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Bordeax blend:
The great majority of both red and white wines produced around Bordeaux consisit of a blend of more than one grape variety. For whites, blend is classically Sauvignon with Sémillon. For reds Merlot is blended with Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon, sometimes with small quantities of Petit Verdot and Malbec. Producers in many other parts of the world, taking top Bordeaux wines as their model, blend together these same varieties grown under their own different climatic conditions. A blend can give greater flavour complexity than a single variety.
Cabernet Franc: Chateau Lieumenant - Rosé
This is the main quality red grape of the Loire valley. As well as famous reds such as Chinon, St-Nicolas de Bourgeuil, Bourgeuil and Saumur Champigny, it makes other good reds (and rosés) such as Cabernet d'Anjou. The best have rasberry flavour and chocolaty depth, many have a herbaceous edge, especially in cooler years. Cabernet Franc is also an important element in the fine wines of St-Emilion, and Bordeaux blends elsewhere.
Cabernet Sauvignon: Chateau Lieumenant - Red, Chateau Lieumenant - Rosé
The king of red grapes needs no introduction. Having won its spurs on the Left Bank of the Gironde, where it forms the base of Bordeaux’ Grands Crus Classés, it is now found throughout the world, winning success after success. Cabernet Sauvignon is intensely fruity, often with an aroma and flavour of very ripe blackcurrants. Though it can taste grassy or green-peppery in cool climates, hot climates can bring out mint, eucalyptus, tar, plum, raisin, and yet more blackcurrants. It is potentially tannic, but can be made in a soft style, and it has good acidity. It can age exceptionally well. Cabernet Sauvignon is often blended, as in Bordeaux, with Merlot and Cabernet Franc.
Merlot: Chateau Lieumenant - Rosé, Chateau Lieumenant - Red
One of the star red grape varieties of modern times. It probably originated in Bordeaux and is the grape of most of the greatest Pomerols and Saint-Emilions. It is very widely grown in all the regions of Bordeaux, and is found on all five continents. And no wonder! This is a most seductive grape, with its rich, honeyed, plummy, raisiny fruit and deliciously soft, easy-drinking texture. In cooler climates and vintages, Merlot can have a grassy edge. It is often blended with Cabernet.
Sauvignon: Chateau Lieumenant - Sauvignon Blanc
Strongly aromatic white grape with refreshing acidity, famous for Sancerre and Pouilly Fumé. Its flavours range from grass, asparagus and gooseberry to tropical fruits (the latter in warmer climates, or when grapes on the vine are well exposed to the sun ). New Zealand makes very successful examples, full of fruit and aroma. Sauvignon tends to be softer and more gently aromatic in Bordeaux, Chile, South Africa, Australia, California and elsewhere. Best drunk young.
Sémillon: Chateau Lieumenant - Sauvignon Blanc
This major white grape of Bordeaux makes some of Australia’s finest wines. Made dry in Bordeaux it is fat and honeyed, often perked up by blending with the tangier Sauvignon. In Australia, its intense, greengage fruit can age well. When affected by noble rot, Sémillon can turn into wonderful, honeyed sweet wine, with complex flavours of apricot, pineapple and tropical fruits. The most famous are Sauternes and Barsac. Sweet Sémillon from Australia can be excellent value.
Muscat: Muscat de Beaumes de Venise
A family of several related grape varieties, some red, some white, all sharing a similar flowery-grapy aromatic character – think of Muscat table grapes. Dry ones are made in Alsace, the Alto Adige and elsewhere, but most are made sweet and fortified, the most famous being Muscat de Beaumes-de-Venise, Muscat de Frontignan, Moscatel de Valencia, Moscatel de Setúbal and Australian Liqueur Muscats. They make lovely dessert wines.
