Bordeaux
Bordeaux is the world's most famous wine region and the benchmark for fine red blends. Left-bank gravel favours Cabernet Sauvignon; right-bank clay and limestone favour Merlot. From the First Growths of the Médoc to the sweet wines of Sauternes, Bordeaux shaped how the world thinks about wine.
Fast facts
At a glance
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Climate | Maritime, moderate, Atlantic-influenced |
| Geography | Gravel, clay and limestone along the Gironde estuary |
| Key appellations | Pauillac · Margaux · Saint-Émilion · Pomerol · Sauternes |
| Main grapes | Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc |
| Famous for | First Growth châteaux, Left Bank Cabernet blends, Right Bank Merlot blends, Sauternes |
Grapes
Signature grapes of Bordeaux
The varieties that define this region's wines.
Cabernet Sauvignon
Cabernet Sauvignon is the world's most famous red grape, the backbone of Bordeaux's great blended wines and th…
Merlot
Merlot is France's most planted red grape and the plush partner to Cabernet in Bordeaux blends, especially on …
Cabernet Franc
Cabernet Franc is one of the great undervalued grapes of the wine world — the often-overlooked parent of Caber…
Wine travel
Visiting Bordeaux
The UNESCO-listed city of Bordeaux, the Cité du Vin museum and the châteaux-lined Route des Châteaux make this Europe's most complete wine destination.
FR Explore all of France
Country-wide wine guide with regions, grapes, classification and food culture.