Vinolingo Download on the App Store

Pronunciation guide

How to pronounce Bordeaux wine names

Bordeaux labels combine place names, château classifications and grape blends. This page covers the appellations on the left and right bank, the sweet wines of Sauternes, the classification terms, and the six grapes behind the blends.

21 terms. Each has native audio, IPA, an easy respelling and the meaning on its own page.

Bordeaux itself is bor-DOH, with a silent x. Médoc and Haut-Médoc end on “dock” with the stress at the end (may-DOK, OH may-DOK). Pauillac is poh-YAK: the “ll” is a y sound and the c is pronounced. Margaux is mar-GOH, Pomerol is poh-muh-ROL, and Saint-Émilion is san-tay-mee-LYOHN with a nasal final syllable.

On the classification side, Cru Bourgeois is kroo boor-ZHWAH and Grand Cru Classé is GRAHN KROO klah-SAY. Pourriture noble, the “noble rot” that makes Sauternes, is poo-ree-toor NOHBL. The grapes follow the usual French rule: silent final consonants and last-syllable stress.

  1. Bordeaux bor-DOH /bɔrˈdo/ French · A major wine region in southwest France known for blended red wines made from Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.
  2. Médoc may-DOK French · A major wine-producing peninsula on the left bank of the Gironde estuary in Bordeaux, France. The Médoc appellation covers the northern portion, producing structured, Cabernet Sauvignon-dominant red wines from gravelly and clay soils. The broader peninsula also encompasses the more prestigious Haut-Médoc and its village appellations.
  3. Haut Médoc OH may-DOK French · The southern, more prestigious half of the Médoc peninsula in Bordeaux, France. It encompasses the famous village appellations of Margaux, Saint-Julien, Pauillac, and Saint-Estèphe, and produces structured, age-worthy Cabernet Sauvignon-dominant reds from well-drained gravel soils.
  4. Pauillac poh-YAK /poˈjak/ French · A commune in Bordeaux known for powerful Cabernet Sauvignon-based wines including three first growths.
  5. Margaux mar-GOH /marˈɡo/ French · A commune in Bordeaux known for perfumed and elegant Cabernet Sauvignon-based wines.
  6. Graves GRAHV French · A prestigious wine appellation in Bordeaux, France, located south of the city on the left bank of the Garonne. Named for its distinctive gravel soils, it produces both high-quality red Bordeaux blends and dry white wines from Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon, and contains the elite sub-appellation Pessac-Léognan.
  7. Pessac-Léognan peh-SAK lay-oh-NYAHN /pɛˈsak leɔˈɲɑ̃/ French · An appellation in Bordeaux known for both red blends and Sauvignon Blanc-Sémillon whites.
  8. Saint-Émilion san-tay-mee-LYOHN /sɛ̃temiˈljɔ̃/ French · A commune in Bordeaux known for Merlot-based wines with richer fruit character.
  9. Pomerol poh-muh-ROL /pɔməˈrɔl/ French · A small commune in Bordeaux known for Merlot-based wines of great opulence and power.
  10. Sauternes soh-TERN /soˈtɛrn/ French · A wine region in Bordeaux known for sweet wines made from Sémillon affected by noble rot.
  11. Bordeaux Blanc bor-DOH BLAHN French · White wine from the Bordeaux region of France, typically a blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon. Dry Bordeaux Blanc ranges from crisp, aromatic styles dominated by Sauvignon Blanc to richer, oak-aged versions with more Sémillon, offering citrus, herbal, and sometimes waxy character.
  12. Bordeaux Supérieur bor-DOH soo-peh-ree-UR French · An appellation covering the entire Bordeaux region of France, with stricter production requirements than basic Bordeaux AOC. Wines must have lower yields, higher minimum alcohol, and longer aging periods, resulting in reds with more concentration, structure, and depth.
  13. Cru Bourgeois kroo boor-ZHWAH /kʁy buʁˈʒwa/ French · Classification in Bordeaux for quality estates below Cru Classé level.
  14. Grand cru classé GRAHN KROO klah-SAY French · A classification term used in Bordeaux to denote estates ranked in one of the region's official classifications. The most famous is the 1855 Médoc Classification ranking estates into five growths. Saint-Émilion has its own periodically revised classification. The term signifies historically recognized quality and prestige.
  15. Grand vin GRAHN VAN French · A French term meaning great wine, used primarily in Bordeaux to designate a château's first wine or flagship label. The grand vin receives the best barrels from the best vineyard parcels of each vintage, while barrels that do not meet the standard are declassified to the second wine.
  16. Pourriture noble poo-ree-toor NOHBL /puʁityʁ nɔbl/ French · Noble rot caused by Botrytis cinerea fungus concentrating sugars and flavors in grapes.
  17. Cabernet Sauvignon kab-er-NAY so-vin-YAWN /kabɛʁnɛ soviˈɲɔ̃/ French · A black grape variety known for producing full-bodied red wines with high tannins and flavors of blackcurrant and cedar.
  18. Merlot mer-LOH /mɛʁˈlo/ French · A black grape variety producing medium to full-bodied red wines with soft tannins and flavors of plum and chocolate.
  19. Malbec mal-BEK /malˈbɛk/ French · A black grape variety producing dark red wines with soft tannins and flavors of blackberry and plum.
  20. Sémillon say-mee-YOHN /seˈmijɔ̃/ French · A white grape variety from Bordeaux producing wines with lanolin and citrus notes often affected by noble rot.
  21. Sauvignon Blanc so-vin-yawn BLAHNG /soviɲɔ̃ ˈblɑ̃/ French · A white grape variety known for producing crisp wines with high acidity and flavors of gooseberry and grass.

More pronunciation guides

Say them out loud, get scored

Vinolingo plays each of these words, listens to you say it and scores your pronunciation. Spaced repetition brings the ones you miss back until they stick.

Download on the App Store