The Côtes de Bordeaux appellation was created in 2009 to merge four existing appellations used in the Bordeaux region of France. These four appellations are The Premières Côtes de Blaye, Côtes de Castillon, Côtes de Francs and the red wines of the Cadillac region. The latter were previously under the appellation Premières Côtes de Bordeaux. The changes were a commercially motivated decision, intended to create unity between these important but lesser known appellations.
They were intended to simplify the Structure of the Côtes de Bordeaux appellation. However, the New banner of the four appellations is not entirely original or easily differentiated from the Old one. It can be said that it has added further complexity to the Bordeaux appellations. This is underlined by the fact that the four components of the appellations are geographically extensive.
Cabernet Franc is one of the oldest red grape varieties in Bordeaux. The Libourne region is its terroir where it develops best. The terroirs of Saint-Emilion and Fronsac allow it to mature and develop its best range of aromas. It is also the majority in many blends. The very famous Château Cheval Blanc, for example, uses 60% Cabernet Franc. The wines produced with Cabernet Franc are medium in colour with fine tannins and subtle aromas of small red fruits and spices. When blended with Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, it brings complexity and a bouquet of aromas to the wine. It produces fruity wines that can be drunk quite quickly, but whose great vintages can be kept for a long time. It is an earlier grape variety than Cabernet Sauvignon, which means that it is planted as far north as the Loire Valley. In Anjou, it is also used to make sweet rosé wines. Cabernet Franc is now used in some twenty countries in Europe and throughout the world.
red wines from the region of Côtes de Bordeaux go well with generally quite well with dishes of beef, veal or game (deer, venison) such as recipes of american style beef marinade, osso bucco milanese or rabbit with mustard in a casserole.
On the nose in the region of Côtes de Bordeaux often reveals types of flavors of chocolate, anise or minerality and sometimes also flavors of fig, raisin or cigar box. In the mouth in the region of Côtes de Bordeaux is a powerful with a nice balance between acidity and tannins.
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