Section 3 · Still Wines of the World

Bordeaux

Bordeaux is the world's most famous fine wine region, and one of the most heavily tested on the WSET Level 3 exam. Understanding Bordeaux means understanding blending, the influence of maritime climate, and why the Left Bank and Right Bank produce fundamentally different wines from the same latitude.

Aroma kit focus: blackcurrant, cedar, plum, graphite, tobacco, green bell pepper, vanilla, honey

Why Bordeaux Matters

Bordeaux sits in south-west France on the Atlantic coast, straddling the Gironde estuary and the Garonne and Dordogne rivers. It is the largest fine wine region in France and produces more classified wine than any other region in the world.

For the exam, Bordeaux is important because it illustrates several key WSET themes at once: how climate and soil interact to determine grape selection, why blending is used (rather than single-variety bottling), how classification systems work, and how site-specific factors drive quality and price at the highest levels.

Key fact: Bordeaux produces both red and white wines, but roughly 85% of production is red. The reds are almost always blends, most commonly of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc.

Bordeaux Wine Map

Tap or hover over any area to see its key details. The rivers divide Bordeaux into its three main zones.

ATLANTIC OCEAN LANDES FOREST GIRONDE GARONNE DORDOGNE HAUT- MÉDOC Saint-Estèphe Pauillac Saint-Julien Margaux PESSAC- LÉOGNAN Graves BORDEAUX SAINT- ÉMILION POMEROL Satellites ENTRE- DEUX-MERS (white wines only) SAUTERNES & Barsac Ciron KEY Left Bank (Cab Sauv) Right Bank (Merlot) Entre-Deux-Mers Rivers Landes Forest Not to scale · Study reference

Geography: Left Bank, Right Bank, and Entre-Deux-Mers

The rivers that flow through Bordeaux create a natural division that defines almost everything about the region's wines. When people talk about Bordeaux, they almost always mean one of three zones:

The Left Bank

West and south of the Gironde estuary and the Garonne river. This includes the Haut-Médoc (and its famous commune appellations: Pauillac, Margaux, Saint-Julien, Saint-Estèphe), as well as Pessac-Léognan and Graves to the south.

Soil: Deep gravel beds, deposited over millennia by the rivers. Gravel drains extremely well and retains heat, which helps Cabernet Sauvignon, a late-ripening variety, reach full maturity.

Dominant grape: Cabernet Sauvignon, blended with Merlot and sometimes Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot.

Style: Structured, firm tannins, blackcurrant and cedar character, built to age. The best Left Bank wines can develop for decades.

The Right Bank

East of the Dordogne river. The most important appellations are Saint-Émilion and Pomerol.

Soil: Predominantly clay and limestone, with some gravel and sand. Clay retains water and is cooler than gravel, which suits Merlot, an earlier-ripening variety that thrives in these conditions.

Dominant grape: Merlot, blended with Cabernet Franc. Cabernet Sauvignon is used occasionally, where the gravel and limestone of the Saint-Émilion plateau give it a chance to ripen; on the cooler clay it struggles.

Style: Rounder, softer tannins, plum and red fruit character, more approachable in youth. Still capable of significant ageing at the top level.

Entre-Deux-Mers

The large area between the two rivers. This appellation can only produce dry white wines: this is an important exam detail. Any red wine made in this area must be labelled as AC Bordeaux or Bordeaux Supérieur, not Entre-Deux-Mers.

The whites, like those of Graves, tend to be unoaked and Sauvignon Blanc-led (Sémillon may play a part), typically fresh, crisp, and good value. This is also where a large volume of everyday red Bordeaux is produced, representing the entry point for the region.

Côtes de Bordeaux

A name-sharing group of appellations along the hillsides of Bordeaux's rivers. Blaye, Cadillac, Castillon and Francs may each put their own name in front of “Côtes de Bordeaux” (Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux, and so on). These are predominantly Merlot-based reds offering excellent value. The hillside vineyards often have good drainage and sun exposure, producing wines with more character than generic AC Bordeaux at modest prices. (Two footnotes: Côtes de Bourg chose not to join the group, and Premières Côtes de Bordeaux is a separate sweet-wine appellation, not a member.)

