What is Claret? A Guide to Bordeaux's Red Wines

What is claret? Maybe the word conjures up images of stuffy oak-panelled Edwardian dining rooms, with even stuffier people in evening dress making polite conversation, while an ancient butler with an unsteady hand carefully pours a rich red wine from decanter to cut crystal.

If that’s how you answer the question “what is claret?” I’m going to try to change your mind.

Claret wines can be traditional, yes — but they can also be accessible, characterful and genuinely good value. In fact, some of the best everyday reds we sell fall squarely into the claret camp.

Take a look at our range of claret wines that are drinking beautifully right now, and read on to learn how to spot an excellent bottle (without needing a trust fund or a degree in Bordeaux classifications).

Why is wine from Bordeaux called claret?

Claret is an English term. Most people think the name comes from the deep red colour of Bordeaux wine.

It turns out this isn’t so.

In medieval times, the Aquitaine territory around Bordeaux was frequently in English hands. The wine trade with England flourished — but the wines themselves weren’t much like the clarets we drink today.

Most of the wine grown around Bordeaux at the time was light coloured and light bodied, almost rosé-like. Possibly derived from “liquet”, the Latin for clear, these pale wines became known as clairet.

The wines gradually took on the richer, deeper characteristics we expect today after English drinkers developed a taste for fuller-bodied wines from Portugal, a country that, unlike France, didn’t periodically wage war against us and thus was providing a steady supply of high quality, full-bodied reds. 

Bordeaux producers adapted, styles evolved, and modern claret was born.

What is Claret?

Claret is a broad brush term for any red wine from the area around Bordeaux in south-west France. These wines are blends, traditionally made from several grape varieties, grown across a wide range of soils and microclimates.

At one end of the spectrum are wines that cost thousands of pounds per bottle. At the other — and far more relevant to most of us — are excellent clarets between £10 and £25 that deliver serious pleasure without requiring a hedge fund bonus.

The region stretches roughly 50km inland from the city of Bordeaux, following the Gironde estuary formed by the Dordogne and Garonne rivers. It includes some of the most famous names in the wine world: Pauillac, Médoc, Margaux, Pomerol, Graves and the delightfully tourist-heavy Saint-Émilion (go if you get the chance).

The Appellations of Bordeaux

Historically, the red grapes permitted in Bordeaux are:

• Cabernet Sauvignon
• Cabernet Franc
• Merlot
• Petit Verdot
• Malbec
• Carménère (rarely used today)

In July 2019, Marselan, Touriga Nacional, Castets and Arinarnoa were added to the approved list. The dominant grape depends on location: Cabernet Sauvignon on the Left Bank, Merlot on the Right.

In the Médoc and much of the Left Bank, Cabernet Sauvignon leads the blend, typically supported by Merlot and Cabernet Franc. On the Right Bank — Saint-Émilion and Pomerol — Merlot usually takes centre stage.

Younger winemakers will (rightly) argue that blending percentages alone don’t fully answer the question “what is claret?” Styles continue to evolve, and that’s no bad thing. The best examples respect tradition while remaining very drinkable.

👉 Explore our full claret selection here.

The Claret Quality Ladder

Claret isn’t one single style of wine. It’s a broad church, and the easiest way to understand what is claret is to think in terms of a quality ladder. From everyday bottles for midweek drinking to some of the world’s most collected wines, claret becomes more complex, structured and expressive as you climb.

Bordeaux has several different classification systems, created at different times for different reasons. They don’t line up neatly — and they were never meant to. What follows isn’t an official hierarchy, but a practical way of understanding what’s in the bottle, and where to start.

Everyday

At the base of the ladder is Bordeaux AOC. Think of this as good, honest claret: fresh, food-friendly and uncomplicated. These wines can come from anywhere in Bordeaux and are usually blends dominated by Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon.

This is claret for Tuesday night supper — roast chicken, sausages, shepherd’s pie — where you want something reliable rather than remarkable. When it’s well made, it offers excellent value and a very clear introduction to the claret style.

👉 Explore Bordeaux AOC wines like Château La Croix du Duc Bordeaux 2022

Step-Up

One rung up is Bordeaux Supérieur AOC. These wines are made under slightly stricter rules, with lower yields and longer ageing, and the difference usually shows in the glass.

They still offer excellent value, but feel more “serious”: riper fruit, better texture and a little more grip. This is claret that really comes into its own with roast dinners and richer dishes.

Named Appellations

This is where claret starts to taste like somewhere. These wines come from named Bordeaux appellations such as Médoc, Haut-Médoc, Graves, Fronsac, Lalande-de-Pomerol and the Côtes de Bordeaux. At this level you begin to taste place, not just grape variety.

You’ll often see familiar quality markers here. Many Médoc wines are labelled Cru Bourgeois, a modern classification for estates that consistently outperform basic Bordeaux. Cru Artisan wines come from small, family-run estates, also mainly in the Médoc, and often represent excellent value. You’ll also find Saint-Émilion Grand Cru at this rung — a stricter appellation than basic Saint-Émilion, but not the same as the elite classified estates.

