Let’s stay a bit longer in Bordeaux in the wine region of Entre-Deux-Mers located between the rivers Garonne and Dordogne. We are right in the heart of Bordeaux with its picturesque little villages and many ancient castles. Entre-Deux-Mers is an attractive area to drive through.
Entre-Deux-Mers is one of the oldest wine-producing areas in France. 2000 years ago, the Romans planted the first vines in the area. Rumour has it that later, in the Middle Ages, excellent wine was produced for the religious purposes by the Benedictine monks at the monastery of La Sauve Majeures, today a historic landmark by UNESCO.
Two-thirds of land in Entre-Deux-Mers is actually a forest, so the area for growing grapes is only 1,500 hectares by 250 growers.
The soil is predominantly alluvia, thus sand and clay in different proportions. However, there are parts where you can also find gravel and limestone.
In Entre-Deux-Mers there are more than 20 appellations that produce a variety of wine styles, from noble-rot dessert wines to dry and fresh-fruity table wines. The whites very often store in stainless steel tanks rather than oak barrels. Most of the wines from Entre-Deux-Mers are sold as standard Bordeaux AOC wines or as simple Vin de France wines. AOC Entre-Deux-Mers only covers the white wines which mostly are made from Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon. The red wines are sold as Bordeaux or Bordeaux Supérieur.
Wineries to Explore in Entre-Deux-Mers
Château Le Sèpe is an impressive stone castle located between Bergerac and Saint-Émilion and is today owned by Catherine and Dominique Guffond. Here, award-winning wines are produced using organic and organic methods. Production is completely chemical-free and the emphasis is placed on maintaining a very good quality of wines made by Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec.
- Appellation: AOC Entre-deux-mers, AOC Bordeaux Supérieur
- Activities: Wine tasting at Château Le Sèpe
- Price: 8 €
Château du Payre is located in Cardan, east of Bordeaux and has been in the family since 1881. Today, Château du Payre is owned by Valérie Labrousse who also runs the vineyards, certified by Terra Vitis for their environmentally friendly production of sparkling, red, white and rosé wines.
- Appellation: AOC Crémant de Bordeaux, AOC Cadillac Côtes de Bordeaux, AOC Bordeaux Blanc, AOC Bordeaux Rosé
- Activities: Wine tasting at Château du Payre
- Price: 25 €
Château de Cranne is a family estate for 7 generations and were the first winemakers in Garonne. The vineyard comprise of 43 hectares of grapes such as the white Sémillon, Sauvignon, Sauvignon Gris and Muscadelle and the red Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon.
- Appellation: Côtes de Bordeaux, Bordeaux, Loupiac
- Activities: Wine tasting at Château de Cranne
- Price: 25 €
