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83-514: The Sémillon grape is native to the Bordeaux region . It was known as Sémillon de Saint-Émilion in 1736, while Sémillon also resembles the local pronunciation of the town's name ([semi'ʎuŋ]). It first arrived in Australia in the early 19th century and by the 1820s the grape covered over 90% of South Africa 's vineyards, where it was known as Wyndruif , meaning "wine grape". It was once considered to be

166-464: A buttercup-yellow colour, burnt toast or honey characteristics on the nose and excellent complex flavours on the palate, with a long finish and soft acid. Young Hunter Valley semillon is almost always a dry wine, usually exhibiting citrus flavours of lemon, lime or green apple. Cooler-year Hunter Semillons seem to be the most highly sought after, with some of the 1974 and 1977 vintages still drinking well. The newer, fruit-accentuated styles are championed by

249-468: A comprehensive classification of all the producers within a given area: rather, only the producers (universally known as châteaux , although not usually possessing the architectural grandeur that might imply) perceived as being of an unusually high standard are included in the classification. The châteaux included in the classification are referred to as classed or classé , and those not included are referred to as unclassed . Some classifications sub-divide

332-638: A fungus that is commonly known as noble rot . In the autumn, the Ciron river produces mist that descends upon the area and persists until after dawn. These conditions are conducive to the growth of the fungus which desiccates the grape and concentrates the sugars inside. The three main grapes of this area are Sémillon, Sauvignon blanc and Muscadelle . Production costs for this area's botrytized wines are comparatively high. The evaporation and fungus produce low yields, five to six times less than in other Bordeaux regions. The grapes are normally harvested individually from

415-697: A future shortage of quality wine. In 2008, 17 Bordeaux wine producers, including Château d'Yquem , Château Olivier , Château Suduiraut and Château La Tour Blanche , formed an association to grow their own clones. Sémillon is widely grown in Australia, particularly in the Hunter Valley north of Sydney , where for a long time it was known as "Hunter River Riesling". Four styles of Sémillon-based wines are made there: The latter two styles were pioneered by Lindemans, Tulloch, McWilliam's Elizabeth, Drayton's and Tyrrell's, and are considered unique to Australia. Most examples of these bottle-aged Hunter Semillons exhibit

498-519: A longer maceration (between 24 and 48 hours). Production is around 5 million litres from 925 hectares of vines. Note that, although the description 'clairet' may be derived from the English 'claret', 'claret' in fact refers exclusively to red Bordeaux. A small amount of sparkling wine is made in the Bordeaux region, under the appellation Crémant-de-Bordeaux AOC (known before 1990 as Bordeaux Mousseux). This

581-530: A more specific appellation, they are generally used for wines of lower quality made by a négociant or co-operative. Many of Bordeaux's supermarket brands like Mouton Cadet , Dourthe Numero 1 and Sichel Sirius utilise these generic Bordeaux AOCs. More than half of Bordeaux's production uses these generic appellations. Red wine produced under the Bordeaux AOC is made mostly from Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, with

664-412: A pinkish hue. Since the grape has a thin skin, there is also a risk of sunburn in hotter climates; it is best suited to areas with sunny days and cool nights. Sémillon wines are rather heavy, with low acidity and an almost oily texture. It has a high yield and wines based on it can age a long time. Along with Sauvignon blanc and Muscadelle , Sémillon is one of only three approved white wine varieties in

747-642: A rule of thumb is that the Left Bank is predominantly Cabernet Sauvignon based with the Right Bank being more Merlot based. The Graves area produces both red wine (from the grapes previously mentioned) and white wine from the Sauvignon blanc , Sémillon and Muscadelle grapes. The area of Sauternes (including Barsac) is known for its botrytized dessert wines . There are a number of classifications of Bordeaux wines, covering different regions. None of these attempts to be

830-626: A varietal offering and at least four vineyards in Texas are growing Sémillon. The grape is also planted in Argentina, Canada (Niagara and British Columbia) and recently in New Zealand. Bordeaux wine region The wine regions of Bordeaux in France are a large number of wine growing areas, differing widely in size and sometimes overlapping, which lie within the overarching wine region of Bordeaux, centred on

