Which statement about red Bordeaux varieties is accurate?

Which statement about red Bordeaux varieties is accurate?

• A. Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot are not used together
• B. Cabernet Sauvignon is never included
• C. Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot are the dominant red Bordeaux varieties
• D. Merlot is never included

Answer: (C)

Red Bordeaux blends are built around a pair of grape varieties that form the backbone of most wines from the region. Cabernet Sauvignon brings structure, tannins, and aging potential, while Merlot adds fruit, softness, and balance. In practice, winemakers often combine these two to create a balanced, age-worthy wine, with Cabernet Sauvignon playing a stronger role on the Left Bank (Médoc and Graves) and Merlot playing a dominant role on the Right Bank (Saint-Émilion and Pomerol). Because they are routinely used together and together dominate many classic red Bordeaux blends, the statement that they are the dominant red Bordeaux varieties is accurate. The other ideas—that one or the other is never included or that they aren’t used together—conflict with how most Bordeaux wines are actually made.

Red Bordeaux blends are built around a pair of grape varieties that form the backbone of most wines from the region. Cabernet Sauvignon brings structure, tannins, and aging potential, while Merlot adds fruit, softness, and balance. In practice, winemakers often combine these two to create a balanced, age-worthy wine, with Cabernet Sauvignon playing a stronger role on the Left Bank (Médoc and Graves) and Merlot playing a dominant role on the Right Bank (Saint-Émilion and Pomerol). Because they are routinely used together and together dominate many classic red Bordeaux blends, the statement that they are the dominant red Bordeaux varieties is accurate. The other ideas—that one or the other is never included or that they aren’t used together—conflict with how most Bordeaux wines are actually made.