The world’s first international exhibition was held in Paris in 1844 to glorify French industry, at the time among the most developed and advanced in the world. Britain, a world power, held a similar exhibition in London in 1851, and France held another one in 1855, this time devoted to agricultural products. Ahead of the exhibition, Emperor Napoleon III wanted to put the spotlight on French wines.
To do this, a “wine merchants’ council” (yes, such a thing exists) based in the port city of Bordeaux, France’s main wine export port, was asked to classify and rank French wines. In the mid-19th century, the world hardly recognized any wines other than those produced in southwest France, around the city of Bordeaux. The “1855 Classification” is the first document in history to rank any wines in an organized, reasoned, almost scientific way.
It is also the first list to give official recognition to the finest French wine estates, mainly the red wines of the Bordeaux region. Following this list, the French wine institute was later established, which regulated the laws, rules and names of the entire French wine world (a subject for another article entirely).
1,160,000 square kilometers… actually, 116,000 hectares, 57 AOC wines (the highest wine ranking), 80% red wines, 20% white wines, 9,820 wine producers, 590 million liters of wine, 55,000 industry workers and one Phylloxera epidemic: these are the numbers behind the wine industry of southwest France (the Gironde region).
The wine routes of Bordeaux
Wine was already being made here by the Romans in the 1st century BCE, and it was they who gave the name Médoc to one of the region’s most prestigious wine districts (from the Latin “In-Medio Aquae,” “amid the waters,” since the vineyard plots sit between the Gironde river and the Atlantic coast).
The French are somewhat embarrassed to admit that Bordeaux wine owes its worldwide fame to… the English. In the Middle Ages, a fairly light red wine dominated, known as “Rouge Bordeaux,” red wine shipped from the port of Bordeaux (for the medieval English, “red wine” simply meant “red wine.” They weren’t concerned with small details like Merlot, Cabernet, Syrah, or any other grape variety).
The English, who ruled over southern France (Aquitaine) for much of the Middle Ages, called this wine “Claret,” a corruption of the French word “Clairet,” which refers to a wine of light red (or deep rosé) color. The English loved this wine so much that merchants and producers, along with their families, migrated to southern France to grow and develop vineyards and take a hands-on role in producing and marketing wine for the English homeland (a phenomenon that repeated itself centuries later with Port wine in northern Portugal, along the Douro river, which is why English-sounding estate names can still be found today in both southern France and Portugal).
And yet, despite all the ancient and rich history of the wine and the region, it was only in December 2015 that the region’s tourism board announced “the Bordeaux Wine Route.” Actually, so as not to leave anyone out, six wine routes were announced at the same time, each covering a different area and district among the vineyard plots:
Médoc: Route des Châteaux
This is the most prestigious route, running along regional road D2 (Départementale), which winds almost parallel to the river and passes through the grandest wine estates, names that make any wine lover close their eyes and dream: Margaux, Lafite-Rothschild, Moulis, Saint-Julien, Saint-Estèphe, Mouton-Rothschild and others.
Here is a short video about the region for French speakers (if you don’t speak the language, you can still enjoy the scenery :)).
Sauternes: Route des Graves
This area lies south of the city of Bordeaux and is home to less famous estates, with the exception of Yquem, one of the most prestigious (and expensive) wines in the world, along with Brion, Lasalle, Cérons, Smith-Haut-Lafitte and others.
Here’s a video explaining the difference between Médoc wines and Sauternes wines:
Route des Bastides
This route winds east of Bordeaux, further inland. It’s also known as “Entre-Deux-Mers,” “between two seas,” since it lies between the two major rivers of southwest France, the Dordogne to the northeast and the Garonne to the southwest. The focus here is more on medieval structures: monasteries, châteaux and fortified churches (“bastide” refers to a town built on a grid plan, with straight, crossing streets, surrounded by walls and designed entirely for defense against invading enemies). The wines in this area are lighter and fresher, and they’re usually drunk young: Garonne wines don’t age well.
Here’s a charming video I found that shows you the magic of this area:
Saint-Émilion: the Middle Ages and vineyards
This small area is home to two towns whose names are known around the world: Saint-Émilion and Libourne. Both are picturesque, beautiful medieval towns surrounded by ancient, famous vineyards that produce some of the great wines of France: Pomerol, Fronsac, Pétrus.
