Bordeaux ultimately recovered, and today its top cuvees remain the perennial yardsticks for quality. These cuvees are to Sauvignon Blanc, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Cabernet Sauvignon what the great Burgundy domains are to the Chardonnay and Pinot Noir varieties. The preeminence of these two French mothership regions prompted global plantings and established an “international varieties” category. The Bordeaux First Growths in Medoc and Graves are still the definitive standard-bearers for Cabernet Sauvignon. For Merlot, the pinnacle is Chateau Petrus; for Cabernet Franc, it’s Cheval Blanc. Both of these houses are Saint Émilion Chateau(s). As for Sauvignon Blanc, suffice it to say that the botrytized Sauternes from Chateau d’Yquem are some of the world’s most expensive wines.