Castillon-Côtes de Bordeaux
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Saint-Émilion's limestone plateau at a fraction of the price
Castillon-Côtes de Bordeaux is a Right Bank Bordeaux appellation located immediately east of Saint-Émilion along the Dordogne River, covering 2,300 hectares across 9 communes and nearly 200 winegrowing families. Its varied terroir ranges from alluvial gravels near the river to clay-limestone and marlstone on the elevated plateau — the largest limestone plateau on Bordeaux's Right Bank, sharing the same geology as the great Saint-Émilion estates. With an altitude difference of over 100 metres, microclimates shift from humid maritime near the river to cooler continental conditions at height. Wines are Merlot-dominant (75%), blended with Cabernet Franc (14%) and Cabernet Sauvignon (8%), resulting in richly fruited, round, and velvety reds with soft tannins and lively acidity. Approximately 25% of producers practise organic or biodynamic viticulture, making this one of Bordeaux's greenest appellations. Notable producers include Château d'Aiguilhe (Stephan von Neipperg) and Domaine de l'A (Stéphane Derenoncourt), while Saint-Émilion luminaries such as Gérard Perse of Château Pavie and Juliette Bécot of Beau-Séjour Bécot also craft wines here.
Best for: Everyday Bordeaux lovers seeking Right Bank richness at accessible prices
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Producers
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Château Cap de Faugères
Château Cap de Faugères is an estate of 18.5 hectares located in the commune of Sainte Colombe, in the Castillon-Côtes de Bordeaux appellation. Purchased in 2005 by Swiss businessman and Lalique Group chairman Silvio Denz — who also owns Château Faugères and Château Péby Faugères in Saint-Émilion — the property benefits from the same winemaking team and exacting quality standards as its prestigious siblings. The vineyard sits on clay-limestone slopes that are a natural extension of the Saint-Émilion plateau, planted to 85% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc, and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon, with an average vine age of 30 years. Winemaking overseen by consultant Stephan von Neipperg involves a five-day cold soak, fermentation in stainless steel tanks, and 12 months of aging in mostly one-year-old French oak barrels. The result is a plush, polished, terroir-driven red that delivers unmistakable Right Bank elegance at a highly accessible price point — consistently cited as one of the finest values in the Côtes de Bordeaux.
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www.vignobles-silvio-denz.com/en/propriete/chateau-cap-de-faugeres/シャトー・コート・モンペザ
Château Côte-Montpézat
Château Côte-Montpézat is a 30-hectare estate located 40 km east of Bordeaux, on the clay-limestone hillsides that form a direct extension of the Saint-Émilion plateau. Owned by Dominique Bessineau since 1989, the estate combines tradition with rigorous environmental stewardship: it holds HVE Level 4 (Haute Valeur Environnementale) — France's highest sustainable farming standard — the Bee Friendly label, and Terra Vitis certification since 2024. The vineyards, with an average vine age of 30 years, are planted with 70% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc, and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon. Renowned consultant Michel Rolland guides winemaking, while Thomas Duclos has managed the vineyards since 2015. Vinification takes place in stainless steel vats, followed by barrel ageing in 30% new French oak. The estate's premium cuvée, Compostelle, draws its name from an ancient legend: 17th-century documents record that pilgrims on the Santiago de Compostela route stopped to draw water from the château's well. A member of the Grand Cercle des Vins de Bordeaux.
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www.cote-montpezat.comシャトー・ジョアナン・ベコ
Château Joanin Bécot
Château Joanin Bécot is a prestigious estate in the Castillon-Côtes de Bordeaux appellation, located in the commune of Saint-Philippe d'Aiguilhe. Purchased in February 2001 by Juliette Bécot — daughter of Gérard Bécot, owner of the Premier Grand Cru Classé Château Beau-Séjour Bécot in Saint-Émilion — the 12.6-hectare estate has undergone a remarkable transformation. The vineyard's clay-limestone terroir closely mirrors that of Saint-Émilion, providing ideal growing conditions for the estate's 75% Merlot and 25% Cabernet Franc blend. Juliette Bécot's winemaking philosophy centers on preserving the pure flavors and charm of the fruit, treating each vine like a cherished plant in a beautiful garden. After alcoholic fermentation, the wine is aged in an innovative combination of 45% new French oak barrels, large foudres, and amphora vessels, allowing nuanced complexity to develop without masking the fruit's purity. Château Joanin Bécot has earned consistent critical recognition including two stars from Guide Hachette des Vins, and is widely celebrated as an accessible, elegant expression of Bordeaux's right-bank character.
