---
title: "Bordeaux Vineyards — Live Satellite Health Report"
description: "Satellite monitoring of Bordeaux's Médoc vineyards tracks canopy health through the vintage — see what the vines are saying this month, free."
url: https://www.agroreports.org/articles/bordeaux-vineyards/
lang: en
updated: 2026-06-18
source: https://www.agroreports.org/articles/bordeaux-vineyards/
license: All rights reserved. (c) AgroReports
---

# Bordeaux Vineyards — Live Satellite Health Report

> Satellite monitoring of Bordeaux's Médoc vineyards tracks canopy health through the vintage — see what the vines are saying this month, free.

## About this region

Bordeaux is the world's most studied wine region, and the Médoc — the gravel peninsula north of the city — is its most famous stretch. This area covers the classic appellations of Margaux, Pauillac, Saint-Julien, and Saint-Estèphe, where Cabernet Sauvignon dominates the blend and Merlot fills it out. The vines sit on deep gravel soils left by ancient rivers, which drain freely and force roots deep — stress that, in the right measure, produces the structured, age-worthy reds Bordeaux is known for.

## Climate & growing cycle

The climate is maritime and mild, with the Atlantic and the Gironde estuary moderating temperature swings. Vintage variation is real here — the same vineyard can make a great wine one year and a merely good one the next. Flowering falls in early June, véraison (colour change) in early August, and harvest from mid-September into October. The growing season is long and the vines are trellised on vertical wires with rows kept open to manage disease pressure in the humid maritime air.

## Satellite monitoring insights

NDVI on a Bordeaux vineyard typically peaks around 0.5–0.6 at full canopy — lower than a row crop, because the vines are trellised and inter-row spacing is deliberate. What matters here is the trajectory: a slow climb through spring signals a healthy, well-timed development; a plateau or early decline in July or August signals stress during the critical ripening window. NDMI is essential for monitoring water status in the free-draining gravels, where too much stress too early can shut down ripening. SAVI is useful for vineyards on gravel and sand soils where bare-soil reflection can distort standard NDVI readings.

## Key metrics

| Index | Peak range | Vintage signal |
|-------|-----------|---------------|
| NDVI | 0.5–0.6 | Canopy development trajectory = vintage quality |
| NDMI | 0.0–0.2 | Water stress in gravels during ripening |
| SAVI | 0.3–0.5 | Corrects for bare gravel between rows |

> **Free report:** Get a live satellite health analysis of Bordeaux vineyards this month — see the canopy curve, water status, and how this vintage is shaping up for free, no signup. [Check the vines →](/reports/bordeaux-vineyards)