Bordeaux

Bordeaux is one of the world's great fine wine regions, renowned for producing complex, age-worthy wines from its historic châteaux and distinctive appellations. Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot lie at the heart of most of its great reds, supported by varieties including Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Malbec, with the contrasting soils and climates of the Left and Right Banks giving rise to markedly different styles.

On the Left Bank, the gravel soils of the Médoc favour Cabernet Sauvignon, producing structured, long-lived wines in celebrated appellations such as Pauillac, Margaux, Saint-Julien and Saint-Estèphe. Pauillac is home to three of Bordeaux's five First Growths, alongside outstanding Classified Growths such as Château Grand Puy Lacoste, while Margaux is renowned for its perfume and elegance and Saint-Julien for its remarkable balance and consistency. Further south, Pessac-Léognan produces both distinguished Cabernet-led reds and some of Bordeaux's finest dry white wines.

Across the Gironde, the clay and limestone soils of the Right Bank favour Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Pomerol and Saint-Émilion produce some of Bordeaux's richest, most seductive and sought-after wines, while neighbouring appellations such as Lalande-de-Pomerol and Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux can offer exceptional quality and value, exemplified by wines such as the Durantou family's La Chenade. From approachable château wines and mature vintages to great Classified Growths and First Growths, Bordeaux offers extraordinary diversity, with its finest wines capable of developing beautifully over many decades.