14. Dordogne and South West of France

Question 1

Dordogne - where? climate? what appellations?

Answer 1

• East of Bordeaux and Entre-Deux-Mers
• Similar climate to Bordeaux but with lessmoderating maritime influence
• Bergerace and Monbazillac

Question 2

Dordogne - appellations and wines?

Answer 2

• Bergerac: same red and whites as in Bordeaux

- Monbazillac: nice botrytized sweet wine from Semillon and Sauvignon blanc

Question 3

South West France - 4 regions

Answer 3

• Cahors, Côtes de Cascognes IGP, Madiran, Jurançon

Question 4

Cahors - where? historical? grape varieties and types? best wines?

Answer 4

• East of Bordeaux, around river Lot
• “black wines”
• Today many types and varieties, depending if grown in fertile valley bottom or poorer soils
• Most famous: Malbec but also Merlot and Tannat
• aged in oak, notes of cedar and earth

Question 5

Côtes de Cascognes IGP - where? type of wine? grapes?

Answer 5

• south-east of Bordeaux
• dry, light-bodied white wines
• Ugni Blanc, aromas and flavours of green apple

Question 6

Madiran - where? type of wine? grapes

Answer 6

• toward Pyrenees, south of Côtes de Cascognes
• red wines, led by deeply coloured, high tannin Tannat
• traditionally require long ageing in bottle due to soften tannins
• today, riper grapes/modern winemaking result in better concentrated black fruit and softer tannins

Question 7

Jurançon - where? type of wine? important? characteristics? aromas/flavours?

Answer 7

• at foothills of Pyrenees
• dry and sweet whites
• complex sweet wines from high acid Petit Manseng
• free of botrytis, undergo passerillage
• pronounced apricot and grapefruit, sometimes spicy notes from new oak