9 - South West of France Flashcards
To what extent does the South West of France have the same climate as Bordeaux?
Climate broadly similar
Atlantic influence extends inland due to mostly flat terrain around Madiran and Jurancon
Some areas have more continentality - less rain and warmer summers e.g. Cahors (200mm less annual rainfall)
Describe Bergerac’s situation, climate and the kind of wines it makes.
Situation: east along the Dordogne from BDX
Climate: a bit warmer and drier than BDX with clay/limestone soils and some gravel
Wines: 50% red, 40% white, 10% rose. Reds from blends of Cab S, Cab F, Malbec, Merlot + local varietals as a minor partner.
Good-VG/Inexpensive-mid-price
Why is much of Bergerac’s wine early drinking in style?
- High yields - 60 hL/ha for reds
- Large SST or large old oak ageing –> less complexity, frutier style
- Lack of recognition for region –> lower average prices
What sub-appellation gives higher quality wines in Bergerac? What are the rules of this appellation?
Côtes de Bergerac AOC
- Main BDX varieties only
- Lower max yield 50 hL/ha
- Oak ageing is more common
Where is Bergerac sold?
90 domestic / 10 export
Domestic: supermarkets (50%), direct sales (30%)
Export: China (40%), Belgium, UK
Describe the situation, climate, wines/winemaking, and sales of Monbazillac
Situation: within Bergerac, close to Dordogne and tributaries
Climate: warm late summer and autumn + humidity = botrytis
Winemaking: bot or late-harvest, picked by hand, >80% SB, Savignon Gris, Semillon, Muscadelle, low yields (30 max)
Wines: Similar to BDX, good-VG, inexpensive-mid-priced
Sales: mainly in France, 50% in supermarkets
Why is Monbazillac cheaper than Sauternes?
- Cheaper land
- New oak is less common
- Lower demand due to less prestige
Why is Cahors area under vines only 1/10th of what it has been?
- Taxes and restrictions on the export from BDX
- Phylloxera
- 1956 frost
Only 4,000/18,000 ha planted
Describe the situation, climate and soils of Cahors
Situation: 250km inland along river Lot
Climate: some Atlantic influence but warmer and drier (<800mm) –> 17% organic, less spraying needed
Soils: alluvial (near river), poorer (mid-slopes), limestone (plateau at 350m)
Which grapes are grown in Cahors?
Malbec is principal - ripens more consistently, min 70%
Tannat also allowed
Merlot also allowed
Within Cahors, where might you expect to find different training systems?
Single guyot + cordon trained –> flat, alluvial vineyards to allow mechanisation, cordon training may help control yield
Bush vines –> slopes and plateau –> lower yield suitable to lower nutrients and higher quality; slopes will need to hand-harvest regardless
How is HQ Cahors made?
Vineyard site: mid-slope or plateau –> soil
Grapes: higher % of Merlot
Training: restrict the number of buds to limit yield e.g. bush vines
Harvest: by hand to allow selection
Winemaking: extractive with oak maturation
Describe Malbec (ripening, vigour, vulnerabilities, aromas, structure)
Mid-ripening
Vigorous
Vulnerable to: Coulure
Aromas: Violet, plum, affinity with oak
Structure: Med acid, high tannins
Describe the typical wine produced in Cahors
Deep ruby
Med-pronounced violet, plums, vanilla and sweet spice (HQ)
Med-med(+) acid, med(+)-high tannin
VG-outstanding/mid-priced-premium
Describe the winemaking options available to producers in Cahors (4)
Blend: min 70% Malbec, but Tannat and Merlot also available (Merlot popular for early drinking styles)
Destemmed fruit compulsory - why?
Maceration - varies from 7-10 days to 15-25 for early drinking vs. bottle-aged wines
Oak: for HQ wines, large foudre becoming more popular
Describe the structure of Cahors
80% by domaines (private companies?), 20% by Cooperative des Vignerons d’Olt
How has Cahors promoted itself? (2)
1. Varietal focus - “Cahors: the Capital of Malbec”
2. Voluntary quality categories
Tradition - lower % Malbec, alluvial plains
Prestige - mid-slope
Speciale - 100% Malbec, highest plateaus
Where is Cahors sold?
