Haut-Médoc AOC is a red wine appellation covering the southern or Haut-Médoc half of the Médoc region on the left bank of the Bordeaux region. In practice the wines come from vines on the fringes around the star communes of Pauillac, Cantenac, Margaux, St-Julien, St-Estèphe and so on.

Terroir: The Haut-Médoc stretches 37 miles (60km) from Blanquefort on the northern outskirts of the city of Bordeaux in the south to Saint-Seurin-de-Cadourne in the north, just north of Saint-Estèphe. The Haut-Médoc encompasses the Médoc region’s four flagship AOCs of Margaux, Saint-Julien, Pauillac and Saint-Estèphe, as well as the less renowned AOCs of Listrac-Médoc and Moulis-en-Médoc. All six are referred to as ‘communal’ appellations, being named in each case after one particular commune (although some AOCs, like Margaux comprise more than a single eponymous commune). Wines from the Haut-Médoc can also be labelled as Médoc AOC but rarely are.

Communes (29): Arcins. | Arsac. | Avensan. | Blanquefort. | Cantenac. | Castelnau-de-Médoc. | Cissac-Médoc. | Cussac-Fort-Médoc. | Labarde. | Lamarque. | Listrac-Médoc. | Ludon-Médoc. | Macau. | Margaux. | Moulis-en-Médoc. | Parempuyre. | Pauillac. | Le Pian-Médoc. | Saint-Aubin-de-Médoc. | Saint-Estèphe. | Saint-Julien-Beychevelle. | Saint-Laurent-Médoc. | Saint-Médard-en-Jalles. | Saint-Sauveur. | Saint-Seurin-de-Cadourne. | Sainte-Hélène. | Soussans. | Le Taillan-Médoc. | Vertheuil. 

Vineyard area & wine production: 2002 210,567hl from 4,591ha (Guide Hachette des Vins 2004, p.358).

Wineries

Certified Biodynamic: Clos du Jaugueyron. 

Certified organic: Château Haut-Baron. | Château La Lagune. 

Other: Château Charmail (Saint-Seurin-de-Cadourne). | Château La Fleur Peyrabon (Saint-Sauveur).