Five Fast Facts about Entre-Deux-Mers

Map of Bordeaux via The Society of Wine Educators

Five Fast Facts about Entre-Deux-Mers

#1 – Entre-Deux-Mers is named after its geographical location (“between two seas,” sometimes translated as “rivers” or “tides”), which refers to its situation in the lands between the Garonne and the Dordogne Rivers. These rivers provide the location with a mild, maritime climate and soils made up mainly of  a mix of clay and limestone. The area closest to the eastern shore of the Garonne River has a good deal of humidity – enough for the production of botrytis-affected wines.

#2 – The Entre-Deux-Mers AOC appellation is only approved for white wines. 70% of the grapes must be the “principal varieties” of Sauvignon Blanc, Sémillon, Muscadelle, or Sauvignon Gris.  The other 30% may include Merlot Blanc (maximum 30%), and a combined maximum of 10% of Mauzac, Colombard, and Ugni Blanc. Entre-Deaux-Mers AOC must contain a minimum of two grape varieties.

#3 – The Entre-Deux-Mers area contains within it 7 different AOCs. These appellations are approved for a variety of different types of wine. They are:

• The aforementioned Entre-Deux-Mers AOC (for dry white wines), which includes the sub-zone of Entre-Deux-Mers Haut-Benauge
• Cadillac (botrytis-affected sweet white wines)
• Graves de Vayres AOC (for dry wines, both red and white)
• Loupiac AOC (sweet white wines, may be affected by botrytis)
• Côtes de Bordeaux-Saint-Macaire AOC (white wines – dry [sec], off-dry [moelleux]) and sweet/botrytis affected [liquoreux])
• Ste-Croix-du-Mont AOC (sweet, botrytis-affected white wines)
• Premières Côtes de Bordeaux AOC (white wines, off-dry to sweet)

#4 – The area produces a lot of good-to-very good red wine, with the majority of the red grapevines planted to Merlot. Much of this is bottled under the Bordeaux AOC; the best of these wines are sold under the Bordeaux Supérieur AOC.

Photo of Château de Rastignac by MOSSOT, via Wikimedia Commons

#5 – Just-for-fun fact: A house (now sub-divided into apartments) in the area, known as Château de Rastignac, was designed to look like the US White House. While the architect, Mathurin Salat, never visited the United States, it is known that our wine-loving third President, Thomas Jefferson -who had reviewed the original architectural plans of the White House – did visit the area and meet Salat during Jefferson’s service as the US Ambassador to France.

The Bubbly Professor is “Miss Jane” Nickles of Austin, Texas – missjane@prodigy.net