Pauillac is an important commune and red wine appellation of the Haut-Medoc district of Bordeaux, located between Saint-Estephe and Saint-Julien, on the western (left) bank of the Gironde estuary.
The stellar reputation of Pauillac wines is founded not only on the quality of its produce, but on its historic commercial success in international markets. The 1855 Classification of the Medoc ranked the best Chateaux of the area according to the average prices commanded by their wines. Two of the top five Chateaux were in Pauillac: Chateaux Latour and Lafite-Rothschild. These two were joined by Chateau Mouton-Rothschild in 1973, in an almost unprecedented change to the ranking system which is still in force today.
As Mouton and Lafite are both owned by the Rothschild family, so Pauillac's two second growth producers were also once a single entity: Chateau Pichon-Longueville. At some point before 1855, this property was divided into two by the intricacies of Napoleonic inheritance laws, giving rise to the existing Chateau Pichon-Longueville Comtesse de Lalande, and Chateau Pichon-Longueville Baron. The word 'Baron' was recently removed from the name of the second Chateau.
The soils of Pauillac are made up largely of free-draining gravel, which is ideal for growing Cabernet Sauvignon. These soils, when combined with the temperate Bordeaux climate, are the starting point for Pauillac's high quality wines.
Overall, the terroir of Pauillac varies more than might be expected, in an area only of only 9 sq. miles (23 sq.km), where the land only rises and falls by a maximum of 100ft (30m). Over hundreds of vintages, the Chateaux and their winemakers have become very skilled at emphasizing the individuality of their vineyards, and there is general agreement that the styles of the top three Chateaux are discernibly different. Overall however, there is still an identifiable Pauillac style - full, rich, and characterised by the classic cassis and cedarwood character of oak-aged Cabernet Sauvignon.
The appellation laws for Pauillac are extremely specific in terms of vineyard locations. Any plot of land within the Pauillac commune qualifies, unless it is made up of sandy, alluvial or impermeable soils. Certain plots may also be used within the communes of Cissac, Saint-Saveur, and perhaps surprisingly, within the communes of Saint-Julien and Saint-Estephe. While Cabernet Sauvignon is by far the predominant grape variety, Cabernet Franc, Merlot , Carmenere, Petit Verdot and Malbec are also permitted.
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