Bordeaux

This area has a total vineyard area of 23.000 hectares, and is located in the south-east of the Bordeaux wine-growing region in France. The name, which translates as “between the oceans”, is derived from its location between the two rivers (definitely not oceans) Garonne and Dordogne. The actual appellation Entre-Deux-Mers has a vineyard area of only 2.400 hectares. The soil is predominantly clay and gravel, and is particularly suited fort he production of dry white wines, and only these wines are permitted in terms of the AC rules. They are made from Sauvignon Blanc, Sémillon, Muscadelle and Ugni Blanc. The red wines are made from Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, and are declared as AC Bordeaux or Bordeuax Supérieur. They make up 75% of the production. The most important wine estates include, among others, Château Bonnet (Lurton empire), Château de Camarsac, Château Launay, Château Moulin-de-Launay, Château Queyret-Pouillac, Château Rauzan-Despagne, Château Sainte-Marie, Château Thieuley, Château Tour-de-Mirambeau and Château Toutigeac. Within the appellation, wines from the southern areas are permitted to use the designations Entre-Deux-Mers Haut-Benauge or also Bordeaux Haut-Benauge, but these are seldom used. There are other independent appellations in the region between the rivers. These are Cadillac, Côtes de Bordeaux Saint-Macaire, Graves de Vayres, Loupiac, Premières Côtes de Bordeaux, Sainte-Croix-du-Mont and Sainte-Foy-Bordeaux.