The Left Bank
The Left Bank encompasses both the Médoc, Graves, Sauternes and Barsac. The Médoc region covers the entire area north of the city of Bordeaux on the Left Bank of the Gironde, encompassing the main communes of Saint-Estèphe, Pauillac, Saint-Julien and Margaux, as well as the Médoc and Haut-Médoc appellations. While Saint-Emilion was producing wine in the Roman times, the vine only started to dominate the Médoc in the late 17th century, after the Dutch drained the soggy marshland – creating the free-draining gravel soils that define the area’s wines today. (Read more about the differences between the Left and Right Banks of Bordeaux here.)
The Médoc and Haut-Médoc
While technically any wine made in the region can be labelled Médoc, it is only those made north of Saint-Estèphe that bear the name (not having a grander appellation to use on their label). The Haut-Médoc, meanwhile, covers vineyards west and south of the main communes. Both are large (5,522 hectares for the Médoc and 4,682 hectares for the Haut-Médoc) and can offer great value. Generally, the wines are suited to earlier-drinking and tend to be simpler than those of the more famous communes. While the wines may once have been rather coarse, this has evolved – aided significantly by advances in winemaking and increased plantings of Merlot. There are of course exceptions, and some wines that compete with grander appellations, even ageing beautifully. The Médoc has no Classed Growths, while the Haut-Médoc has five to its name: Chx la Lagune, la Tour Carnet, Belgrave, Cantemerle and Camensac. It is also in these two appellations that you’ll find most of the Crus Bourgeois (read more about the Crus Bourgeois here).
Our favourite Médoc and Haut-Médoc properties: Cantemerle, Sociando-Mallet, Clos Manou, Potensac
Saint-Estèphe
The northernmost of the Médoc’s major communes is Saint-Estèphe. It’s not Bordeaux’s most prestigious appellation, with only five Classed Growths across its 1,229 hectares of vineyard. – but it’s one that is among its most dynamic, with vines and estates changing hands more than elsewhere on the Left Bank. Historically the region was known for potentially rustic or austere wines that needed time for their tannins to be approachable. The commune’s more northern position makes for a cooler climate, meaning it could sometimes be difficult for fruit to ripen fully – especially Cabernet Sauvignon. The Gironde estuary is at its widest here, and its moderating influence can be a great help – meaning frost is particularly rare up here.
While the commune has gravel soils closer to the Gironde, there’s more clay here than elsewhere in the Médoc – especially as you head west, away from the river – and limestone subsoils. Cabernet Sauvignon was often planted on clay-rich sites better suited to Merlot, and there’s been significant replanting in recent years. Climate change has arguably helped rather than hindered here and this, combined with broader improvements in technology and winemaking, as well as investment in the region, has seen Saint-Estèphe’s wines become more elegant and approachable. The richer soils have good water-holding capacity versus more free-draining gravels, something that is a particularly useful resource for the vines in hot and dry conditions – although those same soils can make wet or cool years challenging. Typically the wines offer an earthy minerality and lighter body than those from further south.
Our favourite properties in Saint-Estèphe: Calon Ségur, Cos d’Estournel, Lafon-Rochet, Montrose, Tronquoy
Pauillac
Travelling south past Cos d’Estournel (just on the border of Saint-Estèphe), you reach Ch. Lafite Rothschild and – with that – cross into Pauillac. (Indeed, some of Lafite’s vines actually sit within the Saint-Estèphe appellation but are permitted to be used in the property’s Pauillac wines as they predate the AOCs’ creation.) This commune is arguably home to the world’s greatest wines – with three of the five First Growths (Lafite Rothschild, Mouton Rothschild and Latour) all based here, producing long-ageing styles of quintessential Claret. Indeed, overall, you’ll find a huge swathe of Classed Growths across the appellation’s 1,213 hectares, with 18 of the 58 châteaux classified in 1855 found here.
