|
French Wine Secrets |
|||
|
|
Introduction
The mysteries of French Bordeaux wines are nowadays open secrets, as
some 50 million years ago, the Aquitaine Basin was a huge tropical sea. Over
the past million years, the surging waters drained vast quantities of
sediment which gradually accumulated to form the soils and sub-soils of the
Medoc region, as well as the left bank of the Bordeaux. These soils consist of sand, gravel, clay, stones and pebbles,
normally regarded as “gravel, clay and limestone terroirs”,
ideally if not perfectly suited to wine-making. This is why French wines are
so unique and famous, as both the left bank and the right bank in Bordeaux
produce wines of distinctive character and exceptional quality. In
particular, the Medoc peninsula nestled between the Atlantic Ocean and the
Gironde estuary, benefits from a temperate climate favourable to wines. With
the regular sunshine and soft breezes coupled with relatively warm and humid
climate, the Medoc region is indeed a hidden treasure for crafting excellent
vintages. The great originality of Bordeaux wines lies in the fact that they are
all produced from a blend of several grape varieties. For example,
Cabernet-Sauvignon is the predominant variety in the Medoc region, but it
gives wines of remarkable finesse and complexity with an incomparable
cellaring potential. Merlot is fruity, fresh and mellow. Cabernet Franc
brings the richness of its bouquet and its brilliant colour. Petit Verdot
adds vivacity to Bordeaux wines. Mixing all these grapes together in the
right proportion and after their delicate fragrance, these 4 kinds of grapes
(i.e. Carbernet-Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot) help to
enliven the violet colour of the final blend. As a result of meticulous
blending, the best eight “First Growths Vineyards” (i.e.
Chateau Lafite Rothschild, Chateau Latour, Chateau Haut-Brion, Chateau
Margaux, Chateau Mouton Rothschild, Chateau Cheval Blanc, Chateau Ausone and
Petrus) are recognized, as they should be, as the best wine-producers in the
world. The Art of Tasting Wines
It is not exactly right to think that good wines can only be properly appreciated
if they are at least 10 or more years old. As a matter of fact, certain young French wines (3 to 4
years old) can reveal the full range of aromas and flavours of great wines. It is also a misconception to think
that there is an ideal moment to enjoy a Medoc wine such as Ch. Lafite
Rothschild. On every family
gathering, social function or special occasion under friendly or festive
atmosphere, one can enjoy and indeed treasure a glass of good French or
Bordeaux wine from one of the eight prestigious appellations. The Masters of Wine (Wine MBA holders)
would normally adopt the following techniques for wine-tasting : l
Good French wines
should not be served too warm.
They are best at 16℃
to 18℃ l
View or appreciate the
colour of the wine on the glass. French Bordeaux wines offer a wide palate of
red hues shot with violet or brown, and the colour may be darken if the wines
are aged. l
Breathe in the aromas
of flowers, fruit, bracken or spices which flatter the nose and blend
harmoniously together, to encompass all the senses. l
Roll the wine on the
palate to appreciate its body, the richness of the tannins, the harmony of
the aromas and the balance of its texture. After the 1st sip, the flavours will blossom and linger on
the taste buds in what is called the aromatic persistence. l
Early decanting or
opening a bottle is always important.
For young Bordeaux Wines, opening of the bottle 1 or 2 hours in
advance, or some times a little longer, will help the wine express and develop
all its aromas. The wines that
have been laid down to await their full maturity after 10 years, can be
decanted before serving (about 30 minutes in advance) so as to allow them to
air or breathe. Do not shake the
wine while decanting it so as to avoid pulling it out too suddenly from the
many long or beneficial years during which it was left to rest in slumber. l
Bordeaux wines are
suitable for many different cuisines or dishes, Chinese, European or Indian
etc. You may also use red or
white wine to make a good sauce for your food. Vintage Charts From the experience of the author, he has never known more than
several viticultural areas of the World to have a great vintage in the same
year, although wine advertisements do proclaim a particular year as a great
vintage year. The reason why the chances of a uniformly great vintage are
extremely remote is because of the significantly different microclimates,
soils, rainfalls, sunlight and the temperature etc. in every wine-producing
region or area. The 1855 classification in wines was complied by the brokers of
Bordeaux at the request of the Bordeaux Chamber of Commerce as an aid to the
presentation of the region’s best wines at the Paris Exposition of
1855 and was a powerful PR tool for Bordeaux wines as a whole. The “First
Growths” referred originally to the 1855 classification and were Chateau
Lafite Rothschild, Chateau Latour, Chateau Margaux and Chateau Haut-Brion. It
was not until the year 1973 that the French Government had permitted Chateau
Mouton Rothschild to become the 5th “First Growths”
Vineyard. Over the past 33 years from 1973 to 2006, 3 more vineyards in
France were added to the best eight “First Growths”
Vineyards. They are as follows:- 1.
