With more than 7,000 chateaux, France’s Bordeaux region is the most important wine producing region in the world. As well as being the basis for Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot-based wines everywhere, Bordeaux wines are acknowledged to be among the world’s best reds—according to experts and amateurs alike.
The wine region of Bordeaux is comprised of many smaller areas and encompasses both banks of the Gironde estuary in southwest France, as well as the land bordering the Garonne and Dordogne Rivers, which split off from the Gironde in the southern Medoc area. Generally, Bordeaux's best red wines are from seven major (and well-known) appellations: Pauillac, Saint-Estephe, Saint-Julien, and Margaux in the greater Medoc region, Graves to the south of the city of Bordeaux—in the region’s center, and Saint-Emilion and Pomerol toward the east. The large Graves region, as well as being the birthplace of claret, is home to many of the best dry whites. Premium sweet wines are made in Sauternes and Barsac, which are also within the Graves appellation but toward the south.
In understanding the multitude of Bordeaux wines, experts tend to talk about the right and left banks of the Gironde River. Generally, red wines from the river’s left bank, especially from Bordeaux’s Medoc region, are based on Cabernet Sauvignon, mixed with varying amounts of Merlot and Cabernet Franc and, occasionally, a spot of Petit Verdot and Malbec. These reds are known to be firm and dry, with a substantial tannic spine, and are frequently austere in their youth. They are also among the world’s longest-lived. The Graves’ gravel and sand soil content contribute to more texture early and roasted accents of hot stones, smoke and tobacco.
The softer Merlot grape is the foundation for right bank wines, mostly to the town of Libourne’s eastern side. These wines are fleshier in general than wines from the left bank and are more pliant. They are also accessible at an earlier age—though the best of them can improve in bottle for decades.
jamessuckling.com, 98 points: So much floral and dark-fruit character with almonds and walnut shell. Full body and ultra-fine tannins. Powerful. Classic style with a harmony and energy. Goes on for minutes. A superb wine with great fruit. Real...
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jamessuckling.com, 95 points: Impressive richness and clarity of red and dark berries. Lightly spiced-pastry aromas, too. The palate has a very crisp, polished and groomed tannin texture, as well as super fresh flavors that carry long. Great wine. Try...
jebdunnuck.com, 98 points: Reminding me of the 1990, the 2015 Château Pichon Baron is a sensational bottle of wine made from 80% Cabernet Sauvignon and 20% Merlot that spent 18 months in 80% new French oak. Boasting a deep purple color as well as...
Wine Enthusiast, 97 points: This firm wine shows the tannic side of the vintage. Those tannins are dusty, enriched with black-currant fruits and a dense backdrop. The wine is concentrated and elegant, very ageworthy and not likely to be ready before...
jebdunnuck.com, 100 points: Pure perfection in a glass and unquestionably one of the great vintages for this cuvée, the 2015 Pavie is a blend of 60% Merlot, 22% Cabernet Franc, and the rest Cabernet Sauvignon that was brought up in 80% new French...
Wine Enthusiast, 95 points: Solid tannins mark this still very young wine. At the same time, the fruit is rich and well proportioned. Black currants dominate the fruity spectrum, giving the wine richness as well as great potential. Drink from 2025...
Wine Enthusiast, 97 points: From its privileged position on the sweep of vines leading up to the medieveal city of Saint-Émilion, this estate has made an impressive wine in this vintage. It is rich and concentrated both in its structure and its...
jebdunnuck.com, 97 points: This 17-hectare estate has been rejuvenated by owner Jean-Louis Triaud and is certainly producing some of the top wines from the appellation today. I tasted the deep, inky-colored 2015 Château Saint-Pierre twice and it’s...
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, 94 points: The 2015 Marquis d'Alesme Becker is composed of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc and 3% Petit Verdot. It has a deep garnet-purple color and a broody, earthy/meaty nose over a core of crushed black...
jamessuckling.com, 99 points: The clarity to this wine is impressive. Wealth of dark-plum and black-fruit essence not to mention orange citrus. Everything is dialed up to the limit here but then dialed in on the palate. Such impressive depth and...
