Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux French wine appellation guide: location, history, wines, climate & soil
Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux is a Right Bank Bordeaux appellation next to Saint-Émilion, producing generous, structured Merlot-based reds that are among the best values in Bordeaux.
More info about Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux
Geographic position
Southwestern France, in the Gironde, on the hillsides north of the Dordogne around the town of Castillon-la-Bataille, about 50 km east of Bordeaux, directly east of Saint-Émilion and bordering the Dordogne department.
Origin & history
Castillon is famous for the Battle of Castillon in 1453, when French forces defeated the English, ending the Hundred Years' War and three centuries of English rule over Bordeaux. Vines have been grown here since Roman times. The Côtes de Castillon AOC was created in 1989, and in 2009 it joined the Côtes de Bordeaux family under its current name.
Wines & grape varieties
Red wine only, mainly Merlot with Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and some Malbec. Expect black cherry, plum, blackberry, spice and cocoa, with ripe tannins and good freshness.
Climate & soil
Temperate oceanic climate with slight continental influence. A limestone plateau and clay-limestone slopes, like neighbouring Saint-Émilion, plus gravel and sand near the river.
Wine region: Bordeaux
Grape varieties: Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Merlot