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Château La Clarière Laithwaite
Château La Clarière Laithwaite is one of the pioneering estates of the Castillon-Côtes de Bordeaux appellation, championed by British wine entrepreneur Tony Laithwaite — founder of Laithwaites Wine, the UK's largest home wine delivery company. Tony made his first vintage here in 1984, well before Castillon gained its current renown, and the estate has since been recognized by Decanter as 'the leading estate in Côtes de Castillon.' The 30-hectare property sits on the same prized limestone ridge shared with neighboring Saint-Émilion, producing richly structured Merlot-dominant blends with Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec and Cabernet Franc. Head winemaker Jean-Marc Sauboua oversees the cellar, and the château has amassed over 100 awards across 30 vintages, including more than 20 gold medals. The estate is also the only Bordeaux property to have received Le Prix d'Excellence — an exclusive French distinction awarded to just 12 estates in France.
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www.laithwaites.co.ukシャトー・ラペイロニ
Château Lapeyronie
Château Lapeyronie is a small, family-owned estate located in Gardegan-et-Tourtirac in the Castillon-Côtes de Bordeaux appellation. Run by Jean-Frédéric Lapeyronie, a sixth-generation farmer who manages the vineyards, and Hélène Thibaud, a professor of viticulture and enology at the Lycée Agricole de Bordeaux-Blanquefort who oversees the cellar, the domaine has been certified organic since 2013. The estate farms approximately 4 hectares of chalk-clay soils at 86 metres above sea level with southern exposure, growing Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Cabernet Franc with vines averaging 40 years of age. Harvests are carried out by hand with multiple passes to ensure optimum ripeness. Wines are fermented in stainless steel tanks and aged for 12 to 16 months in oak barrels, 30 percent of which are new. The estate also produces an exceptionally rare 100% Carménère wine — typically a single barrel — bottled as a Vin de France. Kysela Pere et Fils serves as the US importer.
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www.chateau-lapeyronie.comシャトー・ムーラン・ド・クロット
Château Moulin de Clotte
Château Moulin de Clotte is a historic estate dating back to 1890, located in Les Salles de Castillon — a village just a few kilometers east of Saint-Émilion. Under the stewardship of Françoise Lannoye of Vignobles Lannoye, the château overlooks 8 hectares of vineyards planted with 85% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc, and 5% Malbec on clay-limestone (argilo-calcaire) soils. The estate's name recalls the locality of 'La Clotte' and an ancient windmill, of which only the millstone remains at the property entrance. Each parcel is vinified separately, followed by a post-fermentation maceration at 28°C for approximately 15 days to extract fruit while preserving roundness, then aged in vats for 18 months. The estate produces several cuvées, including the flagship Château Moulin de Clotte, the premium Arion, and the no-added-sulfite L'Authentique. The wines are regularly recognized by the Guide Hachette des Vins and medals from prestigious French competitions.
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celene-bordeaux.fr/en/chateau/chateau-moulin-de-clotte/シャトー・ペイルー
Château Peyrou
Château Peyrou is a 10-hectare family estate in Saint-Magne-de-Castillon, bordering the Saint-Émilion appellation. Acquired in 1989 by Catherine Papon-Nouvel — a trained oenologist and granddaughter of Saint-Émilion wine growers — the estate became one of Castillon's earliest and most committed pioneers of organic viticulture. Certified organic by Ecocert since 2008, the vineyard is planted predominantly with Merlot (approximately 90%) on the estate's characteristic clay soils, complemented by Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. Catherine produces two cuvées: the flagship Château Peyrou from older vines, celebrated for its balance, elegance, and aging potential with seductive aromas of ripe red fruits, black cherry, and subtle spice; and Colombe de Peyrou, a more approachable wine from younger vines on the same terroir. Consistently recognised by the Guide Hachette des Vins, Château Peyrou is a quiet reference for those who seek authentic, minimal-intervention Bordeaux.