Médoc (the northern tip)

North of the Haut-Médoc, the peninsula flattens out into what used to be called the Bas-Médoc and is now simply the Médoc appellation. The soils here are mostly clay with only outcrops of gravel, so Merlot takes a larger share of the blend and the wines are made for earlier drinking than the Haut-Médoc’s. Note the naming: “Médoc” on a label means this northern area, not the whole peninsula.

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Exam Angle

If the exam asks you to compare Left Bank and Right Bank Bordeaux, structure your answer around soil → grape selection → wine style. Gravel = Cabernet Sauvignon = structured and firm. Clay = Merlot = rounder and softer. This cause-and-effect chain is exactly what examiners look for.

Climate

Bordeaux has a moderate maritime climate, influenced heavily by the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf Stream. This gives it warm (but not hot) summers, mild winters, and significant rainfall.

Benefits of the Maritime Climate

A warming trend: rising temperatures, together with better canopy management, mean healthier grapes, fewer sprays and much riper fruit than a generation ago. Modern Bordeaux is a riper, more generous wine than the austere reds of the 1970s and 1980s, and that shows in the tasting profiles below.

Risks of the Maritime Climate

Why blending matters here: Because the maritime climate is unpredictable, Bordeaux growers plant multiple grape varieties as insurance. In a cool year, early-ripening Merlot may perform well while Cabernet Sauvignon struggles. In a warm year, the reverse may be true. Blending lets producers adjust the final wine to compensate for vintage conditions.

Grape Varieties

Red Grapes

Cabernet Sauvignon

Red Late ripening Left Bank dominant

The king of the Left Bank. Small, thick-skinned berries produce wines with deep colour, high tannin, and pronounced blackcurrant (cassis) character. With oak ageing, develops cedar, tobacco, and graphite notes. Needs warm gravel soils to ripen fully.

In the blend: Provides structure, tannin backbone, and ageing potential. The textbook’s guide is that Cabernet Sauvignon can make up to about three-quarters of the finest Haut-Médoc blends; most Left Bank wines carry a smaller share, with Merlot filling out the rest.

Merlot

Red Early ripening Right Bank dominant

The most widely planted grape in Bordeaux by area. Produces softer, rounder wines with plum, red cherry, and sometimes chocolate character. Lower tannin and higher alcohol than Cabernet Sauvignon. Thrives in the cooler clay soils, which is why it leads on the Right Bank; its softness is also why it is the main grape in inexpensive, high-volume Bordeaux.

In the blend: Adds fruit generosity, softness, and mid-palate weight. On the Right Bank, it's the star and usually the dominant grape, with Cabernet Franc as the main partner.

Cabernet Franc

Red Medium ripening

The third most important red grape. Lighter-bodied than Cabernet Sauvignon with more aromatic lift, think red fruits, violets, and sometimes a distinctive leafy or pencil-shaving note. Ripens earlier than Cabernet Sauvignon, making it a useful Right Bank blending partner.

In the blend: Adds perfume and finesse. The main partner to Merlot on the Right Bank, and a smaller portion on the Left Bank. Famously the dominant grape in Château Cheval Blanc (Saint-Émilion).

Petit Verdot

Red Very late ripening

A minor blending component on the Left Bank. Extremely late to ripen and only reaches maturity in the warmest vintages. When it does, it contributes intense colour, spice, and violet notes. Rarely more than 5% of a blend.

Malbec (Côt)

Red Minor variety

Once much more widely planted in Bordeaux before phylloxera, Malbec is now a very minor component. It’s permitted in the blend and can add colour and soft tannin, but it’s rarely used in significant quantities today. Malbec found much greater fame in Argentina (Chapter 37), where it became that country’s signature grape.

White Grapes

Sauvignon Blanc

White Dry whites & sweet wines

Brings acidity, freshness, and aromatic lift (citrus, green apple, herbaceous notes) to dry white Bordeaux blends. Also a key component in the sweet wines of Sauternes, where its thin skin makes it susceptible to botrytis.

