BORDEAUX
I don't think that any wine producing area concentrates so many prestigious appellations and legendary domaines as the region of Bordeaux.
On a trail of more than 100 km, all around the Gironde, Vitis-Vinifera has conquered any square meter of land. Cabernet-Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet-Franc and other Petit-Verdot find there their reference. Starting from the left bank, the visitor will cross the Haut-Médoc and Médoc, legendary villages (Pauillac, St-Estèphe, St-Julien,...), kings of finesse.
South of Bordeaux, the Graves, Pessac-Léognan area yields tannic reds for ageing. Going southward the Entre-Deux-Mers yields elegant whites. A little jump southward and this is the Sauternais and it's prestigious sweet wines. Northward and this is the Libournais with St-Émilion and the Pomerol area, distinguished heavy reds.
Continuing the tour on the right bank, he will cross the somewhere "easier" wines production areas of Côtes de Bourg and Côtes de Blaye. When he'll finish his tour he'll find himself at the edge of the Cognac area and will meet fine Pineau-des-Charentes producers...
Such a wide zone can't produce only super fine wines. Less prestigious but economically more important, it hosts a mass production of "little" wines which can be good value for money for who doesn't get blinded by the words "Château, Supérieur, or other qualificatives which may raise unjustified expectations. And so these labels...