CorkTale | Wine Reviews

Médoc Wine Region - Western France.

Medoc is a triangle shaped appelation in the northwest area of Bordeaux, France. This region enjoys a mild climate, and rarely experiences any serious weather condition. Medoc is located between the Atlantic Ocean and the Gironde River, which is where the name Medoc comes from. The word Medoc means, "middle land".

Despite the fact that Medoc is near the ocean, the climate is not as humid or damp as one might suspect. This is due in large part to the fact that there are dense pine forests to the west which act as a shield against the maritime climate.

The reason why wine growers love the Medoc region is because the soil has deep layers of gravel to supply adequate drainage. The poor soil quality actually acts beneficially to the grape vines. Because the grape vines feel their soil coverage is inadequate, they instinctively develop heavier fruit to protect the seed. Grape vines that struggle will produce the sweetest fruit.

Eight appellations: Margaux, Moulis, Listrac, St-Julien, Pauillac, St-Estèphe, Haut-Médoc and Médoc (the northern, or Bas Médoc) make up the region.