Bordeaux and the Art of the Blend
Like Duolingo, but for Bordeaux and the Art of the Blend. Tomo turns the whole topic into a game you play five minutes a day, until it actually sticks.
For the part of you with thirty open tabs that never became anything.
Free forever · No credit card · iPhone & Android
Key ideas in Bordeaux and the Art of the Blend
- Graphite is a signature tertiary aroma of aged Left Bank Cabernet
- Baked plum indicates riper fruit from warmer years
- Savory notes emerge as fruit evolves into mineral scents
- Fresh plum suggests brighter acidity of cooler vintages
- Graphite is associated with gravelly soils of Médoc
- Right Bank clay soils preserve moisture
- Identifying the specific 'pencil lead' note of aged Cabernet Sauvignon
- Distinguishing between fresh plum and baked plum in Merlot-dominant blends
- Forest floor (sous-bois) describes the damp, organic smell of a woodland path
- Mushroom notes are more specific to fungi and indicate advanced bottle age
- Crushed stone refers to a tactile, flinty sensation on the palate and nose
- Minerality provides a lean, structural counterpoint to Cabernet's dark fruit
- The 'forest floor' vs. 'mushroom' distinction in aged bottles
- The 'finish' or 'caudalie' is the primary objective measure of a wine's quality
- Grand Cru Classé wines typically exhibit a finish lasting 15-30+ seconds
- Recognizing the 'crushed stone' minerality of the Left Bank
You've tried the other tabs
Thirty open tabs. Four facts you actually kept.
You watched. You nodded. By Sunday it was gone.
One answer, then back to scrolling.
Eight weeks. You meant to finish. You didn't.
Tomo gives Bordeaux and the Art of the Blend the Duolingo treatment: levels, streaks, and quick quizzes that test what you just learned. That game loop is what the tabs above never had, so it's the one you actually finish.
Here's what playing it feels like
A real question from this course. Take your best guess.
If you detect 'baked plum' in a Merlot blend, what does this usually tell you about the growing season?
Get it right to open this lesson and 70 more in the app.
Where Bordeaux and the Art of the Blend takes you
Master the nuances of the world's most prestigious wine region, from the gravelly banks of the Médoc to the limestone plateaus of Saint-Émilion.
- 1
The Immediate Palate
- Beyond 'Red Fruit'
- The Structure of Tannin
- 2
The Left Bank: Cabernet and Gravel
- Médoc and the Gravel Influence
- The Stature of Pauillac
- Margaux’s Floral Elegance
- 3
The Right Bank: Merlot and Clay
- Saint-Émilion’s Limestone vs. Clay
- Pomerol: The Iron and the Velvet
- 4
The White and the Sweet
- Dry Whites of Graves and Pessac-Léognan
- Sauternes: The Botrytis Alchemy
- 5
Judging Quality and Potential
- Identifying 'En Primeur' Potential
- The Evolution of Secondary Aromas
- Deciphering the 1855 Classification
- 6
The Art of the Assemblage
- The Role of the Supporting Cast
- Balancing Acid, Alcohol, and Wood
- 7
Terroir and Climate Realities
- Vintage Variation: Navigating the 'Off' Years
- The Impact of Global Warming
- 8
The Professional Table
- Glassware and Temperature Precision
- Cellaring and Provenance
8 sections · 18 units · 71 levels. Built to play, not to enroll.
You pick the voice
Bordeaux and the Art of the Blend is taught in the The Professor style: clear, structured, thorough. Want a different feel? In the app you can spin up the same topic in any of Tomo's teaching styles. Same facts, totally different vibe.
More Food & Drink on Tomo
Beyond the Label: Mastering Wine
Move past the basics and learn to decode complex flavors, pair like a pro, and navigate any wine list with confidence. Discover the hidden factors that make a great bottle stand out from the rest.
Mastering Your Morning Cup
Stop settling for bitter coffee and start brewing like a pro. Learn to fix your flavor, master the Moka Pot, and unlock the science behind the world's favorite bean.
The Home Barista's Toolkit
Move beyond the basic brew by mastering bean selection, grind precision, and the mechanics of professional-grade extraction at home.
The Science of Flavor
Stop following recipes blindly and start understanding how ingredients actually work together. Learn to balance tastes and master the heat to cook by intuition.
The Perfect Cortado
Master the art of the 1:1 ratio. Learn to balance bold espresso with silky steamed milk to create the coffee shop's most sophisticated small drink.
Finding the Flavor in Your Coffee
Stop just drinking your morning cup and start actually tasting it. Learn to identify hidden notes, balance acidity, and choose beans you will actually love.
Start Bordeaux and the Art of the Blend today.
Download Tomo, search Bordeaux and the Art of the Blend, and play your first lesson in under a minute.