Frugal MacDoogal Blog

Bordeaux

jrippy@drivestl.com (John Rippy) — Wed, 16 Dec 2020 21:39:40 GMT

Today we tackle one of the most famous and important wine regions in the world - BORDEAUX.

Although the wines of Bordeaux have fallen out of popularity in recent years, especially with Millennial drinkers, it is still an important region worth getting to know, if for no other reason than its dope history, insane bucket list wines, and elusive yet affordable gems.

Bordeaux Growths from Classification of 1855. Top tier is First Growths. From left to right - Mouton Rothschild, Lafite Rothschild, Margaux, Haut-Brion, and Latour. (Carl Laubin 1992) Bordeaux is an AOC in the southwest of France. It is a region that follows the Gironde estuary whose waterways split the region in two, Left Bank and Right Bank, an important feature we will come back to. Bordeaux is the largest appellation in France. At over 115,000 hectares (a little more than 284,000 acres) it is four times the size of Burgundy. The somewhat 6000 producers in Bordeaux make white, red, sparkling, rosé, and sweet dessert wine, but what has made Bordeaux famous is its red wine.

The history of Bordeaux is rich and very much the main thread in the history of wine in the world. Vineyards in Bordeaux were probably planted by the Romans as early as the 1st Century but it wasn't until the marriage of Eleanor of Aquitaine and Henry II King of England that wines from Bordeaux TOOK OFF!

This marriage secured a monopoly trade between England and Bordeaux. There was a solid period of trade between the two which caused the Bordeaux wine industry to flourish. Then the Hundred Years' War happened and trade between the two countries was ended and a period of turmoil ensued. Decades later Louis XI allowed British ships to once again enter the port of Bordeaux. The Dutch then moved in and, being the sly traders they were, invested their time and energy into the region. They helped push for the draining of the Médoc which was at the time a giant swamp, now THE prime appellation in Bordeaux.

The Classification of 1855

The next chapter in the history of Bordeaux is a little designation known as the Classification of

1855. This classification system ranked chateaux (producers) (the x makes it plural btw)

according to market price and quality (and probably a little bit of reputation and namesake tbh).

This ranking system ranked the best chateaux from First Growth to Fifth Growth, First being the

most prestigious.

There are 61 Chateaux classified as Growths but only 5 First Growths.

- Chateau Lafite Rothschild

- Chateau Latour

- Chateau Margaux

- Chateau Haut-Brion

- Chateau Mouton Rothschild

This classification still influences market prices today which is crazy because, since 1855, there has only been one major adjustment to the classification. That change came in 1973 when Chateau Mouton Rothschild was elevated to First Growth.

A lot can change over the course of 164 years. And although the 5 First Growths are still incredible and the most sought out wines of Bordeaux, there are others that, one could argue, are nearly just as or more amazing. These First Growth wines have become pretty unattainable by us normal folk with prices that average about $1000 a bottle and often reach up into 5 and 6 digit prices.

Even though most people will never taste a First Growth wine, they are important, like high end fashion lines, because they spark market trends. When it comes down to it, Cab was planted and dominates California because of Bordeaux. Places all around the world have attempted to mimic these wines hoping to cash in on the historical popularity of Bordeaux. Another trend Bordeaux started was the red blend. You can buy red blends here at Frugal or any grocery store, and while other regions have traditionally blended grapes, it is the Bordeaux grapes and blends that we (U.S.) attempt to recreate.

Again, there are other Bordeaux wines that are not First Growth or even classified that are just as delicious as First Growths and there are some that are even just as famous. For instance, Chateau Petrus makes a Bordeaux wine that averages $2500 a bottle, higher than the average First Growth price, and Chateau Petrus is not classified as a 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, or 5th Growth. I say this to say that the Classification of 1855 is just that, a classification that happened a long ass time ago. It has historical relevance and gives us a broad ranking of Bordeaux wines, but it now in no way is an accurate reading of the best wines in Bordeaux.

