Definition: Haut-Médoc AOC

A Bordeaux appellation in the Médoc region. Production area located north of Bordeaux, along the left bank of the Gironde from Blanquefort to Saint-Seurin-de-Cadourne, more precisely within 29 communes in the Gironde department. Classified as a regional AOC with 5 classified growths and 140 bourgeois growths in 1936. Area under production: nearly 4,300 hectares. Black grape varieties: Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Carmenère, Côt (or Malbec), Merlot, and Petit Verdot. Vinified in red only. It can be kept for 10 to 20 years, or even longer, depending on the vintage or cru. Ideal serving temperature: between 17 and 18°C. Pair with: game, red meat, lamb papillotes, leg of mutton or lamb.