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www.chateaupeyrou.frシャトー・プピーユ
Château Poupille
Château Poupille is a family estate located in Sainte Colombe in the Castillon-Côtes de Bordeaux appellation, led by Philippe Carrille — a fifth-generation winemaker whose father Jean-Marie Carrille purchased the property in 1967. Philippe took over in 1988 and transformed the 33-hectare estate into one of Bordeaux's most celebrated organic pioneers, achieving certification in 2008. The estate is planted 97% to Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc and 1% Cabernet Sauvignon, harvested entirely by hand from south-facing clay-limestone terroir. Poupille gained international fame when the 1999 vintage was featured in Volume 9 of the iconic Japanese manga 'Drops of God' (Kami no Shizuku), triggering sales increases of 20-30% in Japan and 50% in Taiwan, China and Korea. The estate also embraces a circular economy: solar panels power the winery, vine stems are used for heating, and barrel rooms are semi-buried for natural temperature control.
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www.chateaupoupille.comシャトー・ロバン（カスティヨン）
Château Robin (Castillon)
Château Robin (Castillon) is a revived historic estate in the commune of Belvès-de-Castillon, Castillon-Côtes de Bordeaux, with over 200 years of history. In 2018 the abandoned Cru Robin was acquired by brothers Jan and Florian Thienpont — together with their cousin Thomas Heymans — members of the prestigious Belgian wine dynasty that also owns Le Pin in Pomerol and Vieux Château Certan. Since their arrival, Jan and Florian have restructured the 13-hectare vineyard using an ecological approach that respects biodiversity. The vineyard occupies one of the highest points of Belvès-de-Castillon, with seven southeast-facing parcels arranged in an amphitheater on exceptional argilo-calcareous soils with flint and iron deposits. The blend is approximately 80% Merlot complemented by Cabernet Franc, Malbec, and Cabernet Sauvignon. Grapes are hand-harvested, double-sorted, and fermented in temperature-controlled concrete vats with three daily pump-overs; ageing is done 100% in oak barrels renewed by one-third annually. The debut vintage was 2018, and the 2019 received particular praise for its complex fruit, impeccable balance, and gourmand roundness. Note: this producer is distinct from Château Robin in Margaux.
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www.cru-robin.comシャトー・デギュイユ
Château d'Aiguilhe
Château d'Aiguilhe is a prestigious estate in the Castillon-Côtes de Bordeaux appellation, acquired by Count Stephan von Neipperg in 1998. The château dates back to the 12th century, once playing a strategic role during the Hundred Years' War on the frontier between French and English-held territories. The 90-hectare vineyard sits on a limestone plateau with south-facing exposure and exceptional natural drainage, planted to 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc. Viticulture follows a certified organic and biodynamic approach — no herbicides, pesticides, or insecticides — with hand-harvesting into small crates and gravity-flow filling. The estate produces three wines: the flagship Château d'Aiguilhe, the approachable second label Seigneurs d'Aiguilhe, and since 2015 a Sauvignon Blanc white, Le Blanc d'Aiguilhe. Consistent 90–94-point scores from Wine Advocate, Wine Spectator, and Falstaff make it one of the most acclaimed value propositions in Bordeaux.
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www.neipperg.comシャトー・ダギュイユ
Château d'Aiguille
Château d'Aiguille is a small estate in the Castillon-Côtes de Bordeaux appellation, named after the French word for 'needle' (aiguille) — the same topographic feature that gives the nearby commune of Saint-Philippe-d'Aiguille its name. Situated on the right bank of the Dordogne, within a dynamic appellation that consistently offers outstanding value alongside the more celebrated Saint-Émilion, this château produces Merlot-dominant red wines rooted in the clay-limestone terroir characteristic of the region. Not to be confused with the larger, well-known estate Château d'Aiguilhe (owned by Count Stephan von Neipperg), Château d'Aiguille represents the intimate, small-scale spirit of artisanal Castillon winemaking: wines shaped by land and human care rather than scale or celebrity.
