When I was asked to choose my favourite wine region, it didn’t take me long! Despite having been on a world discovery tour of grape varieties and wine regions as I’m studying WSET3, my heart will always come back to Bordeaux!
We’ve always had Bordeaux wines at the table in my family. I basically started straight with medium to full bodied wines, matured in oak, with a long finish. Difficult to compete! When I think about it, it almost sounds like I had a 40 year old palate when in fact I was only 17! It certainly helped that I come from a family of foodies, with long hours spent at the table going from one delicious dish to the other! I think it is essential to say that with these powerful, concentrated and tannic wines, you do need to enjoy them with food.
The Bordeaux region is one of the most beautiful, historical and charismatic places I have visited. Starting with the main city of Bordeaux, you’d be amazed by the beauty of the architecture, the buzzing restaurants and bars that offer not only gastronomic cuisine but also simple and delicious food and wine from the region. Bordeaux is so wine-centred that they created ‘La Cité du Vin’, a wine museum hosting exhibitions, tastings, seminars around the topic; altogether in an iconic, architectural building.
As you start going away from the crowd and driving around the small towns and domains, you’ll enter a whole new world of satisfaction combined with the excitement of experiencing the world renowned Bordeaux blends (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Malbec). Head to the left bank where Cabernet Sauvignon is usually dominant amongst Medoc, Saint-Estephe, Pauillac, and Margaux wines, to name a few; or cruise to the right bank where Pomerol, Saint-Emilion, Côte de Blaye will amaze you with their Merlot dominant blends.
Personally, I fell in love with Saint-Emilion and its medieval village classified as World Heritage by Unesco. I remember wandering around the small, charming streets and being blown away by the beauty around me. The architecture, the peaceful atmosphere, the nature all around… everything was stunning. That’s also where I came across the most expensive wines I had ever seen such as Petrus, magnums of Angelus; and where I was so amazed by the passion, pride and enthusiasm of the shop owners, who were venerating these with strong dedication.
In addition to producing some of the most reputable reds of the world, the moderate maritime climate, the landscapes and soils diversity (clay, gravels, limestone, sand) allows the region to officially produce 13 grape varieties, which means you can also enjoy white blends of Sauvignon Blanc, Sémillon and rosés wines! Last but not least, noble rot thrives in Bordeaux and creates the most beautiful sweet wines in Sauternes and Barsac. From starter to dessert, you could spend an entire meal pairing Bordeaux wines with savoury and sweet food. See why I was spending so much time at the table when I was in France?