913-476: Is a subregion of Graves known for its intensely sweet, white, dessert wines such as the Premier Cru Supérieur classified Château d'Yquem . Wines produced in the region of Barsac, such as Premiers Crus Château Climens and Château Coutet are allowed to be labeled either with the commune name or with Sauternes. The intense sweetness is the result of the grapes being affected by Botrytis cinerea ,

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996-456: Is about 60 km north to south, and about 10 km wide, with around 10,600 hectares under vines and a production of about 50 million litres per year. All the wine made here is red. The northern or down-stream part was formerly known as the Bas-Médoc (lower Médoc), but is now simply (but confusingly) labeled as Médoc . This region is some 34 km long, by 10 km wide, stretching from

1079-413: Is blended with Sauvignon blanc and Muscadelle . When dry, it is referred to as Bordeaux blanc and is permitted to be made in the appellations of Pessac-Léognan , Graves , Entre-Deux-Mers and other less-renowned regions. In this form, Sémillon is generally a minor constituent in the blend. However, when used to make the sweet white wines of Bordeaux (such as those from Sauternes, Barsac and Cérons) it

1162-596: Is called Southern Médoc with wines produced in this area using the Haut-Médoc designation. This area includes the classified growths of Château La Lagune in Ludon and Château Cantemerle in Macau . This region is bordered on the north by the Garonne river and contains the sub regions of Pessac-Léognan , Sauternes and Barsac . It is known for its intensely gravelly soil. The soil is

1245-483: Is composed of gravel terraces with sediments from different geological eras . The area received appellation status in 1987 and produces both red and white wines. All of the estates named in the 1959 Graves classification are located in this appellation. Cabernet Sauvignon is the dominant grape variety, followed by Merlot and the white wine grapes Sauvignon blanc and Sémillon . The white wines of this area are barrel fermented and aged on their lees . Sauternes

1328-554: Is distinctive from the Semillon found in its French homeland of Bordeaux or the internationally known Semillon from the Hunter Valley in New South Wales . Barossa Semillon is characterized by its full body, golden colour and low acidity. Traditionally the wine was fermented in oak but in recent years has been produced more with stainless steel. Barossa Chardonnay is often oaked and subjected to malolactic fermentation which produces

1411-492: Is in fact produced under this AOC. Bordeaux Supérieur AOC covers both red and white wines, and the grapes used are the same, but permitted yields are slightly lower, minimum alcohol content is slightly higher and slightly longer aging is required. The amount of red wine produced under this appellation (around 45 million litres, from 10,000 hectares of vines) is much greater than the amount of white wine produced (around 170,000 litres from 60 hectares). Rosé wine produced under

1494-487: Is known as the Haut-Médoc (upper Médoc). This region is some 45 km long, by 10 km wide. The total area under vines is around 4800 hectares, producing 22 million litres of wine a year. Six villages have their own appellations: Margaux, St-Julien, Pauillac, St-Estèphe, Listrac and Moulis. The remainder is classified simply as Haut-Médoc . The predominant grape planted here is Cabernet Sauvignon, although before 1800 it

1577-657: Is less often used. The wines take a little longer to mature than the ones in Pomerol but are still able to be drunk relatively young for a Bordeaux (4–8 years). In favorable vintages the wines have a good aging potential. Saint-Émilion wines were first classified in 1878 and have been continuously revised. Chateaux are divided into two First Growth classifications – Premiers Grands Crus Classés A , which currently includes Château Ausone and Château Cheval Blanc , and Premiers Grands Crus Classés B , which currently includes 13 chateaux such as Château Angélus and Château Figeac . Below

1660-547: Is made using the methode traditionelle from the same grapes as white Bordeaux if white and the same grapes as red Bordeaux if rosé. The great majority is white, accounting for around 900,000 litres of production, as opposed to 20,000 litres of rosé. The appellation Vin de Pays de l'Atlantique was introduced in 2006, as a complement to the existing range of Bordeaux appellations, and covers grape varieties not permitted in classic Bordeaux, notably Chardonnay for white wines and Syrah for red wines. Nearly 4 million litres of wine