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Château de Belcier
Château de Belcier is a historic estate dating from the 1780s, located in the commune of Les Salles-de-Castillon at the heart of Castillon-Côtes de Bordeaux. Built in classical style with triangular pediments, it was partially reconstructed by François de Belcier, a counter-revolutionary guillotined in 1794. The property has been owned since 2008 by MACIF, one of France's largest mutual insurance companies, under whose stewardship the château has undergone significant restoration and quality improvement. The estate covers 67 hectares in total, with 52 hectares of producing vines planted on clay-limestone and silty-clay soils on a prominent limestone plateau. The vineyard is planted with 69% Merlot, 26% Cabernet Franc, and 5% Malbec — a classic right-bank Bordeaux composition. Vinification involves 12 days of maceration at 28°C, followed by aging in French oak barrels. The château produces three wines: its flagship Château de Belcier, the premium single-parcel cuvée Le Pin de Belcier (vinified with 30 days maceration and aged in 100% new oak), and a second wine sold as Château de Monrecueil or B de Belcier. The estate's technical direction is guided by world-renowned oenologist Michel Rolland, ensuring wines of consistent depth, structure, and aging potential.
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gironderamagebelcier.comシャトー・ド・ピトレー
Château de Pitray
Château de Pitray is one of Bordeaux's most storied family estates, owned by the Simard de Pitray family for over 600 years — the longest continuous family ownership in the region. Situated on the clay-limestone Gardegan plateau just 8 kilometres east of Saint-Émilion, the 36-hectare vineyard enjoys soils virtually identical to those of its famous neighbour. The majestic neo-Gothic château, built in 1868 during the Second Empire, overlooks vineyards planted with Merlot (73%), Cabernet Franc (23%), and a small proportion of Malbec (4%), with an average vine age of 29 years. Since 2020, consultant winemaker Nina Mitjavile — daughter of Tertre Rôteboeuf's legendary Jean-Louis Mitjavile — has guided a quality revolution at the estate, dramatically cutting yields and reducing new oak usage to let the terroir speak. The resulting wines combine the richness and structure of Saint-Émilion's best with the exceptional value long associated with Castillon. No herbicides are used in the vineyards, and the estate pursues fully sustainable viticulture to preserve the health of its historic land.
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www.chateau-pitray.comシャトー・デ・ドゥモワゼル
Château des Demoiselles
Château des Demoiselles is a celebrated Right Bank estate owned by the Famille Ducourt, one of Bordeaux's most prominent wine families who have been in the region since 1858 and today manage 480 hectares across 14 châteaux. Nestled between Saint-Émilion and Castillon-la-Bataille at Saint Magne de Castillon, the property draws its name from a medieval sisterhood of nuns who cultivated the vines and ran a charity school for parish children. The 36-hectare vineyard sits on clay-limestone soils that offer excellent drainage, and is planted predominantly to Merlot with Cabernet Sauvignon. The wines are known for their elegant balance of ripe red fruits, vanilla, and mocha with velvety tannins, earning favorable reviews from Decanter and Wine Enthusiast across multiple vintages.
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www.ducourt.comクロ・レグリーズ（カスティヨン）
Clos L'Église (Castillon)
Clos L'Église (Castillon) was a prestigious estate in the Castillon-Côtes de Bordeaux appellation, situated on the Sainte-Colombe plateau — the highest point in the appellation — with exceptional clay and limestone soils. Owned by Gérard Perse (also proprietor of Château Pavie), the 16-hectare vineyard was planted with 70% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc, and 15% Cabernet Sauvignon, many vines averaging 33 years or older. Yields were kept extremely low at around 35 hl/ha, and wines were aged for 18 months in 100% new French oak barrels. The estate produced distinctive, terroir-driven Right Bank Bordeaux blends marked by ripe dark fruit, earthy minerality, and elegant structure. Note: Not to be confused with the celebrated Clos l'Église in Pomerol. 2008 was the final vintage; the vineyard fruit was subsequently incorporated into Esprit de Pavie, the Vignobles Perse multi-estate cuvée.
