Bordeaux churns out an extraordinary amount of wine in every color, style, and price point from $3 to $30,000. In such a big, diverse region, not all wines are created equal. Here’s a quick lesson on how to navigate Bordeaux shopping: It starts with the rivers. Think of Bordeaux’s waterways as an upside down 45 degree angle wishbone where the Garonne and Dordogne rivers merge to form the Gironde estuary, funneling into the Atlantic Ocean. Depending on where you are in relation to these rivers, you find different soil types adn suitable grape varieties. “Left bank” and “Right bank” is daily jargon for the Bordelaise, indicating what side of the Gironde the vineyards fall on. The premiumest vins come from six sub-regions you may recognize from bottle language or wine lists: St. Estephe, Pauillac, Margaux, St. Julien (Left Bank), Pomerol and St. Emilion on the right bank. These established “luxury” brands can be quite pricey. Thank goodness for the “satellite” regions like St. Georges from just outside the boundaries of the big dog. They use similar grapes and winemaking, but way more affordable!