These clarets feel more confident and expressive, with better balance and a clearer sense of identity.

👉 Good examples include Château des Demoiselles Claret 2015, or the organically certified Château Fourcas Hosten 2022, Listrac-Médoc.

Emerging Quality

This is the point where claret becomes unmistakably serious. Wines here include Fourth and Fifth Growths from the historic 1855 classification, Grand Cru Classé Saint-Émilion estates, and classified wines from Graves.

Rather than trying to force Bordeaux’s different classification systems into alignment, it’s easier to focus on how the wines taste. At this level, clarets show darker fruit, more depth through the palate, and tannins that feel structured rather than rustic. They’re wines that benefit from a little air — or a little patience.

👉 Château Batailley 2017, Pauillac is a classic left bank claret from a Fifth Growth estate, whilst Château de Fieuzal 2014, Pessac-Léognan shows the quality of Cru Classé Graves.

Top-Quality

This rung brings together some of Bordeaux’s most respected wines without quite reaching the untouchable icons. It includes Second and Third Growths from the 1855 classification, Premier Grand Cru Classé B estates from Saint-Émilion, and a small number of outstanding wines from Graves.

These clarets are defined by precision rather than power. The fruit is concentrated but controlled, the oak finely judged, and the structure built for long ageing. Everything feels composed and deliberate.

👉 Excellent examples include Château Brane-Cantenac 2023, Margaux and Château Marquis d’Alesme 2022, Margaux

Iconic

At the very top sit the true icons of Bordeaux: the First Growths of the 1855 classification (including Haut-Brion from Graves), along with the highest-ranked Premier Grand Cru Classé A estates from Saint-Émilion. These are wines built for decades of ageing and traded as much as they are drunk.

They form part of the answer to what is claret, even if they’re rarely part of everyday drinking.

Where to start?

If you’re new to claret, the sweet spot is usually the Named Appellation and Emerging Quality rungs. This is where you’ll find the clearest expression of what makes claret special: balance, savoury freshness and an instinctive ability to work with food.

From there, it’s simply a question of climbing the ladder when curiosity — or the occasion — demands it.

👉 Explore our full claret selection here

1855 and All That

Bordeaux classification history can get a little geeky, it doesn't define what is claret, but it helps explain why wines sit where they do on the ladder.

The oldest and most famous is the 1855 Classification, created for an Imperial exhibition. It ranked Médoc producers (and a handful of others, such as Haut-Brion) into First through Fifth Growths based on historic market price and reputation. These rankings still carry real weight today.

Haut Brion, First Growth Bordeaux

Graves took a different approach in the 1950s, producing a list of Cru Classé wines without internal tiers — meaning every estate on the list is recognised for quality, but without First, Second or Third Growth labels.

Saint-Émilion has its own classification, updated periodically, with Premier Grand Cru Classé A, Premier Grand Cru Classé B and Grand Cru Classé levels. Confusingly, the term Saint-Émilion Grand Cru on a label refers to a stricter appellation standard, not necessarily elite classification.

Because these systems cover different regions and use different criteria, they don’t line up neatly. That’s why we prefer to think in terms of style, quality and drinkability, rather than rigid historical rankings.

Should I lay claret down?

Some clarets are made for immediate enjoyment; others benefit enormously from time.

As a rough guide:

• Everyday and Step-Up clarets: drink young and enjoy the fruit.
• Named Appellation and Emerging Quality: improve over 3–10 years.
• Top-Quality and Iconic clarets: built for long ageing if stored properly.

If in doubt, ask — or drink one now and one later. Research, but more enjoyable.

To Decant, Or Not to Decant

That sound you hear is a can of worms being opened. There are almost as many opinions on when or whether to decant as there are people with opinions.

First, let’s start with why you would want to bother. Decanting has two functions: to separate the wine from any sediment in the bottle, and to aerate the wine. Oxygen changes the characteristics of the wine, typically softening the edges of any harsh tannins.

But too much oxygen too quickly can cause some wines to ‘collapse.’ This is why you’ll see a lot of debate about whether to decant well before serving or immediately before.

For Bordeaux AOC, don’t bother. For Supérieur or Côtes, decant just before serving. For more serious Crus or older wines, half an hour beforehand is usually plenty.

Experiment. Anyone who tells you there’s only one correct answer is selling something.

What is claret best served with?

Classic pairings include red meat, game, hard cheeses and charcuterie — but that’s only part of the story.

Lighter clarets work surprisingly well with white meats and even oily fish like salmon or tuna. Bordeaux AOC and Supérieur wines are also excellent with barbecued food.

The best advice? Drink what tastes good to you, with food you actually want to eat.

👉 Browse our current claret selection here.

So, what is claret? It’s not intimidating, not old-fashioned, and certainly not just for special occasions. It’s one of the most versatile and rewarding wine styles in the world — provided you know where to start.

And now, you do.