From the beginnings through to today

The Bordeaux wine region is therefore the oldest fine wine region in France and abroad.

It now encompasses 500 of the Gironde’s 542 towns and villages and produces a comprehensive range: red wines, dry whites, sweet and dessert whites, rosés, clairets, Crémant and Fine de Bordeaux.

CDT 33 - François Poincet

From antiquity to the year 1000

The Bituriges Vivisques began to plant a variety of vines – called “Biturica” – all around Bordeaux in the ‘40s to ‘60s. Roman peace enabled the city to flourish and become the capital of the Aquitaine province.

But towards the end of A.D. 3, Bordeaux, the Gironde and the region stumbled across troubled times, with the first Barbarian invasions. The Roman way of living survived however, and academia shone through its masters – the most famous being Ausonius, who was at once professor, poet and vinegrower and played a part in forging Bordeaux’ and its wines’ reputation. 

“Hail, my country famed for thy wine, thy rivers, they famous men, the virtue and the wit of thy inhabitants...Bordeaux is my native soil, where skies are temperate and mild, and well-watered land generously lavish" (Famous cities, XII).

For seven centuries, from A.D. 3 right through to the year 1000, Bordeaux and the Gironde were invaded in succession by the Vandals, Wisigoths, Muslims, Normans and Scandinavian peoples…

In the Middle Ages

In 1152 a landmark event altered the course of Gironde history. By marrying Henri II Plantagenêt as her second husband, Eleanor of Aquitaine brought French territories as her dowry, including the dukedom of Guyenne and Bordeaux. Through inheritance, Henri became King of England, thus spearheading three centuries of English presence in Aquitaine. The quarrel sparked in this regard between the kingdoms of France and England led, in 1337, to the long Hundred Years’ War.

This war paradoxically fuelled expansion of the wine industry and exports to North Europe.

Extremely fond of Bordeaux wines – which they nicknamed “French claret” because of their pale red colour – the English were the first to export them to the UK. The Bordeaux merchants benefited from the “wine privilege”, which prioritised the sale of Bordeaux wines, also exempt from tax.

With almost 103,000 tons of “Gascon wines” exported, the year 1308-1309 marked the peak of the Bordeaux port…

From the 18^th  century to the present day

Created in 1461 by Louis XI, the Bordeaux parliament brought together all the large local fortunes. It was these MPs who would go on to develop the wine region through the 17th and 18^th  centuries, plant crus – the first Grand cru would be Château Haut-Brion in Pessac – and found the first “wine châteaux”.

CDT33 - Yannick Serrano

Although there are a handful of older residences and châteaux (Yquem and its 15th century fort, Château de la Salle in Saint-Genès-de-Blaye and Château de la Rivière in Fronsac, both harking back to the 16^th  century), most wine estates sprung up in the 18^th  century.

The most common layout is the chartreuse, a country manor house built on one level lengthways, which can be found all over the Gironde wine region, such as  Châteaux Beychevelle and Cissac – built by Victor Louis – in the Médoc, and Château Bonnet in Grézillac in the Libourne region.

Some prosperous vineyard owners preferred grander residences, as attested by the Palladian façade of Château Margaux,  as well as the central pavilion – inspired by Le Trianon – of Château Haut-Sarpe, in Saint-Emilion.

It was in the latter half of the 19th century – when vineyards were flourishing at their peak – that mansions and châteaux were built or renovated in a variety of architectural styles, inspired by centuries past: mediaeval, Gothic, Renaissance, Neo-Tudor and so on.

While Château Laroque in Saint-Emilion is a fine example of Second Empire style – with finely sculpted railings, statues, balusters and myriad windows – other wine estates took on more exotic influences. Louis-Gaspard d’Estournel, nicknamed “the Maharadjah of Sainte-Estèphe” since his wines were exported as far as India, had Asian pagodas added to the roof of his château, Cos d’Estournel.

 As a link between Gironde natives and visitors from all horizons, wine is still the Gironde’s leading source of income, and the best ambassador for the region throughout the world.