A History of Bordeaux

Bordeaux and Wine

Wine has defined Bordeaux’s history. As far back as the 3rd century BC, when the Romans introduced wine to the region, the Bordeaux’s wines have enjoyed a favorable reputation. However, in the mid-12th century, its path to worldwide wine fame was set forever when King Henry II of England married Eleanor of Aquitaine and thus gained control of the Bordeaux region. Eleanor's marriage to King Henry also ushered in a struggle between France and England for control of the Aquitaine and the vast English territories in France that would last for three centuries. However, for Bordeaux, the marriage brought only good, as the King tried to gain favor with Bordeaux citizens by allowing them, among other concessions, tax-free trade with England. As a result, Bordeaux wine became the cheapest imported wine in England and, unsurprisingly, very popular with the English.

From 1154 to 1453, Bordeaux prospered under English rule, whose continued fondness for the region's red wine, known across the Channel as claret, helped the region gain a worldwide reputation for quality wines. When the French retook Bordeaux in 1453, commerce slumped with the loss of the English wine trade.

Bordeaux Under the French

From 1648 to 1653, the city joined a series of urban rebellions known as Les Frondes, with Bordeaux's the last to be quelled. By the 18th century, the city had acquired new wealth by trading in slaves and sugar. The city’s center was rebuilt by several enthusiastic royal governors, notably Claude Boucher and the Marquis de Tourny. Bordeaux took a triple blow in the 19th century with the end of the slave trade in 1815, a slump in the sugar trade and the 1878 destruction of its vines by phylloxera.

Phylloxera was a huge blow to the region. Millions of vines had to be uprooted and burned as a result of the spread of the tiny, vine-killing bug. The problem could only be fixed by grafting European vines onto the stem of the American vine, which was resistant to phylloxera. This, however, caused the quality of the wine to be somewhat diminished. Nevertheless, Bordeaux's combination of soil, aspect and climate means that it still produces some of the famous white and red wines on the planet.

Modern Bordeaux

The region was also lucky enough to be spared the horror of combat during both World Wars, both of which affected the northeast of the country. Of course many Bordelais lost their lives in the defense of France on both occasions. Resistance activities by the Bordelais exemplified the streak of defiance and independence that have made the region's inhabitants famous. However, they were not spared the shame of France's capitulation to the Nazis. Bordeaux was the venue of the 1940 armistice with Hitler. The city served briefly as the wartime national capital during each of three conflicts with Germany, in 1870, 1914 and for two weeks in 1940.

Today Bordeaux produces more fine wine than any other region in the world. From its 247,000 acres of vineyards, the region typically produces around one-quarter of France's total wine product, of which 75 per cent is red.