The right half of France’s wine epicentre crafts exquisite Merlot-dominant reds. From Blaye to Fronsac to Saint-Émilion to Pomerol, there are great bottles to be found all along the Right Bank.
The greater region of Bordeaux comprises two halves divided by the Gironde Estuary that are simply referred to as the Left Bank and the Right Bank. The Right Bank has the ideal conditions for growing top-quality Merlot, with low average daytime temperatures, and clay-rich calcareous soils over limestone bedrock that offer great water retention. Nowhere are these conditions more prevalent than in the subregions of Pomerol and Saint-Émilion, which offer both quaffable table wines and posh top-shelf bottles. Wines from these areas are beloved for their immense structure, velvety tannins, and incredible ageability, developing complex flavours of dried blue fruit, smoked meat, baking spices, and dark chocolate.
