Where it is
Bordeaux lies in south-western France, close to the Atlantic, and takes in the whole department of Gironde. The Garonne and Dordogne meet to form the Gironde estuary, and they divide the region into the Left Bank, the Right Bank and the Entre-Deux-Mers between them.
Land and climate
The climate is oceanic and mild, with the Atlantic and the forest of Les Landes moderating weather. Vintages vary with rain at flowering and harvest. On the Left Bank the soils are gravel, which favours Cabernet Sauvignon; on the Right Bank clay and limestone favour Merlot and Cabernet Franc.
Grapes and wines
Red Bordeaux is a blend, usually of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc, with small amounts of Petit Verdot and Malbec. Whites combine Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon. Sauternes and Barsac make sweet wines from grapes affected by noble rot.
Places to know
The Médoc, with Margaux, Pauillac, Saint-Julien and Saint-Estèphe, and Pessac-Léognan on the Left Bank; Saint-Émilion and Pomerol on the Right Bank; Sauternes and Barsac to the south. The 1855 classification ranked Médoc and Sauternes châteaux, and Saint-Émilion has its own, periodically revised classification.