Sémillon

White Dry whites & sweet wines

Historically the dominant white grape in Bordeaux by plantings, though dry white Bordeaux is now Sauvignon Blanc-led. Produces full-bodied, waxy wines with honey and lanolin character. Its thin skin is particularly susceptible to noble rot (botrytis), making it the backbone of Sauternes. In dry blends with Sauvignon Blanc, it adds body and richness while Sauvignon Blanc adds acidity and aroma.

Muscadelle

White Minor variety

A small share of the white blends, dry and sweet. Grapey and floral, it adds perfume rather than structure.

Winemaking and Oak

Bordeaux red winemaking is relatively traditional, though there is no consensus on vessels: some properties ferment in oak vats, many in stainless steel or concrete, and plenty keep a mix so they have more options at blending time.

The role of new oak: Top properties use a high proportion of new oak barrels (sometimes 100% new), which adds vanilla, toast, cedar, and spice flavours to the wine and contributes additional tannin. Less expensive wines use a lower proportion of new oak, or older barrels that impart less flavour. The percentage of new oak used is often seen as a signal of quality and ambition.

Each grape variety is typically fermented and aged separately, then blended. Most properties blend in the spring after the harvest; some keep every parcel separate right up to bottling. The final blend (called the assemblage) is one of the most important decisions made at a château each year. Lots that don't make the cut for the main wine (the grand vin) may go into a second wine, sometimes a third wine, at a lower price, and anything left over is sold off in bulk to négociants.

Sweet wines follow a different path: the botrytised must is fermented and then matured in new oak, for up to about three years at the top properties.

Classification Systems

Bordeaux has several classification systems, and understanding which applies where is a common exam topic. One thing they share: they classify estates (châteaux), not vineyards. A château can buy and sell land and keep its rank, which makes a classified château closer to a brand than to a Burgundy grand cru plot. Only Saint-Émilion’s classification is written into the appellation rules; the others sit alongside the appellation system rather than inside it.

The 1855 Classification (Left Bank)

Created for the Paris Exhibition of 1855, this ranked the top red wines of the Médoc (plus Château Haut-Brion from Graves) into five tiers of cru classé, from Premier Cru (First Growth) to Cinquième Cru (Fifth Growth). The ranking was based on the market price of each property's wine at the time, essentially a ranking by reputation and quality.

The five First Growths: Château Lafite Rothschild (Pauillac), Château Latour (Pauillac), Château Margaux (Margaux), Château Haut-Brion (Pessac-Léognan), and Château Mouton Rothschild (Pauillac, promoted from Second Growth in 1973, the only change ever made).

The 1855 classification has never been significantly revised. It remains influential but is widely acknowledged to be outdated, some Fifth Growths now produce wine at Second Growth quality, and vice versa.

The Saint-Émilion Classification (Right Bank)

Unlike the 1855 classification, the Saint-Émilion classification is revised roughly every ten years. Properties are ranked as Premier Grand Cru Classé (A or B) or Grand Cru Classé. The most recent revisions have been controversial, with some top estates withdrawing from the system entirely.

Note: Pomerol has no classification system at all, despite producing some of Bordeaux's most expensive wines (such as Château Pétrus and Château Le Pin).

The Graves Classification

Graves has its own list of classified châteaux, drawn up in the 1950s. Unlike 1855 it is unranked (no tiers), and it has separate lists for red and for white wine. All the classified properties now sit inside the Pessac-Léognan appellation.

Cru Bourgeois (Médoc)

A classification for properties in the Médoc that were not included in the 1855 ranking. These wines are often excellent value and can be comparable in quality to some classified growths. The system was revised in 2020 to include three tiers: Cru Bourgeois, Cru Bourgeois Supérieur, and Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnel, and it is reviewed every five years, so a property can move up or down.

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Exam Tip

You don't need to memorise every classified property. But you do need to know: what the 1855 classification is and where it applies, the five First Growths, that Saint-Émilion's classification is revised periodically, and that Pomerol has no classification. These come up regularly.