TheWineCellarInsider.com, 100 points: Truffle, flowers, smoke, licorice, wet earth, dark plums and black cherry aromas reach your nose as soon as the wine hits the glass. Full bodied, sensuous and silky, the wine is deeply concentrated and also effortless to...
TheWineCellarInsider.com, 100 points: Still inky in color as you might expect, the wine pops with its smoky, floral, licorice, truffle and chocolate covered boysenberry, or is that cherry, or is that plum? There are so many different fruits on display here...
jamessuckling.com, 95 points: Aromas of iron, rust and hot stones with currants and dark berries follow through to a full body, firm and ultra-silky tannins and a long and polished finish. Racy and driven. Drink in 2022.
Wine Enthusiast, 95 points: One of the furthest west of the Saint-Julien estates, this property has been greatly improved with investment from Japanese owner Suntory. The wine from 2015 is dense and impressively concentrated, perfumed black-currant...
jamessuckling.com, 98 points: Instantly impressive nose with pristine lemons and limes as well as subtly flinty, reductive notes. The palate has power and direction, not to mention impressive yeast lees influence and perfectly integrated oak. Power...
Decanter, 93 points: This wine is definitely softening and taking on shape in the bottle. The juiciness is starting to appear and you can see why this is the most easily approachable of the Mouton stable when young. Really enjoyable...
Wine Enthusiast, 93 points: This wine comes from a 50-acre crus bourgeois estate in the middle of some of the greatest crus classés estates. The terroir is impressive and produces a rich, structured wine with good concentration, ripe tannins and a...
jamessuckling.com, 97 points: Classic Pomerol character of black olives, wet earth, violets and dark fruit. Full-bodied, tight and silky-textured with fabulous texture. Stones and dark berries. So serious and real. The depth is like looking down a...
Wine Enthusiast, 96 points: This is a powerful wine, with wood aging that adds richness to the dense tannins. Some tough extraction has not detracted from the ripe fruit or structure and will go as the wine matures. It should be ready to drink from...
jamessuckling.com, 93 points: A dense and rich red with dried-berry and plum character. Full body, round and chewy tannins and a flavorful finish. Lots of intensity. Drink in 2020.
jamessuckling.com, 96 points: Very suave and impressive sweet, earthy notes as well as mocha-scented oak, violets and blueberries. The palate has a swathe of supple tannins with a seamless texture. Really smooth. Good drive and depth, not to mention...
jamessuckling.com, 98 points: So much violet and lilac aromas to this with blackberry and blueberry character, too. Full-bodied and delivering limestone, chalk and lavender on the palate. Great structure, too. Needs four or five years to soften...
jebdunnuck.com, 99 points: A wine I was able to taste on multiple occasions, the 2015 Troplong Mondot is a tour de force that readers need to snatch up. This cuvee comes from the cool, clay and limestone soils on the upper plateau (it’s the highest...
jamessuckling.com, 94 points: Multi-facetted nose of fresh citrus, stone fruits and some candied pineapple. Rich and succulent but with lively acidity and a long, seriously complex finish. Better from 2020 and has a couple of decades of ageing in the...
jebdunnuck.com, 99 points: A monumental wine is the 2015 Hosanna and it’s 82% Merlot and 18% Cabernet Franc raised in (I suspect) all new barrels that’s from a single parcel of older vines. One of those rare wines to pair incredible opulence with...
jamessuckling.com, 93 points: Attractive red berries and light licorice notes with a lick of iodine lead to a palate that has plenty of red-fruit and -licorice flavors. Smoothly groomed tannins and a fresh cherry-pip finish. Try from 2020.
jamessuckling.com, 94 points: Beautiful aromas of plums and filtered coffee follow through to a full body. Firm and silky tannins and a flavorful finish. Bright acidity and spice character. Tight and focused. Needs two or three years to open.
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