Haut-Medoc

Bordeaux · France · Wine Auction Prices

Haut-Médoc is the catch-all appellation covering the prestigious left bank strip of the Médoc peninsula between the city of Bordeaux and the Pointe de Grave, encompassing all of the famous communes — Margaux, Saint-Julien, Pauillac, Saint-Estèphe — but in practice applying only to wines produced in areas between those communes, or in the less prestigious communes of Ludon, Macau, Arsac, and others. The appellation is something of a paradox: it contains some of Bordeaux's finest classified estates that technically qualify for the broader Haut-Médoc designation (including Cantemerle, La Lagune, and La Tour Carnet), while the majority of Haut-Médoc wines are produced by Crus Bourgeois estates selling at a fraction of the price. The appellation's soils are more variable than the famous communes, ranging from excellent deep gravel in spots like La Lagune (in Ludon, closer to Margaux) to heavier clay soils further north. Sociando-Mallet, though never classified, has built a reputation as the finest unclassified estate in the Médoc through decades of consistent quality, trading at prices that rival many Cru Classé châteaux. Château Cantemerle (5ème Cru Classé), Château Belgrave, and Château de Camensac are key classified properties. The Crus Bourgeois designation, revamped in 2020 with annual assessments, represents the best-value wines in the Médoc.