Médoc AOC is a red wine-only appellation which covers the entire Médoc on the left bank of the Bordeaux region across 52 communes in both the Haut-Médoc and the Bas-Médoc. In practice however those 29 communes (asterisked below) on ‘the last of the big calibre gravel deposited by glaciers higher up, between Graves and Saint-Estephe’ (Hugh Johnson Wine Companion: 1991, p.70) and thus within the Haut-Médoc AOC use that rather than the Médoc AOC. The most important commune in Médoc on terms of production is Bégadan, with both some large private estates and a powerful cooperative.

Communes (52): Arcins*. | Arsac*. | Avensan*. | Bégadan. | Blaignan. | Blanquefort.* | Cantenac.* | Castelnau-de-Médoc.* | Cissac-Médoc.* | Civrac-en-Médoc. | Couquèques. | Cussac-Fort-Médoc.* | Gaillan-en-Médoc. | Grayan-et-l’Hôpital. | Jau-Dignac-et-Loirac. | Labarde.* | Lamarque.* | Le-Verdon-sur-Mer. | Lesparre-Médoc. | Listrac-Médoc.* | Ludon-Médoc.* | Macau*. | Margaux.* | Moulis-en-Médoc.* | Naujac-sur-Mer. | Ordonnac. | Parempuyre.* | Pauillac.* | Le Pian-Médoc.* | Prignac-en-Médoc. | Queyrac. | Saint-Aubin-de-Médoc.* | Saint-Christoly-de-Médoc. | Saint-Estèphe.* | Saint-Germain-d’Esteuil. | Saint-Julien-Beychevelle.* | Saint-Laurent-Médoc.* | Saint-Médard-en-Jalles.* | Saint-Sauveur.* | Saint-Seurin-de-Cadourne.* | Saint-Vivien-de-Médoc. | Saint-Yzans-de-Médoc. | Sainte-Hélène.* | Salaunes. | Soulac-sur-Mer. | Soussans*. | Le Taillan-Médoc.* | Talais. | Valeyrac. | Vendays-Montalivet. | Vensac. | Le-Verdoc-sur-Mer. | Vertheuil*.

Vineyard area & wine production: 1972 1,835ha (4,535 acres). 1987 3,479ha (8,598 acres). 2002 278,474hl from 5,358ha (13,240 acres) from a potential of 15,995ha (Guide Hachette des Vins 2004, p.347).

Yields: Base yields are 45hl per hectare for Médoc AOC (compared to 43hl per hectare for Haut Médoc AOC).

Wine style: A well grown, well made Médoc has low-key alcohol, edgy but not aggressive tannins, a certain fluidity, and lean but not meagre Cabernet-dominated Bordeaux flavours rounded out by fleshy Merlot. Oz Clarke (2015, p.168) describes Médoc AOC as an ‘earthy but juicy’ red.

Wineries

No certification: Chateau la Douce. | Château Hourbanon.

Other: Château Bellerive (Valeyrac). | Château Bellevue (Valeyrac). | Château des Tourelles (Blaignan). | Château Les Bertins (Valeyrac). | Château Blaignan (Blaignan). | Château Le Boscq (Saint-Christoly). | Château Carcannieux (Queyrac). | Château La Cardonne (Blaignan). | Château du Castéra (Saint-Germain). | Château La Clare (). | Château La France (). | Château Gaillais-Bellevue (). | Château Greysac (Bégadan). | Château Haut-Canteloup (Couqueques). | Château Haut-Rive (Saint-Germain d’Esteuil). | Château Haut-Garin (Bégadan). | Château Hourbanon (Prignac). | Château La Tour Blanche (Saint-Christoly). | Château La Tour de By (Bégadan). | Château La Tour du Haut-Caussan (Blaignan). | Château La Tour Prignac (Prignac). | Château La Tour Saint-Bonnet (Saint-Christoly). | Château Laujac (Bégadan). | Château Lavalière (Saint-Christoly). | Château Livran (Saint-Germain d’Esteuil). | Château Loudenne (). | Château Monthil (Bégadan). | Château Les Ormes-Sorbet (Couquèques). | Château de Panigon (Civrac). | Château Patache d’Aux (Bégadan). | Château Pontet (Blaignan). | Château Potensac (Ordonnac). | Château Sestignan (Jau, Dignac e Loirac). | Château Saint-Bonnet. | Château Vernous (Lesparre-Médoc). | Château Vieux-Robin (Bégadan). | Vieux Château Landon (Bégadan).