Bordeaux grape varieties: the 10 red & white varieties of Bordeaux

Bordeaux grape varieties: a complete guide to the 10 red and white varieties of Bordeaux

Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Sémillon, Sauvignon Blanc. The names of Bordeaux's grape varieties resonate like a litany of legends in the world of wine. For if Bordeaux is the undisputed capital of fine wine, it is above all thanks to the art of blending, that subtle alchemy which marries several grape varieties to create something infinitely greater than the sum of its parts. 

Key takeaways: 

• 10 authorised grape varieties (6 red, 4 white) + 6 experimental grape varieties since 2021 to adapt to climate change.

• Merlot is the dominant grape variety (60–66%): round, fruity, accessible young, the star of the right bank (Saint-Émilion, Pomerol).

• Cabernet Sauvignon structures the great wines: tannins, power and longevity, king of the left bank (Médoc, Graves).

• The Bordeaux art is based on blending: Merlot (roundness), Cabernet Sauvignon (structure), Cabernet Franc (elegance), Petit Verdot (intensity).

• The key white grape varieties: Sauvignon Blanc (freshness), Sémillon (richness, Sauternes), Muscadelle (aromatic), for styles ranging from dry to sweet.

How many grape varieties are authorised in Bordeaux?

The Bordeaux AOC officially authorises 10 grape varieties for the production of its wines, 6 red and 4 white. In addition to these traditional varieties, 6 new experimental grape varieties have been added since 2021, introduced on a trial basis to help the vineyard adapt to climate change. They may only represent 5% of plantings and 10% of the final blend for the Bordeaux and Bordeaux Supérieur AOCs.

The great originality of Bordeaux is that it is a region of blended wines: virtually all Bordeaux cuvées combine several grape varieties to create a wine that is more complex, more balanced and more consistent from one year to the next. It is this ability to offset the vagaries of the climate through the complementarity of grape varieties that explains the longevity and prestige of the Bordeaux model.

A Bordeaux blend is a piece of music. Each grape variety holds its own note. Merlot unfolds its roundness. Cabernet Sauvignon establishes the backbone. Cabernet Franc slips in its floral touch. Petit Verdot adds the colourful percussion. Together, they compose a unique wine.

The 6 red grape varieties of Bordeaux

Merlot: the undisputed star of the Bordeaux vineyard

With 60 to 66% of the red vine-growing surface area, Merlot is by far the most widely planted grape variety in Bordeaux, and one of the most cultivated in the world. Its global success is explained by its remarkable versatility: it adapts to varied terroirs, ripens easily, produces wines that are accessible in their youth and evolves admirably with time.

Its preferred terroirs

Merlot thrives particularly on the clay-limestone soils of the right bank, Saint-Émilion, Pomerol, Fronsac, Castillon, where its roots can access the cool water of the clay subsoil. It is on these terroirs that the most sublime expressions of the variety are born: the legendary Pétrus (Pomerol, almost 100% Merlot), and the great wines of Saint-Émilion such as Angélus or Canon.

Its aromatic profile

Young Merlot expresses itself through ripe red and black fruits: cherry, plum, raspberry, blackberry, fig. With age, it develops notes of chocolate, coffee, undergrowth and liquorice. Its naturally low acidity and supple tannins give it a roundness and unctuousness that are very appealing from an early age.

Cabernet Sauvignon: the backbone of great wines

The second red grape variety of Bordeaux with approximately 22% of the surface area, Cabernet Sauvignon reigns supreme on the left bank, in Médoc, Graves and Pessac-Léognan. A quintessentially late-ripening variety, it requires warm, well-drained terroirs to reach full maturity: the Médoc's Garonne gravels suit it to perfection.

Its key role in the blend

Cabernet Sauvignon is described as the backbone of the great wines of Bordeaux: it brings structure, powerful tannins, natural acidity and an exceptional ageing potential. Its characteristic aromas — blackcurrant, graphite, cedar, dark tobacco, sometimes menthol — constitute the aromatic signature of the great classified growths of the Médoc: Latour, Mouton Rothschild, Pauillac…

Left bank vs right bank

On the left bank, Cabernet Sauvignon often dominates at 60–80% of blends in the great classified growths of the Médoc, with Merlot in support. On the right bank (Saint-Émilion, Pomerol), the proportions are reversed: Merlot dominates and Cabernet Sauvignon plays the role of structural complement. This fundamental opposition between the two banks is one of the keys to understanding the diversity of Bordeaux styles.

Cabernet Franc: discreet elegance

With approximately 9% of the Bordeaux vineyard, Cabernet Franc is often nicknamed the grape variety of elegance in Bordeaux blends. A cousin of Cabernet Sauvignon, of which it is in fact one of the genetic parents, Cabernet Sauvignon being the result of a natural cross between Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc.

It excels on the right bank, particularly in Saint-Émilion, where it forms the basis of exceptional blends: Château Cheval Blanc is renowned for its blends with a high proportion of Cabernet Franc (sometimes 60%), which gives it a unique and immediately recognisable aromatic identity. Its characteristic aromas: violet, redcurrant, fresh raspberry, graphite and aromatic herbs.

Petit Verdot, Malbec, Carménère: the supporting grape varieties

Petit Verdot: the touch of colour and depth

A true supporting grape variety, Petit Verdot accounts for less than 2% of the vineyard. Used in homeopathic doses (2 to 5% of blends), it acts as a revealer: intense colour, powerful tannins, notes of spice and violet. A very late-ripening variety, it only ripens properly in warm vintages, which explains its marginal yet precious role.