Key Appellations in Detail

Left Bank: The Haut-Médoc Communes

The Haut-Médoc is the southern, superior half of the Médoc peninsula. Within it, six communes have their own appellations, the most important for the exam are:

Left Bank Commune Appellations
Pauillac
Home to three of the five First Growths (Lafite, Latour, Mouton Rothschild). Powerful, concentrated wines with firm tannin, blackcurrant intensity, and cedar. The benchmark for Cabernet Sauvignon-dominant Bordeaux.
Margaux
Known for elegance and perfume. The wines are still Cabernet-dominant but tend to be more fragrant and silky compared to Pauillac. Château Margaux is the famous First Growth here.
Saint-Julien
No First Growths, but a very consistent appellation with many excellent Second and Third Growths. The style sits between Pauillac's power and Margaux's elegance, balanced and reliable.
Saint-Estèphe
The northernmost commune. Cooler, with more clay in the soil, so Merlot plays a slightly bigger role. Wines tend to be more austere and tannic in youth, often needing longer ageing.

Left Bank: Pessac-Léognan and Graves

South of the city of Bordeaux. Pessac-Léognan is the premium appellation (carved out of Graves in 1987) and produces both red and dry white wines. The reds are similar in make-up to the Médoc’s but generally less concentrated, and across Graves as a whole Merlot plays a bigger part. The dry whites, blends of Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon fermented and matured in new oak, are toasty and among Bordeaux's finest; they can hold cru classé status, which no other dry white in Bordeaux can. A property in the Médoc or Sauternes that makes a dry white has to sell it as plain Bordeaux.

Château Haut-Brion (the only non-Médoc property in the 1855 classification) is here.

Right Bank: Saint-Émilion

A large and diverse appellation with three vineyard zones. The limestone and gravel plateau grows some Cabernet Franc and even Cabernet Sauvignon alongside Merlot. The clay-limestone slopes (côtes) below it are, with the plateau, the most prestigious land. The sandy soils at the foot of the slopes give lighter wines. Merlot is the dominant grape, often blended with Cabernet Franc. The wines are generous, plummy, and more approachable in youth than Left Bank wines, but the top examples age beautifully.

The Right Bank was also home to the garagiste movement: tiny-volume, very ripe, no-expense-spared wines made in little more than a garage. Many are now classified, and the trend has since swung back towards freshness.

There is also a broader "Saint-Émilion" appellation and a more prestigious "Saint-Émilion Grand Cru" appellation (which has stricter production rules and lower yields, not to be confused with the classification tier of "Grand Cru Classé").

Right Bank: Pomerol

A tiny appellation producing some of Bordeaux's most expensive wines. The vineyards are on clay with an iron-rich subsoil (called crasse de fer), which is believed to contribute to the distinctive character of the wines. Merlot dominates almost completely here, producing rich, velvety, plum-and-truffle wines with remarkable depth.

Despite having no classification system, Pomerol's top estates, Château Pétrus, Château Le Pin, Château Lafleur, command some of the highest prices in all of Bordeaux.

Why is Pomerol so expensive? Tiny production (the appellation is very small), extreme concentration and quality at the top, and high global demand. Château Pétrus makes only about 2,500 cases per year from roughly 11 hectares. Scarcity drives the price as much as quality does.

Saint-Émilion Satellite Appellations

Surrounding Saint-Émilion are several satellite appellations that can attach Saint-Émilion's name to their own: Lussac-Saint-Émilion, Montagne-Saint-Émilion, Puisseguin-Saint-Émilion, and Saint-Georges-Saint-Émilion. These produce Merlot-dominant reds in a similar style to Saint-Émilion but at lower prices. They can offer good value, though they generally lack the concentration and complexity of wines from the main Saint-Émilion appellation.

The Appellations: Generic, District and Commune

Understanding how Bordeaux's appellations fit together helps you decode any label. They run from the broad generic appellations to single communes. But be careful: the textbook is explicit that, unlike Burgundy, Bordeaux’s appellations do not form a quality hierarchy. A commune appellation tells you where a wine comes from and which style group it belongs to; the quality signal comes from the individual property and the classifications above. Study Bordeaux by style group (Left Bank, Right Bank, dry white, sweet white), not as a ladder.

