Fogok írni a Château Margaux boroscimkéiről, mert nagyon érdekesek, de előtte a Bordeaux borok rendszeréről. Az információ a www.bordeauxtrader.com-ról származik. Akit nem érdekel, természetesen ne lépjen tovább!

The region of Bordeaux, France is the largest region of wine growing in the world and by far where some of my favorite wines are from. Bordeaux is made up of five main areas - Medoc, St. Emilion, Pomerol, Graves, and Sauternes. The region of Bordeaux is best known for their reds ("Clarets"), but they also produce some awesome white wines as well. Graves creates dry whites using Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon grapes.

When most people here "Bordeaux wine", they have no idea what kind of wine it is. It is very simple; it typically is the classic red blend of 2 or 3 grapes.  Red Bordeaux’s are created with Cabernet Sauvignon, often blended with Cabernet Franc and Merlot. The color tends to be a garnet/ruby shade. The flavor is typically a light one, with blackberry, black fruits, wood, and other notes. Classic Bordeaux is said to have a "cigar box" aroma to it. Bordeaux is one of the most beautiful places I have visited, and by far has some of the best wine on earth. My favorite Chateaus were Pichon, Beychevelle, Latour, Margaux, Lafite, and Angelus. It was a tuff 10 days we visited 23 Chateaus. While visiting 4-5 wineries per day I had the opportunity to spend my nights at Chateau Bernadotte, which is owned by Chateau Pichon-Lalande. The food was amazing and it was an experience that I will never forget. 

There are many levels of quality of wine grown in Bordeaux, so for the 1855 Exposition Universelle de Paris (sort of like a World Fair) Napoléon III asked a panel to break the region's wines down by price (therefore, hopefully, quality as well). These classifications of 1855 were never meant to be an official quality roster.

The classifications were grouped by region within Bordeaux, and remain mostly unchanged even today.

Bordeaux is divided by the Gironde River and Garonne River. To the west, or "left bank", contains the capital city of Bordeaux. The Left Bank is the more well known of the two banks. It contains Medoc, Graves, Margaux, Pauillac, and Pessac-Léognan.

To the east, or "right bank", is Pomerol and St-Émilion.

FIRST GROWTHS

Château Lafite-Rothschild Pauillac
Château Margaux (Margaux)
Château Latour (Pauillac)
Château Haut-Brion Pessac-Lèognan (Graves)
Château Mouton-Rothschild Pauillac

SECOND GROWTHS

Château Rausan-Sègla Margaux 
Château Rauzan-Gassies Margaux 
Château Lèoville-Las Cases St.-Julien 
Château Lèoville-Poyferré St.-Julien 
Château Lèoville-Barton St.-Julien 
Château Durfort-Vivens Margaux 
Château Gruaud-Larose St.-Julien 
Château Lascombes Margaux 
Château Brane-Cantenac Cantenac 
Château Pichon-Longueville Baron Pauillac 
Château Pichon-Longueville-Comtesse-de-Lalande Pauillac 
Château Ducru-Beaucaillou St.-Julien 
Château Cos-d'Estournel St.-Estèphe 
Château Montrose St.-Estèphe

THIRD GROWTHS

Château Kirwan Cantenac 
Château d'Issan Cantenac 
Château Lagrange St.-Julien 
Château Langoa Barton St.-Julien 
Château Giscours Labarde 
Château Malescot-St.-Exupèry Margaux 
Château Cantenac-Brown Cantenac 
Château Boyd-Cantenac Cantenac 
Château Palmer Cantenac 
Château La Lagune Ludon 
Château Desmirail Margaux 
Château Calon-Sègur St.-Estèphe 
Château Ferrière Margaux 
Château Marquis d'Alesme-Becker Margaux

FOURTH GROWTHS

Château St.-Pièrre St.-Julien 
Château Talbot St.-Julien 
Château Branaire-Ducru St.-Julien 
Château Duhart-Milon Pauillac 
Château Pouget Cantenac 
Château La Tour-Carnet St.-Laurent 
Château Lafon Rochet St.-Estèphe 
Château Beychevelle St.-Julien 
Château Prieurè-Lichine Cantenac 
Château Marquis-de-Terme Margaux

FIFTH GROWTHS

Château Pontet-Canet Pauillac 
Château Batailley Pauillac 
Château Haut-Batailley Pauillac 
Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste Pauillac 
Château Grand-Puy-Ducasse Pauillac 
Château Lynch-Bages Pauillac 
Château Lynch-Moussas Pauillac 
Château Dauzac Labarde 
Château d'Armailhacq, Pauillac
(was Château Mouton-Baron-Philippe from 1956 to 1988)
Château du Tertre Arsac 
Château Haut-Bages-Libèral Pauillac 
Château Pèdesclaux Pauillac 
Château Belgrave St.-Laurent 
Château de Camensac St.-Laurent 
Château Cos-Labory St.-Estèphe 
Château Clerc-Milon Pauillac 
Château Croizet-Bages Pauillac 
Château Cantemerle Macau