Malbec: the glorious émigrant

Originally from Bordeaux, Malbec (or "Côt") almost disappeared from the Gironde vineyard after the phylloxera crisis and in particular the catastrophic frost of 1956, which led to the uprooting of virtually the entire Gironde vineyard. Today, it is best known as the national grape variety of Argentina, where it found its second home. In Bordeaux, a handful of rare estates still include it in their blends for its deep colour and velvety tannins.

Carménère: the forgotten ghost

One of the oldest grape varieties in Bordeaux, Carménère had almost disappeared after phylloxera. It was even thought to have been completely eliminated, before being found in large quantities in Chile, where it had been planted in the 19th century under the name "Merlot". In Bordeaux, it survives on only a few dozen hectares, but climate change could offer it a remarkable comeback.

The 4 white grape varieties of Bordeaux

White grape varieties represent less than 20% of the Bordeaux vineyard, yet they give rise to wines of remarkable diversity and excellence: from the dry whites of Pessac-Léognan, among the greatest white wines in the world, to the legendary sweet wines of Sauternes and Barsac.

Grape varieties & terroirs: left bank vs right bank

The geography of Bordeaux divides the vineyard into two major zones separated by the Gironde and its tributaries, whose grape variety practices are fundamentally different.

The golden rule: if you enjoy powerful, tannic wines built for long ageing and dominated by Cabernet Sauvignon, look to the left bank (Médoc, Pauillac, Margaux). If you prefer rounder, fruitier and more accessible wines dominated by Merlot, turn to the right bank (Saint-Émilion, Pomerol).

The 6 new experimental grape varieties since 2021

Faced with climate change, the Bordeaux vineyard is adapting. Merlot, the dominant but very early-ripening variety, suffers in very hot years: it ripens too quickly, loses its acidity and gains alcohol excessively. Since 2021, the INAO has approved the experimental introduction of 6 new grape varieties into the Bordeaux and Bordeaux Supérieur AOCs, in a maximum proportion of 5% of plantings and 10% of the final blend.

These experimental grape varieties offer resistance to heat and disease, a naturally higher acidity or later ripening than Merlot. Their introduction is gradual and regulated: they represent an adaptation tool, not a stylistic revolution. The vast majority of Bordeaux wines will remain blends based on Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc for many decades to come.

Frequently asked questions about Bordeaux grape varieties

What are the grape varieties used in Bordeaux?

The Bordeaux AOC authorises 10 grape varieties: 6 red (Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Malbec, Carménère) and 4 white (Sémillon, Sauvignon Blanc, Muscadelle, Sauvignon Gris). Since 2021, 6 experimental grape varieties have been added to help the vineyard adapt to climate change.

What is the main grape variety of Bordeaux?

Merlot is the dominant grape variety in the Bordeaux vineyard, accounting for 60 to 66% of the red-planted surface area. It is particularly present on the right bank (Saint-Émilion, Pomerol). On the left bank (Médoc), it is Cabernet Sauvignon that dominates, although Merlot is also very much present in a supporting role.

What is the difference between Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon?

Merlot is softer, fruitier and more accessible young. It produces round, generous wines with aromas of cherry, plum and chocolate. It prefers the clay soils of the right bank. Cabernet Sauvignon is more tannic, structured and suited to long ageing. Its aromas evoke blackcurrant, graphite and cedar. It excels on the gravels of the left bank. Together, they complement each other perfectly in the Bordeaux blend.

What are the white grape varieties of Bordeaux?

The 4 authorised white grape varieties are Sémillon, Sauvignon Blanc, Muscadelle and Sauvignon Gris. Sauvignon Blanc dominates dry white wines (Pessac-Léognan, Bordeaux Blanc). Sémillon reigns supreme in the great sweet wines (Sauternes, Barsac), thanks to its sensitivity to Botrytis cinerea. Muscadelle brings a floral touch to blends.

What distinguishes the left bank from the right bank of Bordeaux?

The left bank (Médoc, Graves, Pessac-Léognan) is dominated by Cabernet Sauvignon on draining gravel soils. Its wines are powerful, tannic and made for long ageing. The right bank (Saint-Émilion, Pomerol) is dominated by Merlot on clay-limestone soils. Its wines are rounder, more opulent and accessible younger.

Why has Bordeaux introduced new grape varieties?

Faced with climate change, increasingly hot summers are causing premature ripening of Merlot, resulting in wines that are too alcoholic and lacking in freshness. Since 2021, the INAO has authorised the introduction of 6 experimental grape varieties (including Arinarnoa and Alvarinho) that offer better heat resistance and a naturally higher acidity. Their proportion remains limited: a maximum of 5% of the vineyard and 10% of the blend.

Is Cabernet Franc important in Bordeaux?

Yes, despite accounting for 9% of the vineyard, Cabernet Franc plays a crucial role in Bordeaux, particularly on the right bank. It is the signature grape variety of Château Cheval Blanc (Saint-Émilion), one of the most expensive and admired wines in the world. It brings aromatic finesse (violet, raspberry), freshness and elegance to blends, serving as a subtle binding agent between the opulent Merlot and the structured Cabernet Sauvignon.