Christ Karalekas
Grape Stomper
Posts:101
 | | 06/08/2003 4:09 PM |
| | WHAT DOES IT MEAN WHEN A CALIFORNIA RED IS DESCRIBED AS A BORDEAUX TYPE, BLEND OR VARIETY ??? | | | |
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Eric White
San Ramon, CA
Advanced Sommelier
Posts:9127
| | 06/08/2003 5:12 PM |
| | Simply that is made from the traditional Bordeaux grape varities, and most likely only the top three: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Cab. Franc. | | | |
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Budman
Master of Wine
Posts:11834
| | 06/08/2003 10:00 PM |
| Eric,
IIRC, the other 2 Bordeaux varietals are Petit Verdot and Malbec. | | | |
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ChangeMe
Master of Wine
Posts:11169
| | 06/09/2003 1:11 AM |
| | I also take it to mean that wine is not as forward as many CA Cabs. The fruit bomb that some CA Cabs possess is not common in the more austere wines of Bordeaux that take years to evolve. | | | |
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Bob Bressler
Napa Valley
Wine Lover
Posts:4809
| | 06/09/2003 4:26 AM |
| there is not much really good Malbec grown here, so usually it is the other 4 (and sometimes only an eyedropper of Petit Verdot).
Guess why Cain Five is called that. | | | |
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Budman
Master of Wine
Posts:11834
| | 06/09/2003 11:26 AM |
| I've only had 2 Cal malbecs as a varietal - Arrowood and Edgewood.
IIRC, I liked the Edgewood better. I prefer malbecs from Argentina (like Catena).
The only primarily Petit Verdot based wine I've ever heard of is Viader's 'V', which is normally around 50-55% petit verdot, with cabernet sauvignon and cabernet franc filling out the blend. | | | |
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ChangeMe
Barrel Filler
Posts:1210
| | 06/11/2003 11:35 PM |
| Quote:
there is not much really good Malbec grown here, so usually it is the other 4 (and sometimes only an eyedropper of Petit Verdot).
Guess why Cain Five is called that.
I understand the Cain Five... but the Cinq Cepages confuses me. | | | |
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David Niederauer
Los Gatos, CA
Master Sommelier
Posts:15711
| | 06/12/2003 3:46 AM |
| cinq = 5
cepages = grapes
I think... | | | |
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Budman
Master of Wine
Posts:11834
| | 06/12/2003 9:16 AM |
| I think it's a euphemism for the 5 classic bordeaux varieties that make up the Cinq Cepages blend.
Uh, davidn, you may have actually already said that.  | | | |
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Budman
Master of Wine
Posts:11834
| | 06/12/2003 9:18 AM |
| OK, my curiosity got me, so I checked the CSJ website.
They say it means 'Five Varieties', but I never took French, so ....  | | | |
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Wineaux
New Orleans, LA
Barrel Filler
Posts:1413
| | 06/12/2003 7:20 PM |
| | My Cassell's French English Dictionary translates a "cepage" as a "vine plant." An classic example of a loss in translation. Don't know about the rest of you, but I'd much rather drink a wine called Cinq Cepages than Five Vine Plants. | | | |
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ChangeMe
Barrel Filler
Posts:1210
| | 06/13/2003 11:21 PM |
| I am going to have to start using more graemlins to make sure people know when I am joking.    | | | |
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