Located in the southwest of France, Bordeaux needs little introduction as one of the world's most famous, prestigious and prolific wine regions. The majority of Bordeaux wines (nearly 90 percent of production volume) are the dry, medium and full-bodied red Bordeaux Blends that established its reputation.
The finest (and most expensive) of these are the wines from the great châteaux of the Haut-Médoc, and the Right Bank appellations Saint-Émilion and Pomerol. The former is focused (at the top level) on Cabernet Sauvignon, the latter two appellations on Merlot.
The legendary reds are complemented by high-quality white wines based on Sémillon and Sauvignon Blanc. These range from dry whites, to challenge the best from the Burgundy region (Pessac-Léognan is particularly renowned), to the sweet, botrytized nectars of Sauternes.
Top 10 best Bordeaux wines on Wine-Searcher
Based on Wine-Searcher's aggregated critic score across multiple vintages. Last collected: July 2025.
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Rank
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Product
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Critics' Score
Avg. Price / 750ml
Popularity
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1 |
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Critic Reviews
$ 963 / 750ml
90th in popularity
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2 |
 |
Critic Reviews
$ 784 / 750ml
8th in popularity
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3 |
 |
Critic Reviews
$ 631 / 750ml
13th in popularity
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4 |
 |
Critic Reviews
$ 4,225 / 750ml
3rd in popularity
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5 |
 |
Critic Reviews
$ 726 / 750ml
92nd in popularity
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6 |
 |
Critic Reviews
$ 301 / 750ml
85th in popularity
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7 |
 |
Critic Reviews
$ 726 / 750ml
18th in popularity
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8 |
 |
Critic Reviews
$ 693 / 750ml
4th in popularity
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9 |
 |
Critic Reviews
$ 738 / 750ml
7th in popularity
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10 |
 |
Critic Reviews
$ 880 / 750ml
2nd in popularity
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Bordeaux wine tasting: signature styles and characteristics
Red wines
In broad terms these are well structured wines, medium to full-bodied with moderate to high tannins and acidity. Dark fruit aromas tend to come to the fore, though red berry aromas can sometimes be detected.
Wines based on Cabernet Sauvignon tend to show more blackcurrant, blackcurrant leaf and other vegetal notes. Tannins and acidity are usually more prominent than is the case with Merlot-based wines. The latter tend to a seem little lusher and rounder, though top examples may well have a similar ageworthy structure to Cabernet Sauvignon. Though it may not specifically be a reflection of residual sugar levels, Merlot wines can taste a little sweeter.
With age, savory and vegetal notes such as tobacco and leather can become more prominent. Phenolics polymerize and form solids in the bottle making the wines softer and more supple.
Dry white wines
Wines based on Sauvignon Blanc tend to focus on citrus, stone fruit and minerality. They rarely show the blackcurrant leaf and guava aromas found in Marlborough, or the green apple notes of the Loire. Those where Semillon is to the fore will likely have more overt citrus and sour fruit aromas and flavors.
Oak can feature to variable degrees in more luxurious bottlings. Such wines can seem richer and fuller without overt oak characters. Others can show toast, vanillins or butterscotch from barrel fermentation and/or maturation. Approaches to malolactic fermentation can vary, giving variable levels of creaminess on the mid-palate, and moderate mouthwatering acidity.
Sweet white wines
Semillon is usually the major component, providing rounded lemony flavors, while ultraripe or overripe grapes can give honeyed and more tropical flavors and aromas. The best sweet wines from Sauternes amd Barsac tend to have marked botrytis characters with beeswax, caramel and perfumed notes which are often disparaged as being reminiscent of wet cotton wool.
Bordeaux rosé
These tend to be fresh and aromatic with strawberry aromas and perhaps a citrussy tang. They tend to be rounded and soft in style; the winemaking is rarely geared towards capturing the structure of the red counterparts to any degree. Color tends to be deeper than the pale pink versions from Burgundy and Provence.
Sparkling wine
These can vary in terms of the balance of yeasty brioche characters and citrussy fruit. Most Crémant de Bordeaux wines, but not all, are on the drier side (Brut).
Sauvignon Blanc can provide raspberry and strawberry hints, while wines with more Semillon may have more of a nutty character. The red fruit characters are of course more prevalent in rosé wines featuring a dash of Merlot, cabernet Sauvignon and/or Cabernet Franc.
Price overview of Bordeaux wines
Given its size and history, and the potential for its wines to age gracefully, it is unsuprising that prices cover a huge range.
- Red wines: $5 (Bordeaux AOP) to $4305 ex-tax (Petrus, Pomerol).
- Dry white wines: $5 (Bordeaux AOP) to $922 ex-tax (Haut-Brion Blanc, Pessac-Léognan).
