Terroir
Entre-deux Mers lies between two rivers, the Dordogne to the north and the Garonne to the south. The region breathes to the rhythm of the tides, which rise up the rivers to create the magical phenomenon of the tidal bore.
Entre-deux-Mers
appears to be a remote, rural area.
Yet it can be easily reached from Bordeaux over the Pont de Pierre, the journey is short and can lead to some exciting discoveries.
After the bridges comes a slow ascent
through gentle landscapes with vineyard slopes, pastures and woods stretching as far as the eye can see, dotted with a scattering of villages and bastides. The landscapes of Entre-deux-Mers are best appreciated on two wheels. The Roger Lapébie cycle path criss-crosses Entre-deux-Mers, starting in Bordeaux and running for 55km to the fortified town of Sauveterre de Guyenne.
In the welcome shade along the old railway line
silence and birds answer each other, nature is soft and green. Here, everyone cultivates their own vegetable patch, raises their own poultry, goes for walks, picks their own fruit or frequents the daytime and evening wind markets. It's a south-western spirit that blossoms on Bordeaux soil.
It's a home base.
This is a homeland where we put down roots.
The land
runs in our veins
What is a terroir? Terroir refers to soil, climate, topology, and grape varieties, but here more than anywhere else, terroir is about people. Here, more than anywhere else, it permeates the identity of the PDO.
Anchored in their roots as farmers, at the head of family transmissions, these winegrowers keep their knowledge of their land like a jewel.
Anchored in their roots as farmers and heads of family businesses, these winegrowers treasure their knowledge of their land like a jewel.
They have a great deal of memory and ambition, as well as values. They know every vine. Don't associate them with chatelains - they're not. Generation after generation, they have shaped a beautiful, harmonious region.
Here, vines remain an integral part of the landscape.
They have a long memory
and ambition, as well as values.
We could tell you about the oceanic climate, the altitude, the clays and limestones, but we prefer to emphasize our difference: our men and women. In Entre-deux Mers, there's a demand for difference, ambition, team spirit, resilience - in short, a proud island character.
Chronicles of Entre-deux-Mers...
While Gallo-Roman colonization laid the foundations for a large agricultural estate, it was the monks of the Middle Ages who established the reputation of this terroir and its wines. In 1079, Gérard de Corbie founded the abbey of La Sauve-Majeure. Benedictine monks cleared the Silva Major forest and planted vines. They worked to improve farming methods and established a privileged trade with England. The abbey rapidly extended its influence. A century after its foundation, La Sauve Abbey had 76 priories under its control.