Bordeaux Vineyard :
Vineyards
The Terroirs
The terroir is a particularly wonderful combination of one or more vine varieties, a specific microclimate and soil type, and what humans have learned to do with all of these elements. For example, Margaux wines are known for their subtle elegance in spite of their power because the blend of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon varieties achieves this result only in Margaux. The soil in Margaux has the ability to reduce the impact of Cabernet Sauvignon making it more subtle and delicate. In Margaux, the pine forest is farther away. But, above all, the men and women who cultivate vines in Margaux understand that in order to obtain the best results, vines must be planted and grown in a very specific way, which they learned over the centuries. As with fine cooking, all depends on the chef's skill and know-how.
The AOC Bordeaux Terroir has a regional dimension and includes Bordeaux's entire winegrowing area. The Bordeaux AOCs can differ one from
another according to the zone and blends. But they all have a trademark balance between elegance and power, which is the signature of this terroir.
The Médoc & Graves Terroir is composed of stoney and gravely soils; the wines from this territory are typically masculine and complex. The
Sweet White Wines Terroir, around Sauternes, exists thanks to precious mists caused by a very slight temperature difference that transforms
the Sémillion grape variety into gold. The Dry White Wines Terroir is the result of the happy meeting of Sauvignon with the clay-limestone
soils between Garonne and Dordogne. The wines here are joyful and fruity. The Côtes de Bordeaux Terroir, perched on the hillsides, produces
fruity, full-bodied wines that are exceptionally round. But the slopes impose different techniques than those used in Médoc.
The Saint-Emilion, Pomerol, Fronsac Terroir ensures that here, and nowhere else, Merlot produces sumptuous wines that are impossible to
imitate.
Source : CIVB www.bordeaux.com