Bordelaise

American  

[bawr-dl-eyz, bawr-duh-lez] / ˌbɔr dlˈeɪz, bɔr dəˈlɛz /

noun

1. a brown sauce flavored with red wine and shallots and garnished with poached marrow and parsley.

---

Bordelaise British  

/ bɔrdəlɛz, ˌbɔːdəˈleɪz /

adjective

1. cookery denoting a brown sauce flavoured with red wine and sometimes mushrooms

---

Etymology

Origin of Bordelaise

< French, feminine of bordelais of Bordeaux, equivalent to Bordel- Bordeaux + -ais -ese

Example Sentences

Jefferson dreams himself into a restaurant, summoning a waiter—“Garçon, where is the Bordelaise sauce?”— and reaching, blissfully, for another pour of wine, before he is jolted awake.

From Salon • Dec. 25, 2025

Originally called cannelé Bordelaise, these small, baked, custard pastries are temperamental and time-consuming, requiring skill to make — but so very worth it.

From Salon • Mar. 14, 2023

Bordelaise is a sauce that doesn't come together easily, but sings of glamor.

From Salon • Jun. 4, 2022

Inside the carton is a little cup of red wine and pork jus flavored with scraps, a rustic nod to Bordelaise sauce.

From Washington Post • Jun. 11, 2020

The well-known Bordelaise sauce is simply Spanish sauce with the addition of white wine and shallots.

From Choice Cookery by Owen, Catherine