A NEW APPELLATION FOR WHITE WINES IN BORDEAUX: MÉDOC BLANC AOC
White wines have found a new place to call ‘home’ in Bordeaux.
In the land of countless vines and wines, defined in the eyes of consumers as primarily a place where red wines prevail, there is now a new kid in town.
Enter Médoc Blanc AOC.
As of July 31, 2025, an official decree codified the inclusion of white wines in the Médoc appellation (AOC) of Bordeaux. Proposals for the inclusion of white wines in the Médoc AOC were originally submitted by the regional governing body to the INAO (Institut National de l'Origine et de la Qualité) in early 2023. Nearly two years later, the idea of white wines carrying the Médoc AOC name has become reality.
This may not seem like that big a deal to some, but in fact it is noteworthy. The Médoc AOC has only had authorization to produce red wines since its creation 1937. While the area does have a history of white wine production, this practice faded over the years as red wines became the fashion in Bordeaux. The small residual production of white wines has been bottled as under the Bordeaux Blanc AOC moniker…until now.
This change brings the white wines of the Médoc an arguably more prestigious home to be associated with. While Bordeaux Blanc AOC is a regional appellation that can be used by anyone producing wine from grapes grown in the very large Bordeaux region, the Médoc AOC is much more restricted in size and is considered to be a more coveted appellation that produces higher quality wines. It is argued that this change could possibly translate into better pricing and more market demand for producers who are able to bottle white wines under the Médoc name.
Or perhaps not. Considerable debate has ensued as to whether the MédocAOC’s inclusion of white wines will prove beneficial or not. Some argue that producers may see no lift in sales or the ability to price higher simply because the Médoc AOC is not well known for white wines and therefore the end consumer will not see it as anything special. ‘Bordeaux Blanc’ is a well recognized brand amongst wine lovers; ‘Médoc Blanc’? Not so much.
Nonetheless, the appellation’s governing body has identified 70 producers covering 170 hectares who have indicated that they will be bottling a Médoc Blanc AOC wine.
Some of the key requirements that apply to these wines include:
the grapes must be sourced from the Médoc appellation, inclusive of the Médoc, Haut-Médoc, Margaux, Moulis, Listrac-Médoc, Saint-Julien, Pauillac and Saint-Estèphe appellation areas;
permitted grape varieties are the existing traditional grape varieties of the region, namely Sauvignon Blanc, Sauvignon Gris, Muscadelle, and Sémillon.
- approval has also been provided for the use of experimental grape varieties that are resistant or adapted to climate change such as Alvarinho, up to 10% of the final blend;
A minimum of 30% of the final wine volume must be aged on its lees in wooden containers for a minimum of 3 months;
Wines may not be released before April 15 in the year following harvest
Given the above, wine lovers can look forward to seeing Médoc Blanc AOC wines hitting the marketplace in 2026.
What remains to be seen is the following - will the introduction of white wines into the Médoc AOC be the boon that producers need to counter headwinds in consumer demand for Bordeaux wines? Only time will tell. However, this newest pivot does seem to be an interesting development and insight into the changing landscape of Bordeaux, as it continues to look for ways to evolve and remain relevant.
P.S. - while not discussed above, we note that the decree also introduced mandatory environmental certification for any wines, be they red or white, that bear the Médoc AOC name, amongst other changes.