Which grapes are used in Bordeaux?

Mainly Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, often with Cabernet Franc. White Bordeaux is made from Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon.

What's the difference between the left and right banks?

The left bank is Cabernet-dominated, tannic and age-worthy; the right bank is Merlot-dominated, softer and more approachable young.

Does Bordeaux need ageing?

Powerful wines from good vintages reward years of ageing, but many simpler Bordeaux are lovely young.

Bordeaux – a guide to the world's most famous wine region

Bordeaux makes classic blends of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Learn the difference between the left and right banks and how to read the label.

Bordeaux in south-west France is the wine world's benchmark for age-worthy red blends. The Gironde river splits the region into a left and a right bank with different characters.

Left bank (Médoc)

Cabernet Sauvignon dominates here. The wines are tannic, firm and age-worthy, with blackcurrant, cedar and a green note. The classified châteaux from 1855 are here.

Right bank (Saint-Émilion, Pomerol)

Merlot dominates here. The wines are softer, rounder and more approachable young, with ripe plum and blackberry fruit.

The blend

Classic Bordeaux blends Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and often Cabernet Franc. Each grape contributes: Cabernet gives structure and ageing, Merlot gives fruit and roundness.

Reading the label

Bordeaux names the wine after the place, not the grape. Learn the appellation (e.g. Margaux, Pauillac, Saint-Émilion) and you'll know roughly the style and grape mix you'll get.