Region	Pauillac Without any doubt the wine capital of the Médoc wine region and one of the four communal appellations in the Haut-Médoc. Three of the Premier Grand Cru châteaux are on the grounds of Pauillac. Château Latour, Château Lafite Rothschildt and Château Mouton Rothschildt. Its a true appellation of extremes with three-quarters of Médoc’s Premiers Grands Crus but also with two-thirds of its Cinquièmes Grands Crus and few Cru Bourgeois wines. The best grounds are the gravel lobe north of Pauillac where one finds Château Mouton Rothschildt and Château Lafite Rothschildt. Château Latour, one of the oldest vineyards of the Médoc is on the gravel lobe south of Pauillac. Red long-lived Pauillac’s have a strong reputation for their blackcurrant character, beautifully balanced with a tannic structure. -Only wines from the good terrains of Pauillac and some specially selected parcels of Cissac, St.-Julien, St.-Estephe, St.-Saveur. -Grape varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, Petit Verdot, Carmenère -Production: max. 45 hl. per ha.		The grape varieties The châteaux The gravel mounds that are so typical for the Médoc dominate the soil. These mounds afford excellent drainage of water and are loose and airy. Because of their infertility the gravel mounds encourage the vines to send their roots down deep in search of nutrients. These gravel mounds rest on (starfish) limestone (Calcaire à astéries) plateaux. Pauillac has a big and deep gravel mound divided in two by the Chenal du Gaer. Pauillac has a maritime climate, caused by the Atlantic. The warm Gulf Stream and the Gironde act as a heat-regulator and moderate the climate. This gives the region mild winters, warm summers, and long, sunny autumns. The region is protected from sea winds by the coastal strip of pine forest which runs almost parallel to the region. The oceanic influence places the region in a very privileged position with few unwelcome extremes of temperature. Much to the concern of the vignerons however, harvest time and the rainy season arrive about the same time. If the rains come early all grapes will not be fully ripened. If the rains come during harvest, the grapes can lose concentration. The record keepers have observed that in any ten-year span there will be, from a climate point of view, three great years, three poor years, and four that are mediocre. Sometimes the normally mild region is rudely reminded of its northern latitude. In February 1956 a hard frost occurred with temperatures below -18 C (0F). There is also the lingering concern that the Saint de Glace may visit the budding vines in the first weeks of May. Like in 1991.