Médoc
How to read this
Capitals mark the stressed syllable. The recording is the reference.
The largest appellation of the peninsula, 50 communes without a single growth of 1855 and with more Crus Bourgeois than anywhere else, which since July 31, 2025 may make dry white as well as red.
The place
The rules
Red and, since the cahier des charges (the appellation’s official rulebook) of July 31, 2025, dry white: Sémillon, Sauvignon, Sauvignon Gris and Muscadelle as principal white varieties, with Alvarinho, Floréal, Liliorila, Sauvignac and Souvignier Gris to 5%. The reds keep the 6
The names
No growth of 1855 stands in AOC
- Colors
- Red; dry white since 2025
- Communes
- 50
- Vineyard
- 5,560 hectares, 440 growers
- Grapes
- The 6
Médoc varieties; whites Sémillon, Sauvignon, Sauvignon Gris, Muscadelle - Density
- 5,000 vines a hectare at least
- Yield
- 55 hectoliters a hectare, ceiling 65
- Alcohol
- 11% natural at least
- Release
- From April 15 of the year after the harvest
- Classified
- 91 Crus Bourgeois in the classification of 2025
- AOC since
- November 14, 1936; cahier of July 31, 2025
Sources: BO-AGRI, cahier des charges
The stack
The same land in
It shares named communes with
The appellations of Bordeaux are stacked, not laid side by side. The map draws the whole stack. Open the map
The pyramid of names shows what each step promises: vines a hectare, bottles, ripeness, day of sale, grapes. Climb from here
Classifications that reach this appellation: The Crus Bourgeois du
Terroir
Start with a sea urchin. In the Lutetian, between 48.07 and 41.03 million years ago (ICS), the sea spread over this northern end of the peninsula and left a limestone crowded with fossils, sea urchins above all; the 1973 notice, on the timescale of its day, put the start of that advance at about 49 million years ago. Near Couquèques that old sea floor comes back up in a dome, and the 1973 map finds its oldest rocks in the dome's core. The limestone there ends in a bed rich in fossil mussels.
Toward the estuary the soil goes soft. There lie the floodable river marsh (palus), heavy land under fresh water in winter, and the drained marsh (mattes), salty in places. Engineers from the Low Countries drained these marshes for good under Louis XIV. The same map calls them Dutch on one page and Flemish on another, and has the Flemish finishing the Lesparre and Reysson marshes in 1697.
Below the marsh lie narrow, deep valleys, cut at the end of the ice ages and shaped like drowned river mouths (rias). People came long before the drainers: in the Reysson marsh, east of Saint-Germain-d'Esteuil, lie the remains of a Roman theater built for a crowd of thousands, probably the Noviomagus of Ptolemy. Here the old sea floor rises, and the marsh gave way.
- Slope wash and cover12.2%
- River and estuary deposits of today1.3%
- Ice age river terraces: sand, gravel, pebbles53.7%
- Landes sand and the oldest river deposits5.7%
- Starfish limestone and marine marls8.5%
- Lake limestones and clays1.2%
- Molasses: sands and clays of old rivers and lakes0.1%
- Older sea limestones and marls17.2%
Shares of the delimited area, measured on BRGM’s geological map, in families by the age and rock its legend prints, youngest first.
Half its delimited soil lies above 14 m, and 9 tenths lies between 4 and 31 m. 1.5% of it is steeper than 10%.
Measured section
The line runs 17.3 km, from 11 m to 4 m. Inside the delimited area it lies between 3 and 28 m.
