varieties are there in the world?

Hundreds of grapes are used throughout the world for winemaking

But in most part, only a couple of grape varieties are used , mainly for economic reasons (offer and demand…).

Jeremy tried to list for you these main grapes:

• On the red side: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Franc, Sangiovese, Nebiolo, Malbec…
• On the white side: Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, Colombard, Gewurtzraminer…

But even if the same grapes are used in most part of the world they are still used differently.

That’s why Jeremy recommand you to try to open a Carbernet from Australia, California and France at the same time to see the different styles , the influence of terroirs…

To go further:

• Wikipedia article listing all the grape varieties [Link]
• Pictures from the main grapes [Link]

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Video sum up: What makes a wine a particular color?

Although this question looks silly the answer is really complex.

Basically:

• white wines comes from white grapes
• red wines comes from red grapes

After a lot of other factors have to be taken into account:

• The longer you live the skin of the grape in contact with the wine the darker the wine would become. For example: Rosé wines are red wine where grape skins have been exposed to wine only for a limited period of time.
• Different grapes will give different depth of color. For example Viognier and Pinot Grigio give a very light color.
• It also depends where the wine is aged: if the wine is aged in steel it will not add any additional color. But if the wine is aged in oak it will be darker.

After it is all a winemaker choice.

Video sum up: Is Malbec only from Argentina?

The answer is no.

Malbec is a very popular grape in Argentina but is best known for its use in France especially in Cahors (click here to locate Cahors in France). Malbec from Cahors are dark robust tannic, real winter wine to pair with Cassoulet, Stews and other French dishes.

Malbec was also very popular in Bordeaux at one point and is still used to some degree. Malbec has been replaced progressively by Merlot.

In a nutshell, Malbec is used throughout the world but is best known in France and Argentina.

Example of Malbec from Cahors: Chateau des Cèdres Cédrus

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Video Sum up: The Bordeaux labels

Even if the question is vague, here is a short sum up of the things you should know on Bordeaux and what information you will find on their labels.

Bordeaux makes some of the most glorious and long lived wines in the world (Thomas Jefferson was a big fan of Bordeaux).

The villages (Pomerol, Saint Emilion, Saint Estephe, Saint Julien…) produce different type of wines:
- red wines dominated by Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc
- white wines which are primarily Sauvignon Blanc but also Sémilion and Muscat

Here is an article written by our sponsor AOC Fine Wines which may help you to understand better what is written on a Bordeaux label (original article)

“How to read a Bordeaux label?

1. “Grand Vin” alone is forbidden; only used in combination with the mention of the production region “Grand Vin de Bordeaux Superieur”; It cannot be used for the AOC Bordeaux; The wine must come at least from the AOC Bordeaux Superieur.
2. Mention of the vintage is optional.
3. The illustration must represent the reality. That is if there is a picture of a chateau, it must really be on the property.
4. The AOC has to be stated as an appellation on the label, for exemple: “Bordeaux Superieur – Appellation Controlee” or “Pessac Leognan – Appellation Pessac Leognan Controlee”
5. “Mise en bouteille a xxx” is compulsory information. It describes where the wine was made. Usually when it is an estate wine, then the legal wording is “Mise en bouteille au Chateau”. If it is a Negociant wine, then the address of the negociant has to be specified.
6. Other optional information:
   “Cru Bourgeaois”, “Cru Artisan”, “Cru Classe”, “Cru Classe en 1855 (ou 1973) with mention of the rank (1st to 5th growth)”, “Grand Cru Classe”, “Premier Grand Cru Classe”.
   It should be noted that the mention “St Emilion Grand Cru” does not represent any classification but simply explains that the wine was made at the estate. The only mention of a St Emilion classification would be “St Emilion Grand Cru Classe”.

Example with the Smith Haut Lafitte Label

Useful links:

• www.medoc-bordeaux.com
• www.bordeaux.com
• www.quarin.com”
  

To go further we recommand you some readings:

• Bordeaux: Revised Third Edition from Robert Parker

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Video Sum Up: What are the grapes used in Burgundy

Burgundy makes extraordinary wines both white and red.

The two primary grapes are:

• Chardonnay on the white side
• Pinot Noir on the red side

Also used in Burgundy, especially in Beaujolais is Gamay (to make Beaujolais of course )

For the whites, beside the Chardonnay two other grapes are used:

• Aligoté which makes a fruity style wine not necessarily long lived but easy to drink wine
• and very unusual in Burgundy: Sauvignon Blanc only grown in Saint-Bris. Classic style old world Sauvignon Blanc.

Thanks Riha from Larchmont for this question!

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