1743-428: Is often the dominant variety. In such wines the vine is exposed to the " noble rot " of Botrytis cinerea which consumes the water content of the fruit, concentrating the sugar present in its pulp. When attacked by Botrytis cinerea, the grapes shrivel and the acid and sugar levels are intensified. Due to the declining popularity of the grape variety, fewer clones are cultivated in nurseries causing producers to project

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1826-530: Is produced in Entre-Deux-Mers, only the dry white carries the appellation d'origine contrôlée (AOC) "Entre-Deux-Mers". The Entre-deux-mers appellation allows only dry white wine. The appellation is one of the largest in the Bordeaux region and is situated between the Garonne and the Dordogne (which are actually considered inland seas). The Entre-deux-mers geographical wine area is responsible for three quarters of

1909-512: Is produced under this appellation, 62% of it red. The wine regions of the Left bank of the Gironde estuary are bordered by large coniferous forest land that have a tempering effect on the maritime climate of the area. The region spans the left bank of the Gironde from the mouth of the river to the city of Bordeaux and includes the four famous communes of St-Estephe, Pauillac, St. Julien and Margaux. It

1992-475: Is still the dominant grape, this sub-region has more planting of Merlot than any other area in the Haut-Médoc. St-Estèphe has five classified estates and numerous Cru Bourgeois . The area is also home to several independent vignerons who produce wine as various co-operatives such as the Marquis de Saint-Estèphe and Canterayne. Located south of St-Estèphe, the area around Pauillac has the highest elevation of

2075-467: Is the preeminent white grape in the Bordeaux wine regions . The grape has also found a home in Australia; whereas today the country's major white varieties are Chardonnay and Sauvignon blanc , early in the country's viticultural development it was Sémillon, at that time mislabeled as Riesling , that was the most significant white variety. In France, the Sémillon grape is grown mostly in Bordeaux where it

2158-524: Is the second leading grape and helps to contribute to the dark, deep coloring that is typical of Pomerol wines. Due to the reduced tannins found in these wines, they can typically be drunk much younger than other red Bordeaux. The chateaux in the area are not classified, with the winemakers seemingly disinclined to devise one, although Château Pétrus is often unofficially grouped with the First Growths of Bordeaux. The wine region of Saint-Émilion centres on

2241-458: Is today rarely found, although it was once quite common in South Africa. Semillon Rouge is also a synonym for Merlot . Outside of these regions, however, Sémillon is unpopular and often criticised for lack of complexity and intensity. As such, plantings have decreased over the last century. As referenced above, the grape can still be found in South Africa and Chile. The latter is reputed to have

2324-478: The Bordeaux Rosé AOC is made from Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc. As is usual for Rosé, the grape skins are briefly left in contact with the must, but are removed prior to fermentation. This appellation covers around 4725 hectares of vines and 17 million litres of wine. Bordeaux Clairet AOC is intermediate between red and rosé wine, and is made from the same grapes as Bordeaux Rosé but undergoes

2407-427: The Bordeaux region . The grape is also key to the production of sweet wines such as Sauternes . For the grapes to be used for sweet wine production, they need to have been affected by Botrytis (also known as " noble rot "). This fungus dries out the grapes, thus concentrating the sugar and flavours in the grape berry. Sémillon is an important cultivar in two significant wine producing countries. In France, Sémillon

2490-594: The British , the wine industry of the Barossa Valley was founded by German settlers fleeing persecution from the Prussian province of Silesia (in what is now Poland ). The warm continental climate of the region promoted the production of very ripe grapes that was the linchpin of the early Australian fortified wine industry. As the modern Australian wine industry shifted towards red table wines (particularly those made by

2573-641: The Garonne and Dordogne rivers, which combine to form the Gironde. This region contains several less well known sweet wine areas of Cadillac and St. Croix de Mont. All of these regions (except the Libournais) have their own appellation and are governed by Appellation d'origine contrôlée (AOC) laws which dictate the permissible grape varieties, alcohol level, methods of pruning and picking, density of planting and appropriate yields as well as various winemaking techniques. Bordeaux wine labels will usually include

