Appellation

What are the mains Bordeaux vineyard appellation ?

There is more than 30 different appellations in the Bordeaux vineyard.

An appellation is related to a geographic part : the name of a village (St Emilion, Margaux, Sauternes ...) or the name of an area (Medoc, Entre 2 mers, cotes de Blaye ...).

The vineyard is separated in the middle by the Gironde river.
We call the right bank the right side of this river and the the left bank the left side.

On the Right bank : St Emilion, Pomerol, Blaye, Fronsac ...

On the Left Bank you find : Medoc, Graves, Sauternes ....

The Gironde river splits in 2 others rivers, the Dordogne & the Garonne and in the middle of these it is the "Entre 2 mers" appellation.

Have a look on the Bordeaux vineyard map

Medoc :
The Medoc is a long wide band situated on the left bank. Most of the production is red wine & the mains appellations are :
-Margaux
-Pauillac
-St Estephe
-St Julien
-Listrac
-Moulis

Graves :The Grave is a small appellation close Bordeaux. They produce both red & white wines.
The most famous appellation is the Pessac Leognan.

Sauternes :The Sauternes production is sweet white wine. It is a very small appellation but very famous.

Entre 2 mers :
This appellation is less known but they product very special dry white wine which goes very well with fish & sea food.

St Emilion :The village and the vineyard are listed as human world heritage by the UNESCO. The production is mainly red wine. Situated close the Dordogne valley, the landscape is made of plateau and small hill.

Pomerol :
Close St Emilion there is the Pomerol appellation. The production is red wine made with more than 90% of Merlot.
May be the smallest vineyard but one of the most famous with it Star "Petrus".
Note that we don't say Chateau" we just say Petrus !
Arround St Emilion
Puisseguin, Montagne, Lalande de Pomerol, Fronsac, Lussac ....

Arround Blaye
Cote de Blaye, Cote de Bourg