1955 The U K B G Guide to Drinks (2nd edition revised)

BORDEAUX

Whilst Champagne is known as the King of Wines, this must not detract from the fact tliat the wines of Bordeaux are equally as famous, and are probably considered the best natural \vines in the world. They come from the department of Gironde in France, close to and surrounding the town of Bordeaux. The whole of the area lies upon the rivers Garonne, Dordogne and Gironde, and can be divided into

1. Medoc

4. Entre deux Mers

2. Graves

5. Cotes

3. Sauternes

6. Palus

Another area known as St. Emilion is sometimes classed separately but really belongs to the Cotes.

History Wines have been exported from Bordeaux ever since the 4th Century A.D. As far as this country is concerned, however, it is from the 12th century that the wines of Bordeaux achieved prominence. In this century, Eleanor, daughter of the Duke of Aqiiitaine, who was a wealthy landowner, married Henri Plantagenet, then Duke of Anjou,in 1152. In 1153, he became King of England (Henry II) and the couple had two sons, Richard Coeur de Lion and John. Both of these sons became Kings of England in their turn and the owners of quite a large part of France. Thus it was thatfor a period ofroughly300 years the wines of Bordeaux were consumed in England and have held their own ever since. MfiDOC This area lies on the left bank of the River Gironde to the N.W. of Bordeaux. It is fairly flat land of a sandy and pebbly nature, with a subsoil of a ferruginous nature. The wines are produced from the red grapes of the Malbec, Verdot, Merlot, Cabernet and Cabemet-Malbec varieties. The better varieties of wine come from the Haut Medoc 173