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2656-563: The Barossa Valley are several decades old, with some vineyards planted with old vines that are 100–150 years old including Turkey Flat in Tanunda that is home to the oldest commercially producing grape vines, originally planted in 1847. Other grape varieties grown in the Barossa Valley include Grenache , Mourvedre , Cabernet Sauvignon , Riesling , Chardonnay and Semillon . In February 2011, South Australian Premier Mike Rann announced that special legislation would be introduced to protect

2739-421: The Barossa Valley has a continental climate but its series of transverse valleys and sloping hills does produce a wide range of mesoclimates . Temperatures vary from very warm on the valley floors to progressively cooler at higher altitudes on the hillsides and further North in the valley. Despite its reputation as a "warm climate region", many of the Barossa Valley's climate figures are not that dissimilar from

2822-575: The Barossa Valley is most commonly associated with its signature grape variety of Shiraz , the region does grow a number of grape varieties. Among these other varieties are Riesling , Semillon , Chardonnay , Grenache , Mourvedre and Cabernet Sauvignon . The popularity of Syrah has sparked interest in the development of other Rhone varieties , with increase production of Grenache and Mourvedre (also known as Mataro in Australia) for both blending and varietal bottlings. Many of these vines are remnants of

2905-503: The Barossa Valley wine industry was on the production of Riesling, a German wine grape from the Rhineland . The hot valley floor contributed to a very ripe, alcoholic wine that would often turn brown. Some of this wine was eventually distilled in brandy which ushered in a period of fortified wine production that coincided with the plantings of many red grape wine varieties like Shiraz and Grenache. These " port-style wines " would become

2988-532: The Barossa's fortified wine history and such have substantial age themselves. Despite its reputation as a red wine region, the Barossa Valley does produce a large amount of white wine. Riesling has been historically important in the region but has gradually shifted eastward to higher elevations and cooler climates of the Barossa Ranges. Many Rieslings labelled with simply "Barossa" will often include more grapes from

3071-455: The Graves, located just south of the city of Bordeaux, is home to the first growth estate Château Haut-Brion , as well as all the 1953 classified Graves Growths, including Château La Mission Haut-Brion and Château Laville Haut-Brion . In addition to wine production, the area is known for its crops of pine trees and vineyards are often separated by rows of forest trees. The soil of Pessac-Léognan

3154-454: The Haut-Médoc, including St-Estèphe , Pauillac , St.-Julien and Margaux and the less well known areas of AOC Moulis and Listrac. Graves includes the sub-regions of Pessac-Léognan and Sauternes (among others), and Sauternes in turn includes the sub-region of Barsac. The Libournais includes the sub-regions of Saint-Émilion and Pomerol (among others). There is an additional wine region of Entre-Deux-Mers, so called because it lies between

3237-592: The Médoc which were not classified in that listing may be classified under the Cru Bourgeois label. In 1953, a Classification of Graves wine was produced. Although this purports to classify the whole of Graves, it exclusively lists châteaux in Pessac-Léognan. In 1954, a separate classification of Saint-Émilion wine was set up for this Right Bank region. There are eight AOCs ( Appellations d'origine contrôlée) that cover

3320-573: The Médoc with the estates of Château Mouton Rothschild and Château Pontet-Canet sitting on a summit of 30m. Vineyards in Pauillac are not as fragmented as most of the Médoc, with entire slopes and plateaus belonging to a single estate. The area of Pauillac contains three of the five first growth estates of Bordeaux. These are Château Lafite-Rothschild , Château Latour and Château Mouton Rothschild . It also includes 15 other classed growths. Situated on two plateaus between Pauillac and Margaux,

3403-526: The Pomerol and St-Emilion areas of Libournais. The vineyards of the Libournais are crossed by two rivers, Isle and Barbanne. The area of Pomerol was first cultivated by the Romans during their occupation of the area. Up until the early 20th century the area was known mostly for its white wine production. This area within Libournais doesn't have a distinct city center with several villages spread across an area about

