The red wines of Médoc are the most famous
in Bordeaux and one of the best-known and the most highly-regarded
wine district in the world. The Médoc lies along the west bank
of the Gironde River north of the city of Bordeaux and stretches about
50 miles down the estuary that empties into the Atlantic Ocean.
Down the south eastern stretch of Médoc on
higher ground lies the Haut-Médoc (OH may-DOC), translated
to “high Médoc”. There are six appellations in
the Haut-Médoc that are the most prized in France. From north
to south there are (1) Saint-Estephe, (2) Paullic, (3) Saint Julien,
(4) Listrac, (5) Moulis and (6) Margaux.
The best châteaux in Médoc that were
not in the 1855 Crus Classification were categorized as “cru
bourgeois” in 1932; the classification was updated in 1978.
The cru bourgeois now include 419 properties and make up about half
of Médoc’s wine production.
