At the heart of our exciting quest for the forgotten grape varieties of Bordeaux, Blanc Auba emerges as an invaluable treasure. This very old white grape variety, first mentioned in 1736 by Abbé Bellet in the Cadillac district, bears witness to a rich and often overlooked winemaking history. It is also cited in the Dupré de Saint-Maur survey (1783-1784) for the Bazas subdelegation, and as early as 1785, Ch. de Secondat highlighted its leading role in the Sainte-Croix-du-Mont vineyards, where it made up the majority of the plantings.

In 1878, the historian Édouard Féret confirmed its notable presence on the right bank slopes of the Garonne, emphasising its regional importance before the phylloxera era. Jullien, in 1832, had already noted: " The white wines of Barsac, Preignac and Sauterne are produced by blending the vines known as Sauvignon, Semilion blanc, Auba and a few others; they are full-bodied and generous. " Blanc Auba therefore actively participated in the creation of the great sweet Bordeaux wines, bringing its specific character to the aromatic bouquet, notably notes of white flowers and ripe fruit, contributing to the complexity and longevity of these nectars. Unfortunately, the arrival of phylloxera sounded the death knell for many grape varieties, and Blanc Auba was no exception. Its poor aptitude for being grafted onto American rootstocks led to its rapid decline. While it accounted for nearly 25% of the white vineyards in the present-day Premières Côtes around 1850, it was gradually replaced. In Entre-Deux-Mers, the more productive Ugni Blanc took over, while in Sainte-Croix-du-Mont, Muscadelle gained ground, relegating Blanc Auba to a mere memory and thus depriving the Bordeaux vineyards of a part of their original identity.

Ampelographic profile

Characteristic	Description
Budburst	Late, but quickly catches up with the other grape varieties by May.
Flowering	Relatively late.
Veraison	Unspecified.
Maturity	Late (third epoch).
Vigour	Rustic and vigorous.
Growth habit	Semi-erect.
Downy mildew susceptibility	Unspecified.
Powdery mildew susceptibility	Unspecified.
Botrytis susceptibility	Very slightly susceptible to noble rot and relatively resistant to grey rot.
Black rot susceptibility	Unspecified.
Aromatic profile	Notes of white flowers and ripe fruit when the grapes are ripe.
Winemaking potential	Very sweet juice, more so than Sémillon, suitable for producing rich and complex dry and sweet white wines. Well-suited to late harvests and blending with other white Bordeaux grape varieties such as Sauvignon, Sémillon and Muscadelle. Good aptitude for distillation.

A promising ampelographic profile for exceptional wines

Thanks to the detailed descriptions by Viala and Vermorel in their ampelography (1901-1910), we are rediscovering the formidable assets of this grape variety. It is described as "a rustic and vigorous grape variety" that "buds late, but catches up very quickly with the other grape varieties by May. It is preferable to plant it in warm soils with little or no moisture." Its resistance to grey rot, including noble rot (it is "very slightly susceptible to noble rot"), is also a valuable advantage, allowing for late harvests and exceptional concentration of sugars and aromas. "When the grapes are ripe, their skin turns red, then brown. It produces a sweet juice, more so than Sémillon", which suggests a potential for rich and complex dry and sweet white wines, well-suited to blending with Sémillon, Sauvignon and Muscadelle, to create cuvées with a unique balance and identity. Blanc Auba was also recognised for its aptitude for distillation, producing an "excellent eau-de-vie". Its many names – Blanc Auba or Aouba in Entre-Deux-Mers, Chatar in Créon, Muscadet in Loupiac, or even Cadillac and Blanc de Cadillac – underline its deep roots and diverse expressions within the Bordeaux terroir.

Blanc Auba is an iconic example of the lost grape varieties of Bordeaux, whose replacement by varieties such as Ugni Blanc in Entre-Deux-Mers altered the local viticultural landscape. This meticulous work of replanting long-lost grape varieties is made possible thanks to the invaluable support of the many wine lovers who have embraced our wines and share our passion for rediscovering Bordeaux's viticultural heritage. To further your knowledge of this fascinating history, please feel free to download our book "Bordeaux, a history of grape varieties" and test your knowledge with our oenological quizzes. Finally, to explore the culmination of this approach and taste our cuvées made from these rediscovered grape varieties, such as the Monbadon grape variety, we invite you to discover our wines online at the Cazebonne boutique.