France - South West France Flashcards
What are the five regions in south west France besides Bordeaux? (from west to east)
- Jurançon
- Madiran
- Bergerac
- Monbazillac
- Cahors
What regions are similarly influenced by the Atlantic as Bordeaux?
- Jurançon
- Madiran
What regions have a greater distance to the Atlantic ocean and what is the effect?
- Bergerac, Monbazillac, Cahors
- Less rainfall (about 200mm less)
- Warmer summers
Where is the Dordogne located, what are the largest two appellations and what styles of wines do they produce?
- East of Entre-Deux-Mers
- Bergerac and Monbazillac
- Similar wine styles as Bordeaux
Bergerac
What types and styles of wines are produced? (incl. %)
- Dry and sweet
- Red (50%)
- White (40%)
- Rosé (10%)
Bergerac
What are the principal grape varieties and requirements for red wine?
- Min 50% from at least two of
- Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Merlot
- Small parts of local varieties allowed
Bergerac
What is the climate and soil?
- Slightly warmer and drier than Bordeaux
- Clay and limestone with some gravel
Bergerac
What are the max yields for red and white wines?
- Red: 60 hL/ha
- White: 67 hL/ha
Bergerac
Describe the typical style of wine (intensity, ageing, general style)
- Low intensity
- Aged in large stainless steel or older oak casks
- Easy-drinking style for early consumption
Côtes de Bergerac
What are the differences in style compared to Bergerac? (quality, varieties, max yield, ageing)
- Higher quality red wines
- Restricted to the main Bordeaux varieties
- Predominantly Merlot
- Max yield is lower (50 hL/ha)
- Oak ageing used by some
Bergerac and Côtes de Bergerac
What is the typical quality and price?
- Good to very good
- Inexpensive to mid-priced
Bergerac
How much is exported and what are the top export markets?
- 10%
- China, Belgium, UK
Monbazillac
What types of wines are produced?
Sweet wines only
Monbazillac
How is the region suitable for producing sweet wines?
- Lies between Dordogne and one of its tributaries
- Moist air along the rivers
- High levels of humidity
- Humidity is burnt off by the sun in the afternoon
Monbazillac
How is harvest conducted?
- By hand
- In several passes
Monbazillac
What are the requirements regarding varieties?
- Min 80% of
- Sauvignon Blanc
- Sauvignon Gris
- Sémillon
- Muscadelle
Monbazillac
What is the max yield?
30 hL/ha
Monbazillac
How do the wines compare to Sauternes? And what is the quality and price?
- Fermentation in new oak less common (lower costs)
- Good to very good quality
- Inexpensive to mid- priced
Monbazillac
How much is exported and what are the main export markets?
- 10%
- North-west Europe
Cahors
What was the region known for, why was it important and how did it evolve?
- A lot of wine transported via rivers to Bordeaux to be exported
- Known as ‘black wine of Cahors’
- Competition with Bordeaux, phylloxera and a devastating frost in 1956
- Area under vine reduced to 10%
Cahors
What is mainly planted? (incl. ha and %)
- 4,000 ha of Malbec
- Accounting for 85%
Cahors
Describe the climate and influences on grape growing
- Influence from Atlantic
- Warmer and slightly drier than Bordeaux
- Less need for spraying against diseases
Cahors
Describe the range of vineyard locations and, hence, soils?
- Next to the River: rich, alluvial soils (resulting in higher yields and lower fruit concentration)
- Mid slope: poorer soils (lower yields and higher concentration)
- Highest plateau at 350m: low nutrient limestone soils (lower yields and higher concentration)
Cahors
How are vines mostly trained?
Single Guyot most common
Cahors
How is the harvesting method decided?
Based on return on investment
Cahors - Malbec
What is its vigor?
- Vigorous
- Canopy and yield mgmt needed
Cahors - Malbec
What is it susceptible to?
Coulure
Cahors - Malbec
Describe the typical style of wine (color, intensity, aromas, acidity, tannin, oak, quality, price)
- Deep ruby
- Medium to pronounced intensity
- Violet, red and black plum
- Medium to medium(+) acidity
- Medium(+) to high tannin
- Some aged in new barriques, some in foudres
- Good to outstanding quality
- Mid- to premium priced
Cahors Winemaking
What are the requirements regarding grape varieties?
- Min 70% Malbec
- Merlot and Tannat allowed
- Top-quality wines often 90-100% Malbec
Cahors Winemaking
Destemming or whole-bunch pressing?