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www.vignoblesperse.comクロ・レ・リュネル
Clos Les Lunelles
Clos Les Lunelles is a prestigious estate in the Castillon-Côtes de Bordeaux appellation, owned by Gérard and Chantal Perse — the celebrated proprietors of Château Pavie, Pavie Decesse, Monbousquet, and Bellevue-Mondotte in Saint-Émilion. Originally called Château Lapeyronie, the estate in the commune of Sainte-Colombe was acquired by the Perse family in 2001 and renamed. Spread across 9 hectares, the vineyard sits atop the highest point in the Côtes de Castillon on a clay-limestone plateau that is essentially an extension of the Saint-Émilion limestone plateau. Planted with 80% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 10% Cabernet Franc, the vines are hand-harvested and meticulously sorted. The vinification includes an 8-day cold soak at 9°C, a 32-day maceration using indigenous yeasts, malolactic fermentation in barrel, and aging for 18–24 months in 50% new French oak barrels. Sustainable and organic practices are followed throughout. With production of around 1,800 cases per year and critical scores reaching 97 points (Jeb Dunnuck, 2022 vintage), Clos Les Lunelles consistently ranks among the top producers of the Castillon region.
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www.vignoblesperse.com/en/clos-lunelles/homeクロ・ルイ
Clos Louie
Clos Louie is a micro-estate located in Saint-Genès-de-Castillon in the Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux appellation, managed by Pascal Lucin and Sophie Douteau. The crown jewel of the domaine is a 0.85-hectare parcel of pre-phylloxeric vines planted under Napoleon III — over 150 years old — producing mixed old varieties including Merlot, Malbec, and Cabernet. The vines grow on a gently sloping plateau with argilo-calcareous soil rich in red ferruginous residues, comparable to the soils of Pomerol. Founded in 2003, the estate has practised organic viticulture from the very beginning (certified organic for over 15 years) and is currently transitioning to biodynamics. Annual production is limited to just 8,000 bottles. Pascal Lucin also serves as cellar master at Château Grand-Pontet in Saint-Émilion, and the estate works with renowned enologist Claude Gros. Two principal cuvées are produced: the flagship Clos Louie from the pre-phylloxeric parcel, and Louison & Léopoldine, named after the couple's children, sourced from younger 50-year-old vines with a high proportion of Cabernet Franc.
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クロ・ピュイ・アルノー
Clos Puy Arnaud
Clos Puy Arnaud is one of the most acclaimed biodynamic estates in Bordeaux, located in Belvès-de-Castillon in the Castillon-Côtes de Bordeaux appellation. Founded in its modern form when Thierry Valette — a member of the family that formerly owned Château Pavie and Troplong-Mondot in Saint-Émilion — purchased the property in 2000, the estate has become a beacon of terroir-driven, low-intervention winemaking on the Right Bank. Covering 15 hectares, 85% of the vineyard lies on the plateau of calcaire à astéries — the hardest local limestone, formed 30 million years ago and shared with Saint-Émilion's greatest Grand Cru Classé vineyards. The estate converted to biodynamic viticulture in 2004, received Biodyvin certification in 2010 and Demeter certification in 2014. The vineyard is planted to 65% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Franc and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, with wines prized for their freshness, mineral precision and elegant fruit — a striking alternative to the heavier, more extracted style of traditional Bordeaux.