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3486-707: The Premiers crus are the Grands Crus Classés which currently includes 55 chateaux. Estates can apply for classification by passing two tasting panels. North of Libournais, this area sits on the Right Bank of the Garonne and Dordogne rivers and is one of the oldest wine producing regions in Bordeaux, exporting wine long before the Médoc was even planted. Merlot is the main grape of the area followed by Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Malbec . The area around Bourg also has sizable Sauvignon blanc planting for sparkling wines and Ugni blanc for cognac . Historians date

3569-773: The addition of Cabernet Franc and small amounts of Petit Verdot, Malbec and Carmenère . This appellation covers around 42,600 hectares of vines and produces around 223 million litres of wine (which is nearly a third of the total wine production of Bordeaux). White wine produced under the Bordeaux Sec AOC is made mostly from Sauvignon blanc and Sémillon, with the addition of some Muscadelle, Colombard , Mauzac , Merlot blanc , Ondenc and Ugni blanc . It must contain no more than 4g/L of residual sugar. This appellation covers around 6500 hectares of vines and 38 million litres of wine. If it has more than 4g/L of residual sugar, then it may be labelled as Bordeaux Molleux AOC , but little wine

3652-516: The amount of time that the wines spends in contact with the skin. Often the wine is racked off the skins into oak wine barrels before fermentation is even completed. While this does mean that supplemental tannins might need to be added, this short maceration often leaves the wines with a smooth mouthfeel . The extensive use of oak is also a characteristic of Barossa Valley winemaking with American oak, with its more aggressive dill and coconut aroma notes , often used more than French oak. While

3735-414: The appellation including Chateau Bujan, Chateau Roc de Cambes, Chateau Nodoz, Chateau Fougas Maldoror, Chateau Falfas, Chateau Civrac, Chateau Tayac, Macay, Chateau Rousette, Chateau Haut Maco, Chateau Guiraud. Entre-deux-mers literally means between two seas. The term is both a geographical wine area within the Bordeaux region and also separately is a single appellation. Although both red and white wine

3818-567: The area between St. Julien and Margaux. This area is home to many Crus Bourgeois. Within the Central Medoc there are the appellations Listrac-Médoc and Moulis-en-Médoc. Within Moulis, some wines estates near the village of Grand Poujeaux have added that name to their labels. The Listrac appellation is located on a limestone based plateau and produced highly tannic wines that require a bit of aging before they soften. The Margaux appellation encompasses

3901-506: The birthplace of claret . In the Middle Ages , the wines that were first exported to England were produced in this area. Château Pape Clément , founded at the turn of the fourteenth century by the future Pope Clement V , was the first named chateaux in all of Bordeaux. In 1663, Samuel Pepys ' mention of Château Haut-Brion was the first recorded mention of French Claret in London. This area of

3984-441: The bunch with pickers going through the vineyards several times between September and November to ensure that the grapes are picked at their optimal points. The wine is then fermented in small oak barrels, further adding to the cost. Even with half bottles of the First Growths priced at several hundred dollars, these wines still have difficulties turning a profit and in the mid 20th century a string of bad vintages drove many growers in

4067-562: The center of the Barossa Valley wine industry for decades to come. When the focus on the Australian wine industry shifted in the mid-20th century to production of premium, non-fortified wines, the Barossa Valley was regarded as an "inferior" wine region compared to cooler climate regions such as Coonawarra and Padthaway . This was partly due to the extensive association that the Barossa Valley had with Shiraz, including vast old vines plantings that were several decades old. During this period Shiraz

4150-660: The city of Bordeaux and covering the whole area of the Gironde department of Aquitaine . The Bordeaux region is naturally divided by the Gironde Estuary into a Left Bank area which includes the Médoc and Graves and a Right Bank area which includes the Libournais, Bourg and Blaye . The Médoc is itself divided into Haut-Médoc (the upstream or southern portion) and Bas-Médoc (the downstream or northern portion, often referred to simply as "Médoc"). There are various sub-regions within