Chateau Lafite
Rothschild 2.
Chateau Latour 3.
Chateau Haut-Brion 4.
Chateau Margaux 5.
Chateau Mouton
Rothschild 6.
Chateau Cheval Blanc 7.
Chateau Ausone 8.
Petrus From the map and photos shown below, you can see the locations of these eight great vineyards in France and the labels/bottles of their products.
How to buy wines Unless you go to a reliable wine merchant to buy your wines, you must
make sure that the wines are in healthy condition and are unspoiled. Very briefly, you should look at the bottle of wine when you are about
to buy, as wine abuse is usually revealed by the condition of the bottle in
your hand. However, the
following precautions should be taken whenever necessary :- 1.
If the cork has popped
above the rim of the bottle and is pushed out on the lead or plastic capsule
which covers the top of the bottle, ask for another bottle to buy; 2.
A bottle of wine which has
been frozen in transit or storage will likewise push the cork out and
therefore, any cork that is protruding above the rim of the bottle is a bad
sign; 3.
A small deposit of
sediment at the bottom of the bottle is a healthy sign, which will indicate
that the wine has been naturally made and has not been subjected to a
traumatic flavor and character- eviscerating filtration; 4.
A small crystals called
tartrate precipitates found at the bottom of the bottle, particularly on
white wines, will not be harmful to the wine, as it means that the wine was
exposed to temperatures below 40℉ in shipment but it has not been subjected
by the winery to any treatment for cosmetic purposes. How to store wines Most of the wine enthusiasts would know that subterranean wine cellars
which are vibration free, dark, damp and kept at a constant 55℉℉ (or
12.78℃) are considered perfect for the wines. However, many other wines will thrive and develop well
under other circumstances. In cellaring wine, the following rules should be kept in mind
:- 1.
If the wine is to be
kept safely for 10 years or more, keep them around 65℉ (18.33℃), or at most around 68℉ (20℃), but no higher. If the temperature rises to 70℉(21.11℃), the same should be consumed within 10
years; 2.
Do not store white
wines more than 1 to 2 years at temperatures above 70℉(22.11℃); 3.
Most wines kept at the
temperatures above 65℉
(18.33℃)
will age faster; 4.
If the temperature
falls below 55℉
(12.78℃),
the wines will grow very slowly and if you intend to sell or to drink such
wines within 10 years, you should not set such temperature in your cellar,
otherwise your sons and daughters will be enjoying them. The humidity level above 50% is
important and the wines should be kept at 70% to 75% humidity level, if
possible; 5.
A humidity level below
40% will keep the labels in great shape but will cause the corks to become
very dry and will shorten the potential life expectancy of the wine. Conclusion The growers, out in their vineyards everyday, optimize the
gifts of nature with hidden treasures under the ground, attentively heed
their land and know how to glean the very best of what they have to offer and
with the constant and infinite care, rigour and passion, they transform the
bunches of purely organic grapes into a divine elixir, striving to reach
excellent, if not perfect, tasting balance. Then, they leave their wines to
mature slowly in oak barrels, knowing that the passage of time will bring out
all the aromas with the most enticing flavours, as well as the most
appreciated and needed French wines from all over the World. By Dr. George Y.C. Mok, PhD MBA CCMI |
||
|
|
_______________________________________________________ |
||
|
|
|
|
|
