Côtes de Bourg

The wines that can benefit from the AOC Côtes de Bourg or Bourg for both red and white wines, must be harvested in the territory of the canton of Bourg-sur-Gironde, on land originating from the various stages of the Tertiary period, with the exception of fluvial and terrestrial "alluvium".

Bourg-sur-Gironde, which gives its name to the region, is a town located about thirty kilometers downstream from Bordeaux, on the right bank of the Dordogne, almost at its confluence with the Garonne.

In the 17th century, Bourg-sur-Gironde was called Bourg-sur-Mer. The town overlooked the Gironde and not the Dordogne as it does today, due to the lengthening of the Ambès mouth by the addition of alluvial deposits. During the 12th century, the English built a citadel there. Later, the Citadel castle became the summer residence of the archbishops of Bordeaux.

Towards the end of the 14th century, in 1379, in order to support the English denomination, a close alliance was concluded between Bordeaux and eight neighboring cities which were clause or fortified cities. Thus Bourg-sur-Gironde became a "godchild" of Bordeaux.

During the Fronde, Queen Anne of Austria, regent of the kingdom, Louis XIV, then 12 years old, Cardinal Mazarin and the court stayed in Bourg (from 27/08 to 9/10 of the year 1650). During this stay, Anne of Austria embroidered with the ladies of the court the altar fronts, today preserved in the town hall.

Because of its location, on the banks of the river, Bourg has always had an intense commercial activity, troubled here and there by Norman invasions, barbarians and other wars or Frondes. Today its port, very active until the beginning of the 19th century, has become a marina.

The Bourgeais is a beautiful region. The steep limestone hillsides that dominate the right bank of the Dordogne and the Gironde offer remarkable views of the islands and the Médoc. On the edge of the "rivers", these hillsides sometimes end in real cliffs.

The landscape is very pleasant and reminds us of certain parts of Switzerland, hence its nickname of "little Gironde Switzerland". The hillsides, practically parallel to the river, are crowned by villages, castles, churches (some of which date from the 11th and 12th centuries) and are separated by valleys that are sometimes quite deep. A tourist road going from Bourg to Blaye, called "route verte", goes along the foot of the cliffs until Roque de Thau.

This is a region with a very ancient population. The excavations of Mr. F. Daleau have made it possible to establish the stages of this settlement. Vestiges dating back to 400 000 years before our era allow us to locate life there since that time. The prehistoric caves of Pair-Non-Pair, in Prignac-et-Marcamps, are an undeniable testimony.