Bordelaise sauce is derived from which base?

Bordelaise sauce is derived from which base?

• A. Espagnole (brown stock) with red wine, onions, and herbs
• B. Bechamel
• C. Velouté
• D. Tomato sauce

Answer: (A)

Bordelaise is a red-wine variation of a brown sauce, built on Espagnole. Espagnole is the brown stock family—the foundation for many rich sauces. Bordelaise takes that brown base and enriches it with red wine, aromatics like onions or shallots, and herbs, then reduces to a glossy finish (often with marrow for richness). Using a white sauce base (Bechamel), a light stock base (Velouté), or a tomato-based base would not yield the characteristic dark, wine-driven flavor and texture of Bordelaise, which is why the brown stock foundation is the correct choice.

Bordelaise is a red-wine variation of a brown sauce, built on Espagnole. Espagnole is the brown stock family—the foundation for many rich sauces. Bordelaise takes that brown base and enriches it with red wine, aromatics like onions or shallots, and herbs, then reduces to a glossy finish (often with marrow for richness). Using a white sauce base (Bechamel), a light stock base (Velouté), or a tomato-based base would not yield the characteristic dark, wine-driven flavor and texture of Bordelaise, which is why the brown stock foundation is the correct choice.