Premières Côtes de Bordeaux AOC

Premières Côtes de Bordeaux takes its name from the slopes encountered on the right bank of the Garonne, and its viticultural history stretches back to Gallo-Roman times. According to historian Hugh Johnson, the medieval Bordeaux vineyard was largely concentrated on what are now the Graves and Premières Côtes de Bordeaux appellations. The AOC was formally recognised by decree on 31 July 1937 for both red and white wines. In 1973, the Cadillac appellation was carved out of the zone for botrytised sweet whites. The appellation system then evolved further in 2009, when the Côtes de Bordeaux umbrella was created and the red wine designation became Cadillac Côtes de Bordeaux. By 2014, the Premières Côtes de Bordeaux name was reserved for sweet and semi-sweet whites only.

• Officially recognised as an AOC on 31 July 1937, covering both red and white wines
• Cadillac AOC for botrytised sweet whites separated from the zone in 1973
• Red wines transitioned to the Cadillac Côtes de Bordeaux label from the 2009 vintage onward
• Since 2014, Premières Côtes de Bordeaux is exclusively a sweet white wine appellation

The Premières Côtes de Bordeaux zone forms a narrow strip roughly five kilometres wide and 60 kilometres long, running along the right bank of the Garonne from Bassens, near the suburbs of Bordeaux city, south to Saint-Maixant opposite Langon. The appellation sits within the broader Entre-Deux-Mers sub-region and faces Graves, Barsac, and Sauternes across the river. Soils are highly varied: alluvial deposits near the riverbank give way to gravelly and clay-limestone slopes on the hillsides, with more clay-dominant plateau soils further inland. The Garonne River moderates temperatures and, crucially, its autumn mists create ideal conditions for the development of Botrytis cinerea on white grapes.

• Zone extends 60 km from Bassens in the north to Saint-Maixant in the south, covering 39 communes
• Soils vary from alluvial riverbank deposits to gravelly and clay-limestone slopes and plateau
• Atlantic maritime climate moderated by the Garonne; autumn morning mists promote noble rot
• Faces Graves, Barsac, and Sauternes across the Garonne on the left bank

Premières Côtes de Bordeaux today produces only white wines, ranging from moelleux (semi-sweet, minimum 34 g/L residual sugar) to fully botrytised styles. The grape palette is the classic Bordeaux white trio: Sémillon, which typically covers around 70 percent of plantings in the zone, provides body, richness, and susceptibility to noble rot; Sauvignon Blanc contributes freshness and aromatic lift; and Muscadelle adds floral complexity. The neighbouring Cadillac AOC, an enclave within the same zone, requires a higher minimum residual sugar of 51 g/L and focuses on fully botrytised wines. The red wines of the broader zone, made primarily from Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Cabernet Franc, are now labelled Cadillac Côtes de Bordeaux and cover approximately 1,247 hectares across 39 communes.

• Sémillon (dominant, typically around 70%): body, richness, and noble rot susceptibility
• Sauvignon Blanc: freshness, citrus, and aromatic liveliness in the blend
• Muscadelle: floral and musky complexity in smaller proportions
• Cadillac AOC (enclave): botrytised sweet whites requiring minimum 51 g/L residual sugar

Château Reynon, located in Béguey, is one of the most celebrated estates in the broader zone. The property was purchased in 1958 by Jacques David, and his daughter Florence and her husband Denis Dubourdieu took over in 1976. Denis Dubourdieu, a renowned oenologist and professor at Bordeaux University, used Reynon as a laboratory for pioneering work on dry white wine vinification, including skin maceration and lees aging for Sémillon and Sauvignon Blanc. The red Reynon wine is now labelled Cadillac Côtes de Bordeaux. Other notable producers in the Cadillac Côtes de Bordeaux zone include Château Carignan, Château Biac, Château Suau, and Château Lezongars, while Château Reynon, Château Laubes, and Château Suau also produce sweet wines under the Cadillac AOC.

• Château Reynon: purchased 1958 by Jacques David; Florence and Denis Dubourdieu took over in 1976
• Denis Dubourdieu pioneered dry white vinification techniques at Reynon, later adopted worldwide
• Red wines of the zone now sold as Cadillac Côtes de Bordeaux; approximately 138 estates across 39 communes
• Château Carignan, Château Biac, and Château Suau are among the notable red wine producers in the appellation

The Premières Côtes de Bordeaux AOC, established by decree on 31 July 1937, now governs only sweet and semi-sweet white wines following regulatory changes finalised in 2014. The appellation covers approximately 103 hectares across the same 39 communes as Cadillac Côtes de Bordeaux. White wines must contain a minimum residual sugar of 34 grams per litre. The Cadillac AOC, recognised separately in 1973, is a stricter sweet wine enclave within the zone requiring a minimum of 51 g/L residual sugar, a minimum acquired alcohol of 12 percent ABV, and production from botrytis-affected fruit. Cadillac Côtes de Bordeaux, the successor red wine appellation created in 2009, covers approximately 1,247 hectares and produces only red wines from Merlot-dominant blends with Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and occasionally Petit Verdot.

• AOC established 31 July 1937; red wines transferred to Cadillac Côtes de Bordeaux label from 2009 vintage
• Since 2014, Premières Côtes de Bordeaux applies only to white wines with minimum 34 g/L residual sugar
• Cadillac AOC (1973): botrytised sweet whites, minimum 51 g/L residual sugar and 12% ABV
• Cadillac Côtes de Bordeaux: red wines only, approximately 1,247 hectares, 39 communes, 138 estates

The Premières Côtes de Bordeaux and Cadillac Côtes de Bordeaux zone offers an accessible and unpretentious alternative to the more commercial wine tourism circuits of the Médoc. The town of Cadillac is home to the Château Ducal de Cadillac, a Renaissance ducal fortress and classified historical monument, as well as the Maison des Vins de Cadillac, which serves as the region's wine tourism hub and ecomuseum. Villages such as Langoiran, Rions, and Verdelais offer spectacular views over the Garonne valley. The connection between the town of Cadillac and the famous American automobile brand also has a genuine historical basis: Antoine de Lamothe-Cadillac, a French explorer born in the region, founded Fort Pontchartrain du Détroit in 1701, which became the city of Detroit, and the car brand later took its name from his legacy.

• Château Ducal de Cadillac: Renaissance ducal fortress and classified historical monument in the town centre
• Maison des Vins de Cadillac: regional wine tourism hub and ecomuseum on the Route de Langon
• Villages of Langoiran, Rions, and Verdelais offer panoramic views over the Garonne valley
• Antoine de Lamothe-Cadillac, a French explorer from the region, founded Fort Pontchartrain du Détroit in 1701, inspiring the Cadillac car brand name