Bordeaux

 With some 100,000 hectares under vines and a production of 500 million bottles of appellation controlee wine a year, Bordeaux is by far the biggest fine wine region in the world. The British connection with Bordeaux wines goes back to 1152 when Eleanor of Aquitaine married Henry of Anjou, heir to the English throne, and it continues to flourish today. Recently, there has been much investment in many of the vineyards and chais and a serious reappraisal of wine-making techniques. Consistency, even in less than ideal vintages, has been improved at all levels, particularly so with the simplest reds and whites but also among some of the more famous chateaux. Despite this, Bordeaux wines must be selected with care as the regions reputation for the finest of wines makes it easy for the less capable producers to sell their wares.