4233-519: The classed châteaux, according to the perceived quality. On the Left Bank, the Bordeaux Wine Official Classification of 1855 is the starting point for classification. Although this purports to be a classification of all Bordeaux wine, it in fact exclusively lists red wine producers from the Haut-Médoc plus Château Haut-Brion of Graves, and (in a separate list) sweet white wine producers from Sauternes (including Barsac). Estates in

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4316-453: The classical style. Semillon is one of the Cape's true heritage white varietals, with origins as early as the 17th century (when it became known as Groendruif which translates as Green grape), the grape variety accounted for more than 90% of plantings in the first half of the 19th century. While South African Semillon has not quite taken off as a serious commercial category in single varietal form in

4399-453: The colony. Nearly 500 families accepted the offer and settled in the Barossa Valley. After trying many types of agricultural crops, the settlers found the warm fertile valley to be ideally suited for viticulture . The early years of the Barossa Valley winemaking ushered in a long period of trial and error for while the settlers were skilled farmers, their previous homeland of Silesia had little to no winemaking tradition. The early focus of

4482-529: The commune of the same name. There are several villages around the region that share the Saint-Émilion name, such as Montagne-Saint-Émilion and St-Georges-Saint-Émilion , and are permitted to label their wines under the same name. The area is bordered to the west by Pomerol. Merlot is the dominant grape in this area, followed by Cabernet Franc. The climate and damper, cool soils of the area makes it difficult for Cabernet Sauvignon grapes to fully ripen and as such

4565-537: The cooler Eden Valley wine region than the Barossa Valley. This is permitted as the geographical indication of the Barossa zone also includes the Eden Valley wine region that borders the Barossa Valley wine region to the east and which has developed an international reputation for the quality of its Riesling. The plantings of Semillon in the Barossa Valley have evolved to develop its own unique pink-skinned clone that

4648-506: The distinctive style of Barossa Shiraz, a full bodied red wine with rich chocolate and spice notes. This led to a renaissance in the Barossa Valley which catapulted the region to the forefront of the Australian wine industry. Many of Australia's largest and most notable wineries are either headquartered or own extensive holdings in the Barossa Valley. These include such wineries as Penfolds , Peter Lehmann , Orlando Wines , Seppeltsfield , Wolf Blass and Yalumba . Many Shiraz vines in

4731-444: The entire department of Gironde. Any producer within the region is entitled to use these appellations, whether or not they are also entitled to use a more specific regional appellation. These appellations are: Bordeaux, Bordeaux Supérieur, Bordeaux Sec, Bordeaux Moelleux, Bordeaux Clairet, Crémant-de-Bordeaux, Bordeaux Rosé and Vin de Pays de l'Atlantique. Where these appellations are used for wines which would otherwise be entitled to use

4814-481: The first vineyards from the 2nd century AD, when the Romans planted the first “Vitis Biturica”. The appellation has a range of gravel, alluvium, clay and limestone soils. The wine from Côtes-de-Bourg is mostly red made from a combination of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec and Cabernet Franc grapes. There is only a small amount of white wine made from Ugni blanc and Colombard grapes. There are around 200 Chateaux producers in

4897-470: The grapes become ripe very easily with high levels of sugars and low levels of acids. Winemaking in the Barossa Valley often utilizes the process of acidification in order to add balance to the wine. The high alcohol levels from the fermented sugars may be offset by various winemaking practices including reverse osmosis and adding water to the must . Historically, winemakers in the Barossa Valley have utilized very short maceration periods that limit

4980-425: The growing season averages only around 6.3 inches (160mm), with average relative humidity around 39%, which means that viticultural irrigation is often used. The exception is many of the old vine vineyards on the slightly cooler western side of the valley which is often dry-farmed without irrigation. Most of the Barossa Valley makes extensive use of irrigation to supplement the region's low rainfall supply during

5063-425: The growing season. However, concerns about water supply in the late 20th and early 21st century led to the development of strict regulations on the numbers and locations of irrigation boreholes as well as the amount of water that can be used by vineyards. Some of the region's oldest vineyards, especially those on the slightly cooler west side of the valley, practice dryland farming . The increased water stress of