Destemming is required by the appellation (to eliminate underripe stems that could add aggressive tannins)
Cahors Winemaking
What are the two general styles of wine?
- Early drinking (using Merlot in the blend; 7–10 days on the skins)
- Intend to bottle age (15–25 days on skins)
Cahors - Wine Business
What type of businesses are involved? (incl. %)
- Private companies (80%)
- Single co-op “Cooperative des Vignerons d’Olt” (20%)
Cahors - Wine Business
What are the three levels of quality and price?
- Tradition – inexpensive, 70–85% Malbec, often grown on rich alluvial soils and at higher yields and lower fruit concentration
- Prestige – mid-priced, often grown on the mid-slope
- Spéciale – often 100% Malbec, premium priced, often grown on the highest plateau
Cahors - Wine Business
How much is exported, what is the trend and what are the top export markets?
- 30%
- Growing
- UK, Canada, USA
Cahors - Wine Business
Name two significant producers
- Château du Cèdre
- Château de Chambert
Madiran
Describe the typical style of Madiran AOC wine
- High tannin
- Red wine
- Principally from Tannat
Madiran
What other type of wine is produced in the same geographical region?
- White late harvest sweet wine
- “Pacherenc du Vic-Bilh AOC”
- Made from local varieties
Madiran
What is the climate and influence on grape growing?
- Atlantic influence
- High annual rainfall (1,000mm) mainly in late winter and spring
- Warm, sunny summers
- Dry autumns with warm days and cool nights
- Hot, dry southern Föhn wind
- Full ripening of Tannat possible
Madiran
Describe the two locations for vineyards
- Slopes: steep, west-facing, with clay and limestone with good drainage -> tannic wines suitable for long bottle-ageing
- Flatter land: clay and loam soils -> less tannic, early-drinking wines
Madiran
Name the three grape varieties (incl. %)
- Tannat (70%)
- Cabernet Franc (20%)
- Cabernet Sauvignon (10%)
- Fer Servadou (1%)
Madiran - Tannat
What is the variety known for?
Highly tannic
Madiran - Tannat
What is its vigor and ripening time?
- Vigorous -> trellis
- Mid-ripening -> before autumn rains
Madiran - Tannat
What is it susceptible to?
Botrytis bunch rot
Madiran - Tannat
Describe the typical style of a Madiran wine intended for ageing (color, intensity, aromas, tannin, acidity, body, alcohol, quality, price)
- Deep ruby
- Pronounced intensity
- Blackberry, blackcurrant, oak flavours
- High tannins
- High acidity
- Full body
- Medium to high alcohol
- Very good to outstanding quality
- Mid- to premium priced
Madiran - Winemaking
What are requirements regarding grape varieties?
- 60–80% Tannat
- Blended with Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Fer Servadou
Madiran - Winemaking
How are vines trained?
- Cordon de Royat
- Cane-replacement system
Madiran - Winemaking
What is the max yield?
55 hL/ha
Madiran - Winemaking
What is done to soften the tannins of Tannat?
- Grapes must be destemmed
- Shorter maceration times
- Oak ageing
- Bottle ageing
- Micro-oxygenation
Madiran - Winemaking
What is done to create a more accessible style
- Picking only the ripest grapes
- Gentle pressing
- Micro-oxygenation
Madiran - Wine Business
How much is exported and what are the top export markets?
- 20%
- UK, Belgium, Germany
Madiran - Wine Business
What businesses are involved in production? (incl. %)
- Private growers (50%)
- Co-ops (50%)
Madiran - Wine Business
Name two significant producers
- Alain Brumont
- Château d’Aydie
Madiran - Wine Business
Name two significant co-ops
- Cave de Crouseilles
- Plaimont
Jurançon
Where is the region located?
- Foothills of the Pyrenees
- At 300m altitude
Jurançon
What types of wines are produced?
- Medium-sweet and sweet wines (70%)
- Dry wines (30%)
Jurançon
What are the three styles produced?