The eponymous port town of Pauillac sits on the Gironde, with the Bages plateau spreading to its west. The gravel soils here are free-draining, allowing Cabernet Sauvignon to thrive, and the grape represents the majority of blends here. The undulation of the region is barely perceptible, reaching just 30 metres above sea-level at its highest point, but these nuanced slopes and gravel soils produce classic, fine Bordeaux. The best sites are those closest to the river. The soils shift from north to south, with finer gravels and more iron to the south, versus more limestone, clay and larger rocks to the north. The resulting wines typically offer cassis fruit, blackcurrant leaf, pencil shavings and a savoury freshness – all with the powerful structure to age for decades.
Our favourite properties in Pauillac: Batailley, Duhart-Milon, Grand-Puy-Lacoste, Lafite Rothschild, Latour, Lynch-Bages, Mouton Rothschild, Pichon Comtesse, Pontet-Canet
Saint-Julien
Between Ch. Latour and Ch. Léoville Las Cases lies a stream or jalle, marking the border between Pauillac and Saint-Julien. Saint-Julien is the smallest of the Médoc communes, home to 908 hectares of vines and 11 Classed Growths – but those top-ranking estates own around 90% of the vines in the appellation. It is, once again, gravel that defines the appellation – becoming finer and sandier as you travel southwest. Alongside Ducru-Beaucaillou, the Léoville estates are the commune’s most famous: once part of the same, large estate, over the centuries it has been divided to give us the triumvirate of Léoville Las Cases, Léoville Barton and Léoville Poyferré.
The wines are typically described as sitting stylistically between those of its neighbours, Pauillac and Margaux – offering the power of Pauillac and the elegance of Margaux. The reality is a range of styles, defined both by terroir but also winemaking style – from the firm structure of Léoville Las Cases through to the more elegant Branaire-Ducru. Although perhaps not prestigious as Margaux or Pauillac, Saint-Julien is one of the most consistent appellations in Bordeaux – both between estates, but especially across vintages (in particular at Léoville Barton and Las Cases). Saint-Julien rarely steals the spotlight, yet its understated reliability is much of its appeal.
Our favourite properties in Saint-Julien: Beychevelle, Ducru-Beaucaillou, Langoa Barton, Léoville Las Cases, Léoville Barton, Léoville-Poyferré, Gruaud Larose
Margaux
Last but not least of the Médoc communes is Margaux, a large appellation encompassing 1,530 hectares of vines, around 25km north of the city of Bordeaux. The region is home to over a third of the Classed Growths, including the First Growth Ch. Margaux – more than any other appellation. With its poor, shallow soils and warmer microclimate, the vines tend to ripen up to five days earlier than those in Pauillac. The well-drained soils mean the vineyards tend to be susceptible to drought, and 1983, for example, was a better vintage for most of the appellation than the more famous 1982. More than in any other commune, vineyard parcels are generally scattered – with an estate’s vines rarely sitting in a single block.
Although the quality of terroir here has never been in doubt (and in fact it was one of the first to be planted, with evidence of viticulture since Roman times), it was no secret that many estates seemed to be underperforming. There was a significant shift here in the early 1990s, however, as a new generation took over from their parents, alongside a wave of outside investment. The Perrodo family bought Ch. Labégorce in 1989, while Chanel purchased Ch. Rauzan-Ségla in 1994, and youngsters such as Henri Lurton (who took over from his father at Brane-Cantenac in 1992): they all injected new energy into the appellation and quality increased. The soils here are varied, and the wines produced therefore also range in style, although Margaux is often described as sensual, elegant or perfumed, with a supple texture, fine tannins and aromatic finesse. The best age effortlessly.
Our favourite properties in Margaux: Brane-Cantenac, Margaux, Palmer, Rauzan-Ségla
Listrac-Médoc and Moulis-en-Médoc
These two appellations sit between Margaux and Saint-Julien, further inland from the Gironde and on the edge of the Haut-Médoc. Listrac and Moulis are cooler and later-ripening – something that impeded their reputation in the past. Now, with global warming, however, these two underdog appellations are making better wine than ever before. Both are small, with 607 hectares of vines in Moulis and Listrac 422 hectares. Around a quarter of Listrac’s wine is produced by its co-operative and its reputation is less well-defined, perhaps more inclined to rusticity. Moulis, however, sits a fraction closer to the Gironde, with its best vineyards sitting on the Grand-Poujeaux plateau – and individual estates are making a name for their wines. A source of great value, Moulis in particular can produce wines of impressive richness, structure and ageability.
