📜 Cadillac

Cadillac is a protected designation of origin (PDO, French AOC) for still white wines with residual sugar from the right bank of the Garonne in Bordeaux, France. The name can be used only for these wines. The area spans 22 communes of the Gironde department; the walled town of Cadillac, about 40 km from Bordeaux, gave the designation its name.

The wines are made from overripe grapes, with noble rot (Botrytis cinerea) and/or raisining on the vine, harvested by hand in several passes. They must have a minimum natural alcoholic strength of 15 % vol and at least 51 g/l of fermentable sugar; total alcohol may not exceed 19 % vol and actual alcohol must be at least 12 % vol. The maximum yield is 40 hl/ha.

The varieties are Sémillon, which is dominant, Sauvignon Blanc, Sauvignon Gris and Muscadelle. The minimum planting density is 4,500 vines per hectare, with rows no more than 2.50 m apart and vines at least 0.80 m apart in the row, and pruning leaves at most 12 buds per vine. Chaptalisation or rectified concentrated must may not take total alcohol above 15 % vol; partial concentration of musts, limited to 10 % of the volume, allows up to 19 % vol.

Grapes are harvested and the wines made, aged and packaged in Baurech, Béguey, Cadillac, Capian, Cardan, Donzac, Gabarnac, Haux, Langoiran, Laroque, Lestiac-sur-Garonne, Monprimblanc, Omet, Paillet, Rions, Saint-Germain-de-Grave, Saint-Maixant, Semens, Tabanac, Le Tourne, Verdelais and Villenave-de-Rions. Wines are aged at least until 15 March of the year after the harvest and packaged in glass bottles or airtight vacuum containers of up to 5 litres. Labels may add "Vin de Bordeaux" or "Grand Vin de Bordeaux".

According to the specification, the area is hilly, up to 120 m high, on a limestone base drained by tributaries of the Garonne, with a temperate climate influenced by the Garonne valley and the Atlantic. Autumn morning mists from the river alternating with sunny spells favour noble rot.