A band of hillsides facing Bordeaux
The Premières Côtes de Bordeaux form a long, narrow band — about five kilometres wide and some sixty long — on the right bank of the Garonne, from Bassens in the north to Saint-Maixant in the south, across thirty-nine communes. It is the western edge of the Entre-deux-Mers plateau, facing the river and Bordeaux.
An appellation refocused on sweet wine
Historically, the appellation produced both white and red wines. But its history has been reshaped: the Cadillac denomination was first attached to it, then Cadillac became its own AOC for sweet wines. Since 2009, the Premières Côtes de Bordeaux appellation has been reserved for sweet whites, with the reds having shifted to Cadillac-Côtes de Bordeaux.
Terroir and style
The soils vary according to the subsoil: brown limestone and clay-limestone over asteria limestone, clay over molasse, boulbènes, or gravelly soils near the Garonne. Sémillon, the dominant grape variety, produces tender, fragrant sweet whites, balanced by the freshness of sauvignon — elegant sweet wines, perfect as an aperitif or with sweet-and-savoury dishes.