AOC Francs Côtes de Bordeaux

Francs Côtes de Bordeaux is a small Bordeaux appellation made up of three villages in the Gironde: Francs, Saint-Cibard and Tayac. According to the Bordeaux wine council (CIVB), its vines grow on hillsides between the Isle and Dordogne valleys, an extension of the Saint-Émilion hills.

An Oceanic Climate That Turns Continental

In the eastern part of the Côtes de Bordeaux, Francs has continental climate influences. According to the CIVB, sunshine is generous, rainfall is limited and temperature swings are wider than in the surrounding area.

Some years bring rainy autumn storms, others a hot, very sunny late season, so vintages differ noticeably from one year to the next.

The CIVB describes clay-limestone soils on the hillsides and more clayey soils in the hollows of the valleys. The subsoil mixes limestone, marl and “crasse de fer,” an iron-oxide-rich deposit. There is also blue clay, rare in Bordeaux, which regulates the vines’ water supply in dry and wet years alike.

Full-Bodied Reds, Dry Whites and a Few Sweet Wines

Three still wines can carry the Francs name: red, dry white and sweet white, known as liquoreux.

The reds are deep in color and full-bodied, with a certain roundness. Alongside Merlot and the two Cabernets, the appellation allows Cot, also called Malbec, plus small amounts of Carmenère and Petit Verdot. The reds age at least until March 15 of the year after the harvest.

According to the CIVB, these reds show small red fruit when young, then gain depth over the years and move toward prune, leather and vanilla. Open them young for the fruit, or wait a few years for those more evolved notes.

Dry whites are lively on the attack, then gain richness and elegance. The liquoreux, very rare according to the CIVB, often show honey and citrus aromas.

From Bordeaux-Côtes de Francs to Francs Côtes de Bordeaux

The Bordeaux-Côtes de Francs appellation was recognized by decree on May 26, 1967. According to the CIVB, it was adjusted in 1976 and again in 1989.

In 2009, AOC Côtes de Bordeaux was created. Francs became one of its complementary geographic names: its name is added to the appellation’s, hence Francs Côtes de Bordeaux.

The grapes are harvested within the three villages; the wines are made and aged there or, by exemption, in a nearby zone. The vineyard plots themselves were mapped by France’s national appellation institute (INAO) in 1983 and in 2015.

Vines are planted at a minimum of 4,500 per hectare (about 1,820 per acre). For reds, the appellation caps yields at 52 hectoliters per hectare, compared with 55 for Côtes de Bordeaux without a geographic name; dry whites can reach 62.

The Name, Hills and Estates of Francs Côtes de Bordeaux

Where does the name Francs come from?

The name Francs Côtes de Bordeaux goes back to a camp set up in 507 by troops of Clovis, king of the Franks, the CIVB reports. Clovis had just won the battle of Vouillé. The camp, “Ad Francos” (“of the Franks”), grew into the village of Francs.

Why is Francs called the “Tuscany of Bordeaux”?

Francs Côtes de Bordeaux is nicknamed the “Tuscany of Bordeaux” for its maze of hills, the CIVB reports. Vines share the landscape with ruined mills, dovecotes, and meadows or crops in the valley bottoms.

How big are the estates in Francs Côtes de Bordeaux?

According to the CIVB, estates in Francs Côtes de Bordeaux average 10 hectares (about 25 acres). The appellation covers 435 hectares (about 1,075 acres) across its three villages, farmed by 37 growers and 2 cooperatives.

Where can you buy Francs Côtes de Bordeaux direct from the winemaker?

You can buy Francs Côtes de Bordeaux direct from the winemaker on Avenue des Vins. Each wine’s page names the producer who made it.

See also: AOC Côtes de Bordeaux - AOC Cadillac Côtes de Bordeaux - AOC Blaye Côtes de Bordeaux Wine