BORDEAUX Bordeaux is in the southwest of France surrounding the Gironde River estuary. It produces mainly red wines and sweet whites, with fewer bottles of dry whites, roses and sparkling wines. Winemaking came to Bordeaux with the Romans and has been practiced continuously ever since. It’ s an excellent climate for viticulture, close to the Atlantic Ocean and fed by several rivers, including the Garonne and the Dordogne. Its soil is sandy stone, gravel and clay, with some of the best estates situated along the Gironde River.
BURGUNDY
Burgundy and Bordeaux are both titans of French wine regions that produce world-class wines. But there are differences between vintages from these areas.
BORDEAUX Bordeaux is in the southwest of France surrounding the Gironde River estuary. It produces mainly red wines and sweet whites, with fewer bottles of dry whites, roses and sparkling wines. Winemaking came to Bordeaux with the Romans and has been practiced continuously ever since. It’ s an excellent climate for viticulture, close to the Atlantic Ocean and fed by several rivers, including the Garonne and the Dordogne. Its soil is sandy stone, gravel and clay, with some of the best estates situated along the Gironde River.
Bordeaux red grapes include cabernet sauvignon, merlot, malbec, cabernet franc, carmenere and chateau clerc milon. These are usually blended into the“ Bordeaux blend,” cabernet sauvignon with smaller amounts of cabernet franc and merlot. Among the whites, semillon, sauvignon blanc and muscadelle combine for a sweet Sauternes wine.
Top Bordeaux bottles: Chateau Pichon Baron, 2nd Grand Cru, Pauillac, 2016; Chateau Lafite-Rothschild, Pauillac, 2015; Chateau Couhins-Lurton, Graves Cru Classe, 2012; Chateau La Tour Blanche, 2013; Chateau Cheval Blanc, 2014; Chateau Trotanoy, 2015.
BURGUNDY
Land-locked Burgundy is in the east of France in and around the valleys of the Saone, a tributary of the Rhone River. The red wines made there are commonly referred to as Burgundies, dry red wines made from pinot noir. White wines common to Burgundy are made from chardonnay grapes and include Chablis. A few roses and sparkling wines are produced there.
The Celts in the region may have been growing wine grapes but viticulture certainly came with the Romans in the second century. Much attention is paid to the terroir of Burgundy wines with classifications focused on geography. Some of the most expensive wines in the world come from Burgundy, including Domaine Leroy and Domaine Leflaive.
Top Burgundy bottles: Louis Latour Château Corton- Grancey Grand Cru 2022; Frédéric Esmonin Bourgogne Hautes-Côtes de Beaune Rouge 2023; Simonnet-Febvre Chablis Montée de Tonnerre Premier Cru 2022; Domaine Roux Père & Fils Rully Les Agnières 2022.
July-August 2026 SEKY- Southeast Kentucky Life • 31