Pauillac

Grapes and style

Pauillac is known for wines in which cabernet sauvignon plays the leading role, usually supplemented with merlot and smaller amounts of cabernet franc and petit verdot. The result is a dark, concentrated red wine with plenty of tannin and a firm structure.

In the glass you will find cassis, blackcurrant, cedar, pencil lead and tobacco. With the years, notes of leather, spice and damp earth are added. The wines are generally powerful and taut and require years of patience before they open up.

Location and soil

Pauillac lies on the left bank of the Gironde, in the heart of the Médoc. The vineyards lie on low gravel hills, between the river and the extensive forests that shelter the area from the Atlantic wind. The climate is temperate and oceanic.

The soil consists mainly of gravel, deposited over time by the river. Gravel stores heat and drains water well, so the roots of the cabernet sauvignon have to search deep. This produces small, concentrated grapes. The area borders Saint-Julien to the south and Saint-Estèphe to the north.

Classification and rules

Pauillac is an independent appellation within the Médoc, with its own rules on grape varieties, yield and vinification. A large share of the well-known châteaux of Pauillac also fall under the historic classification of the Médoc wines, in which the best houses are ranked as Grand Cru Classé, at different levels.

That ranking is based on the reputation and trading value of an estate in the past and has remained virtually unchanged since. Besides the classified châteaux, there are also many Cru Bourgeois and other estates that make wine under the Pauillac appellation.

Ageing and serving

Pauillac is among the red wines of Bordeaux with the greatest ageing potential. Good bottles gain complexity over decades, because the tannins slowly soften and the fruit aromas give way to tertiary notes.

Serve Pauillac at around 16 to 18 °C. Young wines benefit from decanting; decant old bottles carefully because of the sediment. The wine pairs excellently with lamb, beef, game and mature cheese.

Producers in our range

These producers feature in our Pauillac range: Château Latour, Lafite Rothschild, Mouton Rothschild, Pichon Longueville Baron, Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande, Pontet-Canet, Lynch-Bages, Grand-Puy-Lacoste, Grand-Puy-Ducasse, Clerc Milon, d'Armailhac, Duhart-Milon, Batailley, Haut-Batailley, Lynch-Moussas, Croizet-Bages, Haut-Bages Libéral and Pédesclaux.

Second wines

Besides the grands vins, our range also includes second wines from these châteaux: Carruades de Lafite, Les Forts de Latour, Le Petit Mouton de Mouton Rothschild, Réserve de la Comtesse de Lalande and Lacoste-Borie.

More from Bordeaux

You will find more wines from Bordeaux under Saint-Émilion, Pomerol, Saint-Julien, Margaux, Sauternes, Saint-Estèphe, Pessac-Léognan and Haut-Médoc.