- Sweet white wines: c. $8 (Bordeaux Supérieur) to $488 (Yquem, Sauternes.
Global average across vintages, in US Dollars, excluding sales tax. Prices checked August 2025.
How to serve Bordeaux wines
Serving temperature for red wines of the region is fairly standard. A ligher red might be served within an ideal cellar range of around 13 to 16 degrees Celcius, but most Bordeaux reds are better served at around 18 degrees.
There are no cast iron rules regarding regarding how long to decant a red Bordeaux wine. A red wine at any quality level may benefit from some aeration, even if the wine is served immediately after being poured into a decanter. A top-end Bordeaux from a recent vintage may well need decanting for aromas to express themselves and to soften the tannins.
With older red wines it is often said that a long decant is needed for their nuances to be expressed. However some older bottles can be at their best immediately after opening, for example if they show some bright fruit characters that will dissipate within minutes of pulling the cork. Our recommendation is to plan to enjoy at least a glass of the bottle if it smells enticing on opening.
With dry white wines ideal serving temperature can vary depending on quality level and/or use of oak. A more modest white wine made in stainless steel can be brought out of a 2 degrees C domestic fridge and drunk at no less than 5 degrees C so one can taste more than just acifdity.
A fine Péssac-Leognan white should be chilled gently, or drunk direct from a colder cellar (10 to 13 degrees). This allows aromas and flavours to be expressed, and for the white to flesh out so that oak-derived characters and acidity are not jarring. Sauternes and other top dessert aromas can also benefit from aeration.
Drinking windows: how long do Bordeaux wines keep?
Firstly, at the lower end of the price spectrum red wines may be at their peak at two or three years after vintage. Top-end reds may need seven or eight years to become approachable, and dry white equivalents three or four. If in doubt whether a special bottle should be opened yet, seek out reviews on our site or elsewhere online for guidance. Many Sauternes sweet wines can be enjoyed both young and with some development.
It is similarly hard to generalize about longevity. A First Growth red from a great vintage may age gracefully for over 50 years, while a Cru Bourgeois may drink well for a over a decade. Top dry whites can be at their peak well into their second decade, while the best Sauternes are among the most ageworthy wines available.
Key elements for correct storage are:
- Temperature in the range of 12 to 16 degrees C with no fluctuations (subtle seasonal changes are usually fine)
- No direct sunlight
- Moderate humidity - to keep corks elastic without risking mold or label degradation.
- Avoid areas of vibration e.g. near machinery. (Storage near a laundry risks excess ehumidty also.)
Food pairing with Bordeaux wines
More modest reds are good all-rounders, though relative dryness and structure means they are not the best red option for challenging dishes using spices, or sweet sauces. Roast meats and game spring to mind. More serious examples, when in their youth, would benefit from proteins such as red meats or nutty, creamy cheeses to counterract tannins.
Older vintages are best paired with simpler savoury dishes which are not too heavy on spices and herbs. Sautéed mushrooms are a good match for the savory flavors of a venerable Claret.
At the more everyday level white Bordeaux is a good partner for green salads, seafood and poultry. Oaked versions can work well with poultry, charcuterie and pâté.
Sauternes has some classic food pairings. Indeed, Roquefort blue cheese works much better than several other blues such as Stilton, probably due to differing salt levels but also perhaps bacterial differences in the cheese.
Bordeaux's grape varieties, including new additions in 2021
Red grapes in Bordeaux
The "big three" make up 98 percent of all red grape plantings, according to figures on the official Vins de Bordeaux website:
- Merlot, which accounts for two-thirds of all red grape plantings
- Cabernet Sauvignon (22.5 percent)
- Cabernet Franc (9.5)
- Petit Verdot, Malbec and Carmenère (2)
The last three are grapes which have been largely abandoned (the latter, Carmenère, almost entirely) since the 19th Century, as they failed to ripen reliably. Though, Malbec, has a continued role in Saint-Émilion in single-digit percentages, and is often employed as a color enhancer.
Climate change and success achieved elsewhere suggests a significant comeback for one or more of them may be possible. Albeit, from a low starting point, Petit Verdot's plantings have trebled in area in the last few years.
Bordeaux's white grape varieties
Bordeaux's white wines are generally blends of Sémillon, Sauvignon Blanc, and, less often, Muscadelle. Sauvignon Blanc has seen some uplift in recent years given the success of varietal wines from New Zealand and other regions. As of 2020, the figures for white grapes were:
- Sémillon (47 percent)
- Sauvignon Blanc (45 percent)
- Muscadelle (5 percent, dwindling)
- Sauvignon Gris, Colombard, Ugni Blanc, Merlot Blanc (2 percent)
Trial grapes in Bordeaux
In 2019, seven new grape varieties were approved by the Union of Bordeaux AOC and Bordeaux Supérieur winemakers. In 2021, six of them were given a green light by the I.N.A.O. (Institut National des Appellations d'Origine) for vineyard trials.