(Sidenote: There are other classification systems in Bordeaux. The 1855 classification is not the only one. Saint-Émilion for instance has its own classification of vineyards defining the top Chateaux as Premier Grand Cru Classé A, Premier Grand Cru Classé B, and Grand Cru Classé. The 1855 is just the OG overarching classification.) Bordeaux AOC

Now for the fun part! GEOGRAPHY! As I mentioned earlier Bordeaux is geographically split into halves. We call these halves the "Left Bank" and the "Right Bank" (see map). The Gironde estuary flows off of the Atlantic Ocean and into the southwest of France. On its left bank is the Médoc and Graves. The best vineyards here are planted on well drained gravel soils that face the river. All First Growths are in these two Left Bank appellations. Cabernet Sauvignon dominates the Left Bank followed by Cab Franc and Merlot. Think 70% Cab Sauv in Left Bank blends. The most important appellations in the Left Bank are Saint-Estèphe, Pauillac, Saint-Julien, and Margaux, all of which are in the Médoc. Left Bank wines being mostly Cab are higher in tannin and acidity and thus will age longer than Right Bank wines. This makes them generally more expensive.

The Right Bank on the other hand is dominated by Merlot, where it makes up the majority of the fields and the blends (Merlot is the most planted grape in all of Bordeaux fyi). Famous Right Bank appellations include Pomerol and Saint-Èmilion. Chateau Petrus is a Right Bank wine and thus Merlot (one of the few 100% Merlot wines). Right Bank wines being mostly Merlot are softer and juicier than Left Bank wines and are meant to be consumed earlier. Right Bank wines tend to be less expensive and easier to come by.

Chateau Margaux

There are only 6 red grape varieties that you can legally plant in Bordeaux - Merlot, Cab Sauv, Cab Franc, Malbec, Petit Verdot, and Carménère (amount grown in that order). As we talked about last week the ratios of different varieties planted changed drastically after the last couple decades of the 19th century when Phylloxera infestations destroyed nearly all the vines in Bordeaux. Merlot covers over 60% of all red grape hectares in Bordeaux. The smaller amount of Cab Sauv grown is nearly all on the Left Bank and more expensive.

White Bordeaux

White Bordeaux or Bordeaux Blanc is made up of Semillon, Sauvignon Blanc, and Muscadelle. These grapes are also used in making the sweet dessert wines of Sauternais, an appellation in the south of Bordeaux. Sauternes is famous for being infected by a fungus called Botrytis, or Noble Rot. This fungus raisins the grapes on the vines so that sugars are concentrated. The Classification of 1855 also classified white wines but on a scale from 1-3. Only one Chateau was given the top ranking of Superior First Growth - Château d'Yquem.

I'll go into more depth on the white wines of Bordeaux in a later letter but wanted to focus today on red wines, as that is what Bordeaux is most known for.

My second suggestion is a Saint-Émilion Grand Cru for ya'll tryna spend a pretty penny. This is Petit-Figeac Saint-Émilion Grand Cru 2012. This bad boy has got some age on it which you can just start to taste (dried fruits, fruit pie, fig). It is Saint-Émilion, so Right Bank, so mostly Merlot. It shows flavors of plum, blackberry, some oak notes of vanilla, tobacco, and smoke. It is $56.99, but normally goes for over $100. NOICE!

Bordeaux is loaded with goodies. Come in and explore the options. We have some Saint-Julien, Saint-Estèphe, Pomerol, Saint-Émilion, Fronsac, Canon-Fronsac, Pauillac, Haut-Médoc, Sauternes, and more. We just dipped a toe into the region. There is so much more to learn from this historical AOC.

I know this was a heavy read today! Thanks to those of ya'll who read these each week and give feed back. It is much appreciated! Nothing better than getting emails or shoutouts from people who learned something from these letters or tasted a new wine because of them. Ya'll Rock!

See what you remember from the read in the quiz below!!! Good Luck

Cheers,

Preston Hunt

Wine Manager, WSET II

Frugal MacDoogal

Nashville, TN

TAKING Y’ALL TO CHURCH

jrippy@drivestl.com (John Rippy) — Wed, 16 Dec 2020 21:39:31 GMT

Today I'm takin y'all to church with a little church/wine history!

Church history and the history of wine go hand in hand as the Church has played a significant role in the development of wine making and consumption. Last summer I was lucky enough to visit one of the most significant historical sites of both church and wine - Châteauneuf-du-Pape! First, a little back story. Last year my brother started talking about how he'd like to do some traveling after he graduates and before he finds a steady job. When his graduation from UTK rolled around in December his mind had started to focus on Europe. By the following summer (2019) he was packed up and ready to ride his bicycle across the continent ha. I know, dope. So naturally my wife, sister, and I decided we couldn't let him bike across Europe without going to visit.

