(Bas) Medoc

 

Bas Medoc is the pre 1940 desigantion for this vast area north and north west of St Estephe. The growers here petitioned successfully that the Bas (=low) prefix puts their wines in a disadvantageous position on the market in the eyes of the customers who might think these wines are inferior to the Haut Medoc wines. The prefix was cut therefore. Nonetheless, the Bas Medoc name originally meant to indicate that these are the lowest grounds of the Medoc, to the far north of the area. It is a land with around 5600 ha of vines, churning out some 30% of the total production of the Medoc. Minimum vine density according to AC rules is 5.000 vines/ha, which is only half of the figure of the top eastern communes, and considerably lower than that for the Haut Medoc (min. 6.500 vines/ha). This is largely because the vines here are very vigorous, planted on a clay-limestone soil, and more sparse planting is a way to lower yields.Gravel can be found in places but it is thin and does not characterise the area. The AC Medoc wines can only be red. Some whites are made here as well but these are marketed under the generic Bordeaux name. Because it is such a huge area it would be a mistake to generalize. Quality thus varies broadly from property to property. There are no classified properties here, however the area is home to several cru bourgeois wines. The favoured variety is the early ripening Merlot which is hardly a surprise given the mostly cool clay soils. Maximum yield for this appellation is set to 50 hl/ha. Exceeding this, producers can only sell their wine as 'Bordeaux'.

 

The windmill of Vensac on the Medoc countryside.