Here’s a short video about the village of Saint-Émilion:
The Cognac Route (Route de Cognac)
Just as Champagne can only be produced in the Champagne region, the alcoholic beverage made exclusively in the district surrounding the town of Cognac is the only one allowed to carry that name, or as its producers and fans call it, “the liquor of the gods.” Everything else made through the same process is “merely” brandy. The region lies north of the city of Bordeaux and actually stretches from the town of Saintes all the way to Angoulême.
Cognac was invented in the 16th century, when someone had the idea of distilling wine a second time in order to raise its alcohol content. It’s made from white grapes, mostly the Ugni-Blanc variety, which are pressed and fermented for just five days. The raw wine is then distilled in a still made entirely of copper (any other material would impart unwanted flavors to the distilled liquid; an alembic still is a traditional pot-still used for boiling and distilling, pictured below).
The first distillation brings the wine to an alcohol concentration of 28 to 30 percent. After it cools, the liquid goes through a second distillation, reaching 60 to 70 percent alcohol. The finished spirit is then transferred to French oak barrels for an aging process, during which the cognac absorbs the golden color of the wood that it’s known for (purists add a touch of caramel to the barrel to deepen the hue).
Over roughly 10 years of aging, the spirit loses alcohol content, dropping to around 40 percent. When the “master of the cellars” (Maître de Chai, the title of the person in charge of the cellar, who blends the spirits) decides that the spirit has finished aging and reached its ideal age, the production process begins. Using water and older cognacs from previous years, the new cognac is blended in precise, carefully measured quantities until it reaches the desired flavor profile.
The final age of a cognac is determined by the youngest component in the blend. The legal minimum aging period for cognac is three years (set by law, to earn the first grade, V.S., Very Special). But between us, a true cognac lover, French or otherwise, won’t drink a three-year-old cognac. The real count only starts after six years, and the older, the better.
There are about 200 cognac producers in the region, and the big names here are Hennessy, Martell, Tesseron, Rémy Martin, Otard, Courvoisier and other famous houses, the kind that make every drinker’s heart skip a beat at the sight of that plump little glass with the short stem, holding a small pool of golden-orange liquid with a heavenly aroma.
The “Cognac Producers’ Association” created the winding route between the various producers and cellars, complete with tastings (careful, this isn’t a 12 percent wine!), back in 1996. The route runs between cellars and vineyards, with explanations of the production and especially the aging process, accompanied by tastings that let you clearly feel the difference between a three-year-old cognac and a twenty-year-old one.
Planning a trip along the Bordeaux wine route and the Cognac route
If everything you’ve just read has you itching to travel and explore the Bordeaux wine route or the Cognac route, I’d be more than happy to help you build the perfect trip tailored to your needs and interests. All you need to do is reach me by email at yossi.drory@gmail.com.
If you’d rather plan the trip yourself, here’s some practical information that can help:
Flying to Bordeaux
I’m happy to say that direct flights to Bordeaux have been available for several years now. That lets you pick up your car right at the airport and start exploring, or spend a few days in the city of Bordeaux itself before setting off on your trip.
So if you haven’t booked your flight yet, feel free to check out this article. There you’ll find a list of the best sites for booking flights to Bordeaux, which will help you find the cheapest and most convenient options.
Renting a car
You really can’t explore the small villages and vineyards here without a car, since buses in the area are rare and slow. I strongly recommend renting a car in the city of Bordeaux itself or right at the airport (if you’d rather not rent a car, keep reading, because I have another option for you). If you’ve decided to rent a car, check out the article renting a car in France, where you’ll find tips and sites that will help you rent a car at a very reasonable price.
Where to stay along the Bordeaux wine route
In my opinion, the best option is to stay in Bordeaux itself, since it’s a wonderful city where you can spend your evenings and go shopping. If you’ve decided to take my advice, I recommend reading the article where to stay in Bordeaux: recommended hotels and vacation rentals I’ve put together for you.
If you’d rather stay in one of the villages and towns along the wine route itself, you can stay in one of the following places:
Where to stay in Cognac
You can visit the Cognac route while staying in Bordeaux (it’s about an hour and a half drive from there), but if you’d rather take things slow and not spend hours driving, I recommend staying in Cognac itself. You can find hotels and apartments there through this link.
Guided tours along the wine route (and beyond)
If you’d rather skip the headache of renting a car and planning the trip yourself, you can base yourself in the city of Bordeaux and head out from there for a range of guided tours, both within the city and along the wine route. You’ll find all the information you need in the article what to do in Bordeaux: attractions, tours, wineries, châteaux, river cruises and more.
Related reading