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5146-530: The largest plantings of this grape, although the number of acres planted with Sémillon fluctuates often. California growers plant Sémillon primarily to blend it with Sauvignon blanc. There are some wineries in the Washington State that have produced Sémillon as a varietal wine since the early 1980s; others actively produce Sémillon for Ice Wine and Late Harvest wines. At least one winery in Idaho grows and produces

5229-572: The likes of Iain Riggs at Brokenwood Wines and The Rothbury Estate. Sémillon is also finding favour with Australian producers outside the Hunter Valley in the Barossa Valley and Margaret River regions. The Adelaide Hills is becoming a flourishing region for Semillon, with the cooler climate producing some wines of great complexity. Vineyards such as Amadio and Paracombe produce some premium blends of

5312-407: The modern era, there are stunning wines being made from especially older vineyards (some of them centurions). More often, the variety plays a role in beefing up the volume of Sauvignon blancs. The best South African Semillons have juicy fruit with often an ethereal-like citrus perfume, fine texture, herbal interest and manage to marry the intensity of flavour with finesse. A red mutation of Semillon

5395-452: The most planted grape in the world, although this is no longer the case. In the 1950s, Chile 's vineyards were made up of over 75% Sémillon. Today, it accounts for just 1% of South African Cape vines. Sémillon, which is relatively easy to cultivate, consistently produces six to eight tons of grapes per acre from its vigorous vines. It is fairly resistant to disease, except for rot. The grape ripens early, when, in warmer climates, it acquires

5478-483: The mouth of the Gironde to St-Estèphe, and includes some 5800 hectares of vines, producing around 28.5 million litres of wine annually. Although the region does not have any classified growths, there are a number of Crus Bourgeois located in the soft clay soil of the Médoc. As Merlot favors the clay more than Cabernet Sauvignon, the wines from this region tend to resemble the right bank style of St.-Emilion more than other left bank wines. The southern or up-stream part

5561-471: The practice, coupled with the naturally reduced yields of old vines , tends to produce the most deeply concentrated grapes in the valley which often go into the Barossa Valley 's most expensive and sought after wines. Harvest usually begins in February and may be conducted in the cooler temperatures of night to help maintain acid levels . The generally hot climate of the Barossa Valley usually means that

5644-424: The prestigious Cabernet Sauvignon ) in the mid-20th century, the Barossa Valley fell out of favor due to its reputation for being largely a Syrah from producers whose grapes were destined for blending. During this period the name "Barossa Valley" rarely appeared on wine labels . In the 1980s, the emergence of several boutique families specializing in old vine Shiraz wines began to capture international attention for

5727-468: The red wine sold under the generic Bordeaux AOC or Bordeaux supérieur labels. Barossa Valley (wine) The Barossa Valley wine region is one of Australia 's oldest and most premier wine regions . Located in South Australia , the Barossa Valley is about 56 km (35 miles) northeast of the city of Adelaide . Unlike most of Australia whose wine industry was heavily influenced by

5810-476: The region on the front if all the grapes have been harvested in a specific region and the wine otherwise complies with the AOC requirements. There are about 50 AOCs applicable to the Bordeaux region. Both red and white Bordeaux wines are almost invariably blended. The permissible grape varieties in red Bordeaux are: Cabernet Sauvignon , Merlot , Cabernet Franc , Malbec and Petit Verdot . While wine making styles vary,

5893-497: The region out of business. The area of Libournais encompasses much of what is referred to as the Right Bank. Named for its historical capital, Libourne , this area sits on the right bank of the Dordogne river and expands west past the convergence of the Isle . Further west, after the Garonne and Dordogne rivers meet, the region of Bourg and Blaye is found the right bank of the Garonne. The expression Right Bank typically refers to wines from

5976-526: The relatively cooler Margaret River in Western Australia -though the Barossa Valley does have a wider diurnal temperature range . During the heat summation and mean temperatures during the October to April growing season , the region receives about 1710 growing degree days with mean average temperatures during the crucial ripening month of January being around 70 °F (21.4 °C). Rainfall during

6059-454: The result glaciers from the Ice Age which also left white quartz deposits that can still be found in the soil of some of the top wine making estates. While Château Haut-Brion was included in the 1855 classification of the Médoc, the Graves appellation itself was classified in 1953 for its red wine producers. White wine were included in an updated 1959 classification. The Graves is considered

