During the last two hundred years, the Haut-Médoc district has historically been the most important one between the four major wine producing districts in Bordeaux, as the most prominent Bordeaux wines are produced in this area.

The Haut-Médoc is comprised of four villages that rank like royalty among all other wines. Situated north from the city of Bordeaux, these four villages are regarded so highly in the region that together with two lesser known villages they are each official AOC appellations, rellecting a terroir more specific than the Haut-Médoc in general. The only wines that may carry the names of these villages on their labels are reds.

The four famous Haut-Médoc wine communes, from south to north, are:

• Margaux (mahr go)
• St.-Julien (san jhoo lee ehn)
• Pauilllac (poy yac)
• St.-Estèphe (sant eh steff)

The two other communes in the Haut-Médoc which have their own AOCs are:

• Listrac (lee strahk)
• Moulis (moo lees)

The names of these six communes form the official part of the nomenclature of the wines made within these villages. For example, underneath the name of the wine, let’s say, “Château Latour,” are the words, “Appellation Pauillac Contrôlée.” Any wines from the Haut-Médoc which do not come from vineyards within these six communes will carry the broader appellation, “Appellation Haut-Médoc Contrôlée.”

Each of the four major communes of the Haut-Médoc produces wines of a unique style, and experienced tasters can identify each of them without knowing the wine’s origin.

Margaux
• Fragrant aroma; elegant, medium-bodied, supple wines with complex flavours; a typical Margaux wine is Château Palmer. Also home to Château Margaux, one of Bordeaux’s most famous wines.

St.-Julien
• Flavourful, rich, medium- to full-bodied wines; subtle, balanced, and consistent, a typical St.-Julien wine is Château Ducru-Beaucaillou.

Pauillac
• Black currant and cedar aromas; powerful, firm, rich, tannic, full-bodied, concentrated wines that are very long-lived; home of three famous Bordeaux: Châteaux Lafite-Rothschild, Latour, and Mouton-Rothschild; a typical Pauillac wine is Château Pichon-Lalande.

St.-Estèphe
• Dark-colored, austere, full-bodied, tannic, acidic, earthy wines; very long-lived, needing time to evolve; a typical St.-Estèphe wine is Château Montrose.