Wine for Normal People Ep 598: The Médoc and the Haut-Médoc of Bordeaux
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Mar 4, 2026 A deep tour of the Médoc and Haut-Médoc regions on Bordeaux’s Left Bank. Short histories and how Dutch drainage and 19th century changes shaped the vineyards. A look at soils, gravel terraces, climate, and why Cabernet thrives. Discussion of appellation boundaries, grape varieties including newly permitted whites and resistant grapes, and where to find great value châteaux.
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Médoc and Haut-Médoc Are Vast Variable Appellations
- Médoc and Haut-Médoc are large, variable regional AOCs that serve as everyday Bordeaux wines.
- Médoc covers 16,000 ha and ~100 million bottles annually, spanning many producers and huge quality variation tied to terroir and producer.
Dutch Engineers Turned Swamp Into Wine Country
- The Dutch reshaped Médoc by draining marshes and improving winemaking techniques in the 1500–1700s.
- They built dikes, planted protective pine forests, used sulfur and racking, and helped create the modern vineyards and trade routes to England.
Phylloxera Reshaped Grape Geography in Médoc
- Phylloxera forced replanting and reshaped grape choices and site selection across Médoc.
- After grafting to American rootstock, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot were allocated to soils where they ripen best: clay, limestone, and warm gravel respectively.