6142-443: The same size as St.-Julien. The area overall has gravel-based soil that is typical of Bordeaux, with western and southern sections having more sandy soil while the northern and eastern sections toward St.-Émilion have more clay composition. The wines of Pomerol have a high composition of Merlot in their blends and are considered the gentlest and least tannic and acidic of Bordeaux wines. Cabernet Franc , known in this area as Bouchet

6225-551: The south-easterly exposure of most vineyards, helps to fully ripen the Cabernet Sauvignon vines in this area. St-Julien has the highest proportion of classified estates of all the regions in Bordeaux. These eleven classed growths account for nearly 80 percent of the entire region's wine production. Just to the west of St-Julien is the village of St-Laurent , with three further classed growths: Château La Tour Carnet , Château Belgrave and Château Camensac . This includes

6308-485: The unique heritage of the Barossa Valley and McLaren Vale. Premier Rann said: "Barossa and McLaren Vale food and wine are key icons of South Australia. We must never allow the Barossa or McLaren Vale to become suburbs of Adelaide." The Character Preservation (Barossa Valley) Act 2012 was subsequently passed by the South Australian Parliament. In December 1837 an expedition led Colonel William Light and

6391-588: The village of Margaux and the neighboring villages of Arsac , Labarde , Soussans and Cantenac . It is the most southerly of Médoc's appellations. This region has the thinnest soil in the region with the highest proportion of gravel that allows the soil to drain very well. The wines from this area are very susceptible to weather effects during the growing season and harvest. The area is home to more 21 classified growths, more than any other appellation, with numerous second and third growths as well as one first growth, Château Margaux . The area just south of Margaux

6474-410: The wine region of St-Julien has the smallest wine production of the four major regions in the Médoc. The region is divided into essentially two areas – the riverside estates around the village of St.Julien and the southern estates around the village of Beychevelle where the areas Cru Bourgeois are also grouped. The waters of the Gironde estuary have a warming influence on the climate which, coupled with

6557-463: Was Malbec. Among the four famous Left Bank communes, St-Estèphe is the northernmost region with the jalle du Breuil dividing it from Pauillac to the south. The soil of St-Estèphe is a heavy composite of clay washed ashore from the Gironde. This soil type drains slowly and gives St-Estèphe estates an advantage during dry summers. The wines produced here tend to have more acidity than other red Bordeaux and with less perfume. While Cabernet Sauvignon

6640-576: Was considered a very "common" variety that was not as fashionable as the prestigious Cabernet Sauvignon that was popular in the world's wine market. Most of the grapes produced in the Barossa Valley during this time was used as part of anonymous blends with the name "Barossa Valley" rarely appearing on wine labels. By the late 20th century, the reputation of the Barossa Valley started to change as several small boutique varieties began earning critical acclaim for their Barossa Valley wines. In particular, Barossa Shiraz became so well known internationally that it

6723-466: Was considered its own unique style of Syrah that was distinctive of the grape's expression in other regions like Côte-Rôtie , Châteauneuf-du-Pape and California . This style of big, full bodied Shiraz with rich, chocolate and spice notes became synonymous with not only the Barossa Valley but with Australian wine in general. In the words of Master of Wine Jancis Robinson , the Barossa Valley became " Australia's quintessential wine region ". In general

6806-587: Was directly influenced by the involvement of the British, the Barossa Valley was shaped by the influence of German settlers fleeing persecution from the Prussian province of Silesia. In 1841, the South Australian Company (under orders of one of its shareholders George Fife Angas ) chartered three ships to Silesia to offer refuge and land in the Barossa Valley to any settler willing to volunteer to help establish

6889-496: Was surveyed in 1839 by his assistant surveyor, William Jacob (1814–1902), as part of a wider survey of the Barossa region. Light chose the name in memory of the British victory over the French in the Battle of Barrosa , in which he fought in 1811. The name "Barossa" was registered in error, due to a clerical error in transcribing the name "Barrosa". While most of Australia's wine industry

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