This episode is your reminder that “Bordeaux-like” doesn’t mean “Bordeaux-priced.” In Bergerac, the Atlantic influence is still present but the slightly warmer, drier conditions help the Bordeaux varieties ripen well on clay-limestone with some gravel, and the commercial logic is clear: maximum yields similar to Bordeaux AOC (67 hL/ha whites, 60 hL/ha reds) can mean lighter concentration, so producers often lean on stainless steel or older oak casks to keep costs down and release wines earlier. The step up is Côtes de Bergerac, where yields drop (50 hL/ha), local varieties are excluded, and some oak ageing appears for higher quality reds.
Monbazillac is the sweet counterpoint, and it’s all about river humidity meeting autumn sun: mists and dew raise humidity, warm late summer and early autumn sunshine burns it off, and that rhythm creates the conditions for noble rot. Hand-picking in multiple passes is non-negotiable, yields are capped at 30 hL/ha, and the blend must be at least 80% of Sauvignon Blanc, Sauvignon Gris, Sémillon and Muscadelle. New oak barrel fermentation is far less common than in Sauternes, which is exactly why Monbazillac can deliver a botrytised or late-harvest style at a lower price point.
Use this episode when you need to explain how climate + yields + vessel choices shape price and style in a Bordeaux-adjacent region.
