Côtes-de-Bourg

CÔTES-DE-BOURG AOC

Located opposite the AOC Margaux, Côtes-de-Bourg is one of the oldest vineyards in the Bordeaux region. Also known as Bourgeais, Bourgeois or Bourquais wines, the vineyard is located on the right bank of the Dordogne and Gironde rivers, framed by the citadel of Bourg. The majority of the wines produced in this AOC are red wines with good ageing potential. The white wines are a more limited production with only 1% of the total production. Discover the AOC Côte de Bourg with Château La Gravière, Château Hoclet, Château Groleau, Château Montfollet and Château Martinat.

APPELLATION CÔTES-DE-BOURG AOC

SHALL WE TASTE?

RED WINE

Appearance: In its youth, the colour is a dark ruby with violet reflections, showing a solid constitution and good ageing capacity.

Nose : The bouquet is complex and intense, dominated by aromas of red and sometimes black fruits in great vintages. A period in barrel will bring out woody notes such as vanilla, as well as notes of cocoa.

Palate: The attack is supple and the mouth is fruity, round, with a deep body. The tannins are silky and pleasant from their youth. The Malbec grape contributes to the roundness of the tannins. Depending on the type of soil in which the vines have grown, the wine can be full-bodied with rich tannins, sometimes even coarse. It can have round tannins with a more developed chocolate side. The vines in the eastern part of the appellation will make full-bodied but elegant wines.

Ageing potential : 3 to 8 years.

WHITE WINE A classified production

Appearance: The colour is clear and brilliant, pale yellow with nice green reflections.

Nose : The bouquet is floral, dominated by aromas of acacia, hawthorn and broom.

Palate: The palate is rich, unctuous and harmonious. The floral aromas of the nose are found in the mouth, accompanied by notes of exotic fruits.

Ageing potential : 2 to 3 years.

FOOD & WINE PAIRINGS

RED WINES Serve Côtes-de-Bourg reds with charcuterie, red meat or game. Its tannins are sufficiently round and supple to accompany a salad or white meat.

WHITE WINES On the savoury side, the white goes perfectly with white meats, tarts or fresh cheeses. On the sweet side, try it with fruit soufflé or sorbets and ice cream.

LEARN MORE

A LITTLE HISTORY

The Côtes-de-Bourg vineyard has been cultivated since the 2nd century by the Romans. They planted the "Vitis Biturica", the ancestor of Cabernet. The Romans already understood at that time that the soils were incredibly rich thanks to their diversity and their different properties. Because of the different climates, soils and exposure of the land, it is possible to speak of "microclimates", or even "micro terroirs" in the Côte de Bourg AOC. These elements are perfectly suited to the planting of vines.

FOR THE RECORD

The wines of the Côtes de Bourg often suffer from the comparison with their neighbours of the Médoc, produced just opposite on the right bank of the Gironde and which benefit from a much more prestigious reputation. However, wine growing in the Côtes de Bourg, known as the "Little Switzerland of Gironde" because of its many hillsides, dates back to the 2nd century AD. Drawing on this heritage, courageous winegrowers are now working to change the image of their appellation by enhancing the typicality of their wines.

SOILS AND DOMINANT TRAITS

3 main types of soil coexist within the Côtes de Bourg appellation. On the heights, there is the presence of red silt. On the plains, sandy-clay gravel or clay-limestone soils are the most common. The red wines, often not very suitable for ageing, are tannic, round and fruity. The few white wines of the AOC are generally well balanced, dry and fruity.

GRAPE VARIETIES AND AROMATIC NOTES

The red wines of the Côtes de Bourg are a blend of Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec. They are dark in colour and have strong notes of red and black fruit on the nose. In the best years, the red wines of the Côtes de Bourg take on depth and reveal spicy, even chocolaty aromas as they age. Rarely unforgettable, the white wines are harmonious and well-balanced, but often come as no surprise.

THE DIFFERENCES IN SOILS AND THEIR PROPERTIES

Three types of soil are found in the Côtes-de-Bourg vineyards, contributing to the diversity and aromatic complexity of the wines.

The first type of soil is composed of quartz silt. This soil is suitable for Merlot and Malbec vines. The roots are deep due to the poverty of the soil.

The second type of soil is composed of sandy-clay gravel. Both Merlot and Cabernet grow very well here. Although the depth of the roots varies in this soil, it is rich in trace elements.

The last type of soil is clay-limestone. Merlot grows particularly well here. Water retention is much stronger here than on the other two types of soil, which explains the weaker rooting.