70 domestic / 30 export
Domestic - supermarkets and direct
Exports: UK, Canada, US; growing
Describe the growing environment of Madiran (situation, climate, wind, topography, soil)
Situation: 80km from Atlantic and close to the Pyrenees
Climate: Atlantic influence, 1000mm of rain (mainly in winter and spring), warm and sunny summers with cool nights
Winds: hot, dry Fohn from the south
Topography: four ridges running N-S with vineyards planted on steep west-facing slopes; some flatter areas
Soils: clay-limestone on slopes, clay/loam
What difference do the different soil types in Madiran make?
Steep slopes on clay-limestone –> well-drained –> warmer –> more tannic wines for long ageing
Flat sites with clay/clay-loam –> fertile, less-well drained –> less tannic, earlier drinking
Describe the grape Tannat
Vigorous –> trellised
Mid-ripening
Vulnerable to: BBR
Flavours: blackberry, blackcurrant + oak
Structure: very tannic, high acid, med-high alc, full body
Describe the typical wine produced in Madiran
Grapes: 60-80% Tannat. Cab F, Cab S, Fer Servadou
Deep ruby
Pronounced blackberry, blackcurrant, oak
High acid, high tannin, med-high alc, full body
VG-outstanding/mid-premium
How is the tannin in Madiran wines managed?
Grapes must be destemmed
Relatively short maceration
Oak and bottle maturation
Micro-oxygenation –> Patrik Ducournau 1991
Outline key rules in Madrian AOC (5)
1. Grapes: 60-80% Tannat. Cab F, Cab S, Fer Servadou
2. Cordon du Royat or replacement cane
3. Max yield 55
4. Grapes must be destemmed
5. Wines sold November in the year after harvest at earliest
What is the structure of Madiran? Where is it sold?
50/50 domaine/co-op
80 domestic - 50% supermarkets, 25% hospo, 25% specialist
20 export - UK, Belgium, Germany
Describe the growing environment of Jurançon
Situation: foothills of Pyrenees
Climate: mild, humid with 1,200mm
Fohn: blows spring and autumn, hot and dry –> temp, ventilation –> sweet wine production
Topography: ~300m in altitude with vineyards on steep slopes, some terraced
Soils: limestone, sand, clay, stones
What challenges does the growing environment of Jurancon present? (3)
Humid weather –> flowering + fruit set and/or harvest
Steep slopes may require terracing –> cost
Altitude –> frost –> training
What styles of wine are produced in Jurancon? With what grapes?
70 medium-sweet or
sweet / 30 dry
Jurançon Vendanges Tardives (sweet) - pronounced lemon and mango, high acidity, med alc, full body, VG-outstanding/mid-premium
Jurançon (typically medium-sweet) - Good-VG, inexpensive-mid-priced
Jurançon Sec (dry)
Min 50% of Gros and/or Petit Manseng –> most wine is exclusively these two
Describe how grapes are picked in Jurancon
By hand
Selective pickings for sweet - 1st in October, 2nd and 3rd in Nov/Dec (2/3rd after passerillage)
Why is it possible to make sweet wine from passerillage in Jurancon?
Fohn wind ensures dry conditions + generally sunny weather –> prevents rot
Describe Petit and Gros Manseng
Early budding
Mid-late ripening –> late harvest
Thick skins –> BBR –> late harvest
Moderately aromatic, high acid –> sweet wine
High alcohol –> care with picking dates
Gros: same but higher yield and less concentration –> dry wine
What differentiates the different levels of Jurancon?
Sec - higher max yield, less concentration
Jurancon - min RS is med-sweet and lower max yield
Jurancon VT - higher min RS, no enrichment, PM and GM only, cannot be picked before Nov 2nd
Outline the winemaking process for HQ sweet Jurancon (3)
Petit Manseng only
Barrels for 12-18mnths - usually old, occasionally new
MLC avoided - pH too low, acid too high –> retains acid and primary fruit
How is high-quality dry Jurancon made? (2)
Some % of PM to add to GM
Aged on lees in SST
Where is Jurancon sold? Any notable producers? Why are some producers focusing on dry wines?
Mostly domestically - equal split between direct, supermarkets, hospo
Cave de Gan = 50% of production
Dry wine is easier to sell than sweet and too much competition from other French sweets
What is Côtes de Gascogne? What kind of wine in produced? Challenges?
Largest of SW IGPs making wines from Colombard, SB, Chardonnay for export
3x rise in production 1990 - 2000 - 80% export
Neutral wine med-med(+) acid, fruity, easy to drink and varietal label of acceptable-good, inexpensive-mid-priced
More competition from New World
