Côtes de Duras

France · AOC · South-West

Styles

Natural factors

Geographic zone: 15 communes in the canton of Duras, on a plateau 70 km east of Bordeaux, between the valleys of the Garonne and the Dordogne.
Three tiered geological formations: molasses du Fronsadais (lower slopes), calcaire de Castillon (mid-slope), molasses de l'Agenais (hilltops).
Calcaire de Castillon: very thin rendzina soils with excellent drainage; the harder, cavernous limestone of the Agenais bears decalcification clays.
Molasses de l'Agenais: decarbonated and leached soils; aeolian silt deposits overlying them give rise to boulbènes.
Oceanic climate: rainfall spread throughout the year with peaks in winter and May, sunny late seasons; slightly more contrasted than in Bordeaux. (via Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0)

Human factors

As early as the 17th century, the Duke of Duras secured the right to ship 1,000 casks per year in Bordeaux barrels — a mark of exceptional standing.

Product characteristics

Dry white: two styles — fruity and fresh (Sauvignon alone, with boxwood and blackcurrant aromas) or fuller-bodied (Muscadelle and Sémillon adding roundness).
Red: the suppleness and roundness of Merlot combined with the tannic power of the Cabernets; malolactic fermentation is compulsory before bottling. (via Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0)

Terroir / wine link

Morning autumn humidity combined with sunny afternoons encourages over-ripening of Sémillon and the potential development of noble rot (Botrytis cinerea) for medium-sweet whites.

Facts drawn from the cahier's terroir-link section (Lien au terroir) by automatic interpretation — see the source.