Champagne grapes:
Champagne boasts three grape varieties, and single-variety Champagnes are very much in the minority. In most Champagnes, Pinot Meunier contributes immediate fruitiness; Chardonnay gives finesse, longevity and flavours ranging from citrus to the very strong toasty flavours of maturity; and Pinot Noir adds an appley fruitiness initially, and ages well towards red fruit flavours. The colour of rosé Champagnes has to come from Pinot Noir.
Chardonnay: Champagne, Chardonnay
This world-famous white grape has spread right across the world from its original home in Burgundy. It makes the most famous dry white wines in the world, culminating in le Montrachet. Chardonnays range from simple, lemony, appley quaffing wines to rich, opulent beauties with flavours of honey, hazelnut, toast, butter, pineapple… Some, such as fine white Burgundies, age extremely well. Chardonnay is one of the three Champagne grapes, and sole producer of Champagne Blanc de Blancs.
Pinot Meunier: Champagne
A close relation of the Pinot Noir, this red grape is one of the Champagne trio. It makes white wine, since the juice is run quickly off the coloured skins. Very occasionally it is vinified on its own in the Marne Valley, where it can make very full-bodied Champagnes not without finesse.
Pinot Noir: Champagne
The grape of the great red Burgundies, Pinot Noir probably originated in Burgundy. It ripens early, producing ruby-coloured wines with delicious savoury and raspberry aromas, with firm tannins and fine acidity, developing exceptional aromas of game as they age. Pinot Noir is an important Champagne variety, indispensable for rosé and blanc de noirs Champagnes. Outside France, wine producers are beginning to master the Pinot Noir in New Zealand, Germany, the USA and Australia.
Gamay: Beaujolais
This is the sole red grape variety of Beaujolais, also much grown in Anjou, Touraine and the Ardèche. It makes extremely fruity, easy-drinking reds, often light, low in tannin, with a pastelly, cherry-like flavour. In the top ten Beaujolais villages, the crus (Fleurie, St-Amour etc), it makes rather fuller, richer wines.
Rhône grapes:
In the appellations of the Southern Rhône and right along the Mediterranean coast, blends of different varieties are the general rule. (There are, of course, plenty of single-variety vins de pays.) Reds contain varying proportions of Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre, Carignan and Cinsault, while whites are made of Blanquette, Grenache Blanc, Bourboulenc, Marsanne and Roussanne. These powerful, spicy combinations have been emulated all over the world.
Grenache: La Cuvée des Torques, Chateau Redortier, Notre Dame d'Aubune, Terrior du Trias
Most widely planted red grape in the world, Grenache rules in Spain (as Garnacha) and in the Languedoc. It produces warm, high-alcohol reds, always soft and low in tannin, strawberry-scented, peppery and spicy. It forms the basis of most Châteauneuf-du-Pape, and achieves its greatest glory in the huge, intense reds of Priorato in Catalonia. Its colour evolves quickly, but the best and most concentrated, from old vines, can mature for years.
Syrah/Shiraz: La Cuvée des Torques, Chateau Redortier, Notre Dame d'Aubune, Terrior du Trias
One of the world’s greatest grape varieties, Syrah originates from the Northern part of France’s Rhone Valley. Wines made from Syrah are rich red in colour with low acidity and supple yet intense tannins plus a spicy bouquet and strong fruity flavour. Syrah has met with great success around the Mediterranean and is very popular in Australia where it is known as Shiraz.
Cinsault: La Cuvée des Torques
Cinsaut or Cinsault is a red Mediterranean variety used frequently in rosé wines. It produces wines that are either supple or full-bodied with a nose dominated by almonds and is a component of many Mediterranean and Rhone Valley wines. When produced in low yields, the wine is surprisingly savoury.
Mourvédre: La Cuvée des Torques
This red variety (possibly the same as the Spanish Monastrell) is a sun-seeker. At its best in Bandol in the South of France, the Mourvèdre makes deep red, firmly structured wines that become finer as they age, taking on flavours of cooked meat and game. Given several years’ maturity, it can be impressive. It is widely planted in the Languedoc. In Australia it is known as Mataro, and is usually blended with other varieties.
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