A guide to the Haut-Médoc wine region
The Haut-Médoc appellation is found north of the city of Bordeaux and is part of the wider Médoc region, a peninsula that stretches from Bordeaux towards the Atlantic port of Le Verdon. The majority of vineyards are located on an eastern coastal strip that shadows the Gironde estuary. Some of the most famous names in the world of wine are found in the Médoc region, including Pauillac and Margaux. They remain the most potent symbols of France’s fine wine industry.
However, a good percentage of the peninsula’s vineyards fall under the jurisdiction of the Haut-Médoc appellation, which was created in 1936 and remains a hotbed of investment and premium quality. There are approximately 4682 hectares of vineyards, situated in the southern and central parts of the Médoc peninsula. Some of the most lauded châteaux in the Haut-Médoc are found to the south and west of the Médoc’s four premier wine zones: Pauillac, Margaux, Saint-Estèphe and Saint-Julien. Indeed, in the case of some properties, their vineyards lie adjacent to the most famous classified estates. The best terroirs of the Haut-Médoc are no poor relation; in fine vintages, the Haut-Médoc is capable of producing superlative wines that can age for decades.
So you may wonder why the Médoc peninsula, which practically invented fine wine and still makes the most desired, also does value? In the case of the Haut-Médoc, there are several reasons. Unlike the illustrious zones of Margaux and Saint-Julien, there are relatively few classified estates in the Haut-Médoc. The great Bordeaux classification of 1885 subjected the region’s châteaux to a hierarchical ranking, from First to Fifth Growth. While the small commune of Saint-Julien houses 11 notable classified growths, the larger Haut-Médoc zone has just five.
Therefore, the Haut-Médoc’s châteaux have never boasted the renown—or, indeed, the high prices—of their neighbours. Additionally, the area’s winegrowers are painfully aware of the fiercely competitive global marketplace in which they operate and the growing consumer intolerance of lacklustre red Bordeaux. In order to attract more attention to their wines, over 50 Haut-Médoc châteaux belong to the ‘Cru Bourgeois’ classification framework. This ranking, originally conceived in the 1930s, was revised in 2020 and expanded to incorporate three tiers: Crus Bourgeois, Crus Bourgeois Superieurs and Crus Bourgeois Exceptionnels. Eight ‘Exceptionnels’ are from the Haut-Médoc zone, with prices that understandably reflect that.
But this is very much a buyer’s market; there are over 240 wine producers competing for your attention. Some are tiny outfits making a few thousand bottles each vintages, others are sizeable entities owned by conglomerates. Yet the overwhelming majority adhere to the Médoc’s long-established traditions, at least in terms of grape varieties.
Wine production
It is very rare to encounter a single-varietal red wine in the Haut-Médoc, and only a small amount of white is made here. Winemakers have practised the art of blending for centuries, partly as an insurance policy. In rain-soaked vintages, one variety could fail to ripen properly, resulting in acidic and pinched wine. However, by cultivating several grape varieties throughout the growing season, the châteaux owners had some options to fall back on.
Almost every wine made in the Haut-Médoc contains a certain percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon, the superstar red grape of the Bordeaux region. A late-ripening and full-bodied variety, Cabernet Sauvignon is celebrated for its formidable tannic structure and tell-tale aromas of cassis and cedarwood. It is almost always paired with (or subordinate to) the softer, plumper Merlot, a variety much-loved for its velvety texture and rich cocktail of red and black fruit. Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot are also permitted in the Haut-Médoc blends, but Malbec is seldom used.
In riper vintages, winegrowers will tell you that Cabernet Franc can add acidity and structure to the final product, while Petit Verdot is appreciated for its exotic perfume; lavender, lilac and sage are typical. Of course, individual winemakers will vary the percentages of grapes used, depending on the local terroir and vintage conditions. But what unites every top châteaux in the Haut-Médoc is their ability to produce something far greater than merely the sum of its parts.
Appellations
The Haut-Médoc is a very heterogeneous appellation, with marked variances in soil structure. Consequently, it is very difficult to pin down a quintessential wine style that typifies the zone. The gravel beds that are a common feature of Margaux and Pauillac can also be found in the Haut-Médoc, albeit concentrated in the communes of Saint-Laurent, Macau and Ludon. These warmer soils can usually successfully ripen Cabernet Sauvignon; properties based in these sub-zones will often release Cabernet Sauvignon-dominant wines, as the terroir facilitates its defining role in the blend. Such wines can resemble the best of Pauillac in their elegance and poise. They will have a firm structure and benefit from a few years bottle age after release.
Château La Lagune (a Third Growth estate), is just one example of a winery that punches above its official classification. The 1995 vintage of La Lagune, tasted in 2018, was a superb example of red Bordeaux. Offering aromas of cassis, coffee and tobacco leaf, it was an opulent wine with impeccable concentration and length.
At the other end of the spectrum, Château Bel-Orme-Tronquoy-de-Lalande places Merlot at the heart of its blends. The 2016 vintage, for example, contained 58% Merlot and 42% Cabernet Sauvignon. The estate’s terroir is better suited to ripening Merlot, due to its cold and heavy clay/limestone soils. This is not atypical for the Haut-Médoc; much of the land situated west of Pauillac and Saint-Julien boasts a cooler climate and heavier clay soils. Only in the warmest years could Cabernet Sauvignon hope to ripen fully in such conditions.
Properties use Merlot to ensure that their wines are not spoiled by an abundance of green tannin, an unfortunate consequence of unripe Cabernet. Stylistically, Merlot-dominant blends are often approachable from the get-go, with aromas of plum, violets and blackcurrant. They are a delight to drink young, but will age into glorious complexity. The favourable price/quality ratio of the Haut-Médoc only heightens the allure.