He started his ride in Berlin and rode south (above: a pic he took of his bike on the Elbe). We met him in Venice, Italy. From there the four of us flew from Venice to Marseilles, France. Then from Marseilles to Barcelona, Spain. From Barcelona we came home and Trevor continued on around back to Paris, and onto a few others places before flying home from Amsterdam.

It was an amazing trip. Naturally we drank tons of amazing wine while we were there, but the one big thing I pushed on the group was a day trip to Avignon and Châteauneuf-du-Pape. They kindly obliged and we took the train up from Marseilles. It was tons of fun, though it was much more walking than we expected. If you make the trip to CdP I suggest renting a car. Enjoy the pics from our trip.

A lil History

In 1309 Pope Clement V moved the Papacy to Avignon (which is currently a part of France but was not technically at the time) where it became headquartered for the following 67 years. The Popes loved Burgundy wine, and while they drank a bunch of it they also encouraged the advancement of local viticulture, especially in a perfect little place for growing a few minutes north of town called Châteauneuf-du-Pape. And BAM the rest is history. Châteauneuf-du-Pape is now considered to be the top producing AOC in the Southern Rhone. Châteaunefu-du-Pape (CdP) literally translates to "The Pope's new castle."

If you ever make it to the region The Palace of the Popes here is a must visit! You can see it in the pictures I took to the right. It was definitely one of the coolest historical tours I have done and those of you who know me know I love me some history. Just imagine an AR treasure hunt game that takes you back in time and you'll get a good idea of the tour.

Place and Grapes

CdP is a part of the Rhone Valley and more specifically the southern Rhone where it is commonly considered to be the top quality appellation. CdP, like the rest of the southern Rhone is known for GSM blends of Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvèdre. Although these three grape varieties are the most well known, there are 15 other varieties that are also allowed in the blends, most notably Cinsault.

Most of the wine coming from CdP is red and most of that red wine is Grenache. Grenache accounts for over 70% of 8,000 acres of vines in CdP and makes up the majority of most of the red blends.

One signature feature of CdP is the stones that cover the vineyards. These galets once sat at the bottom of an ancient river bed and now keep the vines warm at night by soaking up the sun during the day. Check em out in the pics. I snagged a few from our trip that I have sitting on our bookshelf at home.

Another unique feature of CdP is that all of their bottles will have some sort of papal seal stamped into the glass. Seals vary with producer. Another fun fact - CdP became France's first AOC/AOP in 1936. We've got facts on facts on facts here, don't worry.

Being in the south of France, CdP can get hot. This is why you will see bush trained vines (vines not trellised but spread out and left to hang naturally). The separation ensures vines are not fighting too much for water, and the bush canopy ensures grapes are shaded from the sun and not burnt. Another balancing factor here is the Le Mistral, a crazy dry and cold seasonal wind that whips through the region and cools things off. But it's not always welcomed. With it's 100 mph+ winds the Le Mistral can take its toll on the vines. CdP, being one of the sunniest places in France, makes ripening no prob. Grenache being the most important grape of the region is a grape that can be a sensitive little guy, especially when fully ripe. Because of this producers don't use much oak, if any. Most wine is fermented in concrete and stainless steel. Although other varieties like Syrah and Mourvèdre can be aged a little in oak, Grenache is not. Another common practice in CdP is whole cluster fermentation especially with Grenache. This means that producers don't take the grapes off the stems before fermentation, which if you remember from my last letter.......................raises tannin and therefore aging potential.

CdP, being the top AOC in the region, is not cheap. Most bottles you see will be $50+. And while it is totally worth it, it is often out of reach for most people, especially as a reoccurring bottle. That's one reason why my first suggestion is so awesome. Terres de Galets CdP 2016, named after those round stones we talked about is only $34.99. Don't be scared of it though. It's not inexpensive because it's not good. It is a great example of CdP! For those of you who haven't tasted CdP before, or for those of you who love it but rather not spend $60, this bottle is perfect for you. The red fruit and spice come through in perfect harmony.

Chateau Mont-Redon is a consistent and high quality producer in CdP where vines have been planted on their property since Roman times. For four generations the estate has been owned by the Abeille and Fabre families who have grown the estate significantly, now owning nearly 200 hectares in CdP alone. Their 2015 CdP is amazing. 93 pts from Spectator - "This pumps out lush flavors of fig, blackberry and raspberry preserves, along with lively threads of licorice, warm fruitcake and ganache. Stays polished and refined throughout, with the structure thoroughly embedded. The long finish offers a nice tug of graphite." It is $54.99.

