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BORDEAUX
APPELLATION
As a reminder, when Henry Plantagenet became
King of England after marrying Eleanor of
Aquitaine in 1152, the entire region of Guyenne fell
under English rule. At the time, the area covered a
good third of present-day France, and included all
of Bordeaux. Castillon, a little market town on the
Dordogne, upriver from Libourne and Saint-Emilion,
also fell within its boundaries. This in turn
opened up the London market to the region’s wines,
leading to a boom for the wine industry.
A NAME STEEPED IN HISTORY
But it was only 300 hundred years later that
‘Castillon’ established its reputation. As the
English defended their continental territory
against the King of France’s troops, their leader,
Talbot, lost a decisive battle on 17 July 1453, which
proved fatal to him. The battle, which took place
near Castillon, put an end to the Hundred Years’
War, and marked the withdrawal of the English
from the continent.
Nowadays, a re-enactment of the battle takes
place every summer during a performance for the
public. The Saint-Emilion co-operative winery has
even marketed a commemorative bottle for the
event, under the Castillon appellation of course.
EVERY YEAR, THE RE-ENACTMENT OF THE BATTLE OF CASTILLON
TAKES US BACK TO 1453
THE CASTILLON CÔTES DE
BORDEAUX APPELLATION
Bordering Saint-Emilion to the East, it extends
over several villages around the town now known
as Castillon-la-Bataille. Just like in Saint-Emilion,
a plateau formed primarily of clay-limestone
drops down towards to the sandy-gravelly valley
floor where the Dordogne flows. The inclines can
be relatively steep, with drops ranging from 30 to
70 metres. The vineyard sites therefore offer good
quality, particularly on the western side at a tangent
with Saint-Emilion, where the limestone soils are
more common. At the same time, this prestigious
but cumbersome neighbour may have taken some
of the limelight away from Castillon.
AUTUMN 2022 • GILBERT & GAILLARD - THE FRENCH EXPERTS ON WINE
85