The Bordeaux region is probably one of the most famous wine-growing areas in France and the world. The city of the same name is the capital of the Gironde department with the estuary of the same name in south-west France and is considered one of the most beautiful wine cities in the world. The Greek historian Strabo (63 BC - 28 AD) writes that he found no vineyards when he visited "Burdigala" around 20 AD. However, this is not attested by Pliny the Elder (23-79) a few decades later. This means that the Romans established viticulture here around 50 AD. Bordeaux belonged to England for 300 years (1154-1453) and during this time, viticulture experienced a significant boom due to the wine trade with England and Flanders. This led to the founding of large trading houses and the historically significant Bordeaux wine trade.
The graphic "Bordeaux and its wines" shows 4 famous wine estates classified as Premier Grand Cru Classé in 1855. These are Château Latour, Château Lafite-Rothschild, Château Margaux and Château d'Yquem.
System of origin
From the end of the 17th century, large-scale vine planting began in Bordeaux, particularly in the Médoc. The term "Fureur de planter" (planting fury) was coined for this. This laid the foundation for today's vineyards. Marquis Nicolas-Alexandre de Ségur (1697-1755) was one of the largest vineyard owners. In 1925, the professor of agriculture Joseph Capus (1867-1947) took decisive initiatives regarding the controlled origin system (see Appellation d'Origine Protégée) in France, which led to the founding of the INAO (Institut National des Appellations d'Origine). A term commonly used in the Middle Ages for the entire "Bordeaux hinterland" from Bordeaux upwards along the two rivers Garonne and Dordogne was Haut-Pays.
Bordeaux classification systems
Under the aegis of Emperor Napoleon III (1808-1873), the Universal Exhibition was held in Paris in 1855. The monarch commissioned the Bordeaux Chamber of Commerce to compile a list of the best Bordeaux wines. From a total of 4,000 châteaux, only 61 (60 from the Médoc, 1 from Graves) were deemed worthy. This famous 1855 Bordeaux classification still has great historical significance and promotional value. However, there are 5 other classifications in Bordeaux which, unlike the 1855 classification, are carried...
