Photo: Anthony Baratier, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Bordeaux · Sub-regions
Pauillac
The royal appellation of the Médoc: three of the five First Growths (Lafite, Latour, Mouton) stand here. Deep gravel over clay yields the archetypal Cabernet — cassis, cedar, graphite, cigar box — with decades of ageing potential. Power and nobility in one glass.
Grape Varieties
Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot
Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot
Most Famous Site
Château Lafite Rothschild
Vineyard Area
1.200 ha
TERROIR PROFILE · Bordeaux
Pauillac Cabernet royal terroir on deep gravel
Pauillac is Cabernet in its purest form — power, cassis and cedar built to last.
SOILS
Gravel / Sandlight, approachable
Gravel and sand drain heavily — vines struggle for water, wines turn fine, light and elegant.
Loambody-rich, velvety
Loamy soils give wines volume and a soft, velvety mouthfeel.
Limestoneprecise, mineral
Limestone delivers tension, structure and a cooler, more mineral character.
CLIMATE · Maritime
Oceanic climate, tempered by the Gironde and the Landes pine forests to the west. The estuary dampens frost and heat spikes, and long, mild autumns allow late-ripening Cabernet Sauvignon to ripen fully. Rain at harvest remains the main risk.
TOPOGRAPHY · gentle
Low, gently domed gravel mounds (croupes) immediately west of the Gironde, rising only a few metres to a little over ten metres above the river. What matters is drainage rather than height: the best sites lie on the gravel mounds with deep water run-off.
WHAT IT MEANS IN THE GLASS
Typical Flavours of the Region
Cabernet Sauvignon
RedMerlot
RedCabernet Franc
RedPetit Verdot
RedRegion aroma cloud
Bordeaux overview
This sub-region is part of Bordeaux. The map shows all 23 sub-regions — Pauillac is highlighted.
Overview
Typical Varieties
Terroir & Climate
Wine Character
Pauillac lies on the left bank of the Gironde in the northern Médoc. The appellation, established in 1936, covers a little over 1,200 hectares of vines. Saint-Estèphe adjoins it to the north and Saint-Julien to the south. Pauillac has 18 classified growths, including three of the five First Growths of the 1855 classification: Château Lafite Rothschild, Château Latour and Château Mouton Rothschild.
The vines stand on gravel ridges that drain well, store warmth by day and release it at night. Clay and limestone layers lie beneath. The proximity of the Gironde moderates temperatures and reduces frost risk; autumn rain remains a risk.
Cabernet Sauvignon dominates plantings, followed by Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, with small amounts of Malbec. The wines are known for structure, tannin and aromas of blackcurrant and graphite. Other well-known estates include Pichon Baron, Pichon Comtesse and Lynch-Bages.
Soil Type
Günz gravel banks up to 3 m deep over clay and limestone subsoil — perfect drainage, heat storage for Cabernet Sauvignon
Climate
Maritime, tempered by the Gironde; proximity to the estuary protects against frost
Top sites & producers
7 sitesThe most important classified single vineyards in the region. Classification per VDP (German Prädikat Wine Estates Association) and traditional vineyard registers.
By place (7)
Pauillac7 entries
Sources: VDP, state vineyard registers, Wikipedia vineyard articles, traditional vineyard literature.
