GRAPE VARIETAL
Sauvignon Blanc–led (often 100% depending on vintage), with a small portion of Sémillon in some years; expect a crisp, fruit-forward Bordeaux Blanc profile.
APPELLATION
Sainte-Foy Côtes de Bordeaux AOC (dry white), on Bordeaux’s eastern Right Bank near the Dordogne River.
TERROIR
Clay-limestone soils on rolling hills by the Dordogne provide freshness, tension, and a clean mineral line—classic Right Bank structure for bright whites.
VINIFICATION
Direct press; low-temperature fermentation to preserve aromatics, followed by regular lees stirring to add body and balance acidity; typically stainless steel with no oak. Vine
TASTING NOTES
Vibrant notes of pear, grapefruit, peach, and citrus, with accents of Granny Smith and passionfruit; lively, juicy palate that finishes crisp and mineral.
FOOD PAIRING
Excellent as an apéritif and with seafood—think creamy white fish, pan-fried squid, Oléron oysters, and other shellfish
Tucked on Bordeaux’s far eastern edge, the Sainte-Foy Côtes de Bordeaux sits on the right bank of the Dordogne, bordering Bergerac and a short drive from Saint-Émilion. It’s a small, hillside appellation that turns out honest, well-priced wines, including fresh, Sauvignon-led whites that thrive in the area’s clay-limestone soils and Atlantic-tempered climate.
Château Carbonneau’s Margot is a classic white Bordeaux built on Sauvignon Blanc with a touch of Sémillon, depending on vintage. Named for the family’s eldest daughter and shaped by the owners’ New Zealand connection, it’s a beautifully clean, modern expression of right-bank white Bordeaux made for the porch or table.
Château Carbonneau is a family estate revived in the 1990s by Jacquie and Wilfrid Franc de Ferrière. They returned in 1992, restored the property after decades of neglect, and brought the winery back to life—first vintage in 1996—while opening the chateau to visitors with rooms and a tea room/wine bar. Their children are now involved across sales, winemaking, and hospitality, keeping the operation firmly family-run.
The estate straddles Pessac-sur-Dordogne and Gensac, with vines on the slopes and Aquitaine Blond cattle on the lower pastures—an integrated setup that supplies natural manure to the vineyards. Carbonneau began its organic conversion in 2019 and is now certified organic, with biodynamic certification in progress, marking a steady shift toward lower-input farming.
The De Ferrière family — Photo courtesy of the estate
Margot White Bordeaux shows Sauvignon’s citrus and orchard-fruit core—think grapefruit and green apple—layered with a hint of passionfruit and a clean beam of minerality. Fermented cool in stainless steel with time on lees (no oak), it deftly balances fruit, texture, and definition; in some harvests, slightly later picking adds a subtle tropical tilt without losing shape.
For pairings, start classic: creamy white fish, pan-fried squid, and Oléron oysters are bullseyes. Then branch out—goat-cheese tart with herbs, sushi and sashimi, Vietnamese herb salads with lime, or roast chicken with lemon and fennel. The wine’s bright line and gentle texture make it easy to slip into weeknight menus and more polished plates alike.