It is probably the most famous and exclusive wine growing region in the world: Bordeaux. The name produces a vast range of wines from the simplest up to the largest and most sought-after growths of all - and also, rare cult wines. After all, the region covers 100,000 hectares on the left and above all, on the right bank of the Gironde. Bordeaux has a long history as a wine growing region; presumably the Romans already grew wine here, calling the area Aquitaine, "lying on the water". Later it became "Au bord de l'eau", from which the current name developed. The vast area can boast an enormous variety of styles: rather simple white wines from Entre-deux-mers, great white wines from Graves and Pessac-Léognan, subtle red wines with the Bordeaux appellation and outstanding red wines from the sub-regions such as Haut-Médoc, Saint Émilion or Pomerol or the very great wines from the appellations of Pauillac or Margaux. Sauternes and Barsac produce some of the finest sweet wines in the world. The left bank of the Gironde, with its famous appellations, relies more on Cabernet Sauvignon than on Cabernet Franc or Merlot because of its advantageous gravelly soils. On the right bank, on the other hand, which prefers limestone soils (St. Émilion) or clay soils (Pomerol), the emphasis is on Merlot. Bordeaux can boast a total of 55 different appellations, with classifications also introduced in Haut-Médoc, St. Émilion, Pessac-Léognan, Graves and Sauternes, the oldest dating back to 1855 in Haut-Médoc. The Haut-Médoc also has a qualitative middle class with the introduction of the "Cru Bourgeois".