Our favourite properties in Listrac and Moulis: Chasse-Spleen, Mauvesin Barton, Poujeaux
Graves
South of the Médoc sits Graves. Historically most of the region’s vineyards were found around the city of Bordeaux itself, and you’ll still find swathes here today – stretching 50km along the Gironde, from the suburbs of the city south to the town of Langon. Unlike the Médoc, the region is equally known for its red and white wines – encompassing Pessac-Léognan, and surrounding the sweet wine appellations of Sauternes, Barsac and Cérons. The name – as you might guess – comes from the gravel soils found in the region, transferred over the millennia from the Pyrenees and Massif Central. The region has long been recognised for its quality, with Ch. Haut-Brion the lone estate beyond the Médoc to make it into the 1855 Classification.
The Graves appellation was created in the 1930s, with its formal classification following in the 1950s, covering 749 hectares of white vines and 2,528 hectares of red. The Pessac-Léognan appellation was created in 1987 (see below) and Graves itself therefore no longer has any Classed Growths to its name. You’ll find the commune’s eponymous gravel soils but more limestone here too. The resulting wines are generally fresh in style, lighter-bodied than the wines of further north, often more fruit-forward and earlier-drinking than those bottled under the Pessac-Léognan appellation. Some can risk being thin or dilute. Graves Supérieures is an appellation for sweet wines, with just 153 hectares of vineyard, balancing around 13% alcohol and 40-50g residual sugar.
Our favourite properties in Graves: Clos Floridène, Chantegrive
Pessac-Léognan
The Pessac-Léognan appellation sits within Graves and was only created in 1987 (from 1984, properties were allowed to use Pessac or Léognan on labels). This northern part of Graves was identified for producing superior wine, home to its First Growth Ch. Haut-Brion. The appellation stipulates higher vine density and a minimum 25% Sauvignon Blanc in its white vineyards, in amongst other requirements. Unlike the rest of Graves, significant investment followed its elevation – only furthering its reputation. Today the city of Bordeaux encroaches on the northern vineyards (with Ch. les Carmes Haut-Brion even having a Bordeaux postcode), and makes for a particularly warm microclimate – shielding the area from frost. The appellation stretches into more rural areas, with forest surrounding its most southerly vines. There are 275 hectares of white grapes and 1,491 of red, with wines of both colours similarly respected – and the best whites from the region age beautifully.
Our favourite properties in Pessac-Léognan: Les Carmes Haut-Brion, Domaine de Chevalier, Fieuzal, Haut-Bailly, Haut-Brion, La Mission Haut-Brion, Smith Haut Lafitte
Sauternes, Barsac and Cérons
This trio of appellations is responsible for producing Bordeaux’s famous sweet wines. These wines are painstaking to produce – requiring specific climatic conditions and tiny yields – however the results are unique and some of the longest-lived wines in the world. The most famous example, of course, is Ch. d’Yquem. These wines represent a mere 2% of Bordeaux’s wine production.
The confluence of the Ciron and Garonne is what makes this region so special – the cooler Ciron flowing into the warmer Garonne and producing morning mists that allow of the development of botrytis cinerea, or noble rot. Followed by dry, sunny afternoons, this special sort of rot concentrates the sugars and acids in the grapes, while contributing its own distinctive flavour. The cold subsoils of the region also encourage heavy dew, another contributing factor for the development of noble rot. Here you’ll find Semillon, Sauvignon Blanc and – to a lesser extent – Sauvignon Gris and Muscadelle grapes.
Sauternes and Barsac had its own classification in 1855, with Ch. d’Yquem earning special distinction as the only Premier Cru Supérieur – and its reputation remains unrivalled today. Sauternes produces the most famous wines, including Yquem, and is the largest appellation, with 1,557 hectares under vine, versus just 390 hectares for Barsac. Although some Barsac producers choose to label their wines under the Sauternes appellation, Barsac is known for its slightly lighter style – offering higher acidity and lighter colour, often feeling slightly fresher. Although the tiny 27-hectare Cérons is significantly less well known, its best wines can rival those of Barsac. Generally speaking, the lusciously sweet wines of Sauternes, Barsac and Cérons are full of rich fruit – from stone-fruit through to more exotic mango and pineapple, with honeyed and floral tones, and marmalade or saffron the distinctive notes pointing to noble rot. With age, the wines become more caramelised and almost seem drier. The best examples are immortal.
