Haut-Médoc AOC is a French wine appellation from the Bordeaux region, located on the left bank of the Gironde estuary. It is primarily a red wine made from grape varieties like Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, typically ranging from 12-14% alcohol by volume.
How it is made
Haut-Médoc wines are produced from vineyards spread across 15 communes, both along the Gironne and Garonne rivers and inland. The wines are typically blends of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot, creating medium to full-bodied reds with tannic structure.
History
By the 19th century, the Haut-Médoc region had become one of France's most prosperous wine areas with wines gaining international reputation. Some producers outside the top communal appellations received recognition in the 1932 Cru Bourgeois classification.
Types and styles
While all 15 communes can produce Haut-Médoc AOC wines, nine of them also fall under more restrictive communal appellations including Margaux, Pauillac, Saint-Estèphe, Saint-Julien, Listrac-Médoc, and Moulis-en-Médoc.
Adapted from the Russian Wikipedia article О-Медок, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.