What appellation is more renowned for producing great wines than the Pauillac appellation, located in the heart of the Médoc in the Bordeaux region? Benefiting from an exceptional terroir conducive to producing great wines, the Pauillac appellation covers nearly 1220 hectares of vines and produces 64,500 hectoliters of red wine.
Many Grands Crus Classés in 1855 are located at Pauillac, 18 in total, including 3 enjoying the prestigious title of Premier Grand Cru Classé.
The wines of Pauillac are, by definition, great wines for aging. In their youth, they reveal a controlled power that blends with beautiful aromas of red and black fruits, but they deserve patience to fully appreciate the complexity and refinement they offer with time.
What are the characteristics of the Pauillac appellation?
The vineyard of Pauillac is located on a superb gravelly hillside overlooking the Garonne River, whose undulations offer a multitude of terroirs, each with its own complexity. These gravelly soils offer several advantages: they allow a natural drainage of the soil and avoid water stagnation on the surface, they store the solar heat during the day and give it back to the vines at night, and they prevent the humidity contained in the soil from evaporating.
Due to the exceptional nature of the soils involved, the grape varieties that flourish here are Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot in large proportions, followed by Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, and a small percentage of Malbec.
- The Cabernet Sauvignon finds the quintessence of its expression in this appellation, the gravel offering it the heat and the quantity of water necessary to reach maturity whatever the vintage. It brings to the wines aromas of black fruits, blackcurrant and graphite, as well as structured and fleshy tannins that soften with time.
- Merlot is the Secnd most important grape variety, where it completes the blends by giving fatness and fruit to the wine, and by reducing the tannic power of Cabernet Sauvignon.
- The small proportion of Cabernet Franc brings finesse and elegant fruity aromas, while the Petit Verdot provides color and aromatic power. The Malbec provides a supple and juicy touch.
What are the emblematic properties of the appellation Pauillac?
Pauillac includes illustrious Domaines that give birth to great wines. It is not by chance that 18 Grands Crus Classés in 1855 are listed here:
- 3 First Great Classified Growths: Château Lafite-Rothschild, Château Latour, Château Mouton-Rothschild
- 2 Sec Grands Crus Classés: Château Pichon-Longueville, Château Pichon-Longueville Comtesse de Lalande
- 1 Fourth Grand Cru Classé : Château Duhart-Milon
- 12 Fifth Great Classified Growths: Château Batailley, Château Clerc Milon, Château Croizet-Bages, Château d'Armailhac, Château Grand-Puy Ducasse, Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste, Château Haut-Bages Libéral, Château Lynch-Bages, Château Lynch-Moussas, Château Haut-Batailley, Château Pédesclaux, Château Pontet-Canet.
