The French Bordeaux wine region is the second largest wine growing area in the world. There is more vineyard land planted in Bordeaux than in all of Germany and ten times the amount planted in New Zealand. The major reason for the success of winemaking in the Bordeaux wine region is the excellent environment for growing vines. The bedrock of the Bordeaux wine region is limestone, leading to a soil structure that is heavy in calcium. The Bordeaux wine region is irrigated by the Gironde estuary along with its tributaries, the Garonne and the Dordogne rivers. The Bordeaux wine region's best vineyards are located on the well drained gravel soils that are frequently found near the Gironde river. An old adage in the Bordeaux wine region is that the best Bordeaux vineyards can "see the river" from their vineyard.

 

Bordeaux wine region - Climate and geography

The Bordeaux vineyards are heavily influenced by the Atlantic Climate. Weather in the Bordeaux wine region is relatively unstable and sudden changes in weather can delay or severely damage the harvest. In Bordeaux, hand picking of the grapes is common with the more prestigeoux chateaux. This helps secure a maximum quality of the harvest. But the sheer size of Bordeaux vineyards and the flat terrain, makes mechanical harvesting more prevalent.

If you are interested in purchasing wine on line, especially our selection of fine Bordeaux wines, please visit our online store Bordeaux wine on line

 

 

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