The Château Le Menaudat of Blaye of Bordeaux

Discovering the wine region of Blaye

Blaye is a historic town located on the eastern bank of the Gironde estuary, 32 km North of Bordeaux. Its vineyards produce red, white and rosé wines under various appellations. The three most important appellations used for the district's wines are "Blaye" (exclusively for red wines) and "Côtes de Bordeaux Blaye" (red and white) and the regional appellation "Bordeaux" (red, white and rosé). There is also the little-used title of "Côtes de Blaye", which is exclusively for white wines.

The landscape around Blaye is visibly different - higher and more hilly - than that just across the Gironde on the flat Médoc peninsula, and the Blaye area provides a picturesque element to the Bordeaux landscape. Although Blaye has been producing wine for much Longer than the more prestigious villages on the estuary, it was long ago a victim of Harsh commercial reality. The area's particular position on the Gironde estuary leads to its banks becoming heavily silted up, making access difficult for commercial vessels. The glory of Bordeaux as a whole rose and fell on the health of its exports, which were subject to geographical and political factors.