Colors: Slope wash and coverRiver and estuary deposits of todayIce age river terraces: sand, gravel, pebblesLandes sand and the oldest river depositsStarfish limestone and marine marlsOlder sea limestones and marls
The units, as BRGM prints them
| Code | Name and age, as printed | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Slope wash and cover | 12.2% | |
| CFp | Formations superficielles | 12.2% |
| and 1 more unit under 1% each, 0.0% in all | ||
| River and estuary deposits of today | 1.3% | |
| FMy3-z | Schorre actuel et fossile de l'Estuaire de la Gironde, Pré-boréal à actuel | 1.1% |
| and 3 more units under 1% each, 0.2% in all | ||
| Ice age river terraces: sand, gravel, pebbles | 53.7% | |
| Fwb(G) | Moyennes terrasses (RG Garonne) - Terrasses de Léognan, terrasse de Martillac et terrasse de St Selve indifférenciés (type 3 à 5), Esltérien - "Mindel" | 11.2% |
| Fvb(G) | Hautes terrasses (RG Garonne) - Terrasse de Martillac (type 2) indifférenciée et terrasse d'Arsac, Ménapien à Bavélien - "Gunz" | 32.7% |
| Fva(G) | Très hautes terrasses (RG Garonne) - Terrasse de Léognan (type 1) indifférenciée et terrasse de | 9.8% |
| Landes sand and the oldest river deposits | 5.7% | |
| Ft(Bn) | Formation de Belin, Tiglien - "Biber-Donau" | 5.2% |
| and 2 more units under 1% each, 0.5% in all | ||
| Starfish limestone and marine marls | 8.5% | |
| g1-As | Calcaire à Astéries, Rupélien marin | 3.6% |
| g1-Ar | Calcaire à Archiacina, Rupélien marin | 3.7% |
| and 2 more units under 1% each, 1.2% in all | ||
| Lake limestones and clays | 1.2% | |
| g1-Ac | Formation de Castillon - Argiles Vertes de Castillon (et formation de la Bessède), Rupélien basal continental | 1.0% |
| and 1 more unit under 1% each, 0.1% in all | ||
| Molasses: sands and clays of old rivers and lakes | 0.1% | |
| and 3 more units under 1% each, 0.1% in all | ||
| Older sea limestones and marls | 17.2% | |
| e7b-A | Groupe de Plassac - Faciès régréssif d'Artigues, faciès à Anomies, Priabonien moy. marin | 1.4% |
| e7b-G | Groupe de Plassac - Grès à Anomies, Priabonien moy. marin | 1.8% |
| e7b-C | Groupe de Plassac - Calcarenite, Priabonien moy. marin | 2.5% |
| e7b-Ms | Groupe de Plassac - Marnes à sismondia occitana et ostrea bernonensis (supérieures), Priabonien moy. marin | 2.0% |
| e7a-Ce | Groupe de Plassac - Calcaires de St Estephe, Priabonien inf. marin | 4.9% |
| e5c(1) | Calcaire de Couquèques, Lutétien sup. marin | 2.1% |
| and 7 more units under 1% each, 2.5% in all | ||
Informative figures, computed from INAO’s digitized parcel delimitation of October 12, 2026 and BRGM’s harmonized geological map (BD Charm-50); heights from IGN’s RGE ALTI 5 m. The plans held at the town hall are the legal reference. The delimited area is always somewhat larger than what is planted.
Sources: BRGM, Notice explicative de la feuille Lesparre-
See it in 3D · See it on the Map · Compare it with another appellation · All about Terroir
Châteaux on this site
Château Beauvillage Château Bejac Romelys Château Bellegrave Château Bournac Château Carcanieux Château Castera Château Chantemerle Château Clément Saint Jean Château Escot Château Fleur La Mothe Château Gadet Terrefort Château Garance Haut Grenat Château Greysac Château Grivière Château Haut Bana Château Haut Brisey Château Haut Condissas Château Haut Couloumey Château Haut-Gravat Château L’Évasion Château La Baie de Lalo Château La Branne Château La Cardonne Château La France Delhomme Château La Hourcade Château La Roque de By Château La Tessonnière Château Labadie Château Laujac Château Les Graves de Loirac Château Les Ormes Sorbet Château les Tuileries Château Loudenne Château Noaillac Château Patache d’Aux Château Pierre de Montignac Château Poitevin Château Potensac Château Preuillac Château Rollan de By Château Saint Grégoire Château Saint-Hilaire Château Tour Haut-Caussan Château Tour Seran Château Vieux Gadet Clos Manou
Also in this appellation, with no page here yet: Château Le Vieux Serestin.
Tastings
4
News from Médoc
46
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A 3-day, 29-km bicycle route from Blanquefort’s station leads through
Médoc vineyards, six wineries and a cooperage, with tastings and encounters withHaut-Médoc producers.The route highlights wine tourism as another way for the
Médoc to connect its estates and landscape directly with visitors. -
Château Escot 2024 highlights accessible Bordeaux BlancSud Ouest recommends
Château Escot 2024, a small-production AOC Bordeaux Blanc from Lesparre, north of theMédoc , as a pairing for fish and cheeses. The wine combines sauvignon blanc, sémillon and sauvignon gris and is aged in barrels.The bottle directs attention toward dry white Bordeaux from an estate identified as a Cru Bourgeois Supérieur, rather than another prestige-priced red.
