Bordeaux

Just a bit of Bordeaux Wine 101: While the region makes both reds and whites, the name Bordeaux is primarily associated with the red wine blend, which is always made from Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot (the proportion of each depending on the winery that made the wine). The Gironde estuary cuts through the center of the region creating two banks: a left bank and a right bank. On the Left Bank, the blend created will usually have more Cabernet Sauvignon than Merlot. Whereas on the Right Bank of the river, the wine will have more Merlot in the blend than Cabernet Sauvignon. To generalize:

Left Bank blends tend to be higher in tannins, alcohol and acidity. They are powerful, rich wines that are said to age a bit better than wines from the Right Bank. This is also the bank that made the region famous.

Right bank blends tend to be softer, less tannic and lower in alcohol and acidity. Because Merlot is the dominant grape, they are much more juicy and usually ready to be drunk much earlier than Left Bank Bordeauxs, and they’re often less expensive.

In addition to using Cabernet and Merlot, winemakers may also blend in wines such as Petit Verdot, Malbec and Cabernet Franc, but all a winemaker actually needs to make a Bordeaux blend is Merlot and Cabernet.