Bordeaux Appellations (Broad → Specific)
AC Bordeaux
The generic appellation. Grapes can come from anywhere in the Bordeaux region. Mainly red (Merlot-dominant), simple, fruity, meant for early drinking. Can also be white (now Sauvignon Blanc-led) or rosé. The quality of basic Bordeaux has improved markedly.
Bordeaux Supérieur
Same geographic area as AC Bordeaux, with slightly stricter rules and a higher minimum alcohol. A small step up in concentration.
District AC
Appellations covering a sub-area, such as AC Médoc, AC Haut-Médoc, AC Graves, AC Saint-Émilion, AC Entre-Deux-Mers. Each has its own rules and its own typical style.
Commune AC
The most specific geographic level, a single village or commune, such as Pauillac, Margaux, or Pomerol. These are the names on the famous labels, but the appellation itself does not rank a wine above a district or generic wine.
Exam trap: Do not write “the more specific the appellation, the higher the quality” about Bordeaux. That is Burgundy’s logic, not Bordeaux’s. Plenty of good properties sell wine as plain Bordeaux or Bordeaux Supérieur, and a weak château in Pauillac is still a weak château. In Bordeaux, quality is read from the estate and its classification, and the appellation tells you style and place.

Clairet and Rosé

Bordeaux also produces a small amount of Bordeaux Clairet: a dark rosé made with longer skin contact than a typical rosé, giving it deeper colour and a fuller body. It’s a traditional style unique to Bordeaux and mostly sold within France. Standard Bordeaux Rosé is also made, typically lighter and fresher.

Left Bank vs Right Bank: Side by Side

This comparison is one of the most exam-relevant topics in all of Bordeaux. Know it cold.

Factor Left Bank Right Bank
Main soil Gravel (well-drained, heat-retaining) Clay and limestone (water-retaining, cooler)
Dominant grape Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot
Blending partner Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot Cabernet Franc (occasionally Cabernet Sauvignon, on the plateau)
Tannin level High, firm, structured Medium to medium(+), softer, rounder
Fruit character Blackcurrant, black cherry, cedar Plum, red cherry, chocolate
Body Full Medium(+) to full
Approachability Often needs significant ageing More approachable in youth
Property size Larger estates (some very large) Smaller estates (especially Pomerol)
Classification 1855 Classification (fixed) Saint-Émilion (revised); Pomerol (none)

Sweet White Bordeaux: Sauternes and Barsac

South of Graves, the appellations of Sauternes and Barsac produce some of the world's greatest sweet wines. The conditions here are uniquely suited to noble rot (botrytis cinerea):

The amount of botrytis varies from year to year. In a damp autumn it tips into grey rot; in a dry one it may barely develop, and producers then rely on passerillage, letting healthy grapes shrivel on the vine, to concentrate the sugar instead. Barsac producers may label their wine as either Barsac or Sauternes. A number of smaller sweet appellations sit nearby along the Garonne.

Grapes used: Sémillon (the star, its thin skin is very susceptible to botrytis), Sauvignon Blanc, and a small amount of Muscadelle.

Flavour profile: Honey, apricot, marmalade, candied citrus peel, saffron. Intense sweetness balanced by high acidity. The best examples can age for decades, developing deeper caramel and nut flavours.

Château d'Yquem is the only property classified as Premier Cru Supérieur in the 1855 sweet wine classification, a category above all other First Growths. It's considered the benchmark for Sauternes worldwide. In some years, yields are so low that only one glass of wine is produced per vine.

Quality Levels and Price Factors

Bordeaux wine prices span an enormous range, from a few euros for generic AC Bordeaux to thousands for a First Growth. Understanding what drives this range is important for the exam.

What Drives Price Up

The Range

Bordeaux Quality Tiers
AC Bordeaux / Bordeaux Supérieur
Entry-level. Can come from anywhere in the region. Often Merlot-dominant, simple fruit, light to medium body. Meant for early drinking.
Regional / Commune AC
More specific origin (e.g., AC Haut-Médoc, AC Saint-Émilion). Better quality and typicity. Stricter production rules.
Cru Bourgeois
Quality tier for unclassified Médoc estates. Often great value. Three tiers since 2020.
Cru Classé
The classified growths. Premium pricing, long ageing potential, significant oak investment. The pinnacle of Bordeaux.

