Cadillac AOC (Sweet Whites)

The town of Cadillac-sur-Garonne was founded in 1280 as a riverside bastide by Lord Jean de Grailly with the support of the King of England, its medieval ramparts still largely intact today. The iconic Château des Ducs d'Épernon, built from 1599 onward at the request of Jean-Louis de Nogaret de La Valette, first Duke of Épernon and favourite of Henri III, towers over the Garonne and remains a classified Historic Monument open to visitors. Winemaking here parallels the long history of wider Bordeaux viticulture, and in 1973 the area around the town received its own AOC designation specifically for sweet whites, formalising the distinct identity that growers had long cultivated within the former Premières Côtes de Bordeaux.

• Bastide of Cadillac founded in 1280 on the banks of the Garonne by Lord Jean de Grailly
• Château des Ducs d'Épernon built from 1599, now a classified national Historic Monument
• Cadillac received its own AOC on August 10, 1973, exclusively for sweet white wines
• The appellation is distinct from Cadillac-Côtes de Bordeaux AOC, which covers red wines in the same area

Cadillac-sur-Garonne sits about 30 kilometers south of Bordeaux city, tucked between the right bank of the Garonne and the calcareous cliffs of the Entre-Deux-Mers plateau. The appellation stretches across 22 communes in a narrow band along roughly 25 kilometers of river, from Baurech in the north to Saint-Maixent in the south. Vineyards occupy south- and southwest-facing slopes on chalky and gravelly soils that drain well and concentrate heat. The river itself is central to the appellation's character: in autumn, proximity to the Garonne generates early-morning humidity that gradually dissipates through the day, creating the damp-then-dry conditions that favour the development of Botrytis cinerea, the noble rot mold essential to Cadillac's sweet wine production.

• Approximately 30 kilometers south of Bordeaux, directly opposite Sauternes across the Garonne
• 22 communes across roughly 25 kilometers of riverbank, including Beguey, Cadillac, Capian, Tabanac, and Verdelais
• South- and southwest-facing slopes on clay-limestone and gravelly soils ensuring drainage and heat retention
• Autumn morning humidity from the Garonne retreats by midday, promoting botrytis development on the vines

Sémillon is the workhorse of Cadillac, covering approximately 70 percent of plantings. Its thin skin makes it especially receptive to Botrytis cinerea infection, which dehydrates the berries, concentrating sugars and flavors. Sauvignon Blanc and Sauvignon Gris together account for around 20 percent of the blend, contributing freshness and aromatic lift, while Muscadelle adds roughly 10 percent of floral complexity. AOC law requires wines to reach a minimum of 51 grams per liter of residual sugar and at least 12 percent acquired alcohol by volume. The resulting wines are golden yellow when young, deepening toward amber with age, and display aromas of apricot, citrus, honeysuckle, honey, and acacia, with sweetness balanced by the variety's natural acidity.

• Sémillon: approximately 70% of plantings, prized for thin skins that welcome botrytis infection
• Sauvignon Blanc and Sauvignon Gris: around 20% combined, providing freshness and aromatic liveliness
• Muscadelle: approximately 10%, contributing floral notes and complexity
• Minimum 51 g/L residual sugar and 12% acquired alcohol required by AOC regulation

Château Fayau, owned by the Médeville family for more than 180 years, is the appellation's most recognised name, farming 41 hectares on clay-gravel soils in the Cadillac commune with a blend heavily dominated by Sémillon (90 percent) and holding ISO 14001 environmental certification. Château Reynon in Beguey, developed by the late oenologist and University of Bordeaux professor Denis Dubourdieu and now run by the Dubourdieu family, produces a small-volume Cadillac sweet white only in vintages that permit excellent noble rot development. Other established estates within the broader zone include Château Birot, Château Plaisance, Château du Grand Mouëys, and Château Carsin, several of which also produce red wines under the separate Cadillac-Côtes de Bordeaux AOC. The Maison des Vins de Cadillac in the town centre serves as the appellation's primary tasting and sales hub.

• Château Fayau: Médeville family estate, 41 hectares, 90% Sémillon, ISO 14001 environmental certification
• Château Reynon: Dubourdieu family estate in Beguey, produces Cadillac sweet white only in exceptional botrytis years
• Château Birot and Château Plaisance: established producers with broad presence in the zone
• Maison des Vins de Cadillac: the appellation's central tasting house and retail hub in the town

Cadillac AOC rules govern only sweet white wines; red wines from the same geographic zone are sold as Cadillac-Côtes de Bordeaux, and dry whites must be labelled as Bordeaux Blanc. The regulations stipulate a minimum residual sugar of 51 grams per liter, a minimum acquired alcohol of 12 percent by volume, and a minimum vine planting density of 4,500 vines per hectare. Row spacing must not exceed 2.5 meters, and annual pruning before leaf burst is obligatory. Harvesting must occur when grapes show signs of noble rot or advanced over-ripeness, assessed by the presence of botrytis or measurable sugar concentration. Mechanical crushing equipment that fully breaks down the grape berry is specifically prohibited, protecting juice quality from oxidised or harsh must.

• Minimum 51 g/L residual sugar and 12% acquired alcohol required for AOC status
• At least 4,500 vines per hectare with rows no wider than 2.5 meters apart
• Harvest must show botrytis or over-ripeness; sugar content used as objective measure
• Self-emptying tanks with rotor crushers and continuous screw presses are prohibited by regulation

The bastide town of Cadillac-sur-Garonne is a compelling destination in its own right, with medieval ramparts dating to 1280 still encircling the town centre and the grand Château des Ducs d'Épernon dominating the skyline above the Garonne. The Maison des Vins, housed in a 17th-century chartreuse in the town, is the most convenient starting point for tasting across the appellation. Most individual châteaux welcome visitors by appointment, and the small production scale means access to winemakers is often direct and personal. The town is approximately 30 kilometers southeast of Bordeaux by road, making it a straightforward day trip. A Saturday morning market with more than 800 years of tradition brings the town centre to life each week.

• Medieval bastide founded 1280, with original ramparts, gates, and towers still intact
• Château des Ducs d'Épernon, built from 1599, is a classified Historic Monument open to the public
• Maison des Vins de Cadillac offers tastings across the appellation in a 17th-century chartreuse
• Approximately 30 kilometers southeast of Bordeaux, accessible as a day trip from the city