Castillon to break away from Côtes de Bordeaux appellation

Winegrowers have voted in favour of “emancipation” from the Côtes de Bordeaux, as the sub-region petitions to become an appellation in its own right.

A vote held on 1 February by winegrowers in Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux carried 85% in favour of breaking away from its parent body, with the majority insisting Castillon would be “more identifiable” and closer to an AOC village wine if they go it alone.

There are also feelings that neighbouring Côtes de Bourg, which chose not to join the Côtes de Bordeaux group when it formed in 2009, has not been negatively affected by its decision to remain independent of the body.

Prior to the formation of the Côtes de Bordeaux group, Castillon’s wines were sold as Côtes de Castillon.

Despite the majority vote, however, the split hinges on the Union des Côtes de Bordeaux group approving the break, and it it not yet clear if, or indeed when, this might happen.

“We’re not leaving [the appellation], we’re staying within while we see through the project to become our own appellation,” Thomas Guibert, head of the Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux appellation, told Vitisphere.com, before saying that breaking free of the body would be like an “emancipation”.

In 2009, several appellations were brought together under a new umbrella region called Côtes de Bordeaux. Located directly east of Saint-Émilion, all wines produced across the Côtes de Bordeaux appellation’s 2,000 hectares are red (plantings comprise approximately 70% Merlot, with varieties Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec and Carmenere also present).

Côtes de Bordeaux has a high number of growers using either organic, biodynamic or self-sustaining vineyard management.

Other sub-regions belonging to the Côtes de Bordeaux include Blaye, Cadillac, and Francs.