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www.clospuyarnaud.comドメーヌ・ド・ラ
Domaine de l'A
Domaine de l'A is the personal estate of world-renowned Bordeaux consulting winemaker Stéphane Derenoncourt and his wife Christine, established in 1999 in the commune of Sainte-Colombe in the Castillon-Côtes de Bordeaux appellation. Derenoncourt famously said he could not consult without producing his own wine — the estate is his 'domain without limits.' The 12-hectare vineyard, planted primarily to Merlot and Cabernet Franc on deep clay and tuffeau limestone soils, is farmed with organic and biodynamic practices at very low yields (sometimes as low as 15 hl/ha). Winemaking is non-interventionist: whole-berry fermentation in open-top oak vats with a 30-day maceration, followed by malolactic fermentation in barrel, and aging in 50% new French oak. The result is a wine of exceptional purity, structure, and limestone minerality that consistently scores 92–93/100 and offers outstanding value relative to classified Bordeaux estates. Domaine de l'A has established itself as the benchmark for quality in the Castillon appellation.
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www.domainedela.comドメーヌ・ド・ロラージュ
L'Aurage
L'Aurage (Domaine de L'Aurage) is a family estate in Castillon-Côtes de Bordeaux run by Louis 'Loulou' Mitjavile and his sister Caroline — the children of François Mitjavile, the legendary creator of Château Tertre Roteboeuf in Saint-Émilion. Launched in 2007 (debut vintage), the estate was formerly known as Château Cadet before the Mitjavile family acquired it and gave it their trademark focus on precision and terroir expression. The 20-hectare vineyard is planted 95% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Franc on clay-limestone soils that mirror the finest plots of neighboring Saint-Émilion. Vinification takes place in traditional concrete vats, and the wine is aged in approximately 80% new French oak barrels, producing around 7,500 cases per vintage. L'Aurage is widely regarded as one of the most compelling discoveries in Castillon — offering Saint-Émilion Grand Cru levels of concentration, velvety texture, and finesse at a fraction of the price. Critics including Jeb Dunnuck have awarded scores in the 92–95-point range across multiple vintages. It is the third estate in the Mitjavile portfolio alongside Tertre Roteboeuf and Roc des Cambes (Côtes de Bourg).
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www.aurage.com
Food Pairings
Roast beef, braised lamb, duck confit, beef bourguignon, grilled ribeye, charcuterie, aged hard cheeses such as Comté and Gruyère, and hearty mushroom-based dishes
Frequently Asked Questions
- How does Castillon-Côtes de Bordeaux compare to Saint-Émilion?
- Castillon shares the same limestone plateau geology as Saint-Émilion and produces similarly round, Merlot-driven wines with soft tannins. The key differences are price — Castillon is dramatically more affordable — and climate: Castillon is slightly cooler and harvests a little later, requiring careful vineyard management. Many Saint-Émilion owners (Gérard Perse, Juliette Bécot, Stephan von Neipperg) produce wine in Castillon precisely because of the terroir quality.
- What grape varieties are used in Castillon-Côtes de Bordeaux?
- The appellation uses three red grape varieties: Merlot (approximately 75%), Cabernet Franc (approximately 14%), and Cabernet Sauvignon (approximately 8%). Merlot thrives particularly on the clay and clay-limestone soils of the mid-slopes and plateau.
- When did the appellation change its name?
- The region was originally sold under the name 'Près Saint-Emilionnais' before AOC legislation in 1935. It became 'Bordeaux Supérieur Côtes de Castillon', then 'Côtes de Castillon' AOC from 1988. In 2009 (from the 2008 vintage), it joined three other Côtes de Bordeaux (Blaye, Cadillac, Francs) to form the unified 'Côtes de Bordeaux' family while retaining the Castillon prefix.
- Are Castillon wines suitable for ageing?
- Yes. Entry-level wines are approachable young (2–5 years), but the best plateau wines — especially from producers like Château d'Aiguilhe and Clos Puy Arnaud — can age comfortably for 8–15 years, developing additional complexity while retaining freshness.
- Is there organic or biodynamic production in Castillon?
- Yes. Approximately 25% of Castillon producers are certified organic or biodynamic, making it one of the most environmentally progressive appellations in Bordeaux. Clos Puy Arnaud (Demeter-certified since 2005) is a leading example.