Côtes du Rhône are wines that are made in the greater Southern Rhone appellation and not in one of the 17 crus, like CdP. Côtes du Rhône wines use the same grape varieties, mostly grenache, but are often just made using quicker more inexpensive methods with grapes from less prestigious vineyards all across the region, not from one place like the CdP. Côtes du Rhône wines account for the majority of the wine that comes from this region. Most should display red fruit and spice, typical of the blend. These wines are still v tasty and v inexpensive. This bottle of Le Dome du Grand Bois 2018 knocks it out of the park and is only $12.99. Côtes du Rhône is a great way to introduce yourself to the region and Grenache based wines.

Châteauneuf-du-Pape wines can last decades and are wines you may want to decant if you can for a bit before you drink them (Even just pour it in your glass for an hour before you drink it, no need for a fancy decanter, although those are fun too)(don't decant old wine too long. Younger = longer decant time). CdP is a great holiday wine as it pairs nicely with lamb and turkey and some of those nice spiced holiday dishes. Tis' the season! Heads up- we have 2 cases of Famille Brunier's Telegramme CdP 2018 coming in this week! Come and grab a bottle before it's gone. It's a benchmark!

I hope to see you soon.

Preston

Wine Manager, WSET III

Frugal MacDoogal

Nashville, TN.

Destination: Spain!

jrippy@drivestl.com (John Rippy) — Wed, 16 Dec 2020 21:39:17 GMT

This week begins our focus on Spanish wines at the shop. Come check it out.

We've got wines from all over Spain and Portugal and so I thought there'd be no better way to kick off the Spanish sale than with a Weekly Wine letter on Spanish wine production. Spain just doesn't get enough love. You know I love maps, so I made sure to get a large one printed with Spain and Portugal's wine growing regions for display at Frugal. The map includes the growing regions each of the featured wines are from. So when you're finished reading, come on in a begin your tasting journey across the Iberian Peninsula.

HOT HOT HOT

Spain can get hot! And still, wine grapes are grown all over the country, as it has a wide variety of terrain and is nearly surrounded by water. Think about it- the Atlantic Ocean encroaches on Spain's westerly and northerly coasts pushing its maritime climate into Spain. The Mediterranean Sea wraps around the southerly and easterly coasts giving the regions here a Mediterranean climate. These two bodies of water and a scattering of mountain ranges send rivers stretching across the country to cool down the hot continental climate that exists on the interior.

These bodies of water along with major rivers help cool places that would otherwise be way too

hot for grape growing. It being warm-hot in Spanish growing regions vines typically are

challenged by heat and a lack of water. So how do you combat heat and lack of water?

Growers combat heat by bush training vines so that there is a larger canopy to shade grapes.

They will also keep yields low so that the vines only have to worry about providing enough water

for a few clusters instead of dozens. Remember, it's all about balance. Planting near bodies of

water, as well as keeping yields low and bush training are ways warmer climate growers keep

their vines producing awesome fruit to make awesome juice! If you take a look at the picture,

you'll notice the spread out and bush like vines that are so different from trellised vines.

Where Red Wine Reigns

(say that one five times real fast)

If Spain's wine country was The Wizarding World, Tempranillo would be Harry Potter, Garnacha would be Hermoine Granger, and Monastrell would be Ron Weasley.

Tempranillo is unarguably Spain's main character. It isn't shy, but arrogant, and luckily for us

has the skill to back it up! Garnacha supports Tempranillo whenever it can but when given the

chance can stand on its own with outstanding complexity and intensity. And it matures early (ha

too good, I know). Monastrell is the heat loving thick-skinned brute, giving us something dark

and tannic, full of alcohol, full-bodied, and full of drama!

Monastrell and Garnacha may sound familiar and that's because they are! Monastrell is known as Mourvedre in France and Garnacha is known as Grenache. If you think about where these grapes are grown in France (Southern Rhone), it makes complete sense that these grapes thrive here too! They love the warmth.

Other red varieties to check out are Bobal, Mencia, Graciano, and Carinena.

Here is my map of Spain and Portugal. I'll add to it over the next few weeks as we continue to

cover Spain and Portugal! Here are the red grape growing regions in Spain that we are carrying

at the store. Jerez, the home of Sherry is the only labeled region where you will see more white

than red.

