02 · Place Beginner

Bordeaux

Bordeaux is France's largest fine wine region — and the world's most commercially important. The Gironde estuary divides it into two stylistically distinct halves, each dominated by a different grape variety, each with its own classification system.

Left Bank and Right Bank

The Gironde estuary runs through the heart of Bordeaux, creating two distinct zones. The Left Bank (Médoc, Graves, Pessac-Léognan, Sauternes) sits on deep gravel deposits that drain freely and warm quickly in the sun — ideal for late-ripening Cabernet Sauvignon. The Right Bank (Saint-Émilion, Pomerol, Fronsac) sits on clay and limestone — soils that retain water, suiting the earlier-ripening Merlot.

The result is a fundamental style difference. Left Bank wines are structured, tannic, and built for long ageing — they need time to integrate. Right Bank wines are rounder, more plummy and more approachable younger. Both can be exceptional. See the Left Bank vs Right Bank tasting for a comparative tasting event that illustrates this directly.

Key appellations

Médoc / Haut-Médoc Left Structured, tannic, long-lived. Home of the classified growths: Margaux, Pauillac, Saint-Julien, Saint-Estèphe.

Graves / Pessac-Léognan Left Both acclaimed reds and whites. Haut-Brion is the only non-Médoc property in the 1855 Classification.

Sauternes / Barsac Left Sweet wines. Château d'Yquem is the sole Premier Cru Supérieur. Conditions for Botrytis form at the Ciron river confluence.

Saint-Émilion Right Rounder, plummier, more accessible young. Its own classification (last revised 2022).

Pomerol Right No formal classification. Home of Pétrus and Le Pin — among the world's most expensive wines.

Fronsac / Canon-Fronsac Right Underrated, earthy and structured. Good value from the same bank as Pomerol.

The 1855 Classification

The 1855 Classification ranks 61 Médoc châteaux (plus Haut-Brion from Graves) into five tiers based on prices at the time. The five First Growths (Premiers Crus Classés) are: Château Lafite Rothschild, Château Margaux, Château Latour, Château Haut-Brion, and Château Mouton Rothschild (elevated in 1973 — the only change to the classification in 170 years). The classification is commercially powerful but imperfect as a current quality guide. Many Second and Third Growths produce wines of comparable quality; several underperforming First Growths rely on their classification for pricing. For how classifications work across French appellations, see appellations explained.

Sources: Bordeaux Wine Trade Council (CIVB) (appellation data and production statistics); WSET (Level 3 Bordeaux study notes); Decanter (vintage charts and classification guides). Last updated: 2026-10-19. Corrections via the contact form.

Questions

About Bordeaux.

What makes Bordeaux wine so well-known?

Several factors combine: historical prestige as a major trading port with centuries of export to Britain and the Netherlands; the 1855 Classification, which created a commercial hierarchy that still drives prices today; a consistent style (structured, age-worthy blends suited to the British and Dutch palate) that became the global template for serious red wine; and consistent production at scale — Bordeaux is large enough to supply the world's fine wine market. See appellations explained for how the Bordeaux hierarchy works.

What is en primeur?

En primeur (also called wine futures) is the practice of purchasing Bordeaux wine before it is bottled — typically in April, six months after harvest, when samples from barrel are tasted by critics and merchants. Buyers pay a price based on these early tastings and receive their wine one to two years later when it is bottled and shipped. The system benefits both sides in theory: châteaux receive capital early; buyers (in theory) lock in lower prices for exceptional vintages before the market rises. In practice, en primeur prices have not always been advantageous for buyers, and the system has come under pressure in recent years. See the Bordeaux 2025 en primeur article.

What is the 1855 Bordeaux Classification?

Napoleon III commissioned a ranking of the best Médoc châteaux for the 1855 Paris World Exhibition. Wine brokers ranked 61 properties into five tiers (Premier through Cinquième Cru Classé) based on their market prices, which at the time were considered the most accurate reflection of quality. The classification has changed only once since 1855: Mouton Rothschild was elevated from Second to First Growth in 1973. It does not include Saint-Émilion (which has its own, separate classification), Pomerol (which has no formal classification), or Sauternes (which has a parallel 1855 sweet wine classification with Château d'Yquem at the top as Premier Cru Supérieur).

What are the main Bordeaux grape varieties?

For reds: Cabernet Sauvignon (Left Bank dominant — structured, age-worthy, blackcurrant, high tannin), Merlot (Right Bank dominant — plummy, round, earlier drinking), Cabernet Franc (aromatic blending partner, dominant in some Pomerol and Saint-Émilion), Petit Verdot (dark colour and spice), Malbec (historically significant, now rare), Carménère (very rare). For whites: Sauvignon Blanc (aromatic, high-acid), Sémillon (waxy, age-worthy — dominant in Sauternes and dry white Graves), Muscadelle (minor blender). See the Cabernet Sauvignon guide for the dominant variety.