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A Bordeaux Blend, at its most basic, is any combination of those grape varieties typically used to make the red wines of Bordeaux. The phrase, which seems to have originated with British wine merchants in the 19th century, relates as readily to wines made from the blend as to the grape variety combination itself. Far from being an officially defined or legal term, it is almost never used for wine labeling purposes, although it occasionally appears on back labels. Its US equivalent is Meritage®, which is not only legally defined, it is also a registered trademark. Cabernet Sauvignon is widely accepted as a compulsory component of any Bordeaux Blend, with Merlot following very close behind. In fact, the majority of Bordeaux Blend wines are made predominantly, often exclusively, from these two varieties. The remaining components are Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Malbec, used in varying combinations and proportions. Even Carmenere figures on the list of theoretically possible ingredients, despite being almost extinct among modern Bordeaux vineyards (notable exceptions include Chateaux Haut-Bailly, Brane-Cantenac and Clerc-Milon). With the global wine industry expanding and developing with its current momentum, the use of the term Bordeaux Blend is inevitably changing. Although the product of the 'Old World' it remains a usefully malleable concept, allowing the wine industry and enthusiasts everywhere to talk collectively about Bordeaux-style red wines. Flexibility and a useful vagueness is the term's key asset, but also its Achilles hendon; if it becomes too broad or overused it will inevitably lose its meaning. Is a Bordeaux Blend still a Bordeaux blend if it contains Zinfandel, Sangiovese, or Syrah? Without a formal definition to go by, the answer to that question lies entirely in the collective consciousness of those who use the phrase. Provided that Bordeaux's vignerons don't discover a new and grape variety (Cabernet Sauvignon is only a few hundred years old), the term's definition remains relatively clear. Although less widely used as a phrase, the white equivalent White Bordeaux Blend also provides a useful way of referring to changeable blends. Alternative names for this grape variety
Click on a listed Bordeaux Blend Red
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