Bordeaux
Undoubtedly the most well-known fine wine region on the planet, the French wine region of Bordeaux spans 120,000 hectares of vineyard and is demarcated by the Gironde Estuary and its two main tributaries, the Garonne and the Dordogne. The region is divided into the Left Bank, for vineyards located on the left bank of the Garonne River, and the Right Bank, for vineyards on the right bank of the Dordogne. Famous Left Bank appellations such as Pauillac, Saint-Julien, Saint-Estephe and Margaux are well-known for their quality, but value is also found in Haut-Medoc and Moulis. The Right Bank is well known for Pomerol and Saint-Emilion, while the upcoming regions of Lalande-de-Pomerol and Cotes de Bordeaux Castillon should not be overlooked. Close to the city Sauternes and Barsac make some of the world's best sweet wines, while the appellations of Pessac-Leognan and Graves do a fine line in rich reds and full-bodied whites.
Red Bordeaux wines are made from a blend of grapes, and the permitted varieties are Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and, less commonly, Malbec and Carmenere. Very broadly speaking, Right Bank wines will have a predominance of Merlot, while Left Bank wines will rely on Cabernet Sauvignon as the primary variety in a blend. White wines, both dry and sweet, are made from Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon and Muscadelle.
