BORDEAUX LEFT BANK

Home of the Official 1855 Classification

Bordeaux’s left bank extends 110 kilometres from almost the tip of the Gironde estuary northwest of the city of Bordeaux, down to Langon, some 50 kilometres southeast of the city. The further the distance from the coast, the weaker the influence the Atlantic has on the local climate. On the left bank, there are diverse soils, with the best sites generally being gravelly and well-drained.

South of the city of Bordeaux, the Graves Region is named after its alluvial gravelly-based soils and is famed for producing both red and white wines. Close to the city, Pessac-Léognan split out to become a separate Appellation and produces some of Bordeaux’s finest barrel-fermented white wines. At the Graves’ southern end, Appellations such as Sauternes and Barsac have very particular microclimates and are renowned for producing world-class dessert wines.

North of the city, the Médoc is home to many prestigious châteaux and quality Appellations. While Bordeaux has a wine trade dating back to Roman times, the Médoc was mainly swamp and totally unsuitable for viticulture until it was drained in the 17th century. The best sites are generally close to the estuary or on well-drained, gravelly outcrops inland. A forest to the west of the Médoc separates and protects it from Atlantic Ocean fronts. The proximity of the Gironde and the ocean has a moderating effect on climate so that more of the late-ripening Cabernet Sauvignon is found planted in the Médoc.

The Médoc was the setting for the renowned 1855 Classification created at the request of Napoleon III for the Universal Exhibition in Paris. This ranked the top 60 Bordeaux wines of the day into five classes, based on what punters were willing to pay. The Grand Cru classification is still used today. The Cru Bourgeois classification ranks the next level down. Any classification can be a useful guide, bearing in mind that it’s only a snapshot in time and not absolute. Wine quality on a given estate may wax and wane over time, depending on ownership and resources.