Serve the best of Bordeaux this summer

Situated on the banks of the Garonne and Gironde in South West France, Bordeaux is home to 108,000 hectares of vines, producing high-quality wines of all colours that are waiting to be explored. Best-known for its reds, Bordeaux has also a long tradition of producing refreshing white wines, mostly made with Sauvignon Blanc grapes.

Bordeaux Rosé and sparkling Crémants are also increasingly making their mark with a new generation of winemakers, whose enthusiasm and energy combined with traditional skills and expertise, bring a new dimension to Bordeaux. It’s time to introduce your customers to the best of modern Bordeaux and all that comes with it, and what better way to show off its great value and versatility than by offering Bordeaux by the glass.

Crisp dry whites​

Bordeaux’s dry whites​​ reflect the nature of their terroirs. Benefiting from the freshness of the Atlantic Ocean and strong westerly winds, they offer unique characteristics with their liveliness and natural fruitiness. The 12 AOCs are planted on a wide variety of Bordeaux soils, resulting in an exceptional range of styles. Dry whites can be lively and fruity, in particular those from the Entre-Deux-Mers, Bordeaux and Blaye Côtes de Bordeaux AOCs, or they can be structured and generous, in particular those from the Graves or Pessac-Léognan AOCs. Dry whites pair well with ingredients including oysters with their characteristic salty, iodised taste of the sea, demand vivacious white wines, like the white wines from the Bordeaux appellation, while the fat in fish carpaccios and tartares requires a white wine with good acidity, like an Entre-Deux-Mers. When it comes to charcuterie, white wines are often overlooked, but wrongly so, as they can be an excellent match without being too overpowering. 

Fruity and lively rosés​

Produced on land refreshed by the Atlantic Ocean, Bordeaux rosés have characteristics that are unique in France. Notes of red berries and a light aroma of boiled sweets, a crystal-clear pale pink colour, mouth-feel, fruit and freshness on the palate: Bordeaux rosé is a favourite turn when the weather is fine. In addition, it goes perfectly with all gourmet-inspired dishes. Light, lively, fruity and elegant. Like most Bordeaux wines, rosés result from blending grape varieties and plots. Bordeaux grape varieties are as different as they are complementary, and blending them gives wines of great aromatic richness. Discover too the Bordeaux Clairet, an original wine pairing for grilled fish. This wine is refreshing, like a rosé, and slightly tannic, like a red. This is also a great accompaniment for pizza. It may surprise you, but rosés actually pair really well with chicken curry. These wines have the acidity and lively young fruit flavours to cut through the richness of the coconut milk in this dish, yet are not tannic, making them the classic choice to stand up to the spices.

Taste a little sparkling of Bordeaux​​

Although the Crémant appellation is one of the youngest in Bordeaux,​​ the production of sparkling wines in the region is a century-old tradition. This treasure, produced throughout the vineyard region, has met with record success in recent years. With its delicate bubbles Crémant de Bordeaux is full of freshness and a perfect and simple match for any celebration. White Crémant de Bordeaux, has fine bubbles and aromas of citrus fruit and white flowers, while Crémant de Bordeaux Rosé has lively bubbles with notes of red fruit. Refreshing, light and delicate, Crémant de Bordeaux is perfect for whiling away the afternoon on the terrace or invigorating your evening by topping off your meal. Pair with a strawberry parfait with pistachio coulis or lemon tart with blackberries. Crémant de Bordeaux is also a great pairing for charcuterie, cured meats, pork belly, canapes and nibbles.

The evolution of Bordeaux reds​

Bordeaux’s new reds are challenging some of the region’s oldest preconceptions. Fresh and fruit-forward, today’s reds combine historic varieties, unexpected blends and modern practices, to offer younger drinking, single varieties or vegan wines, for instance. This evolution of Bordeaux’s style is a reflection of the region’s response to changing consumer preferences. Over the past 20 years, there has been a distinct movement towards more fruit-forward wines, made with shorter maceration times and gentler extraction methods, with amphoras and large foudres increasingly used during fermentation and maturation to preserve the purity of fruit. Many winemakers are also focused on producing terroir-driven wines made with minimal intervention, while the use of wild yeasts and gravity-fed winemaking are helping deliver wines with the truest expression of place.  Crafted to drink when young, but still with great ageing potential, the modern wines of Bordeaux are the result of innovative winemakers’ exploration of new styles.

Bordeaux Wines are great value for money and sustainable​

Whether diners are looking for a wine that’s rich and characterful, fresh and elegant, or lively and fruity, a glass of Bordeaux will exceed expectations and thankfully, the versatility of the blends make them extremely easy to pair with delicious food. From seafood, salads and chicken, to creamy pasta dishes and Asian fusion, these wines can stand up to big, bold flavours and can be paired with a range of unexpected dishes to suit a host of various occasions. Furthermore, with over 75% of the vineyard area now certified sustainable (up from 35% in 2014), it’s clear that this is an evolving region committed to ethical and regenerative winemaking. The best way to please your customers with Bordeaux’s fresh and committed wines this summer. 

Serve Bordeaux by the glass this July​

Bring more customers into your pub, bar or restaurant this summer, whilst also being paid £500 per outlet to do it, this July, by taking part in Bordeaux’s By the Glass promotion in partnership with SquareMeal. It is a fantastic opportunity to drive sales while getting in front of a huge consumer audience. This exclusive campaign has been created to highlight Bordeaux’s diverse offering to both restaurants and consumers and it couldn’t be easier to get involved. Simply serve Bordeaux by the glass and highlight your promotion via newsletters, influencers, website banners, table talkers, window displays and blackboards, or why not host events such as masterclasses or ticketed dinners. 

Participation is free but strictly limited, so apply today by registering your interest here​​ where you can also find full T&Cs. To find out more about Bordeaux wines head here​​ or follow @BordeauxWinesUK on Twitter here.​​​