- Jurançon Vendanges Tardives (sweet)
- Jurançon (typically medium-sweet)
- Jurançon Sec (dry)
Jurançon
Describe the typical style of Jurançon Vendanges Tardives (sweetness, intensity, aromas, acidity, alcohol, body, quality, price)
- Sweet
- Pronounced intensity
- Lemon and mango
- High acidity
- Medium to high alcohol
- Full body
- Very good to outstanding quality
- Mid- to premium priced
Jurançon
Describe the typical style of Jurançon AOC (sweetness, quality, price)
- Medium-sweet
- Good to very good quality
- Inexpensive to mid-priced
Jurançon
Describe the climate and influence on grape growing
- Mild, humid climate
- High rainfall (1,200 mm), distributed throughout the year
- Can be a problem during flowering, fruit set, and harvest
Jurançon
Where are the vineyards located?
- On slopes for good drainage
- Some slopes require terracing (higher cost)
- Best sites: south and south-west facing for max sunlight interception
Jurançon
What are the principal grape varieties? (incl. %)
- Gros Manseng (65%)
- Petit Manseng (30%)
- Other local varieties (5%)
Jurançon
What has a strong environmental influence in the region and what effect does it have on grape growing?
- Presence of the Pyrenees
- Föhn: hot and dry wind in spring and autumn (1 in 3 days)
- Drying the air and canopy and boosting temperature
- Helps to produce over-ripe berries
Jurançon
Besides “Föhn”, what is another risk, why, and what is done to mitigate it?
- Spring frost
- Due to higher altitude
- Budding zone trained well above the ground
Jurançon
Describe the soil
Mixture of limestone, sand, clay, and stones
Jurançon
Describe the harvesting process for the different styles of wines
- Picked by hand
- A series of selective pickings
- First selection (October): mainly dry wines but also some sweet wines
- Second and third selections (November to December): carried out after over-ripe grapes have been dried on the vine (passerillage)
Jurançon - Petit Manseng
What is the budding/ripening time and skin?
- Early budding -> prone to spring frosts
- Mid to late ripening
- Thick skin -> resistant to botrytis
Jurançon - Petit Manseng
Describe further charactierstics of the variety (aromatic, acidity, alcohol)
- Moderately aromatic
- Retains high acidity
- High alcohol
Jurançon - Gros Manseng
Describe the differences to Petit Manseng. What is it mainly used for?
- Higher yields
- Less aromatic concentration
- Mainly used for dry wines
Jurançon - Winemaking
What are the requirements regarding grape varieties?
- Min 50% Petit Manseng, Gros Manseng
- Often these two varieties are exclusively used
Jurançon - Winemaking
Name the three styles of wines and their sweetness level
- Jurançon Sec: dry
- Jurançon: medium sweet
- Jurançon Vendanges Tardives: sweet
Jurançon - Winemaking
Describe the min residual sugar and max yield for Jurançon Sec and Jurançon
- Jurançon Sec: max yield 60 hL/ha
- Jurançon: min 40g/l residual sugar, max yield 40 hL/ha
Jurançon - Winemaking
Describe the requirements for Jurançon Vendanges Tardives
- Min 55 g/L residual sugar (typically higher)
- No enrichment allowed
- Max yield 40 hL/ha
- Petit Manseng and Gros Manseng only
- Grapes may not be picked before November 2nd
Jurançon - Winemaking
Comment on production of higher quality sweet wines regarding oak, ageing, and malo
- Typically fermented in barriques
- Aged in barriques for 12–18months
- Typically old oak is used
- Malo does not happen as acidity is very high
Jurançon - Winemaking
Comment on production of higher quality dry wines regarding variety, ageing, and vessel
- Small proportion of Petit Manseng may be included
- Typically aged on lees
- Stainless steel is used
Jurançon - Wine Business
What style of wine do producers give more attention to and why?
- Dry wine production
- Competition to sell sweet wines
- Sweet wines in general more difficult to sell
Jurançon - Wine Business
How much is exported?
Only a small percentage
Jurançon - Wine Business
Name a significant producer and co-op
- Domaine Cauhapé
- Co-op “Cave de Gan” (50% of production)
IGP Wines
How many IGPs are in south-west France and what is the largest?
- 14
- IGP Côtes de Gascogne
IGP Côtes de Gascogne
What it is known for and where are the wines sold?
- Easy-drinking white wines
- Mainly export markets: UK, nothern Europe
IGP Côtes de Gascogne
What are the grape varieties used?
- Mainly Colombard (neutral, med-med(+) acidity)
- Sauvignon Blanc
- Chardonnay
IGP Côtes de Gascogne
What is the typical quality and price?
- Acceptable to good quality
- Inexpensive to mid-priced
