Médoc
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
Médoc is the northern end of the peninsula, 50 communes from the edge of Bordeaux to Le Verdon at the mouth of the estuary, on sandy and clayey gravel and tertiary clay and limestone. Its 5,560 hectares are 1 third of the Médoc’s vines, worked by 440 growers, 214 of them in cooperative cellars. Since 2019 the whole peninsula has been a regional natural park.
The rules
Red and, since the cahier des charges (the appellation’s official rulebook) (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 Médoc varieties, with the same 4 accessory ones as Haut-Médoc. At least 5,000 vines a hectare, the loosest density on the peninsula, 55 hectoliters with a ceiling of 65, 11% of natural alcohol, and release from April 15 of the year after the harvest. The same rules made organic or environmental certification a condition of the name. The appellation made 290,000 hectoliters of red in 2009, and more than 5,000 of white by 2023, before white was written into the rules.
The names
No growth of 1855 stands in AOC Médoc; all 61 lie to the south. Its standing lies elsewhere: the classification of 2025 holds 91 Crus Bourgeois here, more than any other appellation, and the Crus Artisans list of 2022 to 2026 holds 13, also more than anywhere else. The Jurade of Bordeaux classified the wines of Guyenne in 1647, the bourgeois list was drawn up in 1932, and the appellation dates from November 14, 1936.
- 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 Médoc, arrêté du 31 juillet 2025 · INAO, Médoc · Conseil des Vins du Médoc, Médoc · Conseil Interprofessionnel du Vin de Bordeaux, Médoc · INAO, le Médoc ouvert aux vins blancs · Conseil des Grands Crus Classés en 1855 · INAO and the Fédération des Grands Vins de Bordeaux, cahiers des charges
The stack
The same ground in Médoc may also be labeled Bordeaux, Bordeaux Supérieur and Crémant de Bordeaux. A grower chooses which appellation to sell under, and the narrowest is almost always the dearest.
It shares named communes with Haut-Médoc, Pauillac, Moulis-en-Médoc, Saint-Julien, Margaux, Saint-Estèphe and Listrac-Médoc.
The appellations of Bordeaux are stacked, not laid side by side. The map draws the whole stack. Open the map
Classifications that reach this appellation: The Crus Bourgeois du Médoc and The Crus Artisans du Médoc.
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
38
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Château Fourcas Dupré completed a 3-year transformation in June, following Gérard Jicquel’s 2019 acquisition of the Listrac-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.
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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.
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The Médoc Marathon brings wine country to the course
Costumed 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.
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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 and Haut-Médoc.
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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 and Saint-Émilion. In Bommes, 40-year-old winemaker Alexis Charrier produces Sauternes with his family property.
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Mini-vertical: Château Malescasse
According to Terre de Vins, Château Malescasse, a Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnel in Haut-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.
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Bordeaux wine: the Médoc turns white and is tasted at the Soulac’n Jazz festival
White 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 organic Médoc white made from 100% sauvignon.
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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 more
On 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 the Haut-Médoc appellation south of Margaux.
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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 de Château Clarke in 1998 after making white wine in the Médoc in 1885.
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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, while Margaux declined from €1.1 million to €800,000.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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 sud Margaux, Sauternes or Saint-Émilion.
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Château Lagrange in Saint-Julien offers private visits, tastings, cooking classes and vineyard tours from €30, while the September 2026 Marathon du Médoc will hold its 40th edition across 42 kilometers and 195 meters.
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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 in Listrac-Médoc.
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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 in Listrac-Médoc, helping reduce frost risk for young buds.
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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 and Graves.
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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.
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Como Hotels and Resorts opens COMO Cordeillan-Bages in the Médoc in Bordeaux
Como Hotels and Resorts opened COMO Cordeillan-Bages, a 28-room hotel, in Pauillac in Bordeaux’s Médoc.
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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’s Médoc region, in collaboration with the Cazes family, owners of Château Lynch-Bages.
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Château Cantemerle’s Haut-Médoc Charm
Château Cantemerle, a distinguished Cinquième Cru in the Haut-Médoc, has a new cellar and a focus on Cabernet, according to Wine Spectator.
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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.
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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.
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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 the Graves, and sweet white wines from Sauternes and Barsac, with harvests beginning on October 7.
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Bordeaux 2025 Vintage Tastings: Pauillac Benchmarks
Wine Spectator tasted Pauillac benchmarks Château Pichon Baron, Château Lynch Bages and Grand-Puy-Lacoste from the 2025 vintage, calling the Médoc vintage one of tremendous quality at small quantity.
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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 60 Médoc wines, with tastings of en primeur samples and bottled 2023 vintages, plus meetings with winemakers.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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 and Sauternes estates.
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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.
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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 and Sauternes 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.
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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.
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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.
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Wine Advent #4: The Big Guns of the Médoc in a Gift Box
Château 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 its Pauillac shop, while Cos offers a 3-bottle 2015 set marking the vintage’s 10th anniversary.