Premieres Côtes de Bordeaux is an appellation in the Bordeaux region known for its good value wines – their prices unaffected by the high status associated with appellations such as Medoc and Graves. Previously, the AOC covered both red and white wines, but as of 2014, has become exclusive to white wines made from the classic white Bordeaux Blend.
The Premieres Côtes de Bordeaux title is separate from the larger Entre-Deux-Mers appellation which dominates the remainder of the land between the Garonne and Dordogne rivers, having gained its independence because of the higher quality of its wines. The smaller appellations of Cadillac, Sainte-Croix-du-Mont and Loupiac form islands in the south of Premieres Côtes de Bordeaux, and are noted for their ability to produce sweet wines of high quality.
Cadillac was awarded its own independent AOC Cadillac appellation for sweet white wines in 1973. Its red wines continued to be labeled as Premieres Côtes de Bordeaux until 2009, when they became part of the new Côtes de Bordeaux appellation.
The Premieres Côtes de Bordeaux appellation runs for 40 miles (60km) along the eastern bank of the Garonne river, just before it passes Bordeaux city en route to the Atlantic Ocean. The southeastern end of this long, thin appellation extends to the very south of the Bordeaux region. More than 30 individual communes contribute to its output, with names like Beguey, Langoiran, Le Tourne, Rions and Paillet being added to wine labels.
Close to the Garonne river (where some patches of land are able to claim only the Bordeaux AC title), the soils are gravelly and high in chalky clay, but the soil types vary as they move further away from the river.
Since 2009, many of the red wines made from Merlot and Cabernet Franc that were previously under the Premieres Côtes de Bordeaux have become a part of the much newer Côtes de Bordeaux AOC, which was created to unite the value wines of the region. Now, the appellation only covers dry white wines made from Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc.
