Since I’ve just read this fascinating book, I’ve decided to post my very first book review. Wine and War is the compelling tale of how French people protected their wine from the Nazis during the World War II occupation. I was a history major in college, specializing in modern German history, so it’s pretty […]
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Garage wines are a new movement in French wines. They involve very small production amounts, usually from the right bank area. The winemaker takes exquisite care in every step of the process, with almost no consideration for the cost involved. They are usually made with predominently Merlot in the blend, and are aged in new […]
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Because the 1855 classification only included a small number of wineries, in 1939 the Cru Bourgeois system was introduced. It includes over 200 properties and is divided between 9 Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnel, 87 Cru Bourgeois Supérieur, and 151 Cru Bourgeois. The system was updated to include new wines in 1978, and again in 2003. The […]
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Hey folks,
If you’ve been following this blog closely, as I know so many of you have, you may have noticed I haven’t written anything new in a while. That’s because I realized the scope of my project was far too large to finish it in time to take the test I was preparing for. I […]
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Bordeaux is located at 45° latitude, which is fairly far north for wine growing. During the ripening season, the grapes receive a great deal of sunshine. The relatively cold climate is moderated somewhat by the maritime climate. Because of this, frost is normally not an issue. The area is also prone to high humidity due […]
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White wine requires a bit more care than red wine, because there is a higher risk of oxidation, which would ruin the wine. Grapes are usually pressed right away when they arrive at the winery, and will usually receive a few hours of skin contact to draw the fruit flavors from the skins. Fermenation for […]
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Noble Rot is a form of the botrytis cinerea fungus that can form some of the greatest sweet dessert wines in the world. For this to happen, the exact right conditions must develop, and there are only a few places in the world where this happens, most notably in Bourdeaux (Sauternes) and Germany. It requires […]
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Welcome to my first blog! I’m going to do my best to do some studying every day (at least Monday-Friday) so you should be able to check in regularly to read the next lesson. If you’re wondering what this is all about, you should read this. Forgive me the boring look of the site for […]
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