Entre-deux-Mers and surroundings

Situation and soil about Entre deux Mers and surrounding area  
Situated at some 80 km South-east of the city of Bordeaux, Entre-Deux-Mers ("between two seas") is embedded between the Dordogne and Garonne rivers on a triangle of land before the two rivers converge. This beautiful Entre deux Mers region is full of historical forts and castles, churches and monasteries. Entre-Deux-Mers is the largest amongst all the Bordeaux wine regions. Entre deux Mers various soils, subsoils and micro-climates justify the different appellations. Varying proportions of sands, clays, gravels, and argileous limestones can be found all over the district providing different wine styles. 

Characteristics about Entre-deux-Mers appellation 
The area shelters different appellations which have the right to market under their own A.O.C label:

* A.O.C Entre-Deux-Mers - produces exclusively dry white wines 
* A.O.C Entre-Deux-Mers Haut-Bénauge - similarly produces exclusively dry white wines 
* A.O.C Graves de Vayres, vis-a-vis Saint-Emilion on the left bank of the Dordogne river - produces 60% in red and 40% in dry or semi-dry white wines 
* A.O.C Premières Côtes de Bordeaux - produces 75% of the red wines and 25% of sweet mellow white wines. 

* The A.O.C Cadillac, which mainly grows sweet white wines, is totally enclaved in the A.O.C Premières Côtes de Bordeaux area. 
* A.O.C Sainte-Foy Bordeaux - produces red and dry white wines in relatively equal proportions 
* A.O.C Loupiac

*A.O.C Sainte-Croix-du-Mont and 

*A.O.C Côtes-de-Bordeaux-Saint-Macaire on the southernmost coast of the Garonne river produce mainly sweet mellow white wines 
* A.O.C Sainte-Foy Bordeaux – is more or less equally divided between reds and whites. Until 30 years ago, the semi-sweet and mellow white wines produced across the Entre-deux-Mers area had a pretty poor and infamous reputation. However, appealing prices coupled to rapidly improving quality with fresh, light and attractively white wines produced by many châteaux, have boosted the region's exports recently. Fruity and delicately aromatic, most of the dry and semi-dry wines should be drunk within 2-5 years. The sweet and mellow wines may wait longer, but are also very much appreciated young. In style, the reds are generally fruity and fresh in their youth. They usually soften after a couple of years. The optimum window to consume those wines is between 5 and 10 years according to the vintage's quality.

Main properties of the appellation Entre eux Mers
The non exhaustive list of the appellation's best properties is: Tour Mirambeau and Thieuley  for A.O.C Entre-deux-Mers, La Bertrande, Reynon, Clos Floridène and Brethous for A.O.C Premières Côtes de Bordeaux and A.O.C Cadillac. For the A.O.C Haut-Bénauge, Ch. Morlan-Tuilière, Peyrines and Bertin. produce interesting wines. A.O.C Graves de Vayres: Ch. Gayat, Pichon Bellevue, Toulouze, Le Tertre and la Lande Belair. A.O.C Sainte-Foy Bordeaux: Barbot-Peyrou and La Chapelle-Maillard. A.O.C Sainte-Croix-du Mont: La Rame, Loubens, Crabitan-Bellevue.

Varietals and technical data about Entre-deux-Mers appellation
With a surface of 10000 ha, the average production is of approx. 600000 hl. 

Average yield about Entre-deux-Mers appellation: 62 hl/ha. 

Type of vines about Entre-deux-Mers appellation: Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon for the reds, Semillon, Sauvignon and Muscadelle for the whites.