Bordeaux is one of the most prestigious wine regions in the world.
The major reason for the success of winemaking in the Bordeaux region is the excellent environment for growing vines. The geological foundation of the region is limestone, leading to a soil structure that is heavy in calcium. The Gironde estuary dominates the regions along with its tributaries, the Garonne and the Dordogne rivers, and together irrigate the land and provide with an Atlantic Climate, oceanic climate for the region.
These rivers define the main geographical subdivisions of the region:
"The right bank", situated on the right bank of Dordogne, in the northern parts of the region, around the city of Libourne.
"The left bank", situated on the left bank of Garonne, in the west and south of the region, around the city of Bordeaux itself. The left bank is further subdivided into Graves and Medoc.
As a very broad generalization, Cabernet Sauvignon (Bordeaux’s second-most planted grape variety) dominates the blend in red wines produced in the Médoc and the rest of the left bank of the Gironde estuary. Typical top-quality Chateaux blends are 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Cabernet Franc & 15% Merlot. Merlot (Bordeaux’s most-planted grape variety) and to a lesser extent Cabernet Franc (Third most planted variety) tend to predominate in Saint Emilion, Pomerol and the other right bank appellations. These Right Bank blends from top-quality Chateaux are typically 70% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc & 15% Cabernet Sauvignon.
The 57 Appellation d´;Origine Controlee from Bordeaux are a completely unique variety of wines.
In 1935 numerous laws were passed to control the quality of French wine. They established the Appellation d´Origine Contrôlée system, which is governed by a powerful oversight board (Institut National des Appellations d’Origine - INAO). Consequently, France has one of the oldest systems for protected designation of origin for wine in the world, and strict laws concerning winemaking and production.
French law divides wine into four categories:
Vin de Table (VDT): Carries with it only the producer and the designation that it is from France.
Vin de Pays (VDP): Carries with it a specific region within France, and subject to less restrictive regulations than AOC wines. For instance, it allows producers to distinguish wines that are made using grape varieties or procedures other than those required by the AOC rules, without having to use the simple and commercially non-viable table wine classification. In order to maintain a distinction from Vin de Table, the producers have to submit the wine for analysis and tasting, and the wines have to be made from certain varieties or blends.
Vin Délimité de Qualité Superieure (VDQS): Less strict than AOC, usually used for smaller areas or as a "waiting room" for potential AOCs.
Appellation d´Origine Contrôlée (AOC): Wine from a particular area with many other restrictions, including grape varieties and winemaking methods.
提起葡萄酒就想到法国，提起法国的葡萄酒，一定是首先想到波尔多，这是全世界最重要的葡萄酒产区。法国因有着最优越的条件，葡萄品种、气候、土壤、湿度、葡萄酒管理和酿酒技术，成就了“葡萄酒王国”的地位。
左岸，右岸的著名产区:
吉隆河(Gironde) 把波尔多分为左岸和右岸，一河之差，两岸的风格截然不同。
左岸有着波尔多最有名气的梅多克区，有着波尔多的五大名庄。 Chateau Haut Brion(红颜容庄)，Chateau Latour(拉图庄)，Chateau Lafite-Rothschild(拉菲庄)，Chateau Margaux(玛歌庄)，Chateau Mouton Rothschild(武当王庄) 共享波尔多官方评鉴的一等顶级酒。因此左岸总是充满着一种古典贵族的气息，所产的葡萄酒也更加严谨复杂，葡萄品种以赤霞珠(Cabernet Sauvignon) 为主。
右岸的著名产区是主要有圣埃米利永(St-Emilion) 和波美候(Pomerol)，灿烂的名庄有白马庄(Chateau Cheval Blanc)，欧颂庄(Chateau Ausone) 和波尔多最贵的酒王之王 -- 柏图斯(Petrus) ，还有不少的新秀， 其价值和品质甚至超越传统名庄，例如里鹏(Le Pin)、拉梦多(La Mondotte)、华伦卓(Valandraud)等。与左岸的城堡庄园相比，右岸的酒庄多是一些乡间小别墅型的小酒庄，规模远不及左岸，但同时也充满了个性和人情，所产的葡萄酒比较温柔优雅，葡萄品种以梅乐(Merlot) 为主。
法国葡萄酒级别：
日常餐酒 VIN DE TABLE (意思 Wine of the table) 是最低档的葡萄酒，作日常饮用。可以由不同地区的葡萄汁勾兑而成，如果葡萄汁限于法国各产区，可称法国日常餐酒。
地区餐酒 VIN DE PAYS (意思Wine of the Country) 日常餐酒中最好的酒被升级为地区餐酒。地区餐酒的标签上可以标明产区。可以用标明产区内的葡萄汁勾兑，但仅限于该产区内的葡萄。
优良地区餐酒 VDQS 是普通地区餐酒向AOC级别过渡所必须经历的级别。如果在VDQS 时期酒质表现良好，则会升级为AOC。
法定产区葡萄酒 AOC 是法国葡萄酒最高级别AOC在法文意思为“原产地控制命名”。原产地地区的葡萄品种、种植数量、酿造过程、酒精含量等都要得到专家认证。只能用原产地种植的葡萄酿制，绝对不可和别地葡萄汁勾兑。