Médoc is a major wine district of Bordeaux, located on the Left Bank between the Gironde estuary and the Atlantic Ocean. Its gravelly soils, maritime influence, and drainage capacity favor Cabernet Sauvignon, making structure a defining feature of the region’s most important red wines.
The district includes the broader Médoc and Haut-Médoc appellations, along with famous communal appellations such as Saint-Estèphe, Pauillac, Saint-Julien, and Margaux. Médoc wines are typically Cabernet-led blends with Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, and other permitted grapes, valued for tannin, cassis, cedar, graphite, longevity, and historic classification prestige.