Bordeaux Wine REgion

Bordeaux’s wine production is organized into six official sub-regions, each with unique geography, grape focus, and wine styles. These zones span both sides of the Garonne, Dordogne, and Gironde rivers and represent the full diversity of Bordeaux viticulture.

This urban wine zone includes vineyards surrounding the city of Bordeaux itself. While smaller in area than other sub-regions, it produces approachable reds and fresh whites. It also serves as a hub for wine education and innovation, with active research institutions and accessible wine events.

Médoc

West of the Gironde estuary, Médoc is synonymous with Left Bank Cabernet Sauvignon and gravelly soils.

Haut-Médoc – Encompasses top appellations like Pauillac, Margaux, Saint-Julien, and Saint-Estèphe, home to many classified growths.

Bas-Médoc – Produces solid, value-driven reds with less aging potential than those from the southern communes.

Saint-Émilion, Pomerol, Fronsac

Located on the Right Bank east of the Dordogne, this sub-region is known for clay and limestone soils ideally suited to Merlot and Cabernet Franc.

Saint-Émilion – Famous for hillside vineyards and prestigious blends centered on Merlot. Also home to a unique classification system.

Pomerol – Though small and unclassified, Pomerol is globally respected for rich, expressive Merlot-based wines.

Fronsac – Offers bold, structured reds at more accessible prices, often using similar grape blends as its neighbors.

Northeast of Bordeaux on the Right Bank of the Gironde, this area includes historic riverfront towns and produces both red and white wines.

Blaye – Known for Merlot-driven reds and Sauvignon-based whites, often offering excellent value.

Bourg – Offers deep, age-worthy reds with good structure, typically made from Merlot and Malbec.

South of Bordeaux along the Garonne, this region produces both dry and sweet wines.

Graves – Known for reds with gravelly minerality and whites with crisp citrus character.

Pessac-Léognan – A top sub-appellation for both red and white, including Château Haut-Brion.

Sauternes & Barsac – Sweet wine zones defined by noble rot (Botrytis cinerea), producing complex, honeyed wines like Château d’Yquem.

Located between the Garonne and Dordogne rivers, this sub-region is best known for dry white wines made from Sauvignon Blanc, Sémillon, and Muscadelle. Reds from the area are typically labeled under the broader Bordeaux or Bordeaux Supérieur appellations.

Bordeaux wines are typically blends rather than single-varietal. While dozens of grapes are permitted under AOC rules, just a few dominate production and define the character of Bordeaux wines.

Black (Red) Grapes

Dominant on the Left Bank, especially in Médoc and Graves. Adds structure, tannin, and aging potential, with flavors of blackcurrant, cedar, and tobacco.

Often blended with Merlot, especially in Saint-Émilion and the Right Bank. Contributes red fruit, floral character, and freshness.

Used in small amounts, mainly in Left Bank blends. Adds color, spice, and firm tannins.

Historically more common but now rare in Bordeaux. Occasionally included in blends, adding earthy notes and depth.

White Grapes

Key variety for dry whites from Graves, Pessac-Léognan, and Entre-Deux-Mers. Crisp, aromatic, with citrus, herbal, and mineral notes.

Dominant in Sauternes and Barsac sweet wines. Adds body and honeyed richness, and blends well with Sauvignon Blanc.

Used in smaller proportions in both dry and sweet blends. Adds floral and grapey aromatics.

Bordeaux wines are celebrated worldwide for their diversity and tradition. While red blends dominate, the region also produces distinguished whites and some of the most famous sweet wines in the world.

Red Wines

Cabernet Sauvignon-driven blends with structure, tannins, and long aging potential. Pauillac and Margaux are home to some of Bordeaux’s most prestigious classified growths.

Merlot- and Cabernet Franc-based blends, softer and rounder in style, often with lush fruit and accessible textures.

Regional-level reds offering approachable, everyday drinking wines at excellent value.

White Wines

Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon blends. Styles range from crisp and mineral to fuller-bodied whites with subtle oak aging, especially from Pessac-Léognan.

Wines from across the region, typically lighter and fresh, with citrus and herbal character.

Sweet Wines

Iconic sweet wines made from botrytized Sémillon and Sauvignon Blanc, with flavors of honey, apricot, and candied citrus. Château d’Yquem is the most famous estate.

Similar in style to Sauternes but often lighter and fresher, known for finesse.

Loupiac, Cadillac, and Sainte-Croix-du-Mont also produce botrytized wines offering excellent value.

Bordeaux wines are ranked through several classification systems, the most famous being the 1855 Classification, which established the “First Growths” (Premier Cru Classé). Over time, additional rankings were created for other sub-regions, reflecting the diversity and prestige of Bordeaux’s estates.

Commissioned for the Paris Exposition Universelle in 1855, this ranking listed the top châteaux of the Médoc (and one from Graves) into five tiers, based largely on price and reputation at the time.

Premier Cru Classé (First Growths): Château Lafite Rothschild, Château Latour, Château Margaux, Château Haut-Brion (Graves), and Château Mouton Rothschild (elevated to First Growth in 1973). These are Bordeaux’s most iconic and expensive wines.

Deuxième to Cinquième Crus (Second to Fifth Growths): 59 additional châteaux, ranked in descending tiers of prestige. Many still produce world-class wines today, often at more accessible prices than the First Growths.

Established in 1953 and revised in 1959, this system ranks top estates in Graves for both red and white wines. Unlike the 1855 Classification, all estates here are considered Classed Growths (no hierarchical tiers). Château Haut-Brion is notable for appearing in both the 1855 and Graves lists.

Unique in that it is regularly revised (every 10 years, though often contested). Estates are ranked into:

• Premier Grand Cru Classé A (the very top tier, though changes have occurred in recent years).
• Premier Grand Cru Classé B (prestigious but just below “A”).
• Grand Cru Classé (recognized for quality but in a lower tier).

Covers quality wines from the Médoc that are not part of the 1855 Classification. This category was relaunched in 2020 with a three-tier system: Cru Bourgeois, Cru Bourgeois Supérieur, and Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnel.

A smaller category recognizing family-owned, independent estates in the Médoc, many of which produce high-quality wines at affordable prices.