The intention is to give more viticultural options to address climate change and combat less hospitable conditions. The approved six are:
- Marselan (a cross of Cabernet Sauvignon and Grenache created in 1961)
- Touriga Nacional (best known in Portugal)
- Castets (nearly extinct; described as a "long-forgotten Bordeaux grape")
- Arinarnoa (a little-known cross of Tannat and Cabernet Sauvignon created in 1956)
- Albarino (Alvarinho)
- Liliorila (a 1950s crossing of Baroque and Chardonnay, reportedly also created in 1956)
The odd one out of the seven proposed, which was not confirmed by the I.N.A.O., was Petit Manseng, a late-ripening grape popular in Southwest France and often used in dessert wines. It was felt this grape was too emblematic of the Pyrenées-Atlantique region, in the way Pinot Noir would be for Burgundy.
Petit Manseng is not entirely alone, however. According to the C.I.V.B (Conseil Interprofessionnel du Vin de Bordeaux), over 50 grapes have been considered for inclusion in Bordeaux wines since 2010.
The new grapes will be listed officially as "new varieties of interest for adapting to climate change". This puts them third in the hierarchy behind "major" and "additional" grapes in official documents. This status will be reviewed in 2031.
This means that the usage of the new grape varieties is presently limited. They may only account for five percent of the planted vineyard area, and a maximum of ten percent of a wine blend. Therefore, they will not be named on wine labels.
Bordeaux's geography and climate
Bordeaux's climate is moderated by its proximity to the Atlantic Ocean and the presence of the various rivers (the Dordogne, the Garonne and the Gironde Estuary into which they flow). The region takes its name (which translates roughly as "next to the waters") from the port city of Bordeaux, which serves as its logistical and administrative center.
The vast expanse of pine forest to the south and west (La Forêt des Landes) protects Bordeaux from strong, salt-bearing winds coming off the Atlantic Ocean. There is, however, a risk of still winter air getting trapped and bringing frost to the vineyards.
With a latitude (45°N) exactly halfway between the equator and the North Pole, summer daytime temperatures hover around 25°C (77°F), and rarely rise above 30°C (86°F), while winter temperatures only occasionally dip below freezing. The Médoc peninsula feels the maritime influence particularly strongly; local winemakers talk of the gentle breezes and light clouds that take the edge off even the hottest summer days.
The region's long, relatively warm summers are ideal for growing late-ripening grape varieties. That is not to say that cool, wet weather in spring and autumn is not a concern here.
A fundamental reason that most Bordeaux reds are made from a blend of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon is that these two varieties bud, flower and ripen at different times and rates, which spreads the risk posed by poor weather conditions at flowering or harvest.
In years when the autumn is wet, the Cabernet Sauvignon harvest suffers from rot and dilution, but the earlier-ripening Merlot provides a fortuitous back-up. When the spring is wet, the Merlot flowers poorly, leaving the Cabernet Sauvignon to take up the responsibility of providing a good harvest.
The viticultural region and appellations: overview
While Bordeaux is well regarded for wines produced within specific districts or communes, many of its wines fall under other, broader appellations. These include AOC Bordeaux, Bordeaux Supérieur and the sparkling-specific Crémant de Bordeaux. The Bordeaux Rouge appellation accounts for more than one-third of all production.
The official Bordeaux viticultural region stretches for 130 kilometers (80 miles) inland from the Atlantic coast. 111,000 hectares (274,000 acres) of vineyards were recorded in 2018, a figure which had been largely consistent over the previous decade.
The number of growers has consolidated, however, and in 2018 there were about 6,000, against 9,000 a decade earlier. Production volumes vary from year-to-year, but the region makes around 450 to 500 million liters of wine annually. Standard years, without untoward weather events, generally ensure production edges close to the 500 million liter mark.
Those from the top châteaux are regularly traded for several thousand dollars. Auction figures and retail prices, however, do not always conform with Bordeaux's distinct and historically significant classification system, which has remained largely unchanged since the middle of the 19th Century.
Bordeaux appellations at a glance
Follow links for more information.
Bordeaux-wide
- Bordeaux AOP: red, dry white, sweet white, rosé. Wines listed at the bottom of this page.
- Bordeaux Supérieur: red and sweet white only, the latter in tiny quantities. Same zone as Bordeaux AOP but stricter production regulations.
- Bordeaux Clairet: rosé wines with specific production regulations.
- Cremant de Bordeaux: sparkling wine.
Left Bank: The Médoc
Broader appellations:
- Médoc: the red blends are more likely to feature 50+ percent Merlot than the more prestigious appellations below.
- Haut-Médoc: smaller region around the communes listed below; some wines are of Cru Classé quality.