Vintage Variation

Bordeaux is one of the regions where vintage matters most. The maritime climate means that conditions during the growing season, especially during flowering, véraison, and harvest, can vary enormously from year to year.

Modern winemaking techniques (sorting tables, optical sorters, temperature control, micro-vinification) have significantly reduced the impact of poor vintages compared to previous decades. Even in difficult years, top estates can now produce good wine, but the gap between good and great vintages remains meaningful.

The En Primeur System

Bordeaux is unique in offering wines for sale en primeur (also called "futures"), before they are bottled. In the spring following the harvest, critics taste barrel samples, issue scores and reviews, and châteaux release their wines at an opening price. Buyers (merchants, collectors, investors) purchase the wine and receive it 18–24 months later when it's bottled.

This system provides cash flow to producers and (in theory) gives buyers access to wines at a lower price than they'll sell for on release. However, the en primeur market has become controversial, in some recent vintages, release prices have been too high relative to the eventual market price, reducing the incentive to buy early.

What Bordeaux Tastes Like: SAT Notes

When you encounter a Bordeaux in a blind tasting, here are the markers to look for:

Left Bank (Cabernet Sauvignon-dominant)

SAT Profile, Left Bank Red
Appearance
Deep ruby to garnet (depending on age). High intensity.
Nose
Blackcurrant, black cherry, cedar, tobacco, graphite. With age: leather, earth, mushroom. If oaked: vanilla, toast, spice.
Palate
Dry. High tannin (firm, fine-grained in quality). Medium(+) to high acidity. Full body. Medium alcohol, high in the ripest vintages (the SAT has no medium(+) for alcohol; 14% and above is high). Long finish.
Quality cues
Complexity, length, balance between fruit concentration and structural elements. Integration of oak.

Right Bank (Merlot-dominant)

SAT Profile, Right Bank Red
Appearance
Medium(+) to deep ruby. Can show garnet rim earlier than Left Bank wines.
Nose
Plum, red cherry, raspberry, chocolate, sometimes violet (from Cabernet Franc). With age: truffle, leather, dried fruit.
Palate
Dry. Medium to medium(+) tannin (softer, rounder). Medium(+) acidity. Medium(+) to full body. Medium finish to long.
Quality cues
Richness and generosity of fruit. Velvety texture. Complexity from blending and terroir expression.

Aroma Kit Integration

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Bordeaux Aroma Session (20 min)

Pull these from your kit: blackcurrant, cedar, plum, vanilla, tobacco, green bell pepper, honey. Smell each one individually, then in pairs. Try to identify which aromas you'd associate with Left Bank vs Right Bank. Blackcurrant and cedar = Left Bank. Plum and chocolate = Right Bank.

Wine drill: If possible, taste a Left Bank Bordeaux (Haut-Médoc or Pauillac) side by side with a Right Bank Bordeaux (Saint-Émilion or Pomerol). Write a full SAT note for each and compare your notes. Pay special attention to tannin texture, can you feel the difference between Cabernet Sauvignon's grip and Merlot's roundness?

Budget-friendly option: A Cru Bourgeois from the Médoc (Left Bank, ~$15–25) vs a Saint-Émilion Grand Cru (Right Bank, ~$20–30) makes an excellent study pair without breaking the bank.

What the Exam Expects You to Know

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Short Answer Strategy

If you get a Bordeaux question, always anchor your answer in the cause-and-effect chain: climate/soil → grape selection → winemaking decisions → style of wine. Don't just list facts, connect them. "The deep gravel soils of Pauillac retain heat and drain well, which allows late-ripening Cabernet Sauvignon to reach full physiological maturity, resulting in wines with firm tannins, deep colour, and concentrated blackcurrant character."

Active Recall Prompts

Close this page and try to answer these from memory: