Bordeaux - The Growing environment & Grape Growing - Climate
5 important questions on Bordeaux - The Growing environment & Grape Growing - Climate
What influences the climate of Bordeaux (name 6)
- Cooling Atlantic Ocean in the west
- Best years: gentle heat, sufficient rainfall and fine warm autumn give steady and complete ripening -> balance in tannins, sugars and acidity.
- The Les Landes pine forest protects the Left Bank from Atlantic storms.
- The moderating influence of the Gironde river (protecting vines from frost in the most prestigious Médoc vineyards).
- Moderate rainfall (950 mm/y)
- Climate change; hot dry summers, insufficient rainfall
Which and why are the cooler areas in Bordeaux
- Northern Medoc: less forest to protect from the Atlantic Ocean, more open
- Right bank, e.g. Libournes (St. Emilion, Pomerol), are more inland
What can influence vintage variation (in Bordeaux)?
- frost
- hail
- excessive rain at key moments
- climate change: hot year (2003)
- low acidity
- lack of balance
- more alcoholic
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What is the geographic location of Bordeaux?
- Bordeaux lies in the southwest of France
- The Atlantic Ocean in the west
- It is traversed by the rivers Dordogne and Garonne which merge to form the river Gironde
- The left bank are the vineyards to the west of the Garonne and Gironde
- The right bank are the vineyards to the east of the Dordogne and Gironde
- Entre-Deux-Mers lies between the Dordogne and Garonne
What are the challenges of the climate in Bordeaux?
- Variable levels of grape ripeness
- Fungal disease (from cloud cover, rain).
- High rainfall can disrupt flowering/fruit set, promotes rot, dilutes grape flavors at harvest.
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