Sweet wines, unfortunately, are not as popular as they once were, and you’ll increasingly find producers making dry whites alongside their traditional sweet styles. These can be exceptional – intended to rival those of Pessac-Léognan, if not quite there yet. As these are not permitted in the classification, dry whites from the region can only be labelled as Bordeaux Blanc currently.
Our favourite producers in Sauternes, Barsac and Cérons: Doisy-Védrines, Climens, Guiraud, Rieussec, Yquem
Right Bank
While the Left Bank is generally home to grand estates, the Right Bank operates on a smaller scale – and, while grapes are now a significant crop, the landscape is not the monoculture of the Left. Based around the port city of Libourne, Pomerol and Saint-Emilion are the unashamed stars of the show, but there are a host of satellite appellations here that are also deserving of attention. While the Left Bank is dominated by its gravel soils, the Right is all about clay and limestone; the Left is dominated by Cabernet, the Right largely by Merlot, although Cabernet Franc (historically known locally as Bouchet – a name that’s been revived by Lafleur) plays a significant role here too. Cabernet Sauvignon is increasingly being planted, although remains very much in the minority, used to complement blends in small percentages.
Pomerol
Pomerol covers 792 hectares and – unlike most appellations – doesn’t have a village or town at its heart, with the church the major landmark. Saint-Emilion lies to its east, Libourne southwest, while it’s bordered on the northern side by Barbanne. Merlot reigns here, known for its sensuous, almost exotic style, plush and full of fruit. The soils are more varied – ranging from the clay plateau on the eastern side, to more gravel and sand in the south and west of the appellation. The varied soils of the region are perhaps exemplified best by Lafleur – with a strip of distinctive clay that runs diagonally across the otherwise gravel-rich vineyard (now bottled separately as Les Pensées). There are a number of wines, including Lafleur, that have a high percentage of Cabernet Franc (or Bouchet, as is the preferred term at Lafleur).
Although there’s no formal classification ranking properties in Pomerol, the appellation’s most iconic estates are arguably the tiny two-hectare Le Pin and Pétrus, famed for its distinctive plot of blue clay. Historically there were two extremes to the region – the style favoured by famed consultant Michel Rolland, late-harvested fleshy and ripe, versus the Moueix style, earlier-picked to favour freshness, as at Trotanoy or Pétrus. The pendulum today arguably hangs somewhere in the middle. Merlot is early-ripening, and the region can therefore be particularly susceptible to frost.
Our favourite estates in Pomerol: Belle-Brise, Eglise-Clinet, Evangile, Feytit-Clinet, Lafleur, Guillot Clauzel, Pétrus, Le Pin, Vieux Château Certan
Saint-Emilion
The picturesque town of Saint-Emilion and the surrounding vineyards were declared a UNESCO world heritage site in 1999. Viticulture has a long history here, stretching back to the third century, and vines dominate the landscape around the town. The area was officially delimited in 1936 and covers 1,171 hectares of vineyard today. Merlot is the region’s mainstay but Cabernet Franc is also widely grown and makes up the majority of the blend at some addresses.
The town itself sits on a limestone plateau which, along with the surrounding slopes, is home to many of the region’s best properties – with a winding network of caves linking many of them (and providing naturally cool conditions for ageing wine). The edge of the plateau, where the vines run downslope on particularly thin topsoil (with as little as 50cm in places), is where you’ll find leading names such as Ausone, Pavie and Beauséjour. Here, the vine roots hit the limestone bedrock before stretching out horizontally rather than vertically, but use capillaries to draw water from the spongey limestone as required.
Varying proportions of clay and loam in the topsoil combine with climatic variation across the region to produce a range of styles. In the northwest, you’ll find gravel-rich soils – similar to those found in Graves or the Médoc – where the appellation meets Pomerol, and here you’ll find some of the best properties, including Cheval Blanc and Figeac. The southern part of the region offers more alluvial, sandy soils which stretch down to the Dordogne – generally the source of lesser wines.
