Bordeaux is best known for its top reds, star wines that cost hundreds (or even thousands) of pounds per dozen, and which account for most of the investment market in wine. But most Bordeaux wine is much less expensive than these, and is sold as basic 'Bordeaux AOC', rather than by 'commune', the name of an individual village (i.e. Pauillac or Pomerol). Most Bordeaux estates use the word 'Château' on the wine label. It doesn't mean that the Bordeaux region is crammed with vast, historic castles. In this context, 'château' just means a house in the country - sometimes a very small one!
Although Bordeaux is less than 250 kilometres up the French coast from the Spanish border, it has a mild, sea-influenced climate. This means white grapes ripen well every year, but not red grapes. Three or four years out of ten, red grapes have difficulty, and red wines are lighter than usual, or downright disappointing. The famous villages are those where grapes have the best chance of ripening.
Bordeaux red (sometimes known as 'claret') is made from a group of grapes, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Malbec. They are usually blended, but some single variety Merlot wines are produced. Bordeaux's most famous areas for red wine are the Médoc, Graves, St Emilion and Pomerol.
Both dry and sweet whites are made in Bordeaux. The sweet whites are better known, particularly those from Sauternes and Barsac, which include some of the most luscious dessert wines in the world. They, and the dry whites, are made from Sémillon and Sauvignon Blanc, sometimes with small amounts of Muscadelle and Ugni Blanc. The dry whites range from crisp, aromatic Sauvignon-based wines, common in the Entre-Deux-Mers, to rich, oaky, barrel-fermented blends of Sémillon and Sauvignon, usually from the Graves.
