The Haut-Médoc appellation is located to the north of the city of Bordeaux and covers an area of 4,300 ha, covering 29 communes. It has the particularity of having 6 communal appellations in its production area : Saint-Estèphe, Pauillac, Saint-Julien, Moulis-en-Médoc, Listrac-Médoc and Margaux. The soils are mainly gravelly. The main grape varieties in order of importance are Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Malbec and Carmenère. Haut-Médoc wines are fine and complex, with notes of red and black fruits. They age well over time due to their barrel ageing and can be kept for 3 to 10 years, or even longer for certain high quality wines.