If you are a romantic, the word 'Bordeaux' conjures visions of Palatial estates, ascot wearing Barons and dust lined wine cellars with wines from eons past. But Bordeaux is really not so fancy. We hear about the First and Second Growths that you can get if you mortgage your yacht and your Fabergé eggs, but there is SO much more to Bordeaux! When you get down to it, Bordeaux is for EVERYONE, not just ascot wearing barons.

Bordeaux is located in Southwest France near the Atlantic Ocean. It is formed by the confluence of three rivers that create the Gironde Estuary and is considered the birthplace of Cabernet Sauvignon. There are many grapes that love to grow in this region, and they include: Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, Petit Verdot, Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon and Muscadelle. The area is divided into three major sub-regions: Left Bank which is predominately Cabernet Sauvignon, the Right Bank which is Merlot and Cabernet Franc country and the southern region that is home to Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc, Semillion and Cabernet Franc.

Going beyond the Big Chateaux of the Left and Right Banks, there is a lot to be discovered in the Castillion- Cotes de Bordeaux region. Located in the southern portion of the region just west of the city of Bordeaux. Castillion- Cotes de Bordeaux is planted primarily with Merlot but also is home to the other Bordeaux varietals of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Carmenere. Granted AOP status in 2009, the name Cotes de Bordeaux brought together the previous appellations of Blaye, Cadillac, Castillon and Francs. While 'Cotes' translates to hillsides, the area has both gravelly slopes near the river and a plateau that has the clay-based soils that Merlot is is very fond of. This combination allows the wines of this region to be approachable early and better for the 'Wednesday Wine'/ everyday drinker than the prestigious wines of the Médoc or Pomerol.

Chateau Hyot is an excellent example of the value that Castillion Cotes de Bordeaux can offer and a great introduction to one of the great wine regions of the world!