History and Market Structure

  • In the 12th century, Eleanor of Aquitaine married King Henry II of England, and Bordeaux wine (Claret) entered the British market for three hundred years, establishing a tradition of exporting.
  • The Dutch drained the Médoc marshes in the 17th century, and the gravel terraces on the left bank began to be planted.
  • Classification of the 1855 Paris Universal Exhibition: 61 classified wineries in the Médoc (including the five first growths) and Sauternes sweet white classification, which are still used today.
  • The market system "Place de Bordeaux" (Place de Bordeaux): the tripartite system of winery → middleman (négociant) → broker (courtier), and the en primeur (en primeur) system (see the course library "4. Bordeaux Wine Trade Firms.pptx" and "3.Eco.pptx" for details).

Terroir and variety

  • Mild maritime climate; the Gironde estuary divides the production area into left bank, right bank and Entre-deux-Mers.
  • Red wine blending philosophy: Cabernet Sauvignon (structure, blackcurrant, cedar) + Merlot (rich, plum) + Cabernet Franc (red fruit, herbs) + Petit Verdot (color, spice).
  • White wine: Sauvignon Blanc + Sémillon (dry white and Sauternes sweet white with noble rot).

Left Bank (Médoc, Graves)

  • Soil: gravel (gravel) drainage and heat storage, suitable for late-ripening Cabernet Sauvignon - "a Cabernet-based blend".
  • Médoc villages from north to south: Saint-Estèphe (firm), Pauillac (three first growths: Château Lafite, Château Latour, Château Mouton; black currant, cedar, cigar box), Saint-Julien (balanced), Margaux (delicate aroma, Château Margaux).
  • Graves/Pessac-Léognan: where Château Haut-Brion is located; both red and white are excellent, with a smoky mineral feel.
  • Sauternes and Barsac: Sweet white wines infected with Botrytis, honey, apricots, and orange peels (see course library "11. Bx Sweet White wines.pptx" for details).

Right Bank (Saint-Émilion, Pomerol)

  • Soil: Mainly clay and limestone, suitable for early-ripening Merlot - "Merlot-based blend", the taste is rounder and softer than the left bank.
  • Saint-Emilion: Limestone terraces and slopes; the classification is reviewed every ten years or so, and the 2022 version is current - Pavie and Figeac are Premier Grand Cru Classé A (Ausone, Angélus, and Cheval Blanc have withdrawn from classification), and the next classification is expected to be in 2032 (verified).
  • Pomerol: No official classification; Pétrus on black clay, the pinnacle of Merlot; wine-style velvet, truffle, plum.
  • Satellite production areas: Fronsac, Castillon, Francs, etc. (see course library "10_Cotes_de_Bordeaux.pptx" for details).

Current data (verified)

  • The area fell below 100,000 hectares by the end of 2024 (from a peak of about 145,000 in the 1960s–1970s); 12,263 hectares were specifically cleared in Bordeaux, with a budget of €49.83 million, and about 10,000 hectares had been cleared by 2024-12 (wein.plus; Wine Intelligence).
  • About 1,200 wineries (accounting for a quarter of the approximately 4,000 existing ones) are restructuring their debts; the market for 2024 vintage wines remains cold even though the first growth wines have reduced their prices by 30% (Lafite’s lowest issue price in 16 years) (Wine-Searcher 2025-07; Decanter).
  • Teaching focus: "Two-speed Bordeaux" where the aura of top chateaus and the survival crisis of grassroots production areas coexist.