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Bordeaux 101

5 out of 5 starsTrusted by 20,000+ students

Become an expert in Bordeaux wine

From the Left Bank's Cab-led classifieds to the Right Bank's Merlot-driven Saint-Émilion, learn the region that defined modern wine.

  • 7 chapters
  • 8 videos
  • 2h
  • certificate
$99.99
lifetime access · usd

30-day money-back guarantee

Bordeaux 101 course mark

Introduction

The beginner's guide to Bordeaux

Left Bank vs Right Bank, Cab vs Merlot, the 1855 Classification, and the château system that anchors it all. Bordeaux is the most influential wine region in the world. We'll get you fluent in how it works and what to buy.

Curriculum

What you'll learn

  1. Chapter 1

    History

    From the 12th-century English wine trade to the 1855 Classification to phylloxera and back. The history behind the modern Bordeaux you'll find on a shelf.

  2. Chapter 2

    Grapes

    Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and the supporting cast, the grapes that define Bordeaux's profile.

  3. Chapter 3

    Terroir

    The profound influence of Bordeaux's multifaceted terroir, and why it's captivated palates for centuries.

  4. Chapter 4

    Region

    Tour the Left Bank, the Right Bank, Entre-Deux-Mers, and the appellations that anchor the world's most famous wine region.

  5. Chapter 5

    Reading a label

    Demystify Bordeaux labels, the classifications, château names, and designations that tell each wine's story.

  6. Chapter 6

    Buying advice

    Choose Bordeaux bottles that suit your palate, budget, and occasion, without overpaying or guessing.

  7. Chapter 7

    Tasting Bordeaux

    Assess Bordeaux's color, aroma, and flavor, and develop the vocabulary to talk about what's in your glass.

Inside the course

Bordeaux, demystified

The basics

What makes Bordeaux unique

Bordeaux is the most influential wine region in the world. Its 1855 Classification, château system, and Left/Right Bank divide have shaped global wine culture for centuries. We'll trace why the region's geography, grapes, and human history combined to produce some of the most age-worthy and collectible wines on earth.

Goals

Taste like a pro, with a pro

Identify quality, age-worthiness, and regional character in Bordeaux's classifieds and everyday bottlings. Learn what to look for on a Bordeaux label, what vintages mean for the region specifically, and how to associate flavors with grape, blend, and terroir.

Companion

Bordeaux Wine Region Guide

Bordeaux 101 pairs with the Bordeaux Wine Region Guide, the online knowledge base for the region's appellations, classifications, and producers. Use the course to learn the framework; use the guide for lookups and deeper exploration.

Visit the region guide

Course wines

Wines we'll taste together

Wines aren't included with the course, but tasting along is encouraged. Here's the lineup we'll explore.

  • Cabernet Sauvignon Blend

    Left Bank

    The classic Left Bank profile, Cab-dominant, structured, and built to age.

  • Pauillac

    Médoc

    Home of three First Growths, Pauillac is Cab Sauvignon at its most prestigious.

  • Merlot Blend

    Right Bank

    Saint-Émilion and Pomerol, Merlot-led blends with plush, generous fruit.

  • Sauvignon Blanc

    Graves

    Bordeaux's signature dry white, often blended with Sémillon for richness and depth.

Every region, grape, and map at your fingertips. keep studying with Wine Folly+ →

Free preview

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Your wine guides

Taught by world-class wine educators

Bordeaux is the wine world's most-studied region, and it rewards close attention. You'll learn from a James Beard award-winning author of the bestselling Wine Folly book and one of the world's most credentialed wine educators. Over 20,000 students taught.
Christine Marsiglio

Christine Marsiglio

Director of Education

Christine leads the entire course, drawing on her WSET Diploma teaching and Decanter judging experience to decode Bordeaux end-to-end.

Director of Education and one of only 35 Bollinger award-winning Masters of Wine worldwide.

Read full bio
Christine is our Director of Education and one of only 35 Bollinger award-winning Masters of Wine worldwide.

Before Wine Folly, she taught the WSET Diploma in London and contributed to the latest global Diploma materials. She also led tastings at Decanter, running panels and organizing the Decanter World Wine Awards.

She's the rare expert who can teach at the Master of Wine level and still meet a beginner where they are.
Madeline Puckette

Madeline Puckette

Wine Folly Founder

Madeline frames the regional story, how the 1855 Classification and the Left/Right Bank divide came to define modern wine.

Wine Folly co-founder, James Beard Award winner, and New York Times bestselling author.

Read full bio
Madeline co-founded Wine Folly in 2011 and turned it into the world's go-to wine cheat sheet.

She's a James Beard Award winner, a New York Times bestselling author, and was named both Wine Blogger of the Year and Wine Communicator of the Year by the International Wine & Spirits Competition.

Her articles, infographics, and videos are what made wine knowledge feel approachable to a generation of drinkers.

student reviews

What students are saying

“I’m writing this review from Paris, where I have much more confidence in ordering Bordeaux wines, especially finding the quality alternatives to the expensive bottles. I will be in Bordeaux in a week, which was the main reason for taking this course, where I will also take a tour of Medoc wineries. I thought the course gave great insight into the grapes used and the influence of the terroirs and vintage years. The information was concise, easy to learn, and just the right length. I rate the course excellent, and look forward to taking more. Maybe Burgundy? Thank you.”

James S.

“I purchased Bordeaux 101course to attain an appreciation of the course contents and quality, which led me to purchase the French Wine 201 course. I purchased the French Wine 201 course to gain more insight the French wine. My son and I are viewing the 201 course videos together. My son has recently completed WSET 3 and is going on to enrol for the French Wine Scholar. Regards Daryl Drake”

Owen D.

“As a fan of Bordeaux I already knew a lot about their wines and wineries. However the combination of terroir and grape varieties in the different locations and the reason for this was a chapter which gave me a lot off new insights in understanding Bordeaux as a wineregion. I enjoyed watching the videos, they are easy to follow and understand, clear and informative. .”

Walter V.

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Bordeaux 101

$99.99
one-time · usd · yours forever
5 out of 5 stars
  • 7 in-depth chapters
  • 60+ minutes of expert video
  • 7 chapter quizzes
  • 50-question certification exam
  • Lifetime access, yours forever
  • Bordeaux 101 certificate
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Next step

Ready for all of France?

French Wine 201 expands beyond Bordeaux to all 12 major French regions, Burgundy, Rhône, Champagne, Loire, and more.

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