The Médoc (the name means "middle land") is a triangular peninsula in the department of Gironde in south-west France. It lies to the north-west of the city of Bordeaux between the Gironde estuary formed by the confluence of the Garonne and Dordogne rivers and the Atlantic coast of the Côte d'Argent (Silver Coast) on the Bay of Biscay. The strip, which is around 70 kilometres long and 5 to 12 kilometres wide and is dominated by many vineyards, is occasionally interrupted by pastureland, scrubland and polders (floodplain).
The area is divided into two regional appellations (Bas-Médoc and Haut-Médoc) and six communal appellations within Haut-Medoc with around 16,000 hectares of vineyards. Médoc is probably the most famous appellation in Bordeaux and also one of the most important and best red wine regions in France and the world. Typical are the numerous magnificent châteaux, which also deserve this designation (as "château") from an architectural point of view. However, this is not a sign of quality, as there are also wine estates with simple buildings that produce excellent wines.
History
Viticulture came to this region relatively late. In the 17th century, under the guidance of Dutch dam and hydraulic engineering specialists, the coasts were levelled, swampy areas drained and streams regulated. This is why the area was called "La Petite Hollande" for a long time. As there was no viticulture in the area at that time, the Dutch bought wines from the "Bordeaux hinterland", which was known as the Haut-Pays and the wines from there as "Vin de Haut" or "Hooglansche Wijn" in Dutch. Later, many vineyards were planted or small areas were acquired and combined into larger estates, including by the famous Ségur family.
Climate & soil
Médoc has particularly favourable conditions for viticulture. These are the mild climate, the very poor and deep gravel soil in many places, which forces the vines to drive their roots deep into the ground, as well as the good drainage in the soil. Despite the immediate proximity to the Atlantic, the climate is not humid, as the many pine forests provide excellent protection against winds and rain from the west.
Bas-Médoc & Haut-Médoc
Médoc is divided into the northern area Bas-Médoc with 5,600 hectares and the southern area Haut-Médoc with 4,600 hectares of vineyards (excluding the six communes). The border runs from Saint-Seurin-de-Cadourne to the north of the commune of Saint-Estèphe. Haut-Médoc begins at the southern corner of the commune of Blanquefort, which forms the northern border with the Graves area. Both areas are also entitled to their own appellation.
They are characterised by very different soil types. In Haut-Médoc, the wines are categorised somewhat higher due to the gravelly soil and have more race and finesse. The six famous communes of Margaux, Moulis, Listrac-Médoc, Pauillac, Saint-Estèphe and Saint-Julien form their own appellations within Haut-Médoc.
The wines from the other communes are labelled "Haut-Médoc", the wines from Bas-Médoc simply "Médoc" or rarely "Bas-Médoc". They are made from the typical Bordeaux blend grape varieties, with Cabernet Sauvignon tending to dominate in Haut-Médoc and Merlot in Bas-Médoc. However, the mix of grape varieties differs mainly depending on whether you are on the Rive droite (right bank) or Rive gauche (left bank) of the Garonne/Dordogne or Gironde. The less important white wines are mainly made from Sauvignon Blanc.
Bordeaux classification
The famous Bordeaux classification was established in 1855 (see details there). Out of a total of 4,000 châteaux or red wines, only 61 (number from today's perspective) were deemed worthy. With the sole exception of Château Haut-Brion from the Graves region, only châteaux from the Médoc are included. The official presentation took place with great pomp in the presence of Emperor Napoleon III (1808-1873) on 18 April 1855.
The châteaux were grouped into five classes: Premier, Deuxième, Troisième, Quatrième and Cinquième. Château Lafite-Rothschild was at the top of the list. A facsimile of the handwritten original documents:
Ranking of the Châteaux
In a letter from the jury to the Chamber of Commerce dated 16 September 1855, it was noted that there was no qualitative ranking and that wines of the same level were equal. But just one month earlier, the opposite was claimed. Another argument against "equality" is that the châteaux/wines were not organised either by commune or alphabetically. Allegedly, the order corresponded to the average price achieved in the long term. The simple reason was probably to avoid upsetting anyone and prevent endless disputes and protests.
Note on the label
Today, the class is rarely mentioned on the label, which often simply states "Grand Cru Classé en 1855". However, the less prestigious Deuxièmes do make reference to it. Baron Philippe de...