Communes: (from north to south)
- Saint-Estèphe, Listrac-Médoc, Moulis-en-Médoc, Saint-Julien, Margaux, Pauillac: Generally Cabernet Sauvignon is the biggest component in the blend.
All of the above apply to red wines only. Other colurs may be made and labelled as Bordeaux Blanc or Bordeaux Rosé.
Left Bank: Graves and Sauternais
- Barsac, Cérons, Sauternes: all appellations for sweet white wines only.
- Graves: Red and dry white wines. Graves Supérieures: Sweet white wine only.
- Péssac-Leognan: Red and dry white wine only.
Right Bank: The Libournais
In roughly west to east order, the following are appellations for red wines only which are usually Merlot-based. Other wine types may be made within the AOP zone, but under another designation.
- Fronsac and Canon Fronsac:
- Pomerol and Lalande-de-Pomerol
- Saint-Émilion and Saint-Émilion Grand Cru
- Lussac-Saint-Émilion, Montagne-Saint-Émilion, Saint-Georges-Saint-Émilion and Puisseguin-Saint-Émilion: the "satellites".
- Cotes de Bordeaux section, Castillon Cotes de Bordeaux
The exception within the Libournais is Francs Cotes de Bordeaux. This AOP applies also to dry and sweet white wines.
Right Bank: Blaye and Bourg
A particularly confusing group of appellations:
- Blaye: red wine only.
- Cotes de Blaye: dry white wine only
- Blaye Cotes de Bordeaux: both reds and dry whites.
- Bourg and Cotes de Bourg: both reds and dry whites.
- Cotes de Bordeaux (section): red wine only.
Entre-Deux-Mers
Organized alphabetically:
- Haut-Benauge: Dry and sweet white wine only.
- Cadillac: Sweet white wine only. Cadillac Cotes de Bordeaux: Red wine only.
- Cotes de Bordeaux section: Red wine only
- Cotes de Bordeaux-Saint-Macaire: Dry and sweet white wine only.
- Entre-deux-Mers: Dry white wine only.
- Graves de Vayres: Red, dry white and sweet white wines.
- Loupiac: Sweet white wine only.
- Premieres Cotes de Bordeaux: Sweet white wine only.
- Sainte-Croix-du-Mont: Sweet white wine only.
- Sainte-Foy Cotes de Bordeaux: Red, dry white and sweet white wines.
Further Bordeaux wine classifications
Beyond geographic appellations, there are also several important classifications with which to get to grips. See also our page which helps you to navigate Bordeaux wine labels.
Cru Classé wines of the Médoc and Graves
- A.k.a. First to Fifth growths, Premier, Deuxième Cru etc.
- See our page for the 1855 Classification of Médoc and Graves and of Sauternes and Barsac, and also the 1959 Classification of Graves. The latter extended the Cru Classé classification to wines other than Chateau Haut-Brion.
Saint-Émilion Grand Cru Classé
- While Saint-Émilion Grand Cru is a separate appellation and therefore considered as a region on our database, Cru Classé is a classification system for the best of the former.
- As of 2022 there were 71 Grand Cru Classé wines, 12 Premier Grand Cru Classés (sometimes "B" is affixed), and two Premier Grand Cru Classé (A) at the pinnacle, Château Figeac and and Château Pavie .
- The Médoc classifications which are historical and largely static. In contrast the Grand Cru Classé system undergoes periodic review, which often provokes great controversy. Such conflict led to the withdrawal from the entire categorization of three former Classé A wines from the 2012 list, Cheval Blanc, Angelus and Ausone.
Cru Bourgeois
- Originally a fixed list of wines of good quality not listed on the 1855 Classification. Introduced in 1932 as France began rolling out appellation system. Wines are found across the Médoc, but with a concentration in Saint-Éstephe.
- A new list in 2003 caused widespread controversy and fraud investigations. It was annulled and a new annually updated system was introduced in 2010, awarding the title to individual wines from the vintage two years before.
- The 2010 system removed the higher Cru Bourgeois Supérieur and top Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnel categories. This provoked six of the nine former recipients of the latter category to create an independent marketing group called Les Exceptionnels, and withdraw from the single-tier system
- In 2020 a new classification was announced, reinstating the three tiers, with 179 Crus Bourgeois, 56 Crus Bourgeois Supérieurs and 14 Exceptionnels (but not the six rebels).
En Primeur
Bordeaux is the wine region most closely associated with this "wine futures" purchase method, where the wine is bought while still in barrel. Around the end of April each year, producers, brokers and wine critics gather in Bordeaux to sell and distribute wines to more than 100 countries. This network is known as La Place de Bordeaux, named for – but no longer confined to – the 18th-Century Place de la Bourse (stock market).
For more details go to our En Primeur hub.
