The Garonne divides the Marmande district into north and south, with the resulting portions being eastern extensions of the Entre-Deux-Mers and Graves regions respectively. The northern part has the clay and chalk-based soils of Entre-Deux-Mers, in which Merlot grows well, while the gravels of Graves provide Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc with excellent growing conditions. The alluvial silts on the plateaux are also suitable for viticulture. 

The Garonne is the backbone of our appellation and our region. Around it, history was built. Through it, flowed the wine. And thanks to it, the grapes never ceased to be taken care of.

The vines have been playing a major economic role in our region since the Gallo-Roman era. In the Middle Ages, the Bordeaux wine merchants were already using the wines from the Marmandais region to meet the export’s needs. A lot of ships were leaving the harbours of Marmande, Couthure sur Garonne and La Réole, first going to Bordeaux, and then to England. The vineyard started to expand in the 18th and 19th century but gained real importance in the 20th century, when improvement and the acknowledgement of our uniqueness became priorities.

The Cave du Marmandais was founded in 2003 following the merging of two cooperative wineries of the appellation: the Cave de Beaupuy (founded in 1957) on the right bank, and the Cave de Cocumont (1956) on the left bank (not far away from the Cocumont Church).

Cabernet Sauvigon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot are the dominant varieties used in AOC Marmandais red wines, and are permitted to form a maximum 75% of a finished wine. The other authorised varieties set the Cotes du Marmandais apart from Bordeaux. They include the local grapes Abouriou, Malbec and Fer, as well as – surprisingly – the eastern French varieties Gamay and Syrah.  

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