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Médoc producers reconsider their use of oakBordeaux’s Left Bank producers are recalibrating their use of new oak, with
Château Lascombes inMargaux , ChâteauGruaud Larose in St-Julien andChâteau d'Armailhac inPauillac taking different approaches this year, according to Decanter.Élevage is central to both the style and identity of classified and unclassified
Médoc wines. A broader reconsideration of oak could change how producers pursue structure, texture and expression. -
Pauillac makes a new economic bet on wine tourismAccording to Sud Ouest,
Pauillac welcomed 10 cruise ships in 2026 and expects 17 in 2027 as it develops its economy around wine tourism.Growing river traffic could bring more visitors directly into the
Médoc . The test will be whetherPauillac can convert those arrivals into sustained demand for local estates and businesses. -
Médoc ’s new president warns the crisis is far from overMaxime Saint-Martin says his presidency will focus on supporting people across the
Médoc as high stocks and vine pulling continue. He sees little prospect of a rapid exit from the crisis.The warning brings the human and structural consequences of Bordeaux’s contraction into sharp focus. Even the
Médoc is confronting excess stock, vineyard loss and persistent pressure on growers. -
First Assessment of Bordeaux’s Early 2026 Harvest
Bordeaux’s 2026 harvest was the region’s earliest on record after a summer of record heat and drought. Angélique Picard of
Château Patache d'Aux and Louis Gadais ofChâteau Jean Faure offered an initial assessment from theMédoc andSaint-Émilion .This is an early estate-level reading of how exceptional heat and drought translated into the vintage.
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French police arrest gang accused of Bordeaux fraud
French police made more than 20 arrests in a Bordeaux wine fraud case. The owner and wine merchant of a château was arrested over allegations that cheap wines were sold as discounted mid-range
Médoc wines.Fraud involving the Bordeaux name can damage confidence well beyond the bottles directly affected, making provenance and trade controls central concerns.
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Cruse family sells
Médoc château after 130 yearsThe Cruse family sold
Château du Taillan in theHaut-Médoc to French businessman Laurent Marti after 130 years of ownership. Classified as Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnel, the château has 110 hectares, including 24 hectares of vineyards, and will retain its classification.Long-held château sales can signal changes in investment, vineyard management and market positioning. The buyer's plans will determine what this ownership change means for the property.
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Château Fourcas Dupré completed a 3-year transformation in June, following Gérard Jicquel’s 2019 acquisition of theListrac-Médoc estate.Substantial investment in
Listrac is significant when many Bordeaux properties face pressure on margins and demand. The project also tests how far capital, positioning and renewed facilities can elevate an appellation that remains relatively accessible. -
Michelin names 9 top-tier Bordeaux estates
Nine Bordeaux châteaux received Michelin’s highest three-grape distinction in the guide’s first regional selection following Burgundy.
The system introduces a new, consumer-facing judgment of estate quality across the
Médoc ,Saint-Émilion and the wider region. Its influence will depend on whether collectors and visitors treat the grapes as a serious complement to Bordeaux’s established classifications. -
The
Médoc Marathon brings wine country to the courseCostumed runners in the
Médoc Marathon stop for local wine, oysters and regional food as they run through Bordeaux’s wine country.The marathon gives
Médoc estates direct visibility beyond traditional tastings and château visits. That kind of cultural reach matters as Bordeaux seeks deeper relationships with consumers rather than relying solely on established trade channels. -
Looking back at the first Odyssey of the Two Banks
Vignobles de l’Estuaire held its first Odyssée des deux rives tasting on Île de Patiras for local wine influencers and trade prescribers. Around forty growers presented red and white wines from
Blaye Côtes de Bordeaux ,Côtes de Bourg ,Médoc andHaut-Médoc . -
Cycling trip in France: Tour de France through the vineyards of Bordeaux
A cycling trip through Bordeaux’s vineyards starts in Bordeaux and runs through areas including
Entre-deux-Mers ,Médoc andSaint-Émilion . In Bommes, 40-year-old winemaker Alexis Charrier producesSauternes with his family property. -
Mini-vertical:
Château Malescasse According to Terre de Vins,
Château Malescasse , a Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnel inHaut-Médoc , has been owned by Philippe Austruy since 2012 and receives consulting support from Stéphane Derenoncourt. The 35-hectare property has shown steady quality progression across vintages. -
Bordeaux wine: the
Médoc turns white and is tasted at the Soulac’n Jazz festivalWhite
Médoc wines will be presented and tasted at the Soulac’n Jazz festival in Soulac on Aug. 22, 2026. The Pourtalès family in Saint-Seurin-de-Cadourne produces an organicMédoc white made from 100% sauvignon. -
Left bank or right bank? What Bordeaux wine drinkers need to know
The Gironde Estuary divides Bordeaux’s vineyards into the Left Bank and Right Bank. The Left Bank, west of the estuary, includes Bordeaux and the Medoc, where Cabernet Sauvignon dominates wines grown on well-drained gravel soils.
