The benchmark for fine wine
Bordeaux
France
Region Details
Climate
Maritime, mild winters, warm summers
Soil
Gravel, limestone, clay
Varietals
5 key grapes
Sub-regions
5 areas
Wine styles
Key varietals
Wine Heritage
History of Bordeaux
"The benchmark for fine wine"
Wine has been made in Bordeaux since Roman times. The English, who controlled the region in the Middle Ages, developed a taste for "claret" that established Bordeaux's export dominance. The 1855 Classification created during the Paris Exhibition remains the most influential wine ranking ever made.
About Bordeaux
Bordeaux is arguably the most famous wine region in the world, setting the standard for Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot blends. Its classification system from 1855 still influences wine prestige today.
Terroir
The Gironde estuary moderates temperatures, while the varying soils—gravel on the Left Bank, clay on the Right Bank—create distinctly different wine styles. Left Bank wines are Cabernet-dominant with firm structure; Right Bank wines are Merlot-forward with plush fruit.
Flavor Profile
Sub-regions
Médoc
Cabernet Sauvignon, powerful, age-worthy
Saint-Émilion
Merlot-dominant, plush, approachable
Pomerol
Merlot, opulent, rare
Graves
Both red and white, mineral
Sauternes
Sweet, botrytized, honeyed