Top profiles
19 detailed profiles — all filterable in the list below
Château Mouton Rothschild
Pauillac · Pauillac
Cabernet Sauvignon ~80%, Merlot ~16%, Cabernet Franc & Petit Verdot
Château Lafite Rothschild
Pauillac · Pauillac
Cabernet Sauvignon ~70%, Merlot ~25%, Cabernet Franc & Petit Verdot ~5%
Château Latour
Pauillac · Pauillac
Cabernet Sauvignon ~76%, Merlot ~22%
Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande
Pauillac · Pauillac
Cabernet Sauvignon ~62%, Merlot ~31%
Château Pichon Longueville Baron
Pauillac · Pauillac
Cabernet Sauvignon 60 %, Merlot 35 %, Cabernet Franc 4 %
Château Pontet-Canet
Pauillac · Pauillac
Cabernet Sauvignon ~62%, Merlot ~32%
All Wineries
23 resultsChâteau Lafite Rothschild
Pauillac · Pauillac
Cabernet Sauvignon ~70%, Merlot ~25%, Cabernet Franc & Petit Verdot ~5%
Château Latour
Pauillac · Pauillac
Cabernet Sauvignon ~76%, Merlot ~22%
Château Mouton Rothschild
Pauillac · Pauillac
Cabernet Sauvignon ~80%, Merlot ~16%, Cabernet Franc & Petit Verdot
Château Pichon Longueville Baron
Pauillac · Pauillac
Cabernet Sauvignon 60 %, Merlot 35 %, Cabernet Franc 4 %
Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande
Pauillac · Pauillac
Cabernet Sauvignon ~62%, Merlot ~31%
Château Pontet-Canet
Pauillac · Pauillac
Cabernet Sauvignon ~62%, Merlot ~32%
Château Lynch-Bages
Pauillac · Pauillac
Cabernet Sauvignon ~72%, Merlot ~24%
Château Batailley
Pauillac · Pauillac
Château Croizet-Bages
Pauillac · Pauillac
Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot
Château d'Armailhac
Pauillac · Pauillac
Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc
Château Grand-Puy Ducasse
Pauillac · Pauillac
Château Grand-Puy Lacoste
Pauillac · Pauillac
Château Haut-Bages Libéral
Pauillac · Pauillac
Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot
Château Lynch-Moussas
Pauillac · Saint-Sauveur
Château Pédesclaux
Pauillac · Pauillac
Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot
Château Duhart-Milon
Pauillac · Pauillac
Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot
Château Clerc-Milon
Pauillac · Pauillac
Cabernet Sauvignon, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay
Château Pichon Baron
Pauillac · Pauillac
Events in Bordeaux
All events in Bordeaux →12 Dec – Sun, 13 December 2026
Bordeaux Tasting
Tasting · Bordeaux
19 Feb – Mon, 22 February 2027
Salon des Vins des Vignerons Indépendants Strasbourg
Wine fair · Straßburg
12 Mar – Sun, 14 March 2027
Salon des Vins des Vignerons Indépendants Bordeaux
Wine fair · Bordeaux
19 Apr – Thu, 22 April 2027
Semaine des Primeurs Bordeaux
Trade event · Bordeaux
1 May – Sun, 2 May 2027
Portes Ouvertes en Saint-Émilion
Open cellar · Saint-Émilion
Thu, 24 June 2027
Fête de la Fleur
Wine dinner · Bordeaux
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Pauillac and how large is the appellation?
Pauillac lies on the left bank of the Gironde in the northern Médoc, with Saint-Estèphe adjoining to the north and Saint-Julien to the south. The appellation was established in 1936 and covers a good 1,200 hectares of vineyards.
Which soils shape Pauillac?
The vines stand on gravel ridges that drain water well and store heat by day and release it at night. Clay and limestone layers lie beneath.
Which classified estates are there in Pauillac?
Pauillac has 18 classified growths, including three of the five Premiers Crus of 1855: Château Lafite Rothschild, Château Latour and Château Mouton Rothschild. Other known estates are Pichon Baron, Pichon Comtesse and Lynch-Bages.
Which grape varieties define Pauillac?
The key grape varieties in Pauillac are Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. The best-known vineyard is Château Lafite Rothschild.
How many wineries are there in Pauillac?
Cellarmap lists 23 wineries in Pauillac across roughly 1,200 hectares of vines. Every profile shows location, contact, grape varieties and, where available, vineyards, classification and visitor information.
Which is the most famous vineyard in Pauillac?
Château Lafite Rothschild is regarded as the most famous vineyard of Pauillac. The vineyard overview on this page shows which estates farm it.
All wineries in Pauillac, A to Z
- Château Batailley · Pauillac
- Château Clerc-Milon · Pauillac
- Château Croizet-Bages · Pauillac
- Château d'Armailhac · Pauillac
- Château Duhart-Milon · Pauillac
- Château Fonbadet · Pauillac
- Château Gaudin · Pauillac
- Château Grand-Puy Ducasse · Pauillac
- Château Grand-Puy Lacoste · Pauillac
- Château Haut de la Becade · Pauillac
- Château Haut-Bages Libéral · Pauillac
- Château Lafite Rothschild · Pauillac
- Château Latour · Pauillac
- Château Lynch-Bages · Pauillac
- Château Lynch-Moussas · Saint-Sauveur
- Château Mouton Rothschild · Pauillac
- Château Pédesclaux · Pauillac
- Château Pichon Baron · Pauillac
- Château Pichon Longueville Baron · Pauillac
- Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande · Pauillac
- Château Pontet-Canet · Pauillac
- Le Pavillon des Châteaux · Pauillac
- Musée du vin dans l'art du château Mouton Rothschild · Pauillac
📖 Look up in glossary
All terms →Related wine terms — clearly explained in the Cellarmap glossary.