In France often part of a more detailed designation for a wine-growing region (haut = high, bas = low, bottom). This is not a quality level under wine law, but a geographical designation. However, the term does not necessarily refer to sea level, but in the Médoc, for example, in Haut-Médoc it means "upstream" as opposed to "downstream" Bas-Médoc. The wines of Haut-Médoc are considered to be better. The same applies to Haut-Rhin as opposed to Bas-Rhin in Alsace. However, in the Armagnac area, the brandy of Bas-Armagnac is considered better as an exception to this rule. In the Middle Ages, Haut-Pays was a common name (Ober-Land) for a large area in south-west France, which meant the entire "Bordeaux hinterland" (at that time less valuable than Bordeaux).
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