Unlike Pomerol, there is a formal classification system here, introduced in 1955 and designed – unlike the 1855 Classification of the Médoc – to be reviewed every 10 years. The system has proven to be controversial to say the least, and recent years have seen many of Saint-Emilion’s top estates abandon the classification. (Read more about the classification and its controversy here.) Saint-Emilion Grand Cru is its own appellation – entirely separate to the classification, the region’s Premier Grand Cru Classé or Grand Cru Classé estates – introduced in 1954. These wines are required to meet a stricter set of requirements – with lower yields, a higher minimum alcohol level and longer minimum ageing – that elevate them above “straight” Saint-Emilion.
Our favourite estates in Saint-Emilion: Ausone, Beauséjour, Canon, Cheval Blanc, Clos de Sarpe, Figeac, Laroque, L’If
The satellite appellations
The Right Bank’s best wines undoubtedly come from Saint-Emilion and Pomerol, but there are various other appellations in the surrounding area – home to a growing number of exciting properties, increased investment and great value. The Saint-Emilion satellites are: Montagne-Saint-Emilion, Saint-Georges-Saint-Emilion, Puisseguin-Saint-Emilion and Lussac-Saint-Emilion. Beyond this, you’ll also find: Lalande-de-Pomerol, Canon-Fronsac, Fronsac and the Côtes de Bordeaux (encompassing Castillon, Francs, Blaye and Cadillac). These varied appellations can offer great value – not having the prestige of Pomerol or Saint-Emilion, although the quality here is varied and rarely reaches the heights of the more famous appellations.
Covering 4,000 hectares, the Saint-Emilion satellites – rather like Saint-Emilion – have clay-limestone soils, however are topographically very different. Their position, further from the Dordogne river makes them cooler and later-ripening. Saint-Georges-Saint-Emilion has well-drained slopes and limestone bedrock, producing the most consistent and best wines, generally speaking.
Lalande-de-Pomerol lies north of the Barbanne river from Pomerol. The appellation was created in 1954 and has more varied soils than its southern neighbour, with more clay, gravel or sand, depending on the site – while the land around Néac is hillier and flatter in Lalande.
The Côtes de Bordeaux appellation was introduced in 2009 and combined four appellations previously known as: Côtes de Castillon, Côtes de Francs, Premières Côtes de Blaye and the Premières Côtes de Bordeaux (the latter used for wines made around Cadillac). Each of these is now a sub-appellation of the Côtes de Bordeaux, known as – for example – the Côtes de Bordeaux Castillon (but often known as Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux). These regions are varied, with Castillon and Francs bordering Saint-Emilion, while Blaye lies west of the Gironde and Cadillac on the eastern side of the Garonne. The Côtes de Bourg didn’t join the Côtes de Bordeaux, but sits at the southern edge of Blaye. (You’ll also find some Cru Bourgeois estates here – however these are unrelated to those forming the classification on the Left Bank, instead having a historic claim to the term.)
Fronsac and Canon-Fronsac were once prestigious appellations, with quite the reputation in the 17th and 18th centuries. The vineyards here, to the west of Pomerol, have since fallen from grace, not helped by ill-judged replanting in the wake of phylloxera (favouring the fertile flats that flooded regularly). That said, the region is capable of producing great wine.
Our favourite satellite estates: Montlandrie, Les Cruzelles, Grand Village and Les Perrières (both part of Société Civile du Ch. Lafleur), Domaine de Cambes
Entre-Deux-Mers
Literally meaning “between two seas”, Entre-Deux-Mers in fact lies between two rivers – being the name for the region sandwiched between the Garonne and Dordogne (which merge into the Gironde estuary). The appellation title can only be used for whites, however the region is home to significantly more red vines – the fruit of which can be labelled as Bordeaux or Bordeaux Supérieur. As with the satellite appellations, this can be a source of good value, but generally the wines are simpler in style and made for earlier-drinking, fruit-forward rather than structured and intended for ageing.
Our favourite estate in Entre-Deux-Mers: Ch. Marjosse