RIOJA

Spain is the world's 3rd largest producer of wine, but in terms of vineyard space it reigns supreme at #1. (Remember vines here tend to carry less fruit and are more spread out to combat water shortages, therefore more acreage must be planted to get the amount of juice in demand.)

Spain has traditionally used not French, but American oak to age its wine, especially in Rioja. High French oak prices combined with 16th century cash strapped Spain led to the use of American oak to age Tempranillo. What started as a means to save money ended up becoming a welcomed pairing. American oak became engrained in Spanish wine making and adds unique flavors to red wine. Both French and American oak is used today, with producers often aging wine in both before blending.

Of the dozens of wine growing regions in Spain, Rioja is the crown jewel. Located in north central Spain, Rioja stretches along the Ebro River and is divided between three major provinces. We're not going to dive into the differences between the three provinces. It's really what they have in common that is most important and that is, Tempranillo!, the black grape that dominates this entire region. There are a little more than 50,000 acres of Tempranillo growing in Rioja. For context, 2nd to Tempranillo is Garnacha (Grenache) with about 4,000 acres growing.

Rioja is home to Harry Potter, sorry I mean Tempranillo. It is perfectly suited to grow this grape with its hot summers and cool winters, variety of soil types, and proximity to the Atlantic Ocean and Ebro River. Tempranillo is great for you Cab lovers out there that haven't ventured over the Atlantic! It is fruity, with notes of cherry and plum, but has nice earth notes of leather, tobacco, and some vanilla and even dill from that American Oak. It is higher in tannin and has great acidity and is dry, with higher alcohol levels (14% ish).

If you haven't had red wine from Spain, Tempranillo from Rioja is where you should start.

Classification!

Like in France, Italy, and the U.S., Spain has its own classification system used to mark quality growing regions. As a reminder, the U.S. uses AVA, France uses AOP/C, and Italy uses DOC/G. Most often in Spain you will see DO and DOCa for more stringent qualification and higher quality regions.

Rioja was the first Spanish region to be awarded DOCa status, the highest status of quality for a Spanish wine region. (Sometimes you may see VP (Vino de Pago) which is the highest qualification for a single vineyard or estate. Right now there are only 19, so you won't see many)

Another notation you may see on Spanish labels is the age designation. This is not a vintage year but a designation of how the wine was aged. If the wine is simply labeled "Rioja" the wine has seen little to no oak and hasn't been aged very long, maybe a year or two. "Crianza" wines must see one year in oak and one year in bottle before hitting the shelf. "Reserva" wines must see one year in oak and two years in bottle before hitting the shelf and "Gran Reserva" wines must see at least 2 years in oak and 3 years in bottle before hitting the shelf (that's a minimum of 5 years of aging for these wines). Prices go up accordingly. Oak is expensive. Storage and shelf space are expensive. And quality is expensive. The lengthier age in wood allows the wine to soften any harsh acidity or tannin that may exist in its youth and gain more developed and complex flavors.

We've got some amazing Spanish wines here at Frugal. Come and taste through every region on the map! These three are great starting points. They are all Tempranillo or blends dominated by Tempranillo, but are all from different regions.

Alvides 2016 is a fantastic Tempranillo from Ribera Del Duero. It is easy drinking and tastes of strawberries, cherries, and clove. You could even serve this one slightly chilled. It is $17.99. 92 pts. from James Suckling.

Zuazo Gaston Finca Contanillas 2018 is a great blend of Tempranillo (86%), Graciano, and Viura from Rioja. This one has much more earth than Alvides, if that's something you're looking for. You'll taste smoke, earth, mushroom, followed by red fruits with some oak and vanilla on the end. It is $14.99 and has 90 pts. from James Suckling. This is one that was aged in both American and French oak.

La Legua El Transformador 2014 is 92% Tempranillo and 8% Cabernet Sauvignon from Cigales (see map) The cab adds some black fruit flavors here. There is also some red fruit flavors and notes of smoke and plum. It is $15.99 and has 92 pts. from James Suckling.

There's so much to learn about Spanish wine but now you know the basics! Thanks for reading. Next time we're going to hit Spanish white wine production, including CAVA!! Come in and chat me up, and don't forget to wear a mask! If you want me to mix you a case of Spanish and Portuguese wine, I will discount it for you, just let me know. We're also still offering delivery for all you folks still working at home. You can email Frugalnashvilleevents@gmail.com to put in delivery orders!

Preston

Wine Manager, WSET III

Frugal MacDoogal

Nashville, TN