Bordeaux Wines

Bordeaux is a region in France that is known to be the biggest wine producing centers in the world. Seven hundred million bottles of wine come from here every year - large quantities of everyday table wine and some of the world's fanciest wines. More than 75% of these Bordeaux wines are red wines, called clarets, and the rest are rose, white and sparkling wines. Bordeaux has 60 wine appellations and more than 8,500 producers.

Some Bordeaux wines are expensive wines because the bottles have spent decades in the cellar. The majority of these wines, however, are meant to be enjoyed with food while still young.

These wines are classified in to six families:

Semillon wines are identified by apricot and peach aromas. These wines are slightly oil, soft or waxy. They are highly influenced by noble rot and are ideal dessert wines.

Petit Verdot wines are known to come of age late. The grapes are tricky to grow and expand the workload of the harvest over a long period of time. When used as blends, these wines add color, perfume and tannin.

Malbec wines are composed of dark red richly flavored grapes. These wines add body and color to the blend.

Cabernet Franc wines have a touch of red fruit and are lighter bodied. These wines add a little youth and freshness.

Merlot wines are made of grapes easier to grow and mature. These wines have higher alcohol levels and yields. These make luscious and juicy wines and are often exemplified as "jammy" and suggestive of of damsons or plums.

Cabernet Sauvignon wines are deep red colored and strong tannic structured wine. The grapes that make these wines have larger pips and thicker skins. Their flavor takes longer to age but advances into black cherry and blackcurrant with impressions of mint, cigars and cedar wood.