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How
Château Cantemerle spread its wings once moreOn August 3, 2026, decanter.com said
Château Cantemerle completed the final part of its renovation in time for the 2025 vintage, marking a new era for the fifth growth in theHaut-Médoc appellation south ofMargaux . -
New tricks: the changing face of Bordeaux
Bordeaux producers are expanding dry whites, including Crémants and vins liquoreux, as consumers shift toward lighter, fresher wines. White grapes account for 12% of vineyard plantings, while
Château Clarke revived Le Merle Blanc deChâteau Clarke in 1998 after making white wine in theMédoc in 1885. -
Bordeaux Vineyard Prices Plunged by More Than 80% in Parts of the
Médoc According to Sud-Ouest, average vineyard prices in the
Médoc fell more than 80%, from €55,000 per hectare in 2018 to €10,000 in 2025.Pauillac prices fell from €2.2 million to €1.7 million per hectare, whileMargaux declined from €1.1 million to €800,000. -
Bordeaux vineyard values in parts of the
Médoc have fallen by more than 80%Vineyard land prices in Bordeaux's
Médoc fell by more than 80%, from €55,000 per hectare in 2018 to €10,000 in 2025, according to Vinetur. -
Bordeaux: Vineyard prices are collapsing massively
Bordeaux vineyard prices fell sharply between 2018 and 2025. In the
Médoc , the average price dropped from €55,000 to €10,000 per hectare, while sales reached 2.98 million hectoliters in the 12 months through March 2026. -
France’s Heatwave Cuts Wine Harvest as Growers Brace for Smaller Vintage
France’s prolonged heatwave and drought are expected to reduce wine yields in Bordeaux, Burgundy and Champagne. Ding Youzhen, whose company owns 2 Cru Bourgeois properties in
Médoc , expects production to fall by around 20%, possibly more, according to Vino Joy News. -
A first in France: this ride-hailing service launches an offer to try to save the Bordeaux vineyard
According to Actu.fr, Bolt launched its first such offer in France, Bolt Vignobles, in Gironde on July 1, 2026. Options serve 3 or 6 people from Bordeaux or Bordeaux-Mérignac airport to
Médoc sudMargaux ,Sauternes orSaint-Émilion . -
Sheep Help a Bordeaux Vineyard Raise Soil Temperatures by 2°C
According to
Château Clarke , winter sheep grazing raised soil temperatures by about 2°C this year and helped protect young vine buds from spring frost at the 54-hectare estate inListrac-Médoc . -
Château Lagrange inSaint-Julien offers private visits, tastings, cooking classes and vineyard tours from €30, while the September 2026 Marathon duMédoc will hold its 40th edition across 42 kilometers and 195 meters. -
Sheep Help a Bordeaux Vineyard Raise Soil Temperatures by 2°C
According to
Château Clarke , winter sheep grazing raised soil temperatures by about 2°C this year at its 54-hectare Cru Bourgeois estate inListrac-Médoc , helping reduce frost risk for young buds. -
From the Alps to Bordeaux: unmissable routes for the collector on the road
According to AostaSera, Bordeaux is a major destination for luxury wine tourism and international collectors, with appellations including
Médoc ,Saint-Émilion ,Pomerol andGraves . -
The new Cru Bourgeoisie: from rebirth to renewal
According to thedrinksbusiness.com, the latest Crus Bourgeois classification is being discussed alongside a tasting of its 2025 en primeur offerings from the
Médoc . -
Como Hotels and Resorts opens COMO Cordeillan-Bages in the
Médoc in BordeauxComo Hotels and Resorts opened COMO Cordeillan-Bages, a 28-room hotel, in
Pauillac in Bordeaux’sMédoc . -
COMO Cordeillan-Bages opens in the heart of Bordeaux wine country
COMO Hotels and Resorts has opened the 28-room COMO Cordeillan-Bages in
Pauillac , in Bordeaux’sMédoc region, in collaboration with the Cazes family, owners ofChâteau Lynch-Bages . -
Château Cantemerle ’sHaut-Médoc CharmChâteau Cantemerle , a distinguished Cinquième Cru in theHaut-Médoc , has a new cellar and a focus on Cabernet, according to Wine Spectator. -
Bordeaux 2025: Digging deep to find the vintage's best Crus Bourgeois
According to Decanter, quality among Bordeaux’s 170 Crus Bourgeois in the
Médoc is uneven in 2025; 14 are Exceptionnel and 36 Supérieur, while some properties harvested as little as 17 hl/ha. -
10 of the best value grand cru classé estates in Bordeaux
Decanter names 10 Bordeaux grand cru classé estates as the best-value options among
Médoc wines. -
What Were People Drinking in 1855?
In 1855, Napoleon III requested a Bordeaux wine classification for the Paris Universal Exposition. The hierarchy covered red wines from the
Médoc ,Château Haut-Brion in theGraves , and sweet white wines fromSauternes andBarsac , with harvests beginning on October 7. -
Bordeaux 2025 Vintage Tastings:
Pauillac BenchmarksWine Spectator tasted
Pauillac benchmarksChâteau Pichon Baron , Château Lynch Bages and Grand-Puy-Lacoste from the 2025 vintage, calling theMédoc vintage one of tremendous quality at small quantity. -
Perfect Primeurs: the Crus Bourgeois reinvent the en primeur experience (sponsored)
Terre de Vins promotes Perfect Primeurs, an immersive tasting event in Bordeaux on April 21, 2026 organized by the Crus Bourgeois du
Médoc . The evening will feature 60Médoc wines, with tastings of en primeur samples and bottled 2023 vintages, plus meetings with winemakers. -
Cru Bourgeois 2023: Value stars to seek out in the
Médoc Decanter identified standout value wines in the 2023 Cru Bourgeois selection from the
Médoc . -
A setback and a breakthrough against downy mildew in the Bordeaux vineyard
Vitisphere says the first downy mildew treatments are imminent in the Bordeaux vineyard, with some early areas, including parts of
Médoc , already treated. Monitoring lacks winter-oospore data from 4 Gironde sites, while weekly qPCR analysis of spores from 70 Nouvelle-Aquitaine sites is advancing. -
Bordeaux Launches New White Wines to Attract Younger Consumers
On Tuesday in Paris, Bernard Farges and Jean-Pierre Durand presented Bordeaux’s “new face” to attract younger and more diverse consumers, including the
Médoc Blanc appellation created in 2025. Its first bottles are due by the end of April at €15 to €30. -
Andrew Jefford: Bordeaux's white wine resurgence deserves attention
Andrew Jefford argues that Bordeaux’s white wines are undergoing a notable resurgence, highlighting creativity among producers. He points to the new
Médoc Blanc appellation (introduced in 2025) as a potentially pivotal development. -
Carpe Wine: The 1855 Classification
An explainer column demystifying wine laws and classifications, focusing on Bordeaux’s 1855 Classification and its historical role in ranking top
Médoc andSauternes estates. -
Wine and running: An unorthodox pairing going mainstream
Wine-themed running events are gaining popularity, with the Marathon du
Médoc launched in 1985 as a 20-stop race through Bordeaux vineyards and drawing 8,000 participants annually by 1994. New wine-themed races and social clubs have since emerged worldwide. -
Bordeaux’s classified growths will open Wine Paris
The Conseil des Grands Crus Classés en 1855 will host a first-of-its-kind tasting ahead of Wine Paris 2026, bringing together 54
Médoc andSauternes estates at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs. The trade-only event aims to highlight the diversity and collective momentum of the 1855 classified châteaux and become an annual fixture. -
Blanquefort: First winter rendezvous on February 4 for the Les Saisons des châteaux collective
On February 4, Madame B restaurant at Bordeaux’s Hôtel Burdigala will host an immersive tasting featuring wines from 11
Médoc châteaux, organized by the Les Saisons des châteaux collective. -
Winter sales: this gold-medal Bordeaux red drops to under €5 at Cdiscount
According to leparisien.fr, Château Le Vieux Serestin 2023, a
Médoc Cru Bourgeois Bordeaux red that won a gold medal, is available for under €5 at Cdiscount during the winter sales. -
Wine Advent #4: The Big Guns of the
Médoc in a Gift BoxChâteau Pichon Baron and Cos d'Estournel are offering gift boxes: Pichon Baron’s 2009, 2012, 2014, 2016, 2017 and 2018 half-bottle vertical costs €599 at itsPauillac shop, while Cos offers a 